MISSION JOURNAL - NOVEMBER 2007
Monday-Tuesday Nov. 12 & 13 There are over 11 million orphans in India... a staggering number that rises daily. Just think about that... that is as many orphans as there are people in Minnesota and Tennessee combined! Manna Ministries, the Indian based ministry that we work with here cares for over 5300 children. With your help, Matthew10 funds over 375 of those; many of which were left homeless and alone in the wake of the devastating tsunami of 2004. For orphans in India, their future is usually one of poverty, crime and hopelessness. Many were abandoned as infants; most of those, girls. This is because poor families cannot afford the dowry needed for Hindu brides to be given in marriage. But thanks to your support, Matthew10 and Manna Ministries is able to offer these children food, shelter and a Christian education. In fact, the educational support will continue through Manna's Bible College if they so choose. Many of these children, rescued from the street will go on to be pastors and win souls for Christ. We spent Monday night and Tuesday morning touring several children's homes supported by Matthew10 and your contributions. What precious children they are. You would never know that their lives had been so traumatic. As we arrived in each home we were greeted with songs, scripture and smiles. The children had prepared several musical gifts for us and took pride in sharing their memorized bible versus. Some even recited them in English instead of their native Telegu. How precious they were. One home housed 50 tribal children from the jungles. These children present the additional challenge of a totally separate dialect. But children are children and God's love covers all.
The children were given small hand carved wooden crosses donated by a friend of the ministry, they were then painted and put on strings by Alicia's sisters, Ariel and Anna. They stayed up most of the night to finish them before the trip. Hopefully seeing the smiles on the children's' faces makes that sacrifice well worth it.
|
We also had the opportunity to see the construction site of the new children's' home that we broke ground for on our first crusade to Rajamundry. The home is actually in Sempete and replaces the building that the children are standing atop in the picture above. We are currently renting but it has no ventilation, poor lighting and is very run down, but unfortunately it is all that is available. The new complex includes the children's home which will be able to house 100 children, a school for 1000 students and a church that will seat 1000. In addition there are plans to build cottages for widows around the perimeter allowing them opportunity to nurture the children and lend prayer support to the church. The day we laid the shovel to the ground nearly a year and a half ago, we walked the perimeter of the property and prayed over it asking God to bless this effort and indeed he is doing just that. But it is a big project and although we hope to have this section of the plan under roof by Christmas, we still need more help to complete it. Please, if the Lord puts it on your heart to help these children by assisting with the funding of this building of this complex, contact us at www.matthew10.com.
|
Oh and by the way, for those of you who help support these children, thank you! They send their love and prayers.
|
| When we return, our new team members will be waiting for us in Hyderabad. We will get some quick sleep and leave for Nellore tomorrow. |
