Newborn Kits Keep Babies Warm in New Delhi

The evenings can be cold in New Delhi during the winter and newborn babies need to stay warm. The members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New Delhi joined together to help 2,100 new little ones stay warm when they go home with their mothers. On January 24, 2015, district (more than one congregation) members gathered to assemble 2,100 newborn kits that consisted of warm blankets, warm shirts, hats, booties, nappies, towels and more. With the helping hands of many missionaries and members, assembly lines were set up the night before at the Visant Vihar church building and tables were filled with stacks of baby items. The district members arrived the next morning ready to help fill the bags. Although no one wore the recognized LDS Charities Helping Hands vests, all hands were busy helping.  It was a wonderful day of service and giving. Several of the missionaries and members joined in traveling to the hospital for the delivery. 

A special gathering was held the next evening and pictures of the hospital where the kits were donated was shown to the members of the district.  The newborn kits were donated to the Swami Dayanand Hospital, a hospital for the very poor women at Dilshad Garden in New Delhi.  Dr. S.S. Bisht, the head of Pediatrics at the hospital, was grateful to receive the kits. He was pleasantly surprised by the volume donated which filled a large room. He and his staff were excited to begin giving them to the mothers for the newborn babies. The following week the distribution began and babies were sent home in warm blankets, caps for their little heads and other baby supplies. The hospital has between 7,000 – 8,000 babies born each year. The Savior, Jesus Christ, instructs us to give to the poor and the needy.  This was a wonderful opportunity to do just that.