Stewarding our Influence

A few weeks ago at church, I walked away from the sermon stewing on our partnership in India. One of the applications I felt God impressing on me was how are we "stewarding and being responsible with the influence God has given us." Our pastor challenged us to consider that everyone has a certain influence over a certain area, and its given to us BY God and FOR God. It's not for us, it's for HIM.

A lot of times when I hear people talk about "influence", I think... well, that's reserved for the big leaders, or the mouthpieces... authors, pastors, CEOs, non-profits. But something God's been zeroing in on in my heart over the last year is I am responsible for my own actions before Him. No matter how small of a life I lead. Galatians 6:4-5 says, "Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct."

So when I hear "influence" now... I'm thinking "what small influence do I have that God wants to speak into?" And it hit me: My sponsor child!

How am I stewarding the influence God has given me with my sponsor child? How am I being responsible with the influence God has given me with Roshan?

Sponsor Robin Inks with her precious Shobha!

I'm not responsible for whether or not our Unlikely group of sponsors serves all the children well. I am accountable before God for how I serve Roshan. We are each responsible for how we speak into the lives of Akash, and Himanshu, and Sumit, and Ravi, and sweet Priyanka...

God has given each one of us a tiny little bit of influence in the lives of our sponsor kids. And it's FOR Him. I pray He shows all of us how to steward that influence well.

Slumdog, the Book

One of our sponsors, Erin Housewright, recently loaned me the Slumdog Millionaire audio book. She warned me "its nothing like the movie... but its good... and hard." I'm about 2 discs in, and she's right. It is rough. But the hardest part about hearing stories about India like Slumdog is that I know that even though it's "fiction", it bears a painful resemblance to the reality I actually see over there. The corruption, the suffering, the injustice... I have heard these tales over & over again from our friends, and they are living it.

Spoiler Alert: Last week, the Slumdog story turned dark when the main character (a young teen) began to overhear his neighbor start sexually abusing his young daughter. He was desperate to intervene. Desperate to stop the father. He ran to the landlord and pleaded for him to go and stop the "bad things" that were happening in the room next to him. But the landlord's response to him was-- "We do not stick our nose in other people's business. It's not our place to defend the girl. Her father can do as he wishes." The young teen boy is so frustrated, so panicked. He cannot understand the ways of this world. When evil is happening, he wants to speak up, he wants to scream "injustice!"

This reminded me of a Scripture memory card I have posted above my office workspace. "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor & helpless & see that they get justice." (Proverbs 31:8-9)

The number of injustices happening in this world are legion. In India alone, it seems countless. But you & I-- together-- we are speaking up, we are ensuring. When the poor are so poor that their government overlooks them, society dismisses them, and other classes crush them, WE are standing up. Aunty is standing up. The staff at the Good Samaritan School are standing up. They are saying to these poor children: "You will not be crushed on our watch!" It is a very brave thing what this school is doing... to speak value and love into the lives of its students when all of society around says "who cares" and "it's not our business to meddle in the affairs of the poor".

Our partnership with the Good Samaritan School and our advocacy for the students is a good thing. Its a God thing. God has brought your sponsor child into your life so that you can encourage and support him. You can "speak up" on his behalf. You can tell his country, his neighborhood, even his own family, I want something better for this child! And I won't rest until we achieve it, together.

Thank you for "speaking up" through your actions and your partnership!

October TRIP in the Works

We heard word from India that our trip dates for October have been set! :)

October 5-13, 2013

COME & SEE!

The team will fly out of the US on Saturday, October 5th (arriving in India on Sunday the 6th). We will work at the schools Monday-Friday that week. Wrap up the week with a community event on Saturday. Then we would fly out of India late in the evening on Saturday Oct 12th (arriving back in the States on Sunday the 13th). JAM PACKED! But exciting times!

Team Member Fernando Gaona with all our bags at the airport in India, February 2012.

I will be sending out trip applications and info packets with our next Monthly Sponsor Reminders. We will have to limit the team to the first 15 people to sign up. I hope that you will consider joining us!

A Great Honor: Marching in Republic Day Parade

This past December, the Good Samaritan School hosted its annual "Jasola Sports Day". Aunty described the festivities as "a fantastic way to celebrate the joyful atmosphere that exists throughout the year at Good Samaritan Schools through competitive sports." 

This year, an honored guest was in attendance, the Assistant Director of Education-Sports. She was so impressed by the children's marching that she invited the Good Samaritan students to march in the upcoming Republic Day celebrations in Delhi (Jan 26th)! It is truly a once in a life time opportunity. The staff and students are thrilled to participate.

This photo is of the students "marching" during the December Jasola Sports Day.

Ornaments

Hopefully many of you received a handmade ornament from your sponsor child sometime over the holidays. Only one of the three sponsors in our family got one... and it was a celebration! We all ooo-ed and ahhhh-ed over the updated photograph and said a resounding AMEN to the Scripture verse that was affixed to our little tree. They usually do this ornament craft one day at school and not all the children participate, so if you got one in the mail, its a very special gift! 

Want to share YOUR ornament photo? Email me & I'll post it!

India In the News

Perhaps you've heard the news stories in recent weeks bringing outrage & attention to a horrific gang rape that occurred in Delhi during December. Sadly, the female victim died from her injuries. But thankfully, her male companion, who was not just a witness but also a victim, survived and is demanding justice. Click here for a brief article that recounts the story.

The rape has garnered international attention and brought great shame & introspection to the Indian people. A (reported) rape occurs every 21 minutes in India. This most recent incident has spawned numerous protests and the people of India are calling for social change. People are begging for legal reform in hopes of changing culturally accepted practices. Click here for a recent editorial on the tragedy.

As sponsors of boys & girls that grow up in this climate, we all need to pray. Join us in praying for protection from rape for our young girls, as well as praying that our young boys would learn to respect & care for the women in their society... and that they too would be protected from rape.

Starting to Notice the Bond

These are the most recent letters we received from our children. And I am starting to notice that the relationship is growing, which is sweet to my soul.

I "know" in my brain that sponsorship works. That it is valuable. That we are making a tangible difference in these kids' lives by helping them get an education that will rewrite their story of poverty forever.

But now I "KNOW" in my heart that the relationship also starts to work over time. These letters whisper back to me signs of growth in our friendship... signs of spiritual seeds being sown... signs of these children believing that they have value & are loved by someone on the other side of the world. I have not written our sponsor kids EVERY month, just like most of you. But over the last 15 months, I've been a consistent voice. And they are listening.

Roshan is my sponsor child, and when I got to meet him & his family last Feb, his mother shared a prayer request with me-- Roshan's daddy is an alcoholic and it means little work and lots of pain for the family. I shared with her, I understood that pain-- my mom was also an alcoholic-- and would pray for the family situation. Whenever I write to Roshan, I remind him that I am praying for his daddy & the drinking & his whole family. This most recent letter, Roshan shares the news that his dad is drinking less! And that Roshan is now also praying for him to stop drinking. I am seeing God at work.

Anshu is my daughter's sponsor child, and in this letter she writes that she remembers me when I visited and that she could tell I loved her very much. She also writes that she remembers a woman named Skipper (another sponsor who travelled there in July). She says, "I know Skipper, she spoke and served food to us in the school." This is a lasting memory for Anshu. That this woman shared the gospel in word & deed. Anshu ends her letter by telling my daughter that she liked hearing the story of Jonah (which my daughter wrote to her about)... she says "I learned this story in school too."

It may seem small... but after over a year of writing, I'm finally feeling the fruit of relationship.

If any of you sponsors have stories like this you ever want to share, PLEASE email me and I would love to post them here!!! :)