Go Beyond | Kolkata

This morning we saw the precious faces of the children of New Hope School — a Christian school in a Hindu slum village. The children there are given a free education and taught about the God above every God. They are taught that there is hope in Him. Education is key to fighting poverty. Many of these children must stop school and go to work or even be married off at a young age.

Our team went through math and reading lessons. These children are so smart and so respectful. We taught them about about Zacchaeus during chapel and even made sock puppets — my personal favorite. We’ll serve at New Hope for two more days.

This afternoon we visited Grandma’s Trust in very center of the largest red light area in India. They minister to women and children (tomorrow we will spend the day with the children). Today was spent with the women — more women than they’ve ever had! Grandma’s is a beautiful home and a bright light in a very very dark space.

We did our usual crafts and games and the ladies laughed and enjoyed themselves. We also repeated our southern cooking lessons. The biscuits we were making were already in the little toaster oven. All was good until the electricity went out. So being the “fluid” team that Pastor Omar would be proud of we FRIED the biscuits. Another new personal favorite!

The day drew to a close and it was dark. It was time to go back to our bus but first we had to weave through the busy “track” of this area. I have been here many times during the day but walking through at night left me astounded and speechless. The streets were filled with men — filled — but lining the sides of the street, there they were…..there were the precious ones, the ones He hears, knows and sees. The lipstick on their smiling lips and eyeliner on eyes that met mine were not enough to hide who they really are. One of the biggest things we pray as a team is that God will let us see people with His eyes. Tonight I did. I don’t think it’s the first time, but this is the time that I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t get to the bus fast enough before the tears escaped my eyes.

One can only pray that they will one day be afforded options in their lives or that they will be rescued from their dark surroundings if they are being forced to stay. I feel so completely inadequate and overwhelmed by the whole issue but then I am reminded that this is why we come — not because we have the answers or can make any kind of dramatic rescue. But we can come and encourage the many (and I do mean many) that are fully engaged on the front lines of this battle on a daily basis here in this city. We can come and remind those that we interact with and those on the other side of rescue that there is a God who hears them and loves them.

Our India team is on the way home. After eight intense long days of work most would probably tell you they’d stay longer if not for missing family members. This trip is definitely not for lightweights.We start early in the mornings and don’t finish until evening. When you throw in the thick smog, body jarring rides in traffic that is virtually indescribable to an American, the sights of families living in extreme poverty and mix it up with the stories that we hear from the girls who are living in after care homes after being sold night after night one could easily want to turn and run to the comforts of home. But when you season that mix with the lovely smiles and precious faces of the children we see, the beautiful servant hearts of the translators we work with, the kindness of women who want to serve rather than be served and the extreme dedication and commitment of those that fight for justice to those the world has thrown away then you can see why we want to stay.

We finished our trip with a day of laughter and fun along with a few tears as we visited once again with the girls of Mahima aftercare home. They listened to stories from our team that reminded them that we are all very much alike…they just don’t always hear those stories and feel like they are alone.

At the end of the day our entire team was invited to the home of a couple that leads the fight for justice in this part of India, we enjoyed our time celebrating all that God did. To sit in the home of heroes like this was very humbling.

We took some time in Duabi last night for a fun time touring the city. First on the agenda was a quick trip to Jumeirah beach for pictures where we saw the most beautiful sunset. Thanks, God, for that beautiful blessing! Then we went straight to the Dubai Mall where a few of the team enjoyed a little indoor snow sledding at Ski Dubai, an indoor snow skiing park. We finished our evening at the Mall of the Emirates for the largest dancing fountains in the world and the world’s tallest building (think Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible). We are now in the Dubai airport awaiting our long flight home. We are full and blessed and thankful to have made this journey together.

Our team spent three days with the village of Udyan Pallay near the New Town area of Kolkata. New Town is an area where it is estimated that 20 million new people will move over the next few years. Nestled in this up and coming building area is a desperate slum village. Goats in shirts run around while little children are completely naked. Small fires burn in the corners of the lean to homes to cook food. A dirt path full of rocks and litter make up the streets where the villagers mill about. Men sit outside and play cards and drink most of the day. A few are cobblers or are produce merchants or have found some other way to eek out a living but the majority expect the women of the village to leave and find some sort of work.

The work available for the women is very sparse and the pay is very, very little. Children are left unattended and to fin for themselves leaving a high probability that they can be stolen or run away.

There is a light in this village called New Hope. Pastor Rudra Singh and and his wife Mita have given their lives to help this village. They have opened a school and they are able to teach from a Christian world view in the middle of this Hindu village. The team spent the mornings teaching school and Bible stories. They even did sience experiments which left a few children wondering if our teachers were “magic.” the children learn quickly and those that we have taught before have come a long way over the last two years. Several on our team noticed this time that there were more boys and that many of the girls that we have seen before were not there. We were told that lots of girls have been forced to go to work or marry as a child bride.

Last year people from Kingsland assisted in opening a sewing center in the village to teach women a marketable skill. Wednesday we had the great privilege of seeing the first graduating class of 10 women. We planned a fun afternoon for them and finished with an official ceremony complete with a certificate, pictures, food and a gift, the women were very proud of themselves. They asked us to pray for the girls in the village. “We do not want to raise our daughters here in this place. It is not safe” is what they told us. The only answer they see is to send the girls away. Our team was very burdened by this thought thinking that community involvement and neighbors creating answers together as village would be a better way so that girls can grow up with their mothers.

In the evening we set up a mobile theater in the school and started the Jesus Film. slowly the members of this Hindu village began to trickle in. Our huge team left so as not to be a distraction. Pastor Rudra reported that within minutes the room was full with about 65-100 people in attendance. The village people were so intrigued that they asked for him to show it again sometime but in the large field nearby so more of their neighbors could come.

Pastor Rudra, Mita and their team will begin to follow up in the homes of the villagers over the next week. There is such a darkness there and this film seemed to bring some light…the same light that shines at the end of the the road where the New Hope school sits. Pray for this village as they begin to learn community and skills that will help them better serve one another as well as their families. Pray for Pastor Rudra and Mita as they work to serve the needs of this desperate community.