Each gift, irrespective of its size, has a significant message of its own. All it takes is a little bit of compassion and motivation to reach out to the needy.
Even a small gift can be meaningful like big ones and can cheer up others, and more so, in this time of Covid-19 pandemic.
So here’s what one calls as a ‘gift of compassion’ that actually warms up the spirit of a host of widows when Assam Rifles Ex-Servicemen’s Association (ARESA) reaches out to them with relief materials at its Rayotang office cum rest house in Ukhrul town on Sunday.
Stuffed with rice, a packet of salt and a small bottle of cooking oil, a polythene carry bag each is handed over to these women who are striving to make ends meet each day of their lives.
Happiness is clearly mirrored in the face of these women, most of whom are in their 80s, as they showered their prayer of ‘May God bless you all for your good deeds’ to the association.
“We are glad to have this opportunity today to extend this small assistance to all the widows under our association. We are thankful to God for His grace. We are also thankful to our generous donor Dr Yaronsho Ngalung, ADC Ukhrul Caretaker Chairman, for providing the relief materials for the distribution,” says ARESA President Ng. Honpam Yuimi.
He says that the motive of the association in distributing the relief materials is to help ease the burden of the widows during this pandemic-induced lockdown period.
According to Honpam, there more than 40 widows in the ARESA family. “All of them could not be here today as many of them have been to their native places. We will be reaching out to them all,” he says.
This is what the Association had been wanting to do for the poor widows since last year’s lockdown triggered by the first wave of the pandemic. ARESA secretary AS Pamrei says that: “Since last year, we felt the need to do something for the widows, considering the hardships they had faced and are facing in this pandemic time.”
He, nevertheless, says that lack of resources had stood in the way of their initiative last year.
“We are happy God has answered our prayer today. We thank Dr Yaronsho Ngalung for his generosity. We look forward to doing more such activities to help the needy break out of their daily plights in whatever way we can,” Pamrei exudes.
ARESA came into existence in the year 1999 with Sig/Hav Ngachan Chiphang as its first president. The office cum rest house of the Association was constructed at the behest of Lt. Gen SK Duggal and dedicated by Maj. Gen. DP Merchant of 10 Sector Assam Rifles in 2002.
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