The Caring Carol Projects

In a quiet suburb of India, a group of boys, members of a local cricket club they themselves had formed, gathered after an exhausting evening of carol singing. Their mission was simple but heartfelt—to collect enough money to buy a cricket bat. None of them were particularly talented singers, so they carried with them a 'National Panasonic' tape recorder. This device, powered by six battery cells, became their makeshift choir. To visit at least 70 houses, they needed two full sets of batteries, with each battery cell costing around INR 6. The contributions from each house varied, ranging from INR 0.50 to INR 5.00. With a breakeven point of INR 72 (to cover the cost of batteries alone), the boys knew their goal was ambitious. Yet, with youthful optimism, they pressed on, fueled by the dream of wielding a new cricket bat on their local pitch. Sometimes they were lucky enough to surpass their goal, while at other times, they fell short. But the experience itself was priceless—a blend of camaraderie, determination, and the simple joy of childhood dreams. Fast forward to 2014, many of those same boys, now grown men, found themselves part of a much larger mission. They became members of the carol team at St. Mary’s Syro Malabar Church in Pittsburgh, initiated by Fr. Shibi Kattikulakattu MCBS and now led by Fr. Jeeson Stephan MCBS. This time, however, their purpose was far more profound. Instead of raising funds for a cricket bat, they were singing to build homes for the homeless in India. Their mission was inspired by the Gospel of Matthew 25:40, which says, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” They recognized that when Jesus came into this world, He sought shelter, and by providing shelter to the needy, they were fulfilling this divine call. The Caring Carol initiative took root, with every note sung and every contribution received going toward building homes for the homeless back in India. This act of care and compassion transformed the spirit of carol singing from a childhood adventure into a mission of love. Through their efforts, they embodied the true spirit of Christmas—not just in song, but in action—bringing hope and shelter to those who needed it most.