A Ray of Light to the
Intellectually Challenged
D
FR. SOJAN
AIKKARAKUNNEL
eepti Nivas, a Home away from home
for the intellectually challenged,
provides job-oriented training and
rehabilitation to young persons with special
abilities (differently abled). Activities for their
betterment began to reach out to the rural
areas of Mandya District in the year 1997.
Through this programme St Thomas Mission
Society (MST) shares the redeeming love of
Jesus with the least of the society and serves
them, after the command of our Saviour
Jesus Christ “Whatsoever you do to the least
of my brethren, that you do unto me”. It is a
matter of pride for all missionaries in Mandya
that our sincere dedication for the cause of
the disabled leads to great success in their
rehabilitation and upliftment.
It is the pathetic situation of the intellectually
challenged persons in this region that
induced us to take up this ministry. In
India, the majority of persons with mental
retardation have traditionally been cared
for by their families. A mentally retarded
child in a family is lifelong pain for parents.
The physical, emotional and social stress
that these parents and siblings undergo is
indescribable. It is also difficult for a mentally
challenged child to survive and grow in
the family because of the neglect or even
ill-treatment meted out to him/her by the
family members as they feel ashamed or
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