BLESSINGS ON SHANTHI SHAMIYANA AND ITS TRANSPORTING VEHICLES IN HERADI (BARKUR).

Last month on February 1, Wilfred Andrade, proprietor of SHANTHI SHAMIYANA, asked if I would bless his new business. Wilfred began this project years ago but due to his assignment in Dubai where he worked, he left everything in the hands of his brother, Rony, and returned to Dubai. After 15 years in the Gulf, Wilfred resigned his position, returned home to be with his beloved family, and began to restructure the Shamiyana business he had started on his own.

He plans to invest his hard earned money in operating his business, provide job opportunities to local people, and offer a service to the community where he grew up. He has purchased a vehicle, cooking kettles and utensils, and banquet tables and chairs to help his customers when planning special events. His area of service includes Barkur and surrounding towns. His assistant, Mr. Anthony, is a big asset to him. He will deliver all materials/equipment needed, put up the shamiyana and then return and take it all down when the event is over. This can be a difficult and often hectic job especially when it rains heavily, but Wilfred and his team are committed to doing the job right and satisfying the needs of their customers.

To better serve his customers Wilfred opened one more Shamiyana Center in the town of Barkur. It was blessed and inaugurated by the parish priest of St. Peter’s Church, Fr. Remegious Aranha on March 8. News about the blessing of his Shanthi Shamiyana appeared in the Raknno weekly newsletter of the Mangalore Diocese.

I am very proud of my cousin, Wilfred Andrade, and appreciate his efforts to provide job opportunities for our local men. He is generous and compassionate towards the poor and needy. When he was in Dubai he helped poor parishioners in the Diocese of Karwar. I was told of his generosity, when Fr. Staney D’cunna came to Wilfred’s mother’s months mind Mass celebration in Barkur. Wilfred had performed these charitable acts on his own in the name of the Lord. As Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew 6:1-6 “when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, let your alms giving be secret. And God who sees in secret will reward you.”

Indeed God has blessed Wilfred in many ways especially with a wonderful family and 2 beautiful children. He is willing to help others any time of the day or hour. When 3 of my American friends, one being my parishioner from St. Thomas the Apostle, visited our hometown of Barkur and my family in Nagramutta I asked Wilfred for his help. We were planning an evening gathering of friends and family to meet my American friends. Wow!...within no time he pulled his team together and arranged everything for us. He put up a Shamiyana and provided all the tables and chairs we needed to make the evening a special and memorable event for everyone.

I hope this information will be helpful to the people of Barkur who are overseas and elsewhere. When you go home and begin planning a big celebration or any big family event for that matter, think about approaching Wilfred Andrade. He will help to make your celebration very special with his wonderful service. I, for one, can testify to that!

In the name of Kishoo De Barkur, the web Master of Barkuronline.com, all his team, and also our Andrade family who are spread around the world I wish Wilfred Andrade every success in his new venture.

May God bless his good work and his beloved family.

Fr. Tony Andrade.