TESTIMONIES FROM THE SLUMS OF INDIA / Ps Paul Silvanus

Children growing up in slums experience a childhood that often defies the imagination of a normal childhood that we would expect. The children are the ones who suffer the most, and the experiences they go through often leave deep emotional scars. Very early in life they become aware of what life is like living in the slums and they learn how to survive day by day. It’s a tough fight for survival and a dangerous place for these children.

The slums lack proper sanitation, safe drinking water, and good personal hygiene habits. There is not much space and homes are cramped together made with makeshift materials such as cardboard, plastic sheets and zinc; inside these homes up till five or even more family members can be found living together. Their surrounding areas are in very poor condition with piles of rubbish in every corner contributing to air that smells foul.  It’s dusty, overcrowded, unhealthy where the children live, and there are no public spaces dedicated to their recreational use. But that does not mean that these children have no childhood, only a different kind of childhood, the kind that we hope our children and grandchildren never have to face. Their playgrounds are the dirty alleys and paths weaving in and out of the slums. They take on multiple roles in everyday life and share responsibilities with adults in domestic and public spaces in the community.

While walking through the slums, I looked at the children playing in the dirt, an easy target for human traffickers and drug traffickers. These children who are despised, depressed and suppressed in the society touched my heart deeply. I felt the Lord wanting me to take care of His children. Hence the day care centres were established in June 2012. It was a challenge because the slum dwellers and even the children trusted no one. With hard work and dedication and after experiencing the tangible love of Christ through our workers, the children began to come. We offered them a safe place to come after school and helped them with their school work. They were also taught moral issues and good personal hygiene habits. In addition, to the children the most important item of the day was a hot meal before they went home; for many this could very well be their only meal for the day.

We constantly sought the Lord and He guided us through every challenge we faced, every setback; He was there with us touching the hearts of the children, filling them with joy and love. Disciplining them was hard but we never gave up, and here I must give a shout of gratitude to the volunteers and teachers who sacrificed their time from Monday to Friday to come and teach the children and cook for them. I believe that God chose the right men and women for the job and they were obedient to their calling. The love they showed the children was what melted the hearts of the parents as they experienced the tangible love of God through our volunteers and co-workers. There are so many testimonies that I would like to share with you but it would mean pages and pages, so I am going to share just a few with you.

 Day care centre testimonies.

 V. SANDHYA, a Hindu girl is currently studying in the 6th standard and she has been coming to the centre for the last 5 years. Her family was homeless and they slept under trees or any shelter they could find or sometimes even in the alleys and public places. Her father was a snake catcher in the area and when he was able to catch snakes, he earned INR100. Often, he was not able to catch anything and the family suffered.

Sandhya who heard about Jesus at the day care centre learned about the power of prayer and she would often cry out to God, “Jesus give us a home of our own,” a short prayer from the heart. God heard her cry and in January 2019, they got a small house with a room and a kitchen from the government welfare department. She shared with her mother and father about her prayer and how God answered it;  both her parents accepted Christ and started believing in Jesus. They have been coming to church regularly and have been baptized as well. A whole family saved and Heaven rejoices.

 Sisters Rithvika and Nevetha have been attending the centre for the last 3 years, Rithvika studying in standard 6 & Nevetha in standard 3. They are from a staunch Hindu family and her father is a rickshaw puller who spends all he earns on alcohol and is passed out every night in a drunken stupor. The family depend on their mother’s income as a domestic helper but things are tough.

At the centre the children heard about Jesus and that He is almighty and all powerful, and they went home to share this with their mother insisting Jesus could help them. Their mother was skeptical at first but the children began to pray, and as they were taught the importance of fasting, they began to fast too and the pastor got the church members in the slum to fast and pray with them.

They prayed for their father to stop drinking. After 3 months, the children noticed that their father was coming home early on weekdays and was sober. The children were so excited and increased their prayer for their father. Eventually, even on the weekends he remained at home with his family and he seemed happy to spend time with them. He was deeply stirred in his heart when he heard that his children had prayed for him to this Christian God called Jesus.Today he and his family are born again and attend church regularly. He no longer drinks and is completely delivered from alcohol; the family is peaceful and their father,a changed man.

