SHOP UNTIL WE DROP The universal call to most especially women is shopping nothing is more accelerating.  Shopping is not always want it can be need but there is something about going around stores and spending.  This time can be spent with family and friends and it mixes well with idle chatter and or gossiping with most assuredly grabbing a bite to eat.  The smells coming from shops offering food can make you drool and making you feel as if you can eat your way throughout the whole shopping outing.  We look at the latest fashions and even try them on knowing full well that expenditure is not in the budget but for a fleeting moment we are what we put on…WOW!  At malls especially we can sit and people watch and gleam some insight in how the rest of society is doing. Children especially love to be taken on a shopping excursion for they will assuredly get goodies to eat and no doubt a cheap toy that will be broken by days end.  Balloons can be bought but often times given

VALLEY OF TEARS There is no one country that is perfect; decisions are made at times causing tragic results.  Democratic countries look at their errors which at times is fueled by vengeance and or greed because Democracy is a check and balance Governance.  Justice plays a role in bringing Democracy back to its roots as well as government agencies, courts, intelligence, and parliamentary representatives.  Therefore, if a Democratic Governance is in place and developed no one person, party, group has total power to dictate over any person’s freedoms and rights.  The present party in India the BJP has some radical groups that the law turns a blinds eye too.  The poor approximately 80% are either illiterate or have had a sparse education.  They are won over by what they hear not really taking into account the consequences of a smooth talker with a charismatic personality.  They judge and make decisions that will lift them from their VALLEY OF TEARS and who can blame them but

PRAISE UPDATE REPORT (The Vulnerable) On December 1, 2014 I posted a blog on the plight of an elderly man whose land was stolen from him by goons.  Original blog at http://wwwlindamaryliotinocom.blogspot.in/2014/12/the-vulnerable.html I am happy to report Praise God for his love and mercy the elderly man not only got his property deed that was stolen from him, he also did not have to pay back the money or give back the goat the goons gave him for the land.  Seemingly, the reason for the so called generosity of the goons stems from not wanting to go before a judge and fight a thievery case on their part.  All who read original blog and said a little prayer for this man I thank you on his behalf, justice prevailed in the mercy and love of God. MY COMMENTARY: Although this is a settled case and quickly so I might add this is by far the norm in such cases in India.  Although many cases of this nature are against the poor I know of two cases pending in the gri

SAINT SEBASTIAN SHRINE I just came back from a four day stay in Sri Lanka.  The purpose of the trip is part of the conditions of my India Visa where I must leave India every six months.   I visited Saint Sebastian Shrine located in the suburb of Colombo, Kandana.   Saint Sebastian’s Feast Day is January 20 th .   He was martyred in the 3 rd century, he was shot with many arrows and beaten to death.   He is the Patron Saint of athletes particularly archers. On January 12, 2014 a reliquary containing a fragment of his arm was gifted to the Administer of the Shrine. This is my fourth time visiting Sri Lanka it is a beautiful country and I was bless with sun shine during the day and it rained only at night.  My return flight to India was delayed for about 4 hours due to severe thunder storms. Two really amazing stories I was fortunate to get to know and the people involved in these different situations.  Future blogs will tell their stories.  ©Linda Mary Li

GRANDMA GRECCO One of my fondest memories of my childhood was the times I spent with my maternal Grandmother Grecco.  She had a kind and generous heart, full of love.  I don’t remember ever hearing her rising her voice or arguing.  This dear soul could be seen carrying her rosaries while praying.  She had this beautiful large statue of the Blessed Mother of God under a glass dome in her bedroom.  Until I became 15 years old we spent Christmas Day at my grandparents’ home with the rest of their children six in all and their families.  When I arrived the smells coming from the kitchen just permeated throughout the house that was filled with happy chatter and children playing.  The Italian sausage would be frying, the meatballs being made and the mouth watering tomato sauce would simmer on the stove where the rich aroma of garlic and parsley could not be ignored.  I always could count on my grandmother to break a piece of crusty Italian bread off and dip it in the cooking

KICKING THE COMMON MAN TO THE CURB On November 25 th , at 11:30am on the command of SHRI SP RANNA MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) of the BJP (ruling party), the Forest Department, two bulldozers, and 40 policeman demolition 900 jhuggis (huts) leaving THOUSANDS homeless; 2,000 of which are CHILDREN.  They were given 10 minutes’ notice to collect their belongings and vacate before the demolition.  Needless to say this was not enough time making the loss of home and property devastating.   Many of the residence (COMMON MAN)) had been living there for decades, are working people such as carpenters, auto drivers and taxis, housemaids, gardeners, construction workers, private security guards, and street vendors.  They migrated from  neighboring  states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.  They had electric hook ups, voter cards and an Aadhaar card (equivalent to a Social Security card) with the address of the jhuggis on it.  The COMMON MAN paid approximately 250,000 rupees, 2

THE VULNERABLE This elderly man of poor health has been coming to ME A SERVANT OF CHRIST MISSION every Sunday for the last two years needing twenty rupees to buy half a pound of rice.  He never asks for more and blesses us every time for the money.  Other than the blessing he rarely says anything else. Approximately a little more than a month ago the elderly man did not stop by to get his rice money and we noted this but since we did not know where he lived we thought he might be sick.  The following week he stopped by to tell us he had been beaten up and the goons stole his property papers and took his land.  He went to the police but since it was Diwali (Hindu Festival) the police refused to register his complaint or look into the fact he had been beaten until the festival was over making the elderly man return once more to them.  The police took the complaint and placed it into the hands of an arbitrator, which in essence told the elderly man to take the money off