Wednesday we visited a Hindu slum village. In the heart of the village is a school run by Pastor Rudra and his wife Mita that truly brings New Hope.

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Our students spent the morning walking through the village visiting homes and praying for their needs. They also spent the morning with the school children who laughed, smiled and listened intently as our students did Bible story skits.
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In the afternoon the boys went off in the midst of a heavy downpour to play muddy soccer with some of the teens of the village. The girls stayed behind to share with women who come to the school building for sewing classes. When we were there in January, the ladies of the sewing center were so concerned about the safety of their daughters that they begged us to build a hostel for their daughters. Our girls each shared something that they learned from their moms in hopes of spreading the importance of growing up in the presence of one’s mother.
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The people of this village live a hard life, even on the best day. The “better” homes have a brick wall or two. It is monsoon season and its never dry. The road is a rocky, muddy path and the murky river is used for bathing…for humans and animals. The moms of this village don’t know a life of “extras” or having coffee with friend at the mall. They sweep dirt onto dirt and sometimes sleep three in a hard square platform used as a bed. Yet over and over again they would invite us in, ask us to sit and were concerned with our comfort.
The girls of our team have spent their time here reminding others of Gods love. Many that we worked with are being already being taught about The One True God, our team was used to reinforce that teaching. They showed the beautiful women here that they have value and that God has not forgotten them.
PS | Read an inspiring post by Kingsland student Ana Gutierrez about our time in India.