ServeNow operates several “Lighthouse Centers” in India and Nepal. These centers are for children with HIV or street children who cannot afford an education and who are on their own all day while their parents work menial jobs and long hours. Others are for children in some of the worst slums who are in need of love, care and special attention. While the two centers featured in this article are focused on the children, several of the centers we run also provide skill-training for women at risk, adult literacy, computer training and more. Some are even places where churches meet! Vacation Bible school programs are also run out of some of them. This summer we are also hoping to enable several churches to run their own Vacation Bible Programs this year at very low cost for the number of kids it could impact in India! We are in need of people who would catch the vision and impact these centers are having and decide to invest in helping us run them on a monthly basis or the Vacation Bible Schools this center. Here are two recent examples of impact through a center in one of the worst slums in Kathmandu, Nepal and another in Kolkata India, not far from where Mother Teresa ministered.
Kathmandu Children’s Center
In 2016, ServeNow opened a center for kids in a very dirty and poor slum area. This was made possible through the generosity of a couple who went on a ServeNow mission trip and saw the need for something for these kids. They had dropped out of school, they were being forced to beg, many had been abused and suffering from rejection. Their clothes were ripped and torn, or dirty, if they even had any.
But now it is such a joy to see more than 120 children, each day who come to the center! We have witnessed drastic improvement in their education, attitude, behavior and sense of worth. Many have been able to catch up on their studies through the tutoring program we offer and have rejoined school and receiving good grades!
The kids also enjoy the snacks and playing with their friends. One of the children, Anusha Tamang, is 7 years old and studying in the first grade said, “I live with my family, my father goes far away for work and comes home late and always seems so tired. My mother does household work. Our temporary house is made with very old zinc sheets and it is very cold to stay in the house. I am very happy to get the Winter Coverings from ServeNow Nepal to protect me from the cold. We also got a blanket for our family and we are very happy to get these things. I am learning so many things, I like the Lighthouse very much.”
Through the contribution of one of our board members in Nepal, a mini library has just been set up for the kids! The children are so happy to read all these books! Parents are also so thankful to ServeNow and staff has even been able to pray for families around the center. Doors to the community and hearts of families have opened because of this center!
Kolkata Lighthouse Center
Every morning at 7:35 am from Monday to Friday before conducting classes, we start off with devotion and prayer where all of our students, teachers and staff participate. Singing little choruses, doing action songs, praying to Lord Jesus, all these activities are done for almost around twenty minutes. The school children love to sing and do action songs of the choruses which are irrespective of languages. Though being a Bengali medium school, we feel proud to announce that our children can sing about 20 English songs. Many student’s lives have been changed dramatically. Before coming here they used to wander around without going to school and were very disobedient. But now when they have been brought to this school, they have become a lot sincerer as well as disciplined. It is to be mentioned that not only the behavior but also their academic results have been progressed. After noticing the remarkable changes in their children, the parents and family members are very happy and grateful. It is nothing but the grace of God that has made impossible tasks possible. It is also for our teachers and staff that our school is growing from strength to strength. God’s guidance is what we all need.
If you could help us with a monthly gift towards our Lighthouse Centers or Vacation Bible School Programs coming up we would be so grateful! Here is a breakdown of some of the costs:
- Equip a church to put on a VBS program: $580 (if your church puts on a VBS program, why not suggest that this be taken on as the offering project, so other kids can also enjoy VBS in India?)
- Sponsor six VBS in India: $3,480
- Kathmandu, Nepal Children’s Center: $2,328 per month
- Kolkata, India Lighthouse Center: $2,110 per month
- New Dehli Lighthouse Center: $1,873 per month
- Hyderabad, India HIV Center: $2,030 per month
- Slum Children Projects (food, tutoring etc): $1,375 per month
To give a gift today at any level click here: Support ServeNow Lighthouse Centers.
