Something BIG in Rajahmundry

Our time spent with the 47 boys and girls at the Rajah Children's Home in Rajahmundry was wonderful! We spent nearly the entire day with the kids presenting our Bible skit/puppet show, singing songs, teaching some English, playing games and learning new ones. It was a rich experience. Many of these kids come from widowed families, while others are orphaned. The caste system in India keeps millions of people in bondage to poverty, both economically and spiritually. Economically, these people are under the strong arm of unjust employers and landlords. Thousands in Rajahmundry work in the Rock Quarry where they must purchase large peices of rock at a rate that keeps them indebted to their employer. As a way to earn more money by breaking more rock, the families will remove their children from school to break rock alongside them. Therefore, the opportunity for an education is absent as well as the opportunity for earning a more dignified wage. Hence, the cycle continues.
Spiritually, people like this are kept in bondage to the Hindu system of belief. Sure they've heard about Jesus, in fact many will claim to believe in him. However, they will not give up their devotion to the Hindu gods, which involves paying tribute via priests and other forms of offering to one of the hundreds of concrete idols along the roadways. Essentially, these people live in fear of abandoning their religion. They will have nothing to do with devoting themselves solely to Jesus unless they see some sort of miraculous change in their life or the life of one of their family members. Funny thing, the pattern Jesus gives in the New Testament is one of believing in Him first, turning from that which you depend on for purpose, then life change occurs. This is the reality for many of the Christ followers we met. Men and women finding themselves in hopeless situations (addiction to alcohol, severe depression, illness) coming to a breaking point and believing in Christ and miraculously their lives are changed.
There is a huge movement of God's grace going on in the city of Rajahmundry. Through the eyes of prosperity, it would seem insignificant, but meeting people like Isaiah and Anunth who lead the Children's home and train pastors in the rural areas, and the pastors of churches in these rural areas who are risking their lives and reputation for the sake of proclaiming the hope of Christ, you know that God is up to something. These people are determined, tenacious, and confident that nothing will stop this movement. They are building churches in places those in their neighborhoods and villages never thought possible. They are offering hope to children who never thought it existed by their compassion of giving them a home, an education, and a chance to experience the love of Christ. All this is possible because men and women have given themselves fully to the service of Christ, who desires all people to come to Him through faith. Take part in this movement by partnering with Children's Relief International and come see for yourself next time!