We went on several of the outreach runs to distribute food to homeless people who live on the streets of the city. Difficult to believe that our cook Ruckmani, with the part time help of her daughter and the Jacob's residents - cook and pack more than 4,000 meals a week! The food is of course important, but as much as anything the outreach runs, which now happen on six days of the week, help us to reach many people. They get to know the Jacob's workers so it is a channel for being able to provide clothes, medical treatment, or whatever is needed.
We met Das on an outreach trip in 2008. He came to Jacob's to meet us this time as he heard we were visiting. He was disabled by polio as a child, and was not therefore able to work. Jacob's provided him with a few supplies to start a simple shop, which he now runs on the settlement where he has a tiny shack. This enables him to feed his family - his wife and daughter, and has allowed him to become independent, so he no longer has to go on to the streets and beg. That's just one example of what can come from providing a meal for a homeless person. There are many many more.
The Jacob's residents first of all clean the rice - they have to pick through it carefully and take out small stones and 'poochies' that would spoil the rice if cooked. They help cut and prepare the veg and pack the meals in banana leaf and newpaper, and pack them into bags for distribution. Most of the residents were previously homeless themselves, or taken in to Jacob's from the Government Hospital to avoid them having to live on the street, so they are happy to be able to help others in the same circumstances. It is really heartening to witness the culture of caring and looking out for each other that has developed at Jacob's.
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