About Meena's Project

A few days ago, I received letters from the project facilitators of the projects in India where my two correspondent kiddos are. These letters are fantastic! I read and re-read them and I just loved learning more about where my two lovely Indian children spend so much of their time. It's great to hear how many children are enrolled in the project and some of the things the children learn and get to do there. I definitely want to write these out because they are so important to me. Today, I will share Meena's with you.

Dear Kayla,

My name is Surendar and I am the Partnership Facilitator Supervisor for the Child Development Center where Meena attends. I am so thankful for your kind support. I thank God every day that these children who face exceedingly difficult challaneges have sponsors to care for them and reassure their hope.

Let me take this opportunity to tell you more about the church and community where your sponsor child lives and how the project is making a magnificent impact in the lives of Compassion children. The center is partnered by the church since August 1999. It was a humble beginning where there were just 30 children enrolled into the program. Now the center caters to the needs of 351 children and their families. It has a Child Survival Program where 35 mother-child units are enrolled.

The center is in a town, a municipality, in a disctrict in the state of Tamil Nadu. At least 40% of the the community population live in congested, thatched roof and mud floored houses. They form the slum near the railway station. Most men from this community work as porters, load men, street vendors, cobblers, etc. Women serve as housemaids in the nearby communities and apartments.

The issues like contaminated water, alcoholism, immoral relationships, family quarrels, drug addictiion, problems caused by money lenders are very common in the community. Malaria, typhoid, amoebic disease, tuberculosis, diabetes, dysentery, and chicken guinea are common sicknesses in the community. There are parentless children, semi orphans, and destitute children, who discontinue their education because of their poverty. The average family monthly income counts to $80 US. Most parents with low income struggle to feed, educate, clothe, and render medical assistance.

I am so thankful for the Compassion project. The pastor and staff are working very hard to make a difference. The project has brought down the air and waterbourne diseases significantly, mitigated malnourishment, controlled alcoholism, mitigated child labor and educated parents on various life skills. They did provide water purifiers to each family where the waterbourne diseases are now completely under control. Even though the family may be struggling, I can see the joy in mother's faces when they realize that their child will have opportunities to learn, get health screenings, play in a safe environment, and much more.

There is a demand for enrolling children in the projects and hundreds of applications wait. I can see the difference when families know that in the most desperate situation, there is a God that loves them and wants to provide. They can see things in a positive light and that their needs will always be met.

Loving Christian adults who can relate to their situation are making sure they develop appropriately, are healthy, and understand that they don't have to continue the cycle of poverty. You are so very special as you contribue to combat poverty.

The boys and girls in this projects are taught good manners, how to worship, how to safeguard themselves, how to acquire different skills, how to handle music instruments, how to read, how to make handicrafts, how to keep self-hygeine, the value of nutrition, and more. And these types of skills can help them to generate income and gain opportunities.

Please pray for Pastor Jacob and the staff. They are committed to recover and uphold the poor children from their poverty and build up their cognitive, social, physical, and spiritual life and all guide the parents.

Thank you again for your support. And thank you for letting me share why I think you are so important. If I can just share one more thing, it is to tell you how important letters are. There are days when some children get letters and others don't, and it's hard to explain. If are able to even send short letters, it's so that Meena is able to receive something. And the words you share can mean so much.

I pray for our sponsors daily and hope that God is doing wonderful things in your life. You are such a great blessing to us.

Sincerely,
Surendar



I love this letter! The part about the letters makes me so sad. It actually makes me feel guilty, even though I write Meena twice a month. I know that she gets many letters from me. It's hard to imagine her friends not getting letters while Meena reads so many. I wish more sponsors would write.