Help for Keerthana

Below is a copy of an email that Thomas and Suzanne (Abandoned But Precious Ministries) received from their friend Joseph. It’s the story of what happened to one of the children they work with in India. At first read you may think this is one of those scam emails but I can assure you it isn’t. I know Thomas and Suzanne personally and they work with Joseph personally.

The email is quite long but very important. Please take a moment to read it and pray for Keerthana. If you’re moved by this and want to share it with others, please link back to this article rather than emailing a copy. This way people won’t mistake it for spam. Thank you.

Nov 5, 2007

Dear Respected Brother Thomas and Sister Suzanne
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Thank you for your beautiful letter. Please do not think that we are exploiting your goodness. No. Not at all. On 27th October Keerthana was in her house-a small one room rented house in our street. Keerthana’s father Balasubramanian is working as a salesman in a rice shop where they sell only rice ready for cooking-not paddy. He is employed in that shop for many years. He had gone to that shop. Keerthana’s mother Muthammal is working in another shop as a sales girl. Every day both of them go to their respective workplaces after sending their two children to school. Keerthana has a younger sister. Her name is Kavi. She is in the LKG. Usually both the children go to school in the morning and come back home around 4-30. This is what happens every day except Sundays. On Sundays all the four of them remain at home. On 29th October Monday Tamilnadu Government had declared a holiday to all the educational institutions. So the children stayed back. Kavi had gone to play outside. Keerthana was at home. In view of DEEPAWALI the Hindu festival (this year falls on 8th November) the children were cracking firecrackers. Every year they do this in the festival season. That way Keerthana too was enjoying fire crackers. All of a sudden her maxi got fired. She did not know that in the beginning. Then the fire spread all over the body. Then she screamed and cried. The next door neighbors rushed to the spot. They extinguished the fire and rushed her to the nearby hospital. The first aid was done. Then she was moved to the child specialist hospital. She had 40 per cent fire burns. The doctors said that immediately plastic surgery should be done. Then they did. After that they moved her to the Fire Accident Specialty hospital. That is GRACE KENNET HOSPITAL. She is there now undergoing treatment. She may be discharged around 15th November.

Usually poor people cannot afford to pay bills in the Private Clinics. Usually they go to the government hospital where the treatment is free. But there everybody tortures the patients asking for BRIBE for everything. Since the government hospital is little far away from our area they admitted her to the nearest hospital in our street . Since it was very urgent they took her to the nearest hospital.

But in the private hospitals they mercilessly charge several thousands of Rupees DAILY. Keerthana’s parents have borrowed heavy amount for interest from the money lenders. They themselves do not know how they are going to repay the amount to the money lenders. On one side they are very sad about the accident. On the other side they are worried about the money to be repaid to the money lenders. They are very much depressed. I gave them Rs Ten Thousand as an immediate help. Altogether it will amount to Rs Eighty Thousand. That is equivalent of two thousand USD. Every day they give the bill to them in the hospital. I can get the Xerox Copies of the bills. First the child was admitted at DR. TAMIL ARSASI HOSPITAL on our street. Next she was shifted to Dr. NAVAMANI PRABAHARAN’S CHILD SPECIALIST HOSPITAL. We can get all the bills from the three hospitals.

I can send you the photo of Keerthana (BEFORE) attached to my email. I will do that this evening. Then we will take her photo as early as possible. Now the hospital people do not allow any one to see her. I will take her photo with fire burns within a day or two. I will send it to you by email. If you can, please think of helping them. I will get for you a letter from the parents of Keerthana. I will hand over the amount to them. They will acknowledge the receipt of the amount. They will sign in the stamped voucher. I will send it to you via email first. Then I will send you the original acknowledgment by Airmail.

I am ready to answer you, if you ask for more clarifications. Keerthana’s father gets a monthly salary of Rs Three Thousand (75 USD). Keerthana’s mother gets a monthly salary of Rs 1000/-(equivalent to 25 USD). They are living in a one room rented house. They got married twelve years ago. They are God Fearing and good people. Keerthana was born to them after seven years after their marriage. They consider her as a precious child. They prayed a lot and made many vows to God. After that only she was born it seems. Keerthana is studying in the same school where our children are studying. She is in Grade Three. She plays with our children in our street every evening. . All our children were very sad when she met with this accident. If it is not very difficult for you please get some charities from your friends. Very sorry to put you into difficulty. Thank you. When you visit our home next you can see Keerthana for yourself.

In the love of Christ,
Joseph

Update from Thomas and Suzanne Nov 10, 2007

To pay for the hospital bills this far and to keep the girl Keerthana from being denied further treatment and discharged they need $ 2,000.- We are going to wire transfer that amount this morning to Joseph to cover the cost already occurred. Any help for continued care would be deeply appreciated, as our main concern is that she will be prematurely released and get an infection. Thank you for your prayers

In Christ name,
Thomas and Suzanne

Nov 10, 2007
Abandoned But Precious ministries has updated the prayer chain on the condition of third-grade Indian student, Keerthana, who suffered burns over 40% of her body. Brother Joseph of the orphanage writes:

Even your smallest help will help them to be liberated from the clutches of the money lenders. Right now they [the family] have borrowed money from the money lenders to pay the hospital bills, for a high interest. There was no other go [choice]. The child has to be saved. They were necessitated to do this. What to do? If some private philanthropists come forward to help her it will be good. Ultimately God’s HOLY WILL be done. Very sorry to trouble you. We will send you all the evidences and proofs.

Brother Joseph has provided that proof with photos and hospital bills. Two of the photos (before and after) are attached. If you have any financial resources available to help, please contact Thomas or Suzanne Ashinger at 619-997-7119. The Aschingers will be wiring money to the orphanage soon. Please keep ABP and Keerthana in your prayers; that God uses this tragedy, in ways we do not understand, to further His glory.

You can see a photo of Keerthana after the fire. WARNING: May not be suitable for sensitive eyes.