It promised to be a musical evening which would fill you with hope and inspiration. And the children from Sr. Christobel’s Trust indeed kept up to the promise. Mother Teresa’s Roses along with The Phoenix Foundation Big Band from Germany came together to present ‘Nuns N Roses’ a brilliant musical evening at the historic Garcia de Orta gardens in Panjim. A packed garden saw people from all walks of life enjoy the performances both by young children and the nuns themselves.
A highlight to the evening was Sr Christobel herself who sang the all time classics ‘What a wonderful world’ and ‘When you’re smiling’ along with the children of Parra and Quepem homes. The musical play Nuns ‘N’ Roses told the story of Mother Teresa’s Roses founded by Sr. Christobel and Bishop Bosco Penha, the auxiliary bishop of Mumbai . The children and even the nuns themselves put on a splendid performance of monologue, dialogue, song, dance and live music. The play was directed by Mumbai based theatre personality Annabelle Ferro and the dances were choreographed by Angela Nagarajan. Supporting the musical evening was the brilliant Phoenix Foundation Big Band. The twenty two piece jazz ensemble comprising young musicians performed popular Michael Jackson tunes and a range of classics from rock, pop and jazz music. The evening also had a special appearance by celebrated Indian classical virtuosos Ramamani and Ramesh Shotham.
Sr. Christobel’s is a story of hope, love and determination. Diagnosed with cancer in her early twenties, Sr. Christobel’s life changed when Mother Teresa visited her in hospital and blessed her with a statue of Mary, a medal and a rose. From that day on Sr. Christobel has dedicated her life to caring for the homeless and less fortunate. Sr. Christobel’s Trust has centres in Parra and Quepem in Goa as well as centres in Mumbai. With the support from local citizens and well wishers, the trust has been able to support and help hundreds of homeless people including children. From offering them a clean set of clothes to feeding them a hot meal, Sr. Christobel’s Trust showers the less fortunate with love and compassion.
The musical evening was held in an attempt to spread awareness on the initiatives rolled out by Sr. Christobels Trust. Nuns ‘N’ Roses was supported by the Corporation of The City of Panjim (CCP), Jazz Goa, Indigo 91.9, The Royal Goan Beach Club, Furtados, Poco Loco, Goa Grooves and bigblueroad.com.