Happy Christmas from India!

Christmas 2011

This year is winding down, but our longest season of the year is just beginning. We are preparing to welcome a team of 20 into our home and family this week. They will be with us until the New Year. It is a very exciting time as we share the Good News locally to friends and neighbours we have been developing relationships with all year long.

You bought her Christmas gift!

We do want to take a moment and thank you for your hands. Hands that reach into your pockets and give when we have a need. Hands that join in ours for prayer when we need it. Hands that are always open and hold us tight when we come for a visit. What would we do without this part of the Body?

We are also thankful for your feet. Feet that go. We have been so blessed to have so many of you visit us in our country. You have come to our humble home, giving us a chance to serve you for a moment. You are the feet that carry the Message from another land. Feet that remove your sandals and walk into the homes of the outcast and forgotten- the people of India. We thank God for the Feet in the Body of Christ.



Young and old celebrate together!

We love you so much. You are our back bone- and I don’t say this lightly! Just this month (Dec. 1^st) I have undergone back surgery to relieve a pinched nerve I had in my leg. It has kept me from being able to do my work the past few months and I am thankful to be pain free and well again. God has given me an amazing team of people who have completed my long list of things to do, rubbed my feet when they hurt, washed my dishes and cleaned my house and buttoned my 4-year old’s shirt when he can’t. We have an amazing team of people on both sides of the world and we could never do this without you. It is God who makes it grow, but you are the backbone that keeps us standing tall in the face of difficulties, tragedy and pain.

We love you and we want to wish you a wonderful holiday season as we worship the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace.

Happy Christmas!

From the entire family, staff, children, students and church in India!

Bamboo stars, made by our Titus Women, hang on a tree in the US. Over 40 people bought stars this year to support our Orphans Christmas- while celebrating a world away. Thank you.

Opportunity to Give #5

One of my greatest Christmas memories was taking down the stocking each Christmas morning. Maybe it was the candy in it and maybe it was because there was 13 of them hanging on the shelf in our living room each year! We always said the stockings were our favorite. Maybe it really is the little things in life that mean the most…

As the kids in our orphanage get older they are beginning to notice the difference between Vaseline and lotion, shampoo and a bar of soap for hair and the importance of acne products. Every month we by a burlap bag full of toiletries, oil for their hair, soap and all the other things you need when you have over 30 girls. We buy large bottles and everyone gets a little when they need it. It is the most efficient and fair. However, the kids often voice their desire to have their own little bottle of shampoo. Until now we have not given in!

This Christmas, we know that offering this small gift to them would mean the world to them. We don’t want to make stockings since they are useless the rest of the year, but want to give each child a small box to keep their OWN things in. In this box we will give them each:

·         Bottle of shampoo

·         Bottle of lotion

·         Hair oil

·         Acne soap (age appropriate)

·         Hair comb

·         Toothpaste

·         Toothbrush

For example purposes only, the plastic boxes have already been ordered!

Additionally, we would like to include a special hair clip, braclet or special accessory for each child.

We are so excited about this gift! We know they will love it because it is personal, has been a request in the past and we have never done it before!

We want to give one to EACH child. Can you help?

Need: 90 children @ $10 per box with toiletries = $900

Your help in purchasing these gifts would be a blessing - but we need your quick response. Christmas is just a month away and there is so much shopping to be done! 

Thank you for giving so generously this month as we have shared need after need. We love you.
Happy Holidays friends!

 

Opportunity to give #4

Thank you for your generosity for the children in India this month and throughout the year! We are so thankful for your partnership that fuels the work in India. We labor hard for the kingdom and you give whatever you can- thank you.

So far month we have seen individuals, dance classes, youth groups, churches and families give for the work in India. We still have many needs and ask you to continue to read these updates and pray about what you can give- or who you can share this with.

The newspaper this week reported that this is the coldest November on record in central India. We can tell! This morning I woke up and opened our front door. A damp fog (or is it the Diwali pollution?) was in the air and I could see my neighbor who was up early. He was wearing a lungi (a men’s wrap around skirt), wool shawl, knit hat and flip- flops. Of course we all look wonderful first thing in the morning, but I was reminded that we just are not prepared for cool weather around here. After all, it only happens about 6 weeks out of the year and people do not have the space or money for “winter clothes.”

