Recent News: Impact Project Results
Most children around the age of four are learning to follow a daily routine: eating, playing, bathing, going to bed. Often a security blanket follows them everywhere. But for Durga, these learning moments were suddenly muted when her father died that year from a heart attack. The family was so poor they couldn’t afford to get medical help. Our hearts break at the thought that Durga’s family was helpless to respond to their father’s medical crisis. After his death, her mother couldn’t even afford food. They were now at risk of starving on the streets.
But the story doesn’t end here. Supporters like you demonstrated God’s love to her. Today she has ample food, a comfortable bed, Christian education, and many wonderful friends. All because committed donors wouldn’t allow her to taste hunger and abandonment again during those early years.
Even though Durga came from a non-Christian family she soon learned about Jesus at the orphanage. Experiencing Jesus’ love through God’s servants around her opened her heart to Him. Since her conversion she is developing into a young disciple of Christ.
Another unforgettable event for her in her new home was when she actually celebrated her birthday for the very first time!
Today Durga’s favorite verse is “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke 10:27
For years she’d dreamed of having a new Indian-style dress. Her dream came true her first Christmas at the orphanage. She received one of those special dresses of her very own!
But Durga not only received. She also gave by serving at the Christmas dinner outreach.
Because of your investment for past Christmas dinners Durga enjoyed receiving good meals at a Mission to Children outreach. This Christmas she was privileged to serve at a Mission to Children dinner. The ones receiving were destitute street children just as she had been a few years ago. She filled the water glasses and passed them out to these dear children. Later she told the leaders,
“Serving these poor kids like me, I felt like I was serving my own family!”
Durga thanks God for blessing her with a new life.
How is her new life possible? Because of your generosity.
Christmas dinner outreach results
Summary: 10,682 children and adults in 6 countries and various locations were served a special meal and heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ during the Christmas outreaches.
3,735 in Uganda
Prisoners, Churches in poor areas, Street boys, Youth offenders, Hospitalized children, a Muslim community.
Kajiado, Kenya
115 children served through a rehabilitation center for persons struggling with physical disabilities.
2,000 in Southern India
Orphans and the surrounding poor community, Blind people and their families, Leper victims and their families, Temple prostitutes and their children, Tribal community people in Orissa, Children with HIV/AIDS.
One of the events that afternoon featured a special time of worship for the blind families! They all sang together to celebrate Jesus, and shared memory verses, and testimonies. Sunderasha led this group. All of them sang in the Kannada language: They are truly gifted singers. Together, we all worshiped the risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who conquered death on the cross!
This outreach even had a surprise visitor: A Dalit convert, who was cared for back at the orphanage back in 1987 where he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. We will call him “Paul” to protect his identity. Paul discovered his gifts and desires at the orphanage: evangelism and church planting. Today as a church planter, Paul supports his own family through small business. Praise God! Paul has planted 15 Churches in the villages in the area. He is using Mission to Children’s Christlikeness book in his outreach ministries and the Cultivating Character book for Dalit children in the villages.
He came to share his testimony and challenge all the children to walk with Jesus every day.
Eastern Romania
800 Orphans and 60 Transitional youth.
Western Romania
230 people served with love, including: Homeless families, Gypsy children, and their parents.
Colombia
357 children from impoverished communities.
Davao, Philippines
190 village children and parents.
Central India
150 Children and mothers from red-light district.
Costa Rica
100 extremely poor families were chosen to receive a surprise gift basket of food. One mother teared, “You blessed us with a food basket for Christmas. I have no words to thank you …”
One of the Costa Rican mothers beamed, “You bless us with a food basket for Christmas. I have no words to thank you …”
2,945 near Rajahmundry, India
Street children, Leper community, slum church, orphans and daycare children with families.
