Project Director's Letter: India

Now I would like to share a letter from the Project Facilitator at Dinesh's project, EI-221, or Hembrom Child Development Center in Eastern India.


"Dear Eric and Hannah,

Greetings from our child development center!

I am Bishop Z. J. and I have now retired. I am now overseeing the activities as the Project Director of the project where Dinesh attends. The project is located in a small village surrounded with forests in the state of Jharkhand, India.


I am thankful to you for sponsoring Dinesh of our child development center. Our project is in the midst of a tribal community. People of this tribe are caught up in poverty. Alcoholism, superstitious beliefs, and witchcraft are some of the social issues.


I am pleased to see the impact of the program both in Dinesh and the other children, and the community at large. At the same time, the behavior of both the parents and children has changed.


The improvement in children can be seen physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Children love coming to the center because they have friends, and get the opportunity to play and study that they could not do at home. Children have learned to have respect for each other.


Through the project, the impact is also seen in the community. The lifestyle of the parents has changed after they have started attending the parents meeting every month. At the meeting, the project staffs teaches parents about hygiene, social responsibilities, bad effects of alcoholism, and many other things that will help the parents to become better parents to their children.


Before the project started, the community people were least interested in the education of their children but now they want to give their children best education, if possible in an English speaking school. The literacy rate in this area is very low so we try to imbibe in the children the importance of education.


Children in their villages were deprived of the benefits they are now able to enjoy through the project. Because of the project, Dinesh is able to compete with children of the mainstream society. Children eat a nutritious diet at the project.


They get hygiene supplies every month that helps them to maintain hygiene at home. The project provides Dinesh with health screenings and regular health checkup that takes care of his medical needs.


It is my vision to see our children in different discipline of life, that they may know the love of God and may come to the knowledge of God one day. At the center, children are taught the scriptures, memory verses, action songs and how to pray.


The sponsored children are really benefitted with the visit of sponsors. However, last year no sponsor came to the visit our children. We welcome you to visit Dinesh. This will mean os much because he will experience how much you love him.


The relationship established through your letters will be valuable. Whenever you send Dinesh letters, he will really thrilled to know many things about you. Last year the children received 215 letters from their sponsors, and 207 letters were written by the children.

Please continue to pray for Dinesh, our staff, children at our center and for our community so that the people may come to know God one day.


Finally, I express my heartfelt thanks to you for your support of Dinesh, as it enables us to minister to the needs of him. It is indeed a great gesture you have shown by helping Dinesh of our area and giving him an opportunity to learn and come up in live.

With regards,
Rt. Rev. Z.J."

Reading these letters makes me hope to visit our kids someday! It's a dream of mine. But until then, I enjoy learning so much about the communities where our children live. And it is so encouraging to hear how Compassion is helping these kids through the local churches!

All photos are taken from Compassion's Flickr album, which can be viewed here.