Our New Refuge Center!

Helloooooo Everyone! So I am sitting in one of the only coffee shops that has internet in Delhi! I am a bit wired on caffeine... perfect time to update my blog ;)

So there are about 5 months left until I come home in the first week of December. Now's the time to really focus on the projects I need to get done before then.

One of the major projects we have going on is building our new Restart Center. We are so excited as this is going to be built in a key area where many children are in need. The picture is of the land we purchased along with Jen (who I work with... she's so cute!) and the pastor and his wife who we partner with through our education programs and now the new restart center.

As I've explained before in my blog, the restart center is where we first take in abused and/or abandoned children. This is where they receive all the care they need before we place them into a loving family. A child would stay at this center a maximum of 6 months. The sooner we get them into a family environment the better!

We have given enough money to start the construction but we have a long way to go. If you would like more information about this project or any other questions about what I am helping with please email me! jmarabito@gmail.com

So just a random side note: I am at the Coffee Bean right now. For a minute it was as if I was in America. I laughed as I looked around at the countless women in their beautiful suits and saris and the men with their turbans. I am in India. I love it!

Oh, and in case you were wondering what I did on the 4th of July... I met some Americans who are working through the same org. They invited me over for a barbeque (they bought it at the airport in Turkey). It was very exciting. No beef, not allowed! (although I have a secret supplier... ha!). Ummm... yeah, a very fun day!

Ok, the caffein is flowing through my veins. I need to harvest this energy into other work I should get done!!

Thank you over and over for all your prayers and emails. Please feel free to email me ANY time. I love to hear all your stories :)

I love and miss you!

Peace, Janna

An Update... Finally!

So I have 2 months to catch up on! I've been so busy travelling these past couple of months...

In May I left for about 2 weeks to Northern India to visit one of our families. This family takes care of six girls who were rescued from being sold into prostitution. I had an a really good time getting to know these girls. I was told each of their stories, and was so amazed by how much their lives have been changed. They are each receiving a good education and are being taken care of by a loving mother. Most importantly they are being taught the love of Christ! The first picture is of all the girls.

While I was there, Tina (my new roommate from Nepal!) and I spent our days with a pastor and his wife while the girls were in school. We were able to travel (by foot...) all over the mountains visiting homes and doing prayer walks. I could add they were much more like "prayer hikes". One of the pictures is of the team we went out with. I enjoyed it so much and was so blessed by all the people I was able to meet. While hiking all over the place we made many connections where there are more children in need. I will expand on this much more in my next blog entry :)

At the end of May I travelled back up to Nepal to stay with Clark and Jennifer and their kids for one week. We sat together and brainstormed the rest of my time here in India. I love working with this couple and I believe so much in the things they are doing. After Nepal Jennifer came to stay with me in Delhi for a week. We are trying to get our new restart center built. We purchased land in one of the slums I am working in. So exciting!!

Tina came to live with me soon after. She has been such a blessing. She just graduated from the Bible College here in Delhi and will be working with me as part of her after school experience.

Finally, (summarizing all this is hard!) I spent a week of June in Turkey at Europe/Asia "conference". I realized I need to start being careful with my word choice on here :) "Workers" from all over Europe and Asia working through the same org as me gathered here. It was so encouraging to meet all these different people. We had meetings every day to discuss everything happening in our areas and what we want to see happen in the future. We also had a guest speaker in the evenings. I think it was a good time to step out of what I was doing in Delhi and, along with rest, receive a new perspective on God's will for my life. Plus it was pretty cool that I got to go to Turkey! I swam in the Mediterranean Sea!

Currently we are working hard to figure out ways to bring in more children and to start building our restart center. I am still visiting all of our children's homes and classes start up again this week since they've been on a holiday the past month.

Smile Smile

I just got home from spending a few days in the slums of west Delhi. I stayed with the family that runs the refuge center with the six new children from Manipur. I love going there and spending time with all the kids. They are so full of life!
Anyway, I hold an English Speaking and Pronunciation class there for the Burmese refugees. We have class on Thursdays and Fridays. I gave them each an english journal which they write journal entry assignments I give to them. This was the first week I was able to take them home and read what each of them wrote so I could make corrections. Every Friday each student has to read aloud one entry to practice speaking. The following is an entry of one of my students that really touched me... I'm typing it as is, without grammar corrections. He titled it "Smile, Smile"...

I love my parents. One day, I'm very feeling and my heart broken when my father die. I prayed for the smile but I can't get it. One day I was on a train, deep in my own concerns, and as I glanced up a young woman flashed me most radiant smile. I naturally responded with a big grin and my whole day changed from grey to dazzling. I was so moved by the effect of her smile that I bestowed brilliant smiles on everyone I met, and what a defference a smile makes. i think, God used her smile for me. So i can smile now. Even if you feel a bit low just try smiling at someone. Thank you... smile... smile... smile...

These people have been beaten and tortured and run out of their own homes. Almost every journal entry reflects their past. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to read them all, but the hope that they have put in Jesus is what makes the difference. I feel so honored and humbled to be able to be a part of their lives. Please pray for this