For the residents of a housing society in Bangalore, help with transport is a phone call away. The drivers there know a guy who will, in a pinch, pitch in and drive anyone where they want to go. His name is Shivaji and he is the local friendly, dependable driver.

There is a reason why he is available only part-time. He cannot take on a full-time job because his family of 25 needs him. Shivaji and his wife are bringing up 23 adopted children because they decided never to refuse a child in need. They give loving care to children who have felt unwanted so early in their lives. 

Children at the school
At the moment, the family lives on the charity of people from the society that helps them buy their monthly rations. But charity doesn't cover some essential expenses and this family needs help paying their rent dues and retain their home. 

'Doing good deeds is challenging but not difficult'

Prema and Shivaji came to Bangalore when they got married 25 years ago. Shivaji worked as a driver and Prema worked at a small BPO. Their daughter went to a good school and while they were not rich, they managed to lead happy lives.

 

Shivaji and Prema at Miracle Manna
That's when Shivaji's cousin abandoned his family leaving his wife and three children penniless and homeless. Prema and Shivaji decided to help this family in need. They helped settle their most pressing bills and made sure the children finished their education.

“Even though we didn't make much, we saw that we were able to help a whole family. We decided to put more effort in taking care of others who needed it,” Prema explains. They decided to adopt children who didn't have anyone to look after them.

 

The exterior of the home
In 2010, they had 10 children and they needed some support taking care of them. That's when they decided to register as a charitable trust named 'Miracle Manna'. Today, Miracle Manna has 23 children united by love and the sense of family.  

A tough call for the best interests of the family 

As the family grew, the hired help expenses also began mounting. Even with donations, the family's income lagged behind the expenses. So Prema and Shivaji made a tough, bold decision. “I got only Rs 8,000 at work. Shivaji also made about the same. I realised that it would be more efficient and easier to manage things at home on my own,” Prema says.

Prema quit her job and now handles all the cooking and cleaning herself. Shivaji drops all the children to school in a van and works only part-time. The children go to the nearest English-medium school, an hour's drive away. They firmly believe that this is God's way of working through them and this thought keeps them going in the most difficult of times.

 

The children going to school in their van
But the extra time has helped them reach out to more donors. "Every month, we make a list of the things we need. We have a group of donors who help us procure the most important items. But sometimes, it is difficult to even get rations for the month,” says Shivaji. 

They need your help to keep their home

Today, their rent has piled up. They live in a large house on the outskirts of Bangalore. Their landlord is sympathetic and has rented them a large home for Rs 8,000. Shivaji's odd jobs are not sufficient to pay the accumulated rent of five months and they don't want to default. 

Venkatesh, a regular donor to Miracle Manna is raising funds to make sure this family gets to stay safe and together. Funds collected will also be used to pay the fees of some of the students. Join his efforts to help this selfless couple make sure the children have their home in the coming year.

Donate to Miracle Manna now