New Waterford parish raises money for water buffaloes in India

Members of a parish in New Waterford, Cape Breton, are being asked to contribute towards an unusual cause the purchase of water buffalo on the other side of the word.

The effort is to support Nora's Home, a residence for 30 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in India.

A water buffalo costs $1,000 and the home hopesto have 20by the end of 2016, with the aim of becoing more self-sufficient by setting up a farm.

The link between Cape Bretonand Nora's Home is due to Ray Huntley,formerly the rector of SaintNinianCathedral inAntigonish, and nowparish priest of Saint Leonard in NewWaterford.

The home wasestablished after achance meeting in 2007 between Huntley andRamesh Nadava of India, who was attending the Coady Institute in Antigonish.

Inspiration

One night, Huntleyinvited Nadava to attend a party of the local L'Arche community.L'Arche is a federation of homes and programs to support and celebrate people with disabilities.

Nadava was so inspired by what he witnessed, he spent six months volunteering at L'Arche Cape Breton, then returned to India to open a home based on the same principles.

"In Indiapeople with disabilities are seen as people who are cursed, or people of whom we should be ashamed, and so Nadava was much taken with a vision of a society where everyone is valued," said Huntley.

Huntley helped establish a board of directors in Canada for Nora's Home, and helps with ongoing fundraising.

Nora's Home is named after Huntley's mother, who gave Navada the first $20 towards the effort.The home opened on June 17, 2010.

'Masters of their own destiny'

Huntleysaidthe hope now is to make the home self-sufficient by setting up a farm, and purchasing as many as 60 water buffalo to provide milk for residents to sell to nearby villages.

"It's very much in keeping with the vision of Dr. Coady," saidHuntley. "People becoming masters of their own destiny."

Huntley returned last weekend from India, where he helped arrange the lease of 1.6 hectares of land and approved engineering plans for a barn.

In New Waterford, money is quickly adding up for the water buffalo.

Parishioner Joan Chaisson has set up collection jars at her physiotherapy business, and has already raised enough for four buffalo, plus $400 more towards a fifth.

"When I heard of the efforts of a little community in India to become self-sufficient," said Chaisson, "I thought it was amazing."

Last year, money from the parishand from the Rotary Club of North Sydneyhelped build a kitchen and dining hall at the home.

"It's really quite lovely to fly halfway across the world and go to this little villageand meet these wonderful people who are living together," Huntley said. "And look over and see a 'thank you' to the people of Saint Leonard in New Waterford, Canada. It's a really lovely link and it's a great reminder that we share a common humanity."