Our kids will also continue to wear their shorts and flip-flops throughout the winter, but a sweater or shawl makes it much more bearable. We are thankful to Crossroads Worldwide who is buying sweaters for our children for Christmas this year. This will keep them warm all day.

Sweaters are worn all day long!

It is time for us to buy some new blankets so we can keep them warm at night too! Some of the blankets are still around from last year. We need to purchase 30 more. Can you give $10 so we can buy a wool blanket for our kids this winter?

Need: Wool Blankets 30 x $10 = $300.

This is a need that we would love see donated today- after all, we will need these blankets as soon as possible!

In 2008 our kids only had blankets, nothing else. We are so thankful for the beds and mattresses for them.
Let's get some warm blankets too!

As the weather cools the kids skin gets cracked and itchy. Their solution- rub down with Vaseline or coconut oil! Interested in seeing our ideas for stocking stuffers this year? Come back tomorrow for the next need- and post!

 Send Support to:

Crosspoint of India

3714 Gailyn Dr.

Bartlett TN 38135-9444Please designate for Orphans Christmas

You can also give an undesignated gift online at www.crosspointofindia.org

All gifts are tax-deductible.

 

 

Opportunity to give #3

Thank you for your response to our shared needs this month!

If you follow our Crosspoint of India page on Facebook you have been able to see an update of our planting and crops on the land this year.  Recently we planted hundreds of  orange and date palm trees. We also have crops of tomato, garbanzo and green beans growing right now! This is all very exciting and are so blessed to see the ground yield a harvest while we wait to make it a home for 1,000 orphans.

Planting date palms

With the trees planted along the proposed roads, we are now ready to install an irrigation system to allow them to grow well and yield the most fruit in the future.  This is very important since we received rain just 2 months out of the whole year! We have already begun a sample of the system we will need..

Date Palms along the entrance road to the main compound

Need: Irrigation for trees and crops. $5,000

We have been blessed with almost every piece of equipment we need to farm well. We are still in need of a Rotovator, which is a mulcher.  This will allow us to till the ground deeper and turn left over weeds and harvested materials back into the soil.

Our tractor and some equipment

Need: Rotovator  $5,000

Image may vary, I will need to ask them men!

 

Send Support to Crosspoint of India: 3714 Gailyn Dr. Bartlett TN 38135-9444
Please designate for Land Development

 

You can also give an undesignated gift online at www.crosspointofindia.org

Opportunity to give #2

When we moved into our brand new facility in 2007 we felt like we have so much extra room to grow. It did not take long before we were again outgrowing our space. Great need in our area means that we will never have too much space. We stay maxed out and then are unable to grow further. We are feeling these pains now as we house over 40 active boys in 1500 square feet. Even our new girl’s house and new college girls dorm are full and overflowing. We don’t see this as an issue…until winter comes.

In the heat of the summer the children argue to sleep on the cool tile floors. They remain cool to the touch throughout the days and nights and are a great relief to the intense heat. As winter arrives it becomes a very different situation.

Presently we have 13 bunk beds for our boys. That means 26 beds to sleep. Of course they double up and adjust, but every night 10+ boys end up on the floor with a sheet or a mat to sleep on. In the winter this is just too cold for their thin bodies and they begin sleeping 3-4 on a bed so no one has to be cold.

The beds already in the boys home

It was always our hope to provide each of our children with their own bed. For children who have slept on streets and most likely will never have their own bedroom, even in the future, we feel it is a 6’x3’ space that they can feel is theirs and strive to keep clean and well kept.  Many do.

It has been 6 years since we bought the first bunk beds and the cotton mattresses we purchased for them. Of course they are worn thin with 4 boys sleeping on them each night. They also mold through the rainy season and need to be replaced. We began purchasing mattresses a few months back and some of them are already in use!

