Grateful

We met her as we were leaving the project on the final day. She was so grateful for the work we are doing in the village. It shows that compassion goes a long way to break down walls and open the door to share the Gospel. 

Village

We took a walk through the village and met these great kids. 

Group Photo

It was easy to attract a crowd with a camera. The children are ready and willing for a quick photo. 

Captivating

This photo was very captivating for me. Love the look on the grandfather's face. You can tell he adores her.

Smile

The children are so fascinated by seeing their picture on a phone.

Hope for the Future

This project had a huge impact on me for one big reason. Many of you know that I've been at Bayside Church for over 17 years. I did take a five year stint with World Vision as the National Director for World Vision. I have been back on staff at Bayside for 2 years now. One of my bosses at WV was Ravi. he was one of the Vice Presidents and led other initiatives. His 30-year resume with WV is quite impressive. He started the work in several countries including Nepal and Mongolia. He also was a national leader for WV in India. Here's the interesting part, Ravi began life living in a family who survived under $1 a day. He became a sponsored child at a project very similar to ours in an area not very far away. It shows the great potential a project like this holds where someone can go from a poor kid in a small village in India to vice president of the world's largest Christian humanitarian agency. I couldn't help looking at the children thinking, which one is the next Ravi. 

Making A Difference

This is one of my favorite pictures of the children from this project. The reasons that this project is so important is 1) Compassion wouldn't run this project because it is too far out of the city for them. 2) This is a highly resistant area to the message of the Gospel. The local villagers gave the church and child development project a lot of opposition when it was launched. The first two sets of Indian missionaries were run off. One night the villagers cut a whole in their roof and dropped a live cobra into the room. Thanks to God's provision, this did not turn deadly. Many of the villagers no longer oppose the project but embrace it and the impact it is making. Some of the local leaders set out to shut it down due its Christian message. The Hindu teachers protested that these children are the best behaved and highest performing children in the entire school (there are 50 sponsored children). In addition, the church is growing and was almost filled for the meetings we had with the parents and children.

Selfie

The children are fascinated by our phones and cameras. They like to see themselves in pictures. Most homes don't have mirrors so it's the one time they see themselves. Rob gathers a crowd pretty quickly. 

Lunch time

We had the opportunity to provide lunch for the students on our last day. It was a vegetarian meal made of rice, veggies and a curry sauce. As is their custom, the children eat with their hands. 

Meals

Meals are prepared in the new kitchen built by Sun Hills. It has a refrigerator, running water and a cistern to capture water during the dry season. The children receive a small snack when they come to school in the morning, a large and nutritious lunch and a snack after school. The local teachers report that these children perform higher than the other students not in the sponsorship program. The schooling is provided by the local government. 

Child Center

This is the original center (top) used by the church for their ministry to children - contrast this to the one that Bayside built next door (bottom). You are only seeing about half of the community center in the photo. Notice how nice and bright the new building is with the windows that also supply cool air. It has multiple ceiling fans, restrooms, and a small office. Next door, Sun Hills built a great kitchen where they provide the meals for the children.

Making Bricks

This worker is making bricks our of the granite blocks. The blocks sell for about forty cents and he gets about half of it, though much of his profit can be garnished by the quarry "owner" to pay the interest on his loan. He has no hope of ever paying off the loan (about $600) that will passed along to his children. This father has a child in the development center built by Bayside and sponsored by Sun Hills. His life's goal is to see his children educated so they can avoid work in the quarry. 

Quarry Worker

Large blocks of granite are broken free from the quarry using a tiny chisel and a lot of muscle. These guys will work from 6AM to 2PM per day. These are technically illegal quarries as the "owners" have no rights to the land. 

Final Meal

This is a picture of our final meal together as a team. We are now on the long journey home. I have more pictures and videos which I will upload when I get better internet connection.

Hotel Sign

I love this sign found in the restroom at the restaurant in our hotel.

Rock Quarry

This is the rock quarry that is next to the project. Many families get stuck with a loan that they must pay off for the rest of their lives. They work for nearly nothing in these rock quarries. The work is very grueling and dangerous.

Duck, duck, goose

We had a great time with the children today. We played games, with them, taught them Bible stories, sang with them, and fed them lunch.

Team Prayer Time

Our team takes some time for prayer during breakfast on our last day together in India.

Final night

Tonight is our final night in Bangalore. Tomorrow we begin the long journey home after spending some more time with the children in the morning.

The building Bayside funded

None of the tremendous ministry in this community would be possible if the generous people of Bayside hadn't given the gifts to fund the construction.

Laura with one of the children

One of the children of the project.

The Children

The building that we constructed is used as a church in a community center. The children gathered after school for a time of and encouragement.

Handing out afternoon snack

Our Village

Today we were able to visit the building Bayside built with the offerings the children brought to Breakaway 3 years ago. We were able to meet the children, sing with them, and give them a backpack and snacks.

Walking Through Varanasi

Amazing Sunset on our flight to Bangalore

The Angels Rejoice

This is Rajeesh who was our guide to the Ganges River today. He had many questions about Christianity. He prayed with us to have Christ come influence his life. We invited him to breakfast and I gave him my new Bible. We pray that the seed fell on fertile soil.

Rajeesh

 The team praying with Rajeesh to receive Christ at the Ganges River.

Funeral

Here they are preparing a body for cremation.