Overcoming Ostracism
Overcoming Ostracism
An ex-prisoner and his wife cares for prisoners' children at PFI's Precious Children's Home in India
Patrick Chong
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The word "ostracism" is painful to Reny George, his wife Teena and their 47 children…47 children!? Well, they are actually foster children whose parents are in prison. The children have been marginalized by society and now live with the Georges in PF's Precious Chidren's Home in Bangalore, India. This is one of five such homes run by PF India for children who would otherwise be living on the streets. Ostracized by society for their parents' crimes, these children have painfully few options. Having served a 14-year prison term, Reny knows personally that the stigma of imprisonment is limited neither to the offender nor the actual time behind bars. In every country, innocent families of prisoners face shame and ostracism because of their loved ones' misdeeds. Even after a prisoner has done his time, the shame and suspicion of being an ex-prisoner will likely follow him for the rest of his life.
Although it's been more than four years since the Georges opened the Precious Children's Home in Bangalore, Reny is reminded of his past nearly every day. "People often leave my place at once, when they hear that I'm an ex-convict," he says. "Even now I'm often treated with suspicion that makes raising support difficult and leads to a hand-to-mouth existence for the children and our family." But despite these challenges, the Georges are intent on heeding what they feel is their call to increase the Home's capacity to 100 children by the end of 2001.
The Home is part of a larger network of PF India Precious Children's Homes begun in 1985 by PF India chairman Dr. Kunjumon Chacko and executive director B.V.R. Rao. Each prisoner's child living in one of these facilities receives a safe, supervised and loving home, hot meals, Bible instruction, elementary education and eventually, vocational training. To fully appreciate the need that these homes fill, one must understand Indian culture. "In this country, a child of a condemned man or woman is doomed to die. He or she cannot attend regular school because parents of the other children won't allow it" says Rao.
