Back to School!
June 25, 2024 Update
Dear RHM Friends,
Greetings in the Name of our Precious Lord JESUS.
The words "Back to school" are not usually very exciting words for some of the children, but others actually enjoy going back, either to be with friends, or because they enjoy studying and learning (that was not me!). For parents and those of us in ministry, we might consider it a good thing for many of the children. When they are in school, they have some structure in their lives, and in general they have less access to negative influences. Many of the schools in India give a lot of homework, so the children don't have as much time to waste carousing the neighborhood or watching negative things on the TV or mobiles as they do during the summer holidays.
From my perspective, especially since India is not as advanced as America in some realms of immorality and sexual indoctrination, school is a fairly safe environment for the kids. I need to clarify that statement, because I know that much of the India school system is NOT a safe environment, considering very strong religious pressure upon the children by different religious groups (India is roughly 80% Hindu and 12% Muslim). But so far in the area where we do ministry, we are not seeing that kind of pressure upon the children that we work with. Praise the Lord!
During the 2023-24 academic year we have spent more than $12,000. I cannot give you a precise amount because we have a few or several college students whose academic year is out of the norm, so some outstanding expenses are still there. For the 2024-25 academic year, we are not expecting a big difference, but we do have a few new children. We also have a few children who were in government (public) school last year, so we spent a very small amount for their education; but this year they are in private schools. As I have said MANY times, our main emphasis for the children's ministry is not education. Our main concern is their spiritual lives. But because the government schools have more negative influences and lower education standards, and because private education is generally much cheaper in India than in the western world, then we often choose for the children we work with to be in private schools. On the average, we spent about $250 total costs per child during the 2023-24 academic year.
If any of you would like to help us with an extra donation for the children's education, it would be very helpful at this time. Usually we have more expenses during June and July, as most of the schools or colleges will expect the first fee payment for the year (including school fee and transportation), but also there are textbooks, uniforms and other school materials that are needed during these months. No pressure, and any amount is much appreciated!
Below, we have 16 photos with captions that give you some understanding of what is happening within the ministry in India to the children, families and elderly. These captions always give you things that you can pray for. If you can bookmark our
RHM blog on our website, it is perhaps the best way to keep abreast of what is happening. We try to do 15-20 blog posts a month covering the different aspects of the ministry.
Thank you ALWAYS for your love, prayers and support! Bless you.
Brother Dan
"So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." Galatians 6:10
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ABOVE: Here are 18 children whom RHM is sponsoring to attend a school that is helping us by giving us some discount (one of the girls in the photo we are not sponsoring). During the previous academic year we sponsored 22 children, but one dropped out, so we ended the school year with 21 in this particular school. Four of those children have gone to higher studies (the above school only goes through 10th grade), and a couple of others might be attending different schools for other reasons. As of now, we have 3 new children attending this school, all 3 having attended government schools last year (in America, we call them public schools).
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ABOVE: These girls are in the 10th grade this year, the 10th considered a more critical grade, because they must pass every subject in order to continue to higher studies. From the right, Brother Prasanth is giving new books to Nandini, Sreeya and Prasanna. The school principal is on the left.
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ABOVE: A school teacher is giving books to Bhavya Sri. We shared about Bhavya with you many times over the last few years, Bhavya living with her grandmother. The grandmother didn't feel that she could continue caring for Bhavya, so was wanting to find a hostel for her to stay in (where she could live, and the hostel provides for the education, food and other needs). Another friend of the ministry is now taking care of her (a considerable distance from where she was living with her grandmother), so she is able to study in this school. Please pray that Bhavya Sri will adjust well to her new surroundings, people and school. She's 11 years old, and I don't yet know what grade she's in.
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ABOVE: Our children getting new school bags. Praise the Lord for providing for these children through our precious donors!
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ABOVE: From left: Shine, Asiya, Arun and Samuel. Shine and Asiya are new to the school this year. Shine lost her Daddy about one year ago in an accident. Asiya is a girl we've asked you to pray for many times. She used to have seizures and pass out, some believing it was demonic. By our Father's grace she is better now, but still needs our prayers.
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ABOVE: Prasanth giving books to little Kavya (turning 8 on July 4th), now in the 1st grade. Kavya is the youngest of the 50 or more children that RHM is helping with education.
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ABOVE: We were praising the Lord for the healthy birth of little Pandu, Pavani the mother. Brother Raju and Pavani have been heading up the children's ministry for about 3 years or more. Within less than 10 days she had jaundice, a cold and some kind of "blood infection". We thank GOD that she's now out of ICU and the hospital altogether, and back at home doing fine. Praise the Lord!
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ABOVE: This is one of our widows, Naomi. She had to go into the hospital because of some kind of "water bubble" (perhaps an infected blister) on her big toe. Already she's lost her 2 big toes on her right foot due to diabetes, so we have to take these things very seriously. Please pray for Naomi.
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ABOVE: I saw this widow, Visranthamma, in her village of Jampalavaripalem, perhaps last July or August. Since that time, she has lost much weight and seems to be in her last days. She stays with her daughter, Mary, who is a pastor in their village, and who seems to take good care of her mother.
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ABOVE: Brother Wesley is sharing the Word with elderly people in the village of Thunagunta. I sure do miss being with Wesley and doing ministry together. When I am with him in India, we always spend a lot of time on the motorcycle together, traveling to the various villages to see the elderly.
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ABOVE: Brother Marthababu (right) is praying for precious souls in a small colony near to one of the churches we work with. The 2 women in the photo have come to the Lord, and there is one other woman and one young man in this village who have also come to JESUS. But none of the other adults have come to Him, possibly all the other men being drinkers. Please pray for these people, the children having many bad influences surrounding them.
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ABOVE: Brother Prasanth is sharing during a weekly meeting that is conducted every Sunday afternoon in a village church. Still we have not found a good meeting place in the bigger town of Bapatla, which would be a more central location to draw many more people. But even so, most of these children and adults who are in this meeting are very faithful to come on a regular basis.
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ABOVE: During the summer holidays (starting in late April), we try to have some excursions with different groups of children. This summer we took a group of boys to the big city of Vizag in April, and some girls in June. This is Brother Marthababu leading the girls in a song. Now, most all of our children are back in their schools and colleges, the summer holidays generally being from late April to early June.
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ABOVE: I believe it was 14 of our girls, 5 adults, and Bro. Prasanth's little boy, Benny, who went on this recent trip to Vizag. Here, they are at some kind of airplane exhibit. I believe the woman on the left is a daughter of the blind pastor who so graciously opened up his home and church for our boys and girls to stay during their trips to Vizag. This daughter and her husband are also doing ministry.
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ABOVE: From left, Martha, Akshaya and Soniya are at the zoo in Vizag, little Benny watching the tiger. All 3 girls are very precious, the Lord working in all their hearts in different ways.
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ABOVE: Out at the beach in Vizag, which is a city of about 2 million people on the east coast of India. You can't tell it very well in the photo, but this is very beautiful scenery in the background. Please pray that these summer activities: excursions, special house gatherings and a 3-day youth camp, will be used of the Lord to produce lasting fruit within the hearts and lives of our precious children.
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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