Elder
Sponsorships
Read the stories from elderly men and women who are a part of the Agape Old Age Home. Your sponsorship feeds, clothes, and cares for the forgotten elderly in India. You can commit to a partial sponsorship of $50 or commit to the support of all of a resident's needs for just $100 a month.
Needing Sponsorship
Pouroju Veeraju
My name is P. Veeraju and I was an assistant to a carpenter. I was given very little wage but I managed to raise my children. I have two daughters and three sons. My sons married and now have their own children. One of my sons, who loved me very much, died. I borrowed money for my daughters’ marriages but when I was unable to repay the loan, the lenders took my small house. After this, my daughter-in-law did not allow me to live in their house. Even though I have children and grandchildren, no one is helping me and I am on the streets begging for food. One Christian pastor told me about the Agape Old Age Home and their charitable services towards abandoned elderly persons. This pastor helped me be accepted into the home by sharing my story.
Powroju Santhamma
My name is P. Santhamma and I am 65 years old, I had one son and one daughter. My husband died several years ago and two years back my son died of a heart attack. His family faced many troubles. My daughter’s family was also very poor, so no one could take care of me. I was left alone and worked here and there to get my livelihood. Now I am unable to work to get food. Some of my relatives told me about the Agape Old Age Home, so I came and joined here. I also understood that Jesus Christ is my savior and took baptism in AOH. Life is so much better now!
Bodapati Venkayamma
I have three children - one son and two daughters. They all married and my husband died not long after, so I moved in with my son. Two years ago, my son died, but my daughter in law did not care about me. She always shouted and treated me like a dog. She always said to get out of her house, and that I was a Satan in her home. I cried a lot, asking God, "Oh! God why don’t you take my life?" and sometimes I attempted suicide. But miraculously God saved my life. In this time my relatives told me about the Agape Old Age Home; and I decided to beg to join there. After hearing my sad story, the staff gave me admission.
Draksharapu Kusuma
My husband and I lived in Gokavaram village, where he worked in the shop. He abandoned 40 years ago, so I had to work as daily wage laborer to take care of my three children until they got married. After their weddings, I was left alone and worked here and there to get my livelihood. My children felt that I am burden to them since they are too poor, and on of my daughters-in-law had thrown me out from their house. From then, I had none to share my grief and needs. I used to live on the streets, begging for morsel of food to feed my hungry stomach since I was too weak to work. Some kind persons have recommended me to Agape Old Age Home.
Chandramalla Veeramma
I am 66 years old. My husband abandoned me after our four daughters were born. I faced so many troubles raising our girls! After their marriages, they went to their husbands’ homes and left me alone to fend for myself. I heard about the Agape Old Age Home and requested Jaya’s help. I now have peace and joy in my heart now that I receive all my basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing as well as medical care and enjoying the fellowship of the community.
Kommu Veeramma
My name is K. Veeramma and I am 61 years old. My husband died few years back, We had one daughter, but she got married and went her husband’s home. I was left alone worked as a day laborer to get my livelihood, but the time came that I was simply unable to work to support myself anymore. Some of my relatives told about the Agape Old Age Home. Thank God for bringing this beautiful CEM family in my last days of life to live with peace and dignity in the society.
Pagadala Suramma
I lived with husband Surayya in a village in the East Godavari District near Rajahmundry. We married in 1955; but he died 10 years ago. Having no children, my younger sister took me into her home, but after few years she also died. With my entire family gone, I was faced with many troubles. I was often hungry and I was cried so much. One day in desperation, I took the train to Rajahmundry. A stranger saw my condition at the station and brought me to the Agape Old Age Home; and they showed compassion and took me in. I am lucky to be a part of the CEM campus where so many helpless, destitute like me are being cared for and loved.
Tatapudi Sarojini
I am 65 years old. I was born in Katheru village and studied up to 3rd grade. I married my husband and we came to Dowlaiswaram, where he worked as a day laborer. We had two children, who eventually got married. Thirteen years ago, my husband died and I went to live with my son’s family. Working as an auto driver to support a wife and three children, his income couldn’t support us all. I did what I could to contribute, but my daughter-in-law threw me out of their house because she thought I was too much of a burden. I had no one to share my grief and needs. I lived on the streets, begging for food because I was too weak to work. Some kind people recommended me to Agape Old Age Home.