A thin sagging mattress

We have recently purchased 10 new bunk beds as well. We have not been able to make this payment yet, as well as need the plywood and mattress for these 20 (2 per bed) beds.

New mattresses already being used!

The bunk beds are $350 each (including plywood and mattress)

We need 10 - $3500

We need 20 additional mattresses for the children sleeping on the floor- 20 @ $75 = $1500



Brand new bunk waiting for a mattress

This need is $5,000. Can you help?

Crossroads Worldwide is partnering with us this Christmas to provide new sheets and blankets for the children!

Send Support to Crosspoint of India: 3714 Gailyn Dr. Bartlett TN 38135-9444
Please designate for Orphans Christmas.

Opportunity to give #1!

    Every morning in the girls dorm the caretakers cell phone alarm goes off at 5am. There is no heat or coffee pot to warm up the bodies of the 30+ girls as their bare feet hit the floor. They run to share their 6 bathrooms and dress in a hurry. They all must be out the door in 30 minutes. The oldest girl is over 20 and the youngest just 4. They are all required to get ready and go for morning devotion. Sleepy eyed, they grab their Bibles and head out the gate to walk a block to the common room where over 100 people meet every morning to worship, read God's word and prayer before they start their day. As they pile into the small room they find their place on the rug and place the Bible on the floor beside them.

Each child that can read has been given a Bible. They carry them through the darkness to the prayer hall each morning and night. During they day they are stacked up on the only shelf they have in the dorm. Although great care and respect is given to the Bible, the wear and tear on the well used book is evident. Many are falling apart and ripping at the seams. This is one thing we love to see well used.



Well used Bibles

In the past we have given our children Bible covers donated and carried from the US by generous teams who bring them. They often have zippers and many have broken- simply from all the use.
As our numbers grow we can no longer bring things from the US for the children. For it to last more than a few months, the children need covers for their special book .

This year we are teaching our Titus Women how to make a simple Bible cover. Each will have no zipper to wear out, handles to carry them, a ribbon or rope to tie it closed, and fabric to protect the cover and spine.

Handmade Bible Covers

We would like to make one for every child and student for Christmas. That is over 100 needed. We will be purchasing the covers from our Titus Women! When you purchase a cover for a child or student you will also be supporting one of our women and her family.

One of the Titus Women with her family

The Need- 100 Bible Covers @ $8 = $800- deadline, November 15th.

If you would like to give a gift in honor of a family member of friend for Christmas please send us an email at: amolpawar@crosspointofindia.org

Giving this holiday season

The holidays are here! It’s time to share some specific ways you can give this month to bless the orphans in India this Christmas.

Every few days we will be posting some holiday needs on our Crosspoint of India Facebook page.

If you see something you would love to give towards send support to:

Crosspoint of India

3714 Gailyn Dr.

Bartlett TN 38135-9444

If you would like to give a gift in honor of a friend or family member for Christmas please include a note with your check as well as the individuals name, address and email so we can notify them of the gift given in their honor. After we Christmas we will include a picture of the item being given or used.

All gifts are tax deductible and should arrive before December 1.

 

Summer camp every day of the year!

Yesterday I had a talk with one of our girls. When she was 18 she left our home. She now wants to return. Her present guardian cannot understand this and asks her, “Why would you want to return to an orphanage?” Her reply, “Because it is not like an orphanage. It is like a family.” Last night I was reminded about the excellent quality of life we are able to provide to almost 100 orphans in India.

2 of our girls dance to "Your name is Higher!"

Growing up in our orphanage is like being at summer camp every day of the year. Though that sounds incredible there are also days when it is just normal. They are fed the Word in large doses constantly, eat better food than a lot of families and are involved in extracurricular activities that even children in the community are not.

Special songs by the boys

Because we all live together year round we have to be intentional about “stirring up the gifts” within our young people. We have started spending time with a few of our kids each weekend. This includes taking them out for ice cream, going to a public park to sit in the grass and yes, even a talent show.

These boys could not control themselves and danced during songs!

