Rachel and Carol are currently in Delhi visiting the Ashish Center, helping staff there prepare for their annual Christmas program and visiting the Seefeldt family. This is an update written by Rachel & Carol.
Geeta prepped us by saying India is full of surprises. Indeed she was right – each day has been full of them. Daily we stare out of the van window as we encounter the seamless busy driving style here, baboons, cows, and horses in the street, and the beautiful people here.
After 38 hours of travel, we spent three days in Mussoorie with our beloved Seefeldts, visited a mountainside village school with 32 children and rode a man powered Ferris wheel.
Back in Delhi since Saturday, we’ve been tagging along with Geeta and her family, helping around the Ashish Centre and preparing for their annual Christmas party. A part of the centre is Ankur, a separate effort to train 16+ yr olds life skills such as making spices. Another part of the center is Second chance, a very popular thrift store among the Nepali refugees. Pray for transitions in staff leadership.
We attended a Salt Initiatives gathering. This organization is run by Geeta’s husband Raaju. The Salt Initiative exists to end gendercide in India, including throwing a party for baby girls’ births in the hospital.
We’ve participated in a World Vision conference for the differently abled and observed these kids come together to provide government officials with a list of policies that would be most helpful to them.
The final days will be finishing preparations for the Ashish Centre Christmas party which happens the day before we leave, as well as offering Geeta encouragement and support.
India is a vibrant, full country where good work is being done. One observation is that multiple resources – ranging from organizational development, leadership development, spiritual formation, relational support, and finances – are in the background supporting these efforts. It’s evident even one US dollar stretches far here – some kids pay $1.50usd for a month of tuition. One person told us he asked God, “Why is there so much disparity in the world? And I learned that it’s so that those in need rely on God more, and those with much learn to share.” One prayer requests is for the Ashish Centre van – the oil filter is leaking and will cost the center $600usd to fix, and because this is an unanticipated cost this amount was not budgeted. If you feel led to give, please give a check to Vox Veniae with Ashish Centre in the memo.
Thanks for all your prayers! We have sensed them going before us. Please pray for Geeta’s health, as she has been suffering from migraines lately. Please pray for our health as we have colds. Please pray for the ministries as there is much to be done in the next week for the Christmas event.
Also, thanks for all the beanie babies and candy canes. Their tradition here is that each child receives one for Christmas and for their birthday. When we pulled them out to give to each of them, one of the boys started clapping and singing “happy birthday”! They really look forward to this special gift, “Dhanyavaad” (thank you in Hindi) to each of you who contributed to each child’s joy!