V R: I t w a s a tra i ni n g of Soup -
S o a p - S a l v a ti on . W h e r e I u s e d to w a lk 1 0 k m s to find
a nd h e l p d ru ggi s t a nd ne e de d
p e o p l e . T he y go t im pre s s e d w ith
m y c o m m i tm e nt to the NG O a nd m y
hard work.
Afte r I go t p r om ote d in Te e n
Ch a l l e nge NG O , th e y s e nd m e to
P o rtuga l for s i x m onth for the
m e n ti one d tra i n i n g, w he re in w e
ha v e to o utre a c h to pe ople w ho
a r e ne e de d re h a bs a nd ne e de d
to b e ta k e n c a re of. T h e y u s e d to gi v e m y e x a m ple s
w he n e v e r g r ou p s e s s ions w e re
o rg a ni ze d . Fi rs t ti m e in m y life I
fe l t s o go o d tha t ins te a d of ge tting
re j e c ti o n a t fi rs t I got a c c e pta nc e
a nd a c k n ow l e dg e m e nt. I r e a lly
th a n k J e s u s for tha t.
O u r j ob w a s to i d e ntify the
pe opl e w ho a r e i n to drugs ,
ga ngs , pros ti tuti on, c hild
tra ffi c k i n g e tc e tc .. O ur tra ining
w a s to ta l k to th e m . m a k e the m
un d e r s ta nd a bo ut the da nge r
a n d ha rm the y a re doing to the ir
bo d i e s a n d m i nd a nd a ls o to the
s o c i e ty , s o fi r s t w e us e d to giv e
the m S ou p - s o th a t the y ge t
e n e rgy a n d the i r m ind s ta rts
w o r k i ng, the n w e us e d to giv e
the m S oa p - th i s m e a ns , us ua lly
dr u ggi s t a nd a dd i c te d pe ople
do n 't k e e p the m c le a n a nd tidy ,
a n d be c a us e of th a t the y
s u rround s the m s e lv e s w ith lot
of n e ga ti v e e n e rg ie s , s o our job
i s to c l e a n the m w ith ba the a nd
c l oth e s , the n c o m e s Sa lv a tion -
thi s m e a ns i f th a t pe r s on is
w i l l i ng to qu i t hi s /he r ha bits
the n w e us e d to ta k e the m to
r e ha bs a n d te a c h the m Bible a nd
i t's go s pe l s , s o th a t w he n the y
c a n be a go o d h um a n w he n the y
a r e out from r e ha bs . T h o s e w e r e the da y s w he r e I found
o u t th a t di s a bi l i ti e s a re jus t y our
p e r c e p ti o n bu t i f y ou a re
d e te r m i n e d a nd fo c us e d the n
n o th i n g c a n s top y ou to a c hie v e
y ou r d re a m s .
BC: W ha t w a s y o ur tr a ining a ll
a bo u t i n P o r tu ga l ?
BC: Di d a n y on e no t a s k y ou
a bo u t y our di s a bi lity the re ?
V R: I u s e d to g e t l o t of re je c tion
i n Mum ba i , p e op l e us e d to te a s e
m e w i th m a ny na m e s s inc e
c h i l dhoo d a fte r m y a c c ide nt, s o
m y m i nd i s b e e n tr a ine d s inc e
m y y ounge r d a y s tha t, I w ill ge t
r e j e c ti on s a t fi rs t, s o I w a s
pr e pa re d.
W h e n I s ta rte d tra ining in
P o rtuga l , i n i ti a l l y the y didn't
k n ow a bout m y d is a bility a nd I
w a s a l s o bi t e m ba r r a s s e d to te ll
the m but w h e n th e y found out
a b out tha
t, the
th e y s Waters
ta rte d , Year 12
Article
by: n Annalise
r e s pe c ti Photos
n g m e by: m Emmanuel
or e .. I told
Vills, the
Year m 12
a b out ho w i t h a pp e ne d ? a nd
tol d the m a b ou t m y r outine s in
Te e n Cha l l e n g e i n Mum ba i,
BC: T ha ts re a l l y tr ue ..
BC: Afte r y o u c a m e ba c k fr om
P ortuga l , W h a t d i d y ou do ?
V R: I n P o rtu ga l I s a w how the y
u s e d to w o rk a n d go to the
o u tre a c h , I re a l l y lik e d the c onc e pt
o f Mo b i l e Foo d V a n the re in
P o rtu g a l . Dr ugg i s t a nd Addic te d
p e o p l e n e v e r u s e d to s pe nd s ingle
p e n n y o n fo od or c loths , c oz the y
u s e d to s a v e m o ne y for dr ugs . So
th i s M ob i l e Fo od Va n us e d to go to
th e m a n d fe e d s the m for fre e , if
th e y re qu i r e c l o the s , the n this v a n
u s e d to pr o v i de the m w ith tha t
a l s o, w i th o nl y o ne m otiv e is to
b ri ng th e m ou t of drugs a nd
a dd i c ti o ns .
W h e n I c a m e b a c k fro Portuga l, I
s ha re d th i s c onc e pt w ith m e
d i re c to r of Te e n Cha lle nge NG O , he
g o t h o ok e d on i t a nd w e ope ne d
Mo bi l e F o o d V a n h e re ba c k in
Mu m b a i , i n the n a m e of "Bom ba y
T e e n Ch a l l e nge F ood Va n". Ea rlie r
w e us e d to go to the s e pe ople by
w a l k bu t no w thi s food v a n c ha nge d
e v e ry th i n g a nd d ruggis t a nd
a dd i c te d p e op l e s ta rte d ta k ing us
seriously.
T h e r e w e re m a ny pe ople w ho c a m e
to u s . l i k e p oo r, polic e guy s w ho
w e r e i n to d rug s too, e lite s oc ie tie s
a s w e l l g o t c onn e c te d w ith us .
S o a fte r l e a v i ng Mc Dona ld's job
a nd a fte r m y tra i ning in Por tuga l I
w or k e d i n M o bi l e Food Va n for Te e n
Ch a l l e n g e NG O a nd tha t's be c a m e
m y m i s s i o n , to h e lp a ddic te d guy s .
"Be strong and of good
courage, do not fear
nor be afraid of them;
for the Lord your God,
He is the one who goes
with you, He will not
leave you nor forsake
you"
- Deuteronomy 31.6