Since 1999, SEAL Ashram, under the leadership of Pastor K M Philip and assisted by Pastor Biju Samuel, has been rescuing homeless and missing children from the railway platforms and streets of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
A recent incident can explain just how heartwarming, and pleasing this place is “A disoriented woman was found wandering in a village and brought to SEAL Ashram, where she received care and healing. Unable to communicate clearly, her identity remained a mystery for months, but they did not give up on her, instead showered her with love. And affection through the love received by the people at SEAL Ashram a breakthrough came when she mentioned “Badami”, the place she hails from leading SEAL Ashram to contact local authorities. Miraculously, her family who had been searching for her for seven years was found. This proves that love, hope, and perseverance can work miracles.
Dr. Abraham Mathai, Founder of the Harmony Foundation and Chief Patron of SEAL Ashram, commended the organization’s unwavering commitment. Over the past 25 years, SEAL Ashram has reunited approximately 600 individuals with their families, offering them a second chance at life. The Ashram has endeavoured to retrieve the destitute from obscurity and bring them back into the mainstream by reuniting them with their families and next of kin, resulting in their reintegration back into society.
He stressed the importance of civil society’s involvement in addressing destitution, as there are lakhs of such destitute across the nation who don’t even reflect in the national census. Often, the homeless are abandoned and disconnected from society and do not even receive the benefits of various government schemes issued for the underprivileged. Therefore, civil society should step forward to provide support through awareness, reporting cases, volunteering, and advocating for inclusive policies.
