Urgent - NEWS FLASH
Please pray�.
As you know, several of the children went back to their hometown during the school break. 16 year-old Ponmoli was one of those children. Her family called John this afternoon (5/6/06). Ponmoli was involved in a swing accident and she died. It is not known at this point whether she fell off the swing. Her relatives told John that she was �twisted� by the swing. Other people from the town have also called John, however, and told him she was alive after the accident - that her relatives allowed her to die out of jealousy. Ponmoli arrived at Tharangabadi beautiful, in good health, and with the hope of Christ. The neighbors heard her relatives commenting negatively about this, and they are not sure that what happened was an accident.
John is on his way to Tharangabadi now, to talk with her relatives and try to find out what really happened. As is the custom in India, the child is already buried. Her relatives are poor and cannot afford embalming services, so she was buried within hours of her death. Thus, an autopsy is not probable.
The entire staff and family of Miracle Garden are shocked and deeply saddened at the loss of this beautiful teenage girl who had dreams of becoming a police officer. The other children were notified in a special meeting, and a prayer vigil was held before John�s departure. Ponmoli had become a �big sister� to all the girls at Miracle Garden. She will be missed dearly. Our only consolation comes from our confidence that she is on the playground in Heaven with Christ our Lord.
A memorial garden of fruit trees and flowers is being planned in her honor for the new dormitory compound. Donations for the garden in memory of this vibrant girl are welcome. Donations will be collected at the graduation party, Saturday, May 27th, at Asbury First United Methodist Church, 1010 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607. If you cannot attend, please feel free to mail your memorial gifts to Michelle Pandian, 128 Fairview Ave., Rochester, NY 14619. All donations should be made out to Jesus India Christian Schools, and are tax deductible.
Any new information we receive will be posted on the blogsite. Please continue to pray for the children of Miracle Garden as they deal with this tragic loss, for John and the staff as they try to bring comfort in this time of grieving, and for Ponmoli�s relatives in the wake of her untimely death.
God bless you.
