Daily Life at Prathyasha Bhavan (Home of Hope)
 Our day begins with a tinkling bell at 5:30 A.M. and 60 sleepy girls rise from their mats, which are spread out on the concrete floor of our assembly area. Some of them find it very difficult to detach from their mat, but Sister is there to help them get ready. A short prayer and Holy Mass follow and various sweeping and cleaning duties. At 8.15 a.m. the girls have a nutritional breakfast, consisting of, for example, appam (a fermented rice pancake), or dosa (a thin crepe-like pancake made from lentils and rice, with a little dab of chutney), or puttu (a steamed rice cake with coconut), along with chappathi (our typical wheat bread). And, then, with many hugs and kisses from us, off to school they go.
In the late afternoon, the girls return, eager to tell us about their day; tea is served as they tell us everything. After a bit of playtime and washing themselves, some of our tuition teachers and Sisters help them with their homework. At 7.30 supper is be served. Usually it consists of a vegetable (such as plantain, yam, tapioca or jack fruit) and a flavorful dhall curry (made with yellow spit peas, tomatoes and spices) with egg/fish/meat on alternate days. Then, our girls have a little more time for recreation.
Before they go to bed, we follow in the "Good Night" tradition of our founder, St. Don Bosco and tell them a moral story about such things as being obedient, prayerful, honest, dutifulness, forgiving, and how they must look after each other, living together in a group An example would be the story of Gandhiji, who had a chance to cheat in an important exam, but did not. Or, Laura Vicuna a saintly young girl at the Boarding house of Salesian Sisters. Sometimes the story will be about them: good things they have done or said will be highlighted. When they are stubborn and undisciplined we have to use some appealing methods to get them round with our kindness and sweetness.
They then roll out their mats and are quickly off to sleep.
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