Recently there was a fire where Rathnama and her husband live. Rathnama has worked for us since we arrived. She is good and kind and someone I trust completely.

When I heard what happened, I went to the house to check the damages and see what I could do. Rathnama was beside herself and sobbing. Some newspapers caught fire from a pooja candle, and half the house went up in flames. Charred cloth and rice were spilled across the room. The metal skeletons of a suitcase and an umbrella lay on the floor. They lost their entire supply of rice, their cooking appliances and all of Rathnama’s sarees. She was heartbroken. I sat with her in her tiny room and we drank tea. Then I took her shopping for new sarees.

To help with the replacement of her clothing and the household goods, I’m having a Fire Sale at my http://xmasshoppinginindia.blogspot.com/ website.

For the next month I’ll give 20% of all my proceeds to Rathnama.

If you’re interested in contributing, feel free to pull up a chair and go shopping. Or, you can also make a donation of a few dollars through my paypal account and I will see that it gets to her.