Daily Times

We have seen them working tirelessly in Pakistan, adopting a country which they call their own these brave women provide a service to mankind. Growing up we saw them in schools and in orphanages and conventsdoing work for millions in service. We pay tribute to Sister Gertrude who passed away. And with great respect I had the honor to interview Sister Ruth Lewis, a Pakistani born nun from the Catholic community;who took overall in charge of work she had already been active in for nearly 50 years (This year marked their 50th Anniversary on 17th February 2019).

Ruthie (as she was fondly called by Sister Gertrude and those around her) always seems short of time and not because this was any less important but her life is focused and completely centered onthe well-being of so many others. There are over 100 children in the home with special needs in the facility ranging from newly born to over 40 years of age.

Her work is ongoing as we talk and people from her staff keep coming up to ask her questions; the children came around regularly during the interview to shake my hand as they liked visitors and are curious. Her work is a 24 hour job and in between our talks she has to break for prayers. She was very clear from the beginning till the end. Hers is a service to mankind for her faith. Her mind is continuously on “her children” as she calls them.

This meeting was important as the community must be highlighted as it is part of “Jinnah’s Pakistan”. The vision where every citizen would be a part of the community that contributed to building the nation and where the nation would stand as a united whole.

What is Dar-ul-Sukun?

We call it our home but if you want to define it officially it is a home forspecial needs persons.However when we started we realized that people were leaving many other children behind as well. They were left at the door steps even if born with a minor birth defect they would abandon the child- so we then also worked with Eidhi (the orphanage) to provide homes for those who belonged in regular homes. The place is run mainly on donation. We here like to say that all of this provision is given by above.

How it started

We had a young Sr.Gertrude comefrom Holland in 1969 when she was attending a family wedding. She was engaged to be married and was on her way back when she saw the streets of Pakistan and something affected her greatly. It was the plight of the poor and their living conditions. It is then she stayed back cancelling her wedding as she adopted Pakistan as her home and worked to provide relief work for the poor people. She went on to be inducted as a nun and go through that as part of her development. She soon opened Dar-ul-Sakun (Home of Peace and Comfort) for the specially-abled children who were mostly abandoned by their families. I joined her as a young nun at the age of 21 and have been working with her from the start.

Did I always want to be a nun?

Yes. I did even as a young girl I knew. I had done my Inter and then later Teacher Training and one day I just knew I wanted to go into this. I was inducted in In 1963 when I was just 18 years! My family didn’t say anything, they accepted it as a calling that came as that was my explanation to them- and I did my training from there on. A few years later I met up with Sr. Gertrude to do this work and that is when I think the tough journey of life began. Little did I know what I was in for! But once it started there was no option to leave it.

The People in Dar-ul-Sakun

It was Sr.Gertrude who was my initial inspiration. The Archbishop at the time was very generous and he gave us a house to keep the children. We started off in a small house and then as people got to know about us, they came from all over the world to help. Dar-ul-Sakun was made by us but it was the people who helped us build it into a home.

We have a whole admin team and board here now. We hire and pay for our Medical doctors as many of these children require all kinds of therapy from medical to emotional. We also have physical therapy here and now special resting rooms with different therapy methods.

Our place has its own pharmacy. We even have teachers and proper schooling facilities with desks. We have projects room for art projects and the outside play area is fully developed for sports activities.

We have two buildings. Over time we had separated wings for Boys and girls. Our volunteers come and go. But our main staff and sisters have been here a long time. The community is very close knit and they also send volunteers from the Church community.

We have had many young people come as well from all over Pakistan to do community service.Karachi Grammar School was the first school to send its students for volunteer in the form of community services, then over time other schools started. Help here was never asked for it just came from different places.

A talk with Sr. Ruth Lewis, companion ofSr. Gertrude Lemmems, and the Admin of Dar-ul-Sakun, the home for special needs children in Pakistan since 1969

The Challenges we faced

There were many challenges but we never gave up.Our main concern was the welfare and then of course the operation and its costs – but then the funds started pouring in. We got philanthropy causes from the Dutch hockey team even! And we were given first a house. As the years went passed we got funding from so many sources it just came and we built the new structure next door to the main house over the last 20 years.

We had to be prepared for everything here. From temper tantrums to even many medical seizures and dealt with children who didn’t know what was happening to them. Their bodily functions are not the same as other children. They are unable at times to communicate also so it is more frustrating for them. We need to have love and patience over each child. We have seen staff leave and go and then we have had people stay with us for over 20 years at a time.

I don’t call this a job for me actually we dedicated our life to the service of our faith and this was handed to us for a reason so we have this as our way of life. After Sister Gertrude passing away, there was a struggle of losing a great friend and sister. Her not being present with me I had to bear as she was there since the beginning. However the board andI we took it upon ourselves to make sure her vision kept going.

International Recognition

Dar-ul-Sakun was acknowledged by the United Nations as the only organization of Pakistan working to strengthen the Sustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDGs) and they also supported us by publishing our event International Day of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations webpage an acknowledgement of the day itself and our contribution to the community.

A Note for Our Readers

Our way of life is quiet and my children are what we leave behind.They do not have anybody in this world. They are what we have dedicated our lives here to. Our goal that we started out with is still going. We want more people to love them as we do. These are children that God created. They are blessings for us in many ways. We have to keep improving and keep in mind the future.I am hoping to achieve more shelter for the children.

I would like all the people to love these children, respect them,accept them and include them as they do others.

The writer is a freelance columnist who is known for addressing a wide range of topics which have a social and cultural impact as well as her series of interviews on notable figures