LIAM LYNCH IS RUNNING THE EDINBURGH MARATHON FOR UDAYAN
On 26th May 2024, Dcn Liam Lynch (Chaplain at St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth and Trustee of City of Joy Aid, UK) will be running the Edinburgh Marathon in aid of Udayan, a home, school and medical centre for children of leprosy sufferers based in Kolkata, India. Back in 1970, James Stevens, a successful businessman asked Mother Teresa of the poorest of the poor who was at the very bottom and with no hesitation she replied, the children of leprosy sufferers. So that very day, James borrowed Mother’s van and headed to the slums. He didn’t speak and Hindi or Bengali but using sign languages convinced the parents of 9 boys and 2 girls to allow him to take care of their children. These were the beginnings of Udayan. He started a home to provide these children with hope, hope to rise above leprosy, breaking the intergenerational cycle that exists in India. Today Udayan is home, school and medical centre for 280 children aged 4 – 18 ensuring that they leave Udayan with the a vocation so that they can be self sufficient hence breaking the cycle of leprosy.