namkeen july 2011

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namkeen

Transformed worldviews, transforming engagements for a transformed nation

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...continued on page 2

VOLUME I, ISSUE 2

July 2011

Few Words

In mission circles these days onehears a lot of focus on the 4/14window. To those not familiar with this

term the 4-14 Window refers to thedemographic group from age four tofourteen years old, which is the mostopen and receptive to every form ofspiritual and developmental input.There is a renewed awakening of Godscall to us to radically change the waywe view children and to respond totheir needs and rightful place in HisKingdom. In this issue of Namkeen weare focusing on children, especiallythose on the margins. The Story ofRafa home by Sushila Ailawadi is apractical example of putting Jesus

word into practice in the life of achurch community. Learning about theministry of Jagriti from Maheshwariis a testimony of Gods faithfulnesswhen an individual believer respondsto Gods call in taking care of theneglected and vulnerable children.There is a vast number of hiddenchildren whom we often do not seein our churches or schools and theyare the children with disability. Ashishcentres engagement in this area wouldhopefully inspire others to take lead inresponding to this great need. May theLord help us to see something afreshfrom the 4/14 window.

Raaj Mondol.

God has chosen all of us who

believe in Him, to be salt

and light in this world. So

that we engage with those in need so that we ask ourselves: is there

anything I can do? The kingdom has

a righteous and just King. To serve

Him and do His will is to get involved,

take responsibility and be redemptive

as Jesus is in our lives. Our mandate

is to extend and bring under His

loving rule all things. This will bring

hope and healing to our land and to

ourselves.

We all are aware of how the politicsof power works in a community,

even in a church community to

determine who is signicant. This

is done even by ignoring the

existence of someone. We choose

not to acknowledge their existence.

Then there are those we do not justchoose to ignore, we just do not

see them. They are invisible because

they do not exist for us. I have often

wondered why we treat children as

though they dont exist, especially

those who are fatherless and

vulnerable. In the equation of power,

they form the very least among us.

C. S. Lewis spoke about an inner

ring- the seat and centre of power.

In our aspiration to nd signicance,many of us do everything we can

to draw as close to the centre as

The Forgoen Ones


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they let us. In that

mad stampede, the

ones who get hurt are

the least of the least of

these, the powerless, the

marginalized, the ones on

the fringes.

When those on the fringes

are HIV positive then they

are further marginalized,

on the fringe of the fringes.

They are the forgotten

ones, the worthless ones

in our generation because

they can never belong to an

inner ring. Therefore they

remain unseen.

As a church community we

have sought God to help

us see. Though a small

community we realize it

doesnt take much to make

a difference in the lives of a

few. We can do what each

of us is meant to do.

The Rafa Home is just

that. A small home, with

parents and eight boys,

some almost going to be

young men. These boys

were born with HIV, whom

nobody wanted! They have

already drunk deep of the

cup that the world has

offered them. They have

watched their parents die.

The disease that snatched

their mother and father is

present in their own system.

They are different and everyday their bodies and the

mirror remind them of this

stark reality. To the normal

teenage turbulence is

added the anguish and pain

of all that they experience in

their bodies and minds.

It is almost ludicrous to

imagine that anything we

say and do could bring

comfort and healing.

However God is good. He

loves us all. Towards our

own healing to become

caring and compassionate

He engages us to bring

hope and restoration to

another. Isaiah 58 tells us

to share your bread withthe hungry,

to bring to your house the

poor who are cast out

to cover the naked, when

you see them

and to not hide yourself

from your own esh?

We have discovered that

it is in healing that we are

healed, in feeding ourselves

are fed. So many of usseem to have forgotten

our common humanity.

We have forgotten our

Father who made us all

and who loves us equally.

He who did everything He

could, to bring us hope and

life. The Rafa Home is an

outcome of the challenge

to stop marginalizing themarginalized. To do what

Jesus has done for us step

out of the centre and go to

the fringes, to know that

what we do unto the least

of these, we do unto Jesus.

Our boys have many

struggles. But like all

children they have learnt to

enjoy life and discover God.

They have learnt to putaside their disease and not

label themselves. They have

learnt that their identity

lies in God and the joy

they have in a relationship

with Him. So, though they

live under the shadow of

death, they also live with

the certainty that God lives

and that they have a destiny

that they are meant to fulll.

God chooses anyone who

responds to His call. What a

privilege it is to be a part of

His provision in the lives of

those who matter so much

to Him. Though not an easy

task, with God all things are

possible. The kingdom of

God is righteousness, peace

and joy in the Holy Spirit. As

His people we are called to

bring joy and peace which

heals.

All who have experienced

His love are called to be

the children of light. All

creation groans and longs

for us to be revealed.

Our presence is meant to

preserve and bring life. We

have an access to the Father

through relationship, to callupon Him. When we see as

He sees and feel as He feels

then we are ready to do the

works of Jesus.

This is not for a chosen

few. All who believe have

His Spirit who enables

and empowers. We are all

meant to live to serve Him.

May we have hearts that

the Father can touch withHis love and compassion for

these the forgotten ones.

To be like Rafa: God, our

healer.

(Sushila is married to Sanjiv

Ailawadi, who pastors the

New Generation Church,

at Saidulajab, New Delhi.

Together they serve the various

community initiatives run by the

church )

Forgotten Ones ...from Page 1


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An Interview with The Director of JagritiMrs. Maheswari, Director of Jagriti, New Delhi in conversation with Mr. P. M. Mathew from Salt Initiatives. Maheswaricomes from a Hindu background. She accepted Christ as her personal Saviour in 1995, and got married in 1996. She hasworked in different companies and organizations like Sahara Airlines, Export business, World Vision, India and Suganth.She began praying about her specic concern for ministry among the vulnerable children in 2002 and the Lord helpedher to start Jagriti in the year 2005.