Daisy suffered terribly at the hands of her abusive alcoholic husband. She and her 2 boys, Sharan Raj and Swathi, often went to bed hungry. The boys would tremble and run out of the house when the father returned home and beat up his wife. The two boys attended the day care centre and the pastor noticed how they were always fearful. The pastor and the volunteers spent time getting the boys to trust them showering them with care and love. Slowly the boys opened up as to what was happening at home. The pastor began to visit the children at home and talk to their father just to discuss the children’s progress at the centre. In the meantime, he began to pray for this family and as time went on, the father began to ask more questions about God and the pastor shared the Gospel with him and began to pray with him. Praise God for the pastor’s perseverance; the father gave up alcohol, asked his wife to forgive him and the whole family is now in the Kingdom of God. 

These are just a few of the many stories that have emerged from the slums. We thank the donors of Asian Outreach Malaysia for their partnership with us to bring God’s hope and love to these poor suffering families. Our desire is to provide slum centres for all the children in the slums, but due to lack of space and funds, we cannot take them all in. Many parents come to see us daily begging us to help their children. I pray that the Lord will touch hearts to reach out and partner with us to enable us to enlarge our centres so we can give more kids a future and a hope.

Proverbs 31:8-9

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

THE HEART OF ASIAN OUTREACH / Peter U, Chairman

Christmas blessings  

Last Christmas we were able to give a Christmas gift to all of our foot soldiers and ministry co-workers, thanks to your generosity. They were so profoundly touched by the gift, not the value of the gift but that people they have not seen, are thinking of them and care for them. We all know how great it feels to receive gifts but it enriches our life so much when we give, and that great inner joy comes from helping others to better their lives.

Mother Teresa is a famous example of selfless giving and she found the greatest fulfilment in giving of herself to others. She gave the poor and destitute hope and love and helped the dying die with dignity and without fear. She held the beggar on the street, their dirty unwashed bodies riddled with sores and sickness, cradling them in her arms as they took their last breath. She made their undeniable pain a little easier to bear because they felt loved in the midst of the pain and fear.

Working in the mission fields comes with many challenges. It can be a lonely place sometimes, especially when faced with hostility and rejection. With the sharp rise in persecution now, this makes it even more challenging and dangerous. The foot soldiers and mission workers out there in the fields are human too and can feel dejected at times. That is why it is so important for people to be praying for them.

They share the life of Christ through their own life and they are looking to God to work through them and to draw people into the church. They usually work in poor areas, so they are dependant on outside resources to support their ministry and families. They are dedicated to the service of God and give their lives completely to serving Him, undergoing hardships and struggles without complaining. They do not worry about their lack but look to God to supply their every need, and God uses His ‘willing vessels’ to provide for them.

Thank you again for your partnership with us to Reach, Touch and Transform lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Once again thank you, especially for the Christmas gift that we were able to give our co-workers through your generosity. They wish they could meet you personally to thank you but have asked me to convey their thanks to you and some have written little notes to show their appreciation.

Thank you notes from some of our foot soldiers:

Ps Biswajala Nag – foot soldier, Bolangir District, Odisha

My family and I were so overcome with joy to receive your Christmas gift. We were so touched that people we did not know and so far away from us can think of us. We were so encouraged that we decided to step out boldly to evangelize and we invited our community for Christmas. We shared the

Gospel and showed them a film on Jesus and so many were touched. We have been evangelising secretly because of the anti- conversion laws which are very strict here, but this time we were not afraid. You became part of this Christmas outreach.

Ps Paul Silvanus – AO partner in India

As we serve God and face so many challenges, we are human too and sometimes we feel unappreciated. It would be encouraging to have someone say you are doing a good job, and AOM is the one who does this. I, as a leader of the organization, am truly grateful for your gift of love. Thanks for understanding the heart of God, and I really admire the action and effort of AOM team; on behalf of all my pastors, I salute the leadership for doing so.

