Can you love an "Untouchable" child?

Dear GFA Friend,
   How would you feel if you were
   an Untouchable child—a Dalit?

You are told every day of your life that you are worthless. You are taught that upper-caste people were created from parts of God's body—but you were not—and that God hates you. You know that when you grow up, you will be forced to do only the lowest jobs, such as sweeping the streets or cleaning latrines.

Your family lives segregated from other social classes, and you are warned not to drink water from their wells because your very presence defiles everyone and everything around you. Furthermore, your parents are bonded laborers—they have no property, no education and no way to pay off the debt your family has owed rich landowners for generations.

Of course, there is no way you can go to school because you have to work for food instead. And worst of all, you are taught that you can never change your "Untouchable" status, no matter what success you may achieve.

As you read these paragraphs, I am sure you will agree that as a Dalit child, your outlook on life could not be more hopeless or depressing.

You May Ask...
   How can a terrible situation like this
   continue to exist in a country like India...

a democratic nation that outlawed the 3,000-year-old caste system decades ago. The answer, unfortunately, is that most in the upper castes still cling to it because they want to keep their privileges. They don't want to share study places, jobs and wealth with 300 million "Untouchables" and another 400 million in other low castes. As a result, the majority of Dalits are uneducated, don't know their constitutional rights and are unable to fight the exploitation of the upper castes.

In contrast to this evil system, the God of the Bible always defends the poor and has a special plan for them:

"Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?" (James 2:5).

As Followers of Christ...
   we cannot ignore the suffering
   of these millions of children...

who have no one to give them a hope and a future. That's why we've enrolled more than 42,000 children in our Bridge of Hope centers in India and neighboring countries.

In every Bridge of Hope center, children are cared for and receive a quality education. Sponsorship by friends like you provides for their tuition, school books, uniforms, one or two nutritious meals a day and a yearly medical checkup—none of which their families can afford.

Kabirah is one of our little Bridge of Hope girls. Her family is desperately poor, and all seven of them, including a mentally ill grandmother, live in a tiny, two-room hut. Her father is a day laborer, while her mother works as a servant. They struggle daily to make ends meet, and the home is filled with constant fighting, anxiety and sickness due to lack of money and food.

Kabirah is a beautiful, sincere girl who could never dream of going to school, were it not for her Bridge of Hope sponsor and our dedicated staff.

When Kabirah's family told her to quit school because of financial struggles, our staff rushed to her home and begged her parents to let her continue her studies. They told them about God's love and that He would find a way to meet their needs. Now our Bridge of Hope staff visit them often to encourage, counsel and pray for them.

Kabirah and the other children are receiving more than just a quality education...
   They are also learning
   about the love of Jesus

You should see their faces light up when they hear that they are so valuable in God's sight that He invites them to become His sons and daughters. It sets their hearts and minds free, and they carry this Good News home to their families as well.

It only takes $38 a month to sponsor a precious child like Kabirah. Right now we have more than 9,000 little boys and girls waiting for a sponsor.

Could you love one or more of these boys or girls for Jesus' sake and become a sponsor who daily prays for them?

When you sponsor your child, we will send you the picture and profile of your little one, along with other helpful information. You both will be blessed! Thank you for allowing the love of Jesus to guide your decision.

Yours on behalf of Asia's needy children,
K.P. Yohannan
Founder & President