Last night we had a 3 hour “talent show” where the kids and students were able to use their “talents” for His glory. We found out some of the ones we thought were shy are not, and also some who we never knew were able can sing! There was a LOT of laughing, a ton of praise and even more joy as we worshipped together for His glory. People from the neighborhood were also drawn in by the great music, flashing stage lights (sometimes I think our motto might as well as “go big or go home!”) and uproar of laughter.

Our band for the night who accompanied the many solos.

Every day I am thankful that we have the privilege to care for “the least of these.”  We want to rescue and care for orphans in 1,000 India. I have enough faith to believe that is possible. What I have been amazed by is God’s provision of ideas, resources, volunteers and staff who allow us to not just care but provide the quality of life that I provide for my own children. When we love others as we love ourselves- THEN we impact lives for eternity and raise a generation that will one day leave…but will always be ready to return.

Thank you for making this possible.

Additionally, we presently need 15 students sponsors and 20 orphan sponsors this year.  Can you commit to giving $50 a month for either of these areas of ministry? Your support is changing lives. Literally. You can sign up online. www.crosspointofindia.org/how_to_give/

A song by one of the staff

Even the little ones participated.



We even had a rap song!

"Everything would be possible for you..."

"He replied: It is because you don't have enough faith! But I can promise you this. If you had faith no larger than a mustard seed, you could tell this mountain to move from here to there. And it would. Everything would be possible for you." Matthew 17:20

It’s been a slow “rainy season” this year. The monsoon (a covering of rain clouds that literally moves in and covers the sky) moved in weeks ago, but we have not had the rain we are supposed to. Today the newspaper said the government is going to spend millions of Rupees giving “offerings” at the temple to appease the rain gods. Without sufficient monsoon rain the entire country can suffer from drought this next year. It is an issue that deserves our prayers.

Monsoon clouds over the neighborhood

This has not kept us from planting by faith! We love to take a step and do things even when circumstances around us advise otherwise. God has honored this many times in the past.

In 2000 we had a little faith and a little land and we broke the ground by faith to one day build an office there.

Construction in 2007

Today there is not just an office, but 2 amazing buildings that house almost the entire ministry! It took over 10 years, but He was faithful and (seriously) gave us 10x more than we imagined possible!

Completion in 2011

Thankfully our faith has increased a little bit over the years. As our faith grows so does the financial need.  As the financial need grows so must our garden. It is no surprise that tons of food are needed each year to feed the nearly 120 people we house year round. We are very thankful for the land God gave us nearly 8 years ago to assist with this need. This year we are growing more than we ever have before! All of the 24 acres are cleared and crops are planted!

 We have tomatoes, lentils, garbanzo beans, soybeans, chilies and several other things growing on the land right now. We have also hired local farmers to look after it. Praise God for a great wall that stands not only as an amazing testimony but also protects the food we have planted.

Would you pray with us for consistent and sufficient rain for India this year? Pray for a great harvest of grains and vegetable for our children as well. We hope to share about a poultry farm to produce chicken and eggs as well as a dairy starting within this next year….there’s that faith again!

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Turning 32...

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A recent visitor shares her heart

Hello all!

R asked me to write a guest post about the time that I just spent at the orphanage with a team from my church.

Our team went to India to lead a week of VBS for the kids at the orphanage and some of the kids from the neighborhood in the month of May. It was absolutely wonderful! The kids (and team) had a great time and many life-changing decisions were made at the end of the week.

We chose to focus on the fruit of the Spirit for VBS this year. Each day we learned about the different fruit by studying different stories in the Word.

The kids loved getting to act out the stories as they were taught.

 
Each day the kids participated in a lesson and worship time, did a craft, played games, and learned a memory verse. At the end of the week, those who could say all 5 memory verses for the week were given a special prize and rewarded with a surprise trip to the circus!

Some of the girlscontribute to a handprint mural for A’s office.

This was my fourth trip to work with Crosspoint and every year it just gets better! It is extremely exciting to see how God is blessing the ministry and the growth that has happened in the past year:

·         Last year, I was able to participate in the dedication of the new ministry facilities. This year, the building is a fully furnished office space, with cubicles and new computers for all the staff. Before, all the staff was in one room, working on very outdated computers.