Ps k ‘Dos – Vietnam foot soldier

On behalf of my wife and seven children, I thank you for caring for us. We thank the Lord for you and may you be blessed in return. I am a farmer and while I go out to evangelize, my wife and children manage the farm. Sometimes it is difficult to make ends meet, and last December was a particularly hard time for us. Praise the Lord your Christmas gift was so timely for us to celebrate Christmas. During our church Christmas celebration, eight people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

Ps Tran Ta – Vietnam foot soldier

My family and I are so grateful for your Christmas gift. When I told my family that Asian Outreach donors had given us a love gift for Christmas, they could not believe it. Nobody has ever done that for us. Thank you for showing the tangible love of Jesus to us. For the past year I have been doing grab bike to earn an extra income to support my family. One day a passenger gave me 500 tracts to pass to my customers. In faith I have been handing it out to my customers and I believe that a seed will be planted through these tracts. Please pray for me.

Ps Narsingh Thapa – Nepal foot soldier

Dear Asian Outreach donors, please accept our heartfelt thanks for the Christmas gift. We are far away here in the mountains of Nepal, yet we are so humbled that people far away are thinking of us and care for us. We are so encouraged and will strive harder to Reach, Touch and Transform lives through the Gospel. May God bless you abundantly.

                                                                     

Mrs Nanda (wife of the late Ruben Mar) – Nepal foot soldier

Christmas was a very sad time for us after my husband Rueben Mar went home to the Lord on 1 November 2019. It was so sudden (he met with an accident) and we were devastated; we did not look forward to Christmas too as we had some financial difficulties. It was a totally unexpected surprise to receive your Christmas gift and it has encouraged us so much. We felt we were not alone in our grief, that people far away cared for us. Though it was our first Christmas without Reuben, we felt surrounded by love and we had a good Christmas celebration with our church. My children and I thank you so much and pray the Lord bless you abundantly for your caring about us.

Ps Htay Aung – Myanmar foot soldier

Thank you very much for your encouragement and Christmas gift; it was a God send surprise. Through your gift my family and I were able to celebrate Christmas with our neighbours and share the love of God with them. We told them about the Christmas gift and they were amazed that

people who do not know us can send us a gift. I told them it is the love of Jesus that makes people love each other; I shared with them about Jesus and how the Father gave His own son, Jesus to die for us and this is the greatest gift we can ever receive. May God bless you as we work together for the Kingdom.

Unfortunately, we are unable to share all the thank you notes due to lack of space but our heartfelt thanks to you for bringing joy to our co-workers. We pray the Abrahamic blessing over you and your family:

Numbers 6:24-26

“The Lord bless you

and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you

and give you peace.”

Shalom House – Yangon / Ps Victor Lian

My name is Van Thawm Lian @ Victor Lian and I was born in 1981 in Tang village, Falam township, Northern Chin State, Myanmar. Unfortunately, four days after my birth, my father passed away. I had no siblings and it was just me and my mum. She tried her best to provide for me but life was hard for her, and eventually, she remarried when I was two years old. Her new husband objected to her bringing me to his home, so I was sent to live with an uncle and I lived with him till I was 18 years old. My uncle had four children of his own and he himself was poor; hence life was a real struggle.

 When I reached my 18^th birthday, I left his home and decided to look after myself and not be a burden to anyone. I struggled to find a job and there were times when I did not even have money for food. I felt so helpless, angry and disappointed to have lost my father because losing him had caused me all this misery. I really did not know what to do and I felt utterly hopeless. Unexpectedly, one of my friends invited me to attend a Christian Youth Campaign and, unwillingly, I went. It was during this time that I heard about Jesus and what He did for mankind and I felt hope stirring inside me. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord. I still remember the date and year of my life’s turning point, which was on 16/4/ 2004. I realized then that I have a Father who would never leave or forsake me and would be there for me because He loves me. It was a wonderful feeling and for the first time I had peace. I had found my Father.

