Fr. Jose Kaimlett Rescue Mission
That part of the sea cost had many submerged rocks and the sea itself particularly rough. Thus shipwrecks happened often. Some of the courageous people of the area would, then, venture into the sea and often they succeeded in saving many lives. So by and by they got more organized and even formed a rescue ‘association’, They put up a lookout post on the cliff overlooking the sea, and all the time someone or other would be on the shore looking for any ship in trouble. Thus they were able to save many and the ‘association’ became well known for the great humanitarian work they were doing. The membership grew as more and more people thought it prestigious to belong to it.
But ship wrecks, as you know do not happen every day. So to while away the time usefully and pleasantly, they would organize all kinds of social and recreational activities. To accommodate all the various activities, the humble ‘look out post’ was pull down and proper quarters fitting the prestige of the ‘association’ were also built. Not only, often the poor dying wretches salvaged from the sea dirtied and soiled the posh and immaculate ‘club buildings’. ‘They’ became more a nuisance. By and by these extraneous activities got priority and the original objectives were completely forgotten and given up.
Naturally it pricked the conscience of some of the genuine members who disassociated themselves and established a separate “lookout post’ as in the first instance and engaged themselves exclusively in rescue and salvage activities. By and by their heroic adventures became well known and the membership increased ………
The same story got repeated over and over and now the entire sea coast is dotted with prestigious “country clubs”, but scarcely any rescue mission.
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Driven by the noble sentiments of mercy and compassion, charitable works are begun. The good works they do attract the attention of many who are happy to associate with such noble works. It grows and grows in membership as well as resources, which demands better organizational as well as administrative skills. Slowly paid professional organizers and administrators take over. Volunteers are replaced with employees.
The net result is that many, if not most, of the huge “charitable organizations” are very systematically and efficiently organized; and the administration eats away by far the major part of their collections.
There is an Indian saying, “Daridryamenthennu arinjavarke patil parakleshamenthennu arijnu koodu,” which in simple in understandable language translates to: “only the poor who have experienced privation understands the crunch of poverty on the poor.” WOE TO THE BIG ONES!