·         Construction on the land is continuing. The wall is completed (except in the areas that are still in dispute- please pray that this will be settled and the wall completed as planned). The next step is to begin putting in the sewage system and then construction can begin on the first block of cottages!

·         New children have come to stay at the home in the past year and the current children are continuing to do very well. Many of the children placed first in their class at school this year and all of them did very well on their final exams. One of the oldest girls just passed her 12^th standard exams and will soon begin college to study to be a teacher. (As a teacher-to-be myself, I am very excited about this).

This little one quickly stole the hearts of everyone on the team.

·         Finally, construction is beginning on a personal home for the P family. There is still a long way to go and they are still in need for provision to make this possible, but they are trusting that God will provide, as he always does.

Construction on the foundation of their home.

One exciting new activity that the girls on this trip were able to join R on was visiting a few of the Titus Women in their homes. These women are extremely generous and hospitable to welcome us into their homes and share with us about their lives and how being a part of Titus Women has blessed them. We were able to pray over these women’s needs and just share with them the love of their Father. Please pray for these women. Many are sick or have pain in their body (particularly in the heat of the summer) or their husbands are having a hard time providing. Their needs are great, but our God is greater and He can provide for them.

This post is getting very long, so I will wrap it up, but I want to leave you with a few ways that you can consider being involved with the work going on in Central India:

·         First and foremost, pray and then pray some more. Prayer is crucial to any work of God. Pray for the P family, pray for the children, the students, and the Titus women.

·         Give to one of the construction projects or other needs. Below is a post from R with some of their current needs. Consider giving to one of those needs. Consider giving to help the P family build their home.

·         Sponsor a child or a student. About 25 of the kids do not have sponsors, this is ridiculous (my own personal honesty). For $50 a month, you can insure that a child has food, clothes, a safe place to stay, education, and, most importantly, love and Godly instruction. I have been sponsoring a girl for more than 2 years now and it is the most rewarding thing I give my money to. In July, the Training Center will begin and those students will need sponsors as well. Again, it is only $50 a month to get them trained to bring the Good News to the furthest reaches of India.

Thank you for your time and for your interest and involvement with this ministry. They are doing a great work and I cannot wait to see all the ways that God blesses them in the coming year.

~L- (the fearless team leader of our VBS team from NC this year!)

A Time to Give...

Today my reason for blogging is simply to share with you some of our financial needs. I know, I know, I don’t like to bring it up (especially if it is a personal need) but it is a big part of what I do- being a voice between this side of the world and yours.  

I am often overwhelmed at the generosity of our donors and partners. People often tell me it is impossible to raise money the way we do, giving 100% to the work in India and sending out as little news as we do. (While I’m here, let me mention that we are sending out no more than 2 mailings a year to reduce those costs. THIS is the BEST place to hear the latest- or LIKE our Facebook page for almost daily updates!)
_____________________________________________

We have some financial needs in the ministry and for our family. The easiest way to share them is to just say it, so here they are.

We have been working on the construction of our ministry campus for several years now. We are ready to put in a septic system and the proposed costs exceed what has already been donated for this purpose. This is the right season to build, but we don’t have the finances we need.

 The need is $25,000

Our directors, A & R, are building a home for their family. The bottom floor will solely be used for hosting teams, visitors, and volunteers. The rest will be used for their family of 5. The entire ministry is housed in owned buildings and it is their turn.

The need is $120,000

Tree plantation on the campus.

The need is $2500

Tractor Equipment

The need is:

• Cultivator: $600
• Plough $800
• Seeder $1200
• Leveling blade $350
• Tiller $1500

We have 25 children who are still unsponsored. This means that undesignated giving that could be used towards future needs goes into the daily running of the home. If all the children were sponsored, this area of the ministry would be self-supportive through that support.

The need is $50 a month for each child

 I hope you will consider how you can help, pray about it (but not for too long!) and share this with others. Are you part of a small group? Does your church support Crosspoint of India? How about your upcoming VBS offering? Let’s get creative and see what we can do!

