Prakash

A few years ago our church started supporting a slum transformation project in Jaipur India, and we were given a photo of Prakash - he is one of the students at the new school with now over 300 students, who without support would be unable to have an education. He is quite a cute little boy!
We wanted to include him in our family, so that the kids can connect with what and who we are giving to.
So we started to pray for him each night when we pray before dinner. We'd pray that he'd have enough food to eat, and that his family would, and that he would enjoy school and be healthy.
Then last year Mark and some teachers from school went to visit the Jaipur school. Bob and Janine Mann run it and they have buses that take 300 students to a school just outside of the slum each day. Without this education, these children may always remain in the slum, with no other choice for work but to continue in the family line of business. In Jaipur, most of the people in the slum work in puppetry busking, it sounds creative and interesting, but does not provide an income that could take you out of the slum.
The team ran 3 days of workshops with the teachers and helped them to understand Christian education. They also helped them to understand grace in discipline, which is pretty important as most of the time they'd just hit kids on the head with a ruler when they were mucking up. After the team left, the teachers of the Jaipur school saw massive breakthrough with the students by using more gracious methods.
But, the really cool thing is that Mark got to meet Prakash, and to see the fruit of who we have been giving to. When he mentioned Prakash's name to Bob Mann, he knew exactly who he was talking about.
Bob had been helping Prakash's family out for the past few months. Prakash's father had developed a horrible disease in his arm and it was wasting away. He had no way to pay to go to a dr, he couldn't even afford a bandage. Because of the generous giving of many churches, Bob was able to help him out, to pay for him to see a doctor and to be treated weekly. This is the love of God in action.
That night Mark got to visit Prakash's family. Squatting in the small makeshift dwelling, made from bits of metal and timber, dark and smokey, Mark met Prakash's dad. When Mark told him that our family has a photo of his son at home and that we pray for him each day, Prakash's dad was overwhelmed with thankfulness. Mark prayed for him and was able to share the love of Jesus with him.
Even though our whole family couldn't go to visit Prakash that time, we feel so blessed that we can be a part of their lives in our giving and praying, and that we can share that with our children.