Pouroju Suryakantham
My name is P. Suryakantham. I born in Katheru – a village just north of Rajahmundry. I married my husband, Mutyala, when I was 12 years old. He worked as a day laborer and we had four children. My eldest son had some health problems and died not long after he married. My husband died soon after and I had no one look after my welfare – my other children could not help. I contemplated suicide more than once; but my friend took me to the Old Age Home at the CEM campus.
Pasalapudi Naga Ratnam
My name is Pasalapudi Naga Ratnam. I am 65 years old and was born in Dowlaiswaram village near the CEM campus. I left school at 13 years old, married a truck driver and we eventually had three children. After my husband died, I went to live with my son; but within two years, he died as well. My other children moved away or were too poor to take care of me. After much hardship and pain, I asked for the help of the Agape Old Age Home and have been living in safety ever since.
Pouroju Lakshmamma
My name is Pouroju Lakshmamma, I am 65 years old and was born in Anaparthi, a town east of Rajahmundry. My husband, Goyyana, worked as daily labor, and we had two children who married and moved away. After some years, my husband began suffering from mental illness and eventually disappeared. I searched him so many places, but I was left alone and worked where I could to support myself. My children are poor and could not support me, and daughter-in-law eventually threw me out of their house. I was reduced to begging on the streets and became too weak to work. Some kind people recommended me to the Agape Old Age Home.
Pouroju Sattamma
I am 60 years old and was born in Kakinada, a port city east of Rajahmundry. My husband worked as a cycle mechanic; but he abused alcohol and treated me and our four children badly. My children all married, and my husband died due to complications from his alcoholism. My elder son took care of me from his meager income as a rickshaw driver. He contracted a chronic disease and eventually died as well, leaving his wife and two children to move in with her family. I went to live with my second son, but his wife did not like me and her verbal and physical abuse made me suicidal. Seeing my condition, our neighbors told me about the Agape Old Age Home and the staff here kindly took me in.
Botta Mutyalamma
My name is Botta Mutyalamma. I was born in Dowlaiswaram – within sight of the CEM campus. My husband worked as a day laborer and we have a daughter and a son. When my children were young, my husband died in an accident and I was left to support my family. I worked where I could and used what I earned to support my children’s educations. I was eventually left to fend for myself, but was soon unable to work. Some of my relatives told about Agape Old Age Home, so I came and joined the community.
Peddepu Savithri
My name is Peddepu Savithri and I am 70 years old. My husband and I and our three daughters lived in Vedurupaka, a town east of Rajahmundry, where he worked as a barber, 15 years ago, my husband died, and I worked as a day laborer to care for my daughters until they married. After they married, my children felt that I was a burden to them since they were too poor to care for me. My daughter eventually threw me out of their house. After a hard season begging on the streets, some kind persons recommended me to the Agape Old Age Home.
Chekka Kanaka Bharathi
My name is Chekka Kanaka Bharathi, I am 70 years old and I am cognitively disabled. I never married and lived with my sister’s family. Her paralysis and her husband’s advanced age left me on the streets begging for food. I got health problems on the streets and I used to cry. Seeing my condition, one of my relatives told me about Agape home and their charitable services towards abandoned elderly persons. A pastor took me to the Agape Old Age Home and got me the help and support I needed.
Kurumilli Satyavathi
My name is K. Satyavathi, and I am 60 years old. I was born in Annapurna Peta, one of the neighborhoods of Rajahmundry. I never married and lived with one of my elder sisters, whose family lives in poverty. Her husband did not like me and felt that was a burden to them. He finally turned me out to fend for myself, begging on the streets. Some people took pity on me and referred me to the Agape Old Age Home.
Uppalapu Manikyam
I am 65 years old. I was born in Gunjavaram, west of the Godavari River. At 17 I married and settled in a town east of Rajahmundry, where my husband Anand worked as a teacher. We had three children, two daughters and one son, who married and started families of their own. In 2008, my husband died and I went to live with my son. But he abused alcohol and did not care about his family. The troubles got so bad that I moved in with one of my daughters; but her husband’s income as a day laborer couldn’t support us all. Seeing our condition made me so sad, which was made worse with my son’s passing. I was eventually left alone and worked here and there to make a living; but with my age, that became more and more difficult. Some of my relatives told about the Agape Old Age Home, I came and joined here.