Support can be sent designated for these projects or undesignated to be used where it is needed the most to:

Crosspoint of India

3714 Gailyn Dr.

Bartlett TN 38135-9444

Summer has arrived!

This year is moving by quickly!

Resurrection Sunday is always an amazing time to celebrate with Believers and unbelievers alike. Here are a few highlights from that day.

Sunrise service on the roof

Titus Women who came to the service

Our oldest came from for the summer, and we already put him to work translating!

The kids have finally completed all of their exams and are out of school for the summer. We have a team coming from NC to lead the VBS, we are already holding daily computer & English classes and possibly have some fun outings in the future! The weather is already nearing 115F and we still have a ways to go. Fortunately, they sleep through the hottest part of the day!

Day 2 (and group 3) of English & Computer classes!

On a personal note we have begun the construction of our personal home. This is an exciting stage and we are grateful for your prayers and support for this need.

Construction materials are piling up!

As India heats up, construction work on the campus is slowing down.  We are working on plans for the sewer system and tree plantation; 2 areas we hope to complete by the end of the year.

A. will be visiting the US in June for 2 weeks. He is looking forward to updating some of you personally and visiting a few places that we have not been able to visit as a family the past few visits. The rest of us will be back in India- working hard hosting a team and teaching classes and holding meetings.  Your prayers are always appreciated.

We appreciate your faith and willingness to walk this journey with us.

228 workers into the largest, unreached harvest field in the world

On March 10th the12th class from the Discipleship and Training Center graduated. Since 2000, we have sent out 228 workers into the largest, unreached harvest field in the world.

The Graduation Procession

Exactly a year ago this month our Indian Board of Directors decided that if we were not able to raise support for the Training School for the 2011-2012 year- it would be our last. I am not proud to say that, but we had successfully run the school for 11 years while digging deeper  and deeper in debt with each passing year. We did not have permanent debt since we were able to pay for the school from undesignated support, but it was eating up ALL of it and left nothing extra for us to use for other unsupported needs. Most of all, we were very discouraged. How can it be that the focus of our entire ministry is "planting" yet we had not been able to effectively communicate the great need of training up people to GO?!

Class of 2012

Everything was different in 2011! God sent 26 individuals to support this area of our ministry and it has opened a floodgate of other blessings that have overflowed from that. Student sponsors, thank you, thank you, thank you for your passion for the kingdom and this investment in this country.

A special dance from the Children's Home girls 

The Graduation ceremony was amazing. About 600 invited guests joined us for a time of encouraging, commissioning, worship and thanksgiving for the year that was over, and a lifetime of service that is beginning. It was a powerful service and  I wish that each of you could have been there.

The crowd, we fed them all!

Sunday morning our church, where the students had been attending the past 8 months, had a sendoff for the students. A. and I washed each of their feet as they bawled and hung onto us for a last time of prayer. It was a very emotional day and for me personally, and time of harvesting. To be able to see the fruit of our labor from this past year is amazing. These are not the same people who came to us with an application in hand 8 months ago. These are confident, spirit filled, young people will a vision ready to go and die for the sake of reaching their people. Can there be anything more powerful?

Feet washing

Monday morning they all packed their bags, with about 3 times as many things as they came with, and headed back to the villages they came from….where they will began to practice what they learned. Many of them will not be welcomed, some may be beaten and all of them will want to give up at some point.

Saying goodbyes

Our very own Kajol, who grew up in our home, also left with another one of the female students. With 2 sewing machine, 2 young women and 5 suitcases they piled into an auto rickshaw and headed to the bus stand. It is hard to part with your children, but this is what we have raised them to do.

Kajol at her sewing machine

Your financial gift into our ministry this year has not only transformed their lives and possibly even their entire village, but you have renewed my faith. You have encouraged me by your giving. You have reminded me that what we are doing is worth it, there are people who are passionate for the world and that we will never give up.

With certificates in hand...

Until the whole world hears...

Dedication prayer