Jagriti is a registered society forthe holistic and transformationaldevelopment of the poor,needy and neglected people

who live in urban slum clusters andrural communities. Its current workis focused on orphan, abused anddestitute girl children and women.The main objective of this society isto provide basic education, propershelter, health care, nutritious food,love of christ to poor children so thatthey can experience love and care

and live in the world with full dignity.There are 16 girls in the home rightnow, between the age of 5-12, withthree other staff to look after theirwell being.

P.M.M:What led you to start thiswork with the children?

M: I had passion for the childrenespecially those who suffer. Girls arenot accepted well in the society andsome of them are totally rejected and

ignored. These children are mostlyexploited and abused in their earlyage.

I was with an organization calledSuganth, working specially for the

children in the slums. Once I was inthe market to have snacks (momo),I saw a girl who came to the momostand and picked up some piecesfrom the dustbin and started eatingwhich was very hard for me to bearand this incident moved me to do

something for such children. Thoughwe were working among the childrenin the slums, the children used to stayin their own homes with their parents.I learnt that some of the parents weredrug addicts and bar girls and thedanger of children following into their

3July 2011

Blessing Not A Burden

Ashish Centre, located in West Delhi is an earlyintervention centre for differently-abled children, run by

the Ashish Foundation for the Differently Abled (AFDA)Charitable Trust. Geeta Mondol the Director of AshishCentre says, In a culture where children with disabilitiesare seen as a burden, Ashish Centre is working activelyto create a transformational paradigm shift in societyand build a community that cares for the weak and

vulnerable. Primarily meant for children with Autism,Ashish Centre also caters to other children on thedisability radius. Through an integral approach of earlyintervention, the centre nurtures each childs growth andlearning ability towards their God given potential, alsoenabling their families to be effective facilitators in theprocess.

The centre believes that each child is created in theimage of God and is created for a purpose. Each childis born with the potential to achieve that purpose.Through a program of wholistic education and supportto children based upon Biblical worldview, it seeks toassist children with disabilities in supporting themselvesand being fruitful members of the community so thatthey can be viewed as a blessing to their families andcommunities and not seen as burdens.


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You can send in your contributions towards the ministry of Salt Initiatives by sending in a cheque or draft in favourof Salt Initiatives Charitable Trust, payable at New Delhi at the following address. Alternatively you can also deposityour contribution at any branch of HDFC in the following bank account and inform us the details and your address atthe given e-mail address. We will send you the receipt.

A/C Name: Salt Initiatives Charitable TrustA/C Number : 16711450000045; HDFC Bank, Mehrauli Branch, New Delhi.

Aenton Readers

Salt Initiatives Charitable TrustReg: No. 5947 | #177E, Flat I-3, Jay Apartments, Ward No. 2, Mehrauli, New Delhi 110030 | [email protected] | +91-971-784-7117

footsteps was very real. By seeing thesituation of the children, I thoughtof doing something about them. Istarted a home for them and thisparticular girl who was picking foodfrom the dustbin was the rst child inmy home.

P.M.M.:Tell us some of the strugglesyou faced while setting up your work?

M:There were little difculties at thebeginning, especially in supportingthe children. We thank our Lord forHis unfailing provision and blessingand we neverface any struggleas such. At thebeginning theystayed in a 3room house that

we built for thesechildren and lateron we built on a3 storey houseas the needincreased. OurLord providedwhatever wasneeded.

P.M.M.: Sharesome of thehighlights, some

positive experiences.M: There are so many positive storiesof our childrens project since westarted. One of our girl was a ragpicker on the streets. She was therst girl at our home. She is nowstudying in 7th standard and she hasbeen securing top position in herclass. She even got the best studentaward in her school this year. Manyof the children are very intelligentand they are studying in best schools

in this area like St. Marys Dwarka, St.Martins, Paschim Vihar. All girls securenot less than 80% marks in theirexams. Everyday they used to have

devotion time even if no one tellsthem .

Education facilities we provide to theunpriviledged children specially inslum areas in the form of non formalschool, free tution centre at NihalVihar , Bindapur J.J. colony bringsmile on many parents, children. Inthis centre, we teach those childrenwho are not going to school and helpthose who are studying in school.When parents see us they welcome usto their home as once they had neverdreamt of their child to study but

now they see thechild doing wellin school. Theyopen up and arekeen to listen tous and it gives usan opportunity to

share the gospel.

P.M.M.:How hasbeen the responseof your church?

M:Our Pastorand few morededicatedpeople visit usto support intheir prayer andencouragement.

P.M.M.: Share your dreams for thesechildren?

M:I dream to make them good citizenof this nation, good follower of Christand serve others in need. They shouldbe a role model , helping hand toothers in need.

P.M.M.:How can others help andsupport you?

M: People can help our children byteaching English speaking course,

providing counseling and speciallypraying for them.

Kingdom Lifestyle Series:

The Worldview ofthe Kingdom of

God

We are pleased to inform that

the rst booklet in a series ofBible studies focusing on Biblical

worldview and the Kingdom of God

is available in Hindi.

It is titled Parmeshwar ke rajya

ka drishtikone and is a Hindi

translation of the booklet- The

worldview of the Kingdom of God

published by YWAM Publishing for

Disciple Nations Alliance.

This booklet is a very valuable

resource for learning aboutworldview, and developing a biblical

worldview to effectively engage

in and impact different spheres

of society. This booklet has well

designed bible study with questions,personal applications and practical

response to the learning.

It can be used well in small groups,

bible studies, youth groups or

community reection exercises.

Those interested to receive a copy or

multiple copies can write to us at ourgiven address and we will send you

the details on how to receive it.

An Interview...from Page 3

namkeen july 2011

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