It had been my hope that when I visited Bihar, that there would be something good that could come of my trip in addition to the great honor of being at my friend Sujeet's marriage. Perhaps what I learned about today will lead to that blessing.
Sujeet told me that his region needs additional medical care. His brother Suman mentioned he believes that immunizations are needed for the children. How could we bring about a medical missions trip that could begin the medical care needed?
Every significant effort requires partnership. I asked about a local church or aid organization, but there was none to be found. However, Suman found a school for me, right down the road from the Vijay Food Plaza. We wondered if they might be the ones who could help make this happen. It is the Kerala Public School. It is run by Indians from Southern India where the literacy rate is close to 100%. They have come to Bihar to teach the children with the hopes of raising the literacy rate in Bihar, where currently it is only about 39%.
Shaju and his wife Bindu and their small staff teach about 150 children, with about 50 of the students actually living at the school.
students
dormitory
Besides reading, writing, science, mathematics and social studies, the children are taught English and must speak it all the while they are in school. This was a help to me as I could communicate... although I still needed Suman to assist me from time to time. The school people have a great love and committment to the Bihari people and especially the children of Bihar.
The good news is Shaju has other contacts in Bihar and Sourthern India that would be likely to assist in putting together a medical missions / clinic event, managing the local arrangements, if I could put together a team that would be willing to come and provide free medical care in the context of a short term mission trip.
I think the first step would be a small team, maybe 3 or 4, doing a small event, like maybe an immunization clinic.
I think we would benefit from having the following partnerships in place:
1. local authrorities so they know what we are doing and can support our efforts
2. local medical contact to assist us in knowing expectations, and provide follow up care if needed
3. a local host that can be our interface with the community and be able to get the word out to the people about the services being provided (Kerala school?)
So now we will have to see what God brings next.
Please pray about this and contact me if you have something to assist this effort or want to go and serve, or if you want to contribute something to the school.
We will need medical supplies, immunizations, funding assistance for the school (already in need), funding for onsite set up and take down/ clean up, and I don't even know what all else yet.
Pretty cool huh? The only good place for westerners to stay (Mona Hotel) and the ideal partner for a medical missions trip, all in less than a mile -- and a woman from the US with a call to ministry visits both.
Thank you Suman, and family!
Thank you God!
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