Stanley Pinto, TNN | May 12, 2013, 12.52 AM IST
MANGALORE: “Dear mother, I’m desperately searching for you. I understand that at the time of my birth you were in a vulnerable situation and could not keep me with you. But maybe today your situation has changed or at least you can meet me secretly if you want. So please contact me…”
That’s the message of India-born Dutchwoman Lobke Sanders, who lives in Wehl and is searching for her biological mother. This self-employed woman who works in human resource management was adopted by a Dutch couple when she was a year old from Mt Rosary Charitable Institution, Moodabidri on November 17, 1981. The adoption took place through Wereldkinderen (World Children), Netherlands, a child welfare organization dedicated to children without a home and has permission to mediate in inter-country adoption. Her adoptive father Harry is a financial accountant and mother Mia worked in office administration.
Juliana Mascarenhas was the mother of Lobke who was christened Elizabeth. Juliana was a resident of Bale Honnur and disappeared from the institution on July 5, 1981, according to a note there.
India-born German Arun Dohle, a researcher at Against Child Trafficking (ACT) and child rights activist Anjali Pawar from Pune, who are here to trace Lobke’s biological parents, said: “After Juliana’s mother Alice, who was mentally unsound, left home, her father Louis went in search of her. Both never returned. Sr Winnifred (now deceased) from Bale Honnur Juliana to work as a domestic help at the house of Joseph Menezes at Kadri Kambala-Bejai. An affair with a boy in Bejai landed her in the institution on May 29, 1980 when she was five months pregnant,” said Anjali. Juliana studied at Sringeri Government School till Class IV. Their search for Joseph through Bejai Church members ended without any success.
Lobke approached ACT and has given the power of attorney to Arun Dohle, who found his biological mother after 17 years of struggle and litigation, and Anjali to investigate her background. People who have any information in this case can contact 09822206485 or [email protected].