Vision for Shalom Home

My perspective of life totally changed after receiving Jesus Christ. I had only one desire, that was to help the fatherless and the orphans and to give hope to the hopeless, like how I had been once. Receiving Jesus Christ into my life convinced me that the pain and bitter experiences which I had gone through have led me to have a heart to help these children. My desire was to give children back the joys of childhood, build their lives spiritually and give them a chance for a better future through education. We want to empower them to reach their full potential. In 2006 the Lord gave me another unexpected opportunity to study His Word and I did a Bachelor of Theology course at Victory Bible College, which took me four years to complete. After completing my studies, I was given an opportunity to serve the Lord for one year at Victory Bible College as a warden.

The Lord blessed me again with an opportunity to further my studies in India and I earned my Master of Divinity course in three years. I kept praying and seeking the Lord for what He had planned for my life.  In 2015 God clearly spoke to my heart: “I want you to be the hope for the hopeless”.  The Lord put in me a passion for the fatherless and orphans. I wanted to run an orphanage but I had no idea how to start and I delayed in doing anything for two years. All the while, in my heart, I felt like I was not obeying God.

 Finally, the Lord strengthened me and I started the orphanage on 12 March 2018 with two children; the Lord has added more children and today, we have eight altogether in our home. We called our home Shalom Home because we want the children to experience the Peace and Provision of God which I have been experiencing ever since I accepted Jesus into my life. I believe what our Lord Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  My wife Nan Ci Oo considers helping these children as one of the greatest privileges in our life for it is written in the Bible, Psalm 82:3, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.” The greatest service we  can do for our heavenly Father is to be kind to one of His Children. To quote Andy Stanley: “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.”

About the Children

The children range in age from 8 to 15 years; they come from different backgrounds. Some of them are orphans while others have parents who are not able to take care for them because of extreme poverty, or being a single parent, or because of a disability of either parent. The children are from different parts of Myanmar though they belong to the Chin ethnic group. Each child has a unique story on how they became part of the family at Shalom Home.

1.        Mi Mi Htwe (15 years old)

2.        Deborah (13 years old)

They are sisters and they are from Hpa Kant, Kachin State. They lost their father at a very young age and their mother, a single parent, is unable to support them, so she sent them to Shalom Home.

3.        Tang Tun Thang (12 years old)

4.       Ro Ti San (10 years old)

These siblings come from Matupi, Southern Chin State. Their parents are still alive but they have no work and are unable to provide for their children.

5.       Mo Le Win (10 years old)

6.       Aa Shi Chiang @ Sai Lone (8 years old)

Brother and sister come from Hpa Kant, Kachin State and their father is Chinese and mother is Chin. Both the parents were involved in drug trafficking and were drug users themselves. The children were neglected, abused and had to fend for themselves. When their parents were caught and jailed for 23 years, the children’s relatives sent them to Shalom Home.

7.       Val Nai Sang (11 years old)

He is from Kalaymyo, Sagainsg Division. His father passed away when he was eight months old. Some years later when his mother remarried, his stepfather hated him and abused him physically and verbally.  He suffered terribly at the hands of his stepfather with severe beatings on a daily basis and other forms of torture. The villagers could not stand to see him suffer and urged his mother to send him away. We were informed of his situation by the neighbor’s, and so my wife and I went to see his mother and she agreed to let him come and live with us.

8.       Khrih Hlawn Sui (9 years old)

She is from Tlortang village, Falam township, Northern Chin state. Her mother has been suffering from a disease for many years and is often in and out of hospital. Her father struggled with caring for his wife and daughter. They were also very poor and whatever they earned went on the mother’s treatment and medication. When he could not manage anymore, he sent her to us.

We thank Asian Outreach for supporting us financially and for praying for us. Every child has a right too to grow up and dream of a better future; Asian Outreach is part of their lives now, enabling us to reach out and help these children. We are so grateful for your partnership and together we will Reach, Touch and Transform the lives of these children by giving them a hope and a future. God bless you.