St. Paul's Lutheran church, Ernakulam is actively involved in the Island ministry. The church has extended the ministry in an island called "Thanthonni Thuruth". In another island called Kakathuruth the ministry has just started. The living condition of the people dwelling in the various islands are pathetic. Due to the geographical separation they are devoid of the even basic amenities
Our Methodology
Thanthonni Thuruth
THANTHONNI THURUTH is an island inhabited with 75 Hindu fishermen families. Children are forced to travel across backwaters to another island called "Ponnarimangalam" for schooling. Every family owns a canoe and men, women and children are adept at rowing to their destination. There is no shop, market, dispensary, school etc. Despite being surrounded by water they do not have a drop to drink. They do not have newspaper and postal facility. Most of the house yard are full of shrines of relics for homage and worship. There is temple consisting of deities called yakshiyamma, ellathamma, bhuvaneswary devi, sree rudhiramala bhagavathy, sree murugan, ganapathy, siva and so on. There is a president, secretary and treasurer for the temple. Due to lack of timely medical treatments there is lot of deaths in this island. Deaths are also caused by drowning as the island is the engulfed by backwaters and also by boat mishaps.
Activities
Medical Camps
Medical camps are arranged with the assistants of the District Medical Officer and the Superintendent of General Hospital, Ernakulam. Rotary Club members and other well wishers are also cooperated for this camp.
Availing of Medicine
Arrangements are made to avail medicine by presenting the visiting cards of the pastor and medicine prescription of the doctor from two medical stores. Optical are also provided in the same line.
Facilitating Treatment
Patients from this island are taken to the Government Hospital for proper treatment. Pregnant women are also taken to the Govt. Hospital for antenatal treatment.
Conducting Awareness classes
Awareness classes are conducted each month on various topics such as immunization, diarrhea, mother and child care., leprosy, AIDS & HIV, alcoholism ,drug addiction, personal hygiene etc.
Each month classes on various topics like nurturing of children, breast-feeding, cooking etc are conducted with demonstration for the women with the help of the experts of each topic.
Distributing Freebies
Freebies such as soap, tooth paste, tooth brush, talcum powder, tea powder, curry powder, green peas, vermicelli, Basmati rice, Sugar free, pen, pencil, shoe polish etc are collected from the Times of India and distributed to the desired people of the slum.
Availing Loan
Neighbour Hood Groups (NHGs) having 10 women in each group are formulated. Every Saturday Rs 10/- per member are collected by the group leaders of each group and deposited in the bank. Loans for self employment are given from both the bank and Neighbour Hood Group deposit.
Supplying Dress
The used clothes collected from the quarters of Central Excise & Customs, Cochin Shipyard, Cochin Port trust, Cochin Refinery and Southern Railways are supplied to the community at Vathuruthy.
Contributing Food Materials
Food materials received from the well-wishers being their tithe contribution are given to the destitute families of widows.