My friend Bansi

“I sleep on the street,” Bansi told me. The two of us were sitting on concrete blocks at the edge of a market in Calcutta. “I can’t get a real job. I try to earn what money I can from tips I get when I carry the packages people buy here in the market. They call people like me ‘coolies’. There wasn’t a school in the village where I grew up. I never wanted to be a thumb-stamper (referring to people who could not sign their names) but that’s what I am now.”

“Is there a school in your village now?” I asked.

“There is a school now and my little brothers go there. But the teacher is quite ignorant. He can read and write but he only trained for 20 days to be a teacher. On many days he doesn’t even come to the school. That same thing is true in lots of our villages.”

We often hear of how the great progress Indians have made in technology has enriched their lives. That is certainly true but the result of that progress is taking far too long to reach those who live in poverty. Only 48% of women over the age of 15 can read and write simple sentences about their daily lives.

Throughout India Christian teachers have started schools for children of the Dalits, the lowest social class in India 's age-old caste system. “My own parents were Hindu,” said one of the teachers, “but they sent me to the missionary school because it was the only school in our village. Many teachers, like myself, are Christians now. We have set up orphanages for children abandoned by parents too poor to raise them. Baby girls, especially, are seen as a burden because of the Hindu custom, followed by many Christians as well, of having to pay the huge matrimonial dowry demanded by the groom’s family.”

As we traveled to the Calcutta airport at 4:30 in the morning we saw mile after mile of people sleeping on the sidewalks and in doorways. I wondered if one of them was my coolie friend, Bansi.

Can a book be idol worship?

This story just came from one of the Christian schools in India:

A boy in the 10th grade was sitting on the verandah and studying. A teacher who is a nominal Christian (having no personal salvation experience) accidentally stepped on his school bag. As is the custom of the Hindus, she made a gesture that she was sorry for insulting a Hindu god. The book or education for the Hindus is a goddess.

This boy who had come to know the Lord, through the school ministry asked her why she did it. She mumbled that she always did that. The boy innocently asked her, "Is it not idol worship?". This teacher was a bit stunned and that set a a new way of thinking in process in this teacher.

We are praying that the teacher shall come to know Jesus as her personal Savior!

When I hear of a story like this I become even more convinced that helping to build and support Christian schools in any country is one of the most important things we can do for the Kingdom. I ask that all of us will pray for the teacher, for the boy, and for the school.

WCS celebration

The WCS celebration in Grand Rapids, MI was a huge success. Different bands played all the time. Food from different countries was a great treat! The boutique was a nice touch. All in all, it was a fine day.

It was especially nice to have Ezekiel and Rachel with us from Bangalore, India. They cooked and served wonderful Indian food.

There was a climbing wall for children and even a camel to ride.

Lots of people came and toured the WCS building along with the CompRenew building that is connected with WCS.

What a great day!

I'm back!

I haven't written for a while because life has been very busy. I taught a graduate course for Dordt College in Iowa. It feels as though this past year has been so very busy. But all of it seems to me to be worthwhile work.

So, my plan is to write much more regularly from now on.

I am in Grand Rapids, MI right now attending board meetings and planning meetings for the great 20th year celebration of Worldwide Christian Schools. It will take place on Saturday, July 21, at 4:00. There will be food booths, a climinb wall, all sorts of activities for children and adults, and also a boutique where we will sell items we have been buying on our trips!