Dear Friend:
Your timely support helped us launch a mission to the worst hit victims of the Tsunami. Today as I look back I find myself shaking my head, not able to believe that we have done what we have done. 42 Tsunami kids given a new lease on life, yes it is a miracle. So at the outset let me thank you all once again for your outpouring of love towards these kids. Your support has meant a great deal to me personally. When Michelle and I agreed, that God was the one who had placed the vision of this Tsunami Children’s Home in our hearts, I knew that this task was far greater than what can be accomplished by just the two of us. When God beautifully orchestrated the bringing together of all of you, I knew that God really does love the Tsunami kids. It was now worth whatever sacrifice that had to be done to see it through. The thought of all you standing with us made me stronger, and kept me pushing forward even in the midst of some the hardest days.
After 3 months of non-stop work, I have had a few days to reflect on all of this and also to consider the bigger picture. The first few weeks were filled with sheer emotional exhaustion. I had to balance between the physical aspects of starting and running a Children’s Home, and the emotional aspects of these “special children”. But as the smiles began to break out and the noise of happiness began to fill the air, I transited to a state of believing in the mission. Then the extent of your support and commitment began to dawn on me and it boosted my spiritual adrenaline. I drew strength from the fact we were not alone. When we stop our lives (for a moment) to help others we fulfill the Gospel.
So here we are 3 months down this long road. I wanted to communicate my vision for these kids. It is often the case (here in India) that a Children’s Home is only way station, a place of security for the child, only for a period of time. After which the child is thrown out into the world to fend for itself. Basic schooling of the lowest version is provided, with no guarantee of transition to college and economic security in the future.
Take for example the case of 2 girls, orphans, at our Bible College. They grew up in a Home and after their 10th grade got dumped at the Bible College. This is their home now and we have made them feel at home. But when they came here they had no purpose in life and knew not what the future held for them. I don’t blame the Home for their plight. That has been the narrow and short term vision of the so called “Orphan Ministry”. For me it is imperative that I must develop a life time plan for these children. It would be such a waste, in my opinion, to minister to them with no plan to secure a bright future for them. This is India; you cannot make your own destiny, whenever you want to. You have to build your destiny from your childhood. Education is the only way out of the poverty that so easily envelops people here. Poverty is a way of life. Globalization and the economic boom does not touch the uneducated, it only exasperates their poverty.
This week is the beginning of final exams for the kids. I have established a study time everyday between 7p-9m. Myself and the other staff help them study and do home work. In my interaction with them I discovered some horrific realities that I am faced with. A fifth grader cannot even read and write his own mother tongue. So called second graders are totally devoid of any basic knowledge of anything. So many of our kids are not fit to be in whatever grade they are in. This is the stark reality. Well this can be disheartening, but as I said I believe in our mission. Yes it looks impossible, but yet again, nothing is impossible. In India 99% of the poor go to the free Public school system. The Government schools are so bad that they cannot even get a third grader to read or write anything. It is bad, very bad. It is a sham, just a fraud. The Head Master, of the school in which most of our kids are admitted, told me that out of the 400 students in his school maybe 3 or 4 will go on past the 8th grade. This scares me.
Regularly, on a daily basis, most classes are not taught. Most of the days no home work is given nor is follow-up of homework if given is undertaken. The teachers at the school encouraged me to not make the kids do homework. Obviously they would feel that way because I had asked for them to sign our kids’ note books and write some comments. Now the middle class sends their kids to private schools. They learn to operate the computer as fast as an average American kid. Obviously the odds are stacked against you if you attend the Government school. So what can we do?
We surely cannot educate these kids in private schools. Well for one, there is the financial constraint. But much more than that, these kids were already in State schools. They do not have the aptitude to transition at once to a private school. We have to find a different approach. Private Tutoring seems to be the viable answer. We need to run a structured tutoring program with qualified teachers tutoring the kids out of school on a daily basis. Self study as practiced so far will not get them ready to get past the 8th grade. Yes it would mean a little more financial burden on the Home, but well worth it. It is our vision to secure a future for these kids and not just provide a way station. Please pray with me for God to lead us in getting the best possible education for these kids. And for me, private tutoring is that way right now.
As the finals creep up on us this week. From today I am running mock finals here at the home for 4th graders and up. The Government has promised to pass all Tsunami kids to the next grade. But I have built up some self respect in our kids. They don’t want any Government hand out, they want to pass their finals on merit. Please pray for them. Here at the Miracle Garden Tsunami Children’s Home, when I ask them why did God bring you here? They reply, “To become someone important (to become a big man/woman).”
