People working in India

Tom and Philip are two trusted Christian people who enable HHI to operate in India.

Tom is the visionary. An Australian who felt the call of God on his life, and left everything. He first worked with Mother Theresa, and then established a craft centre near to Nedumangad in southern Kerala to provide employment for the poor. This grew and developed, and he handed it over to others. He now has another, smaller craft centre a few miles away – The Banyan Tree – at Pazkhutty/Kulappada, funded by our sister charity The Friends of the Banyan Tree which continues to provide employment for disadvantaged and low-caste women, enabling them to support their families. He also acts as a magnet to the poor and needy in the area, who come to him for help with medical bills, education, support, setting up small businesses and the like. Contributions to HHI enable him to meet many of these needs. Tom is a remarkable man. He keeps nothing for himself. He has no watch, no fridge, no mobile phone, no bed, and little more than the clothes that he stands up in. He cannot use a computer. He lives the life of a poor low-caste Indian, and dresses like one. Everything that he receives he passes on to the needy of the area.

Philip is a practical man. A younger man, he is an Indian from further north in Kerala. He looks after the business side of the craft centre, and its administration and finances. He distributes some of the money that we send out each month to people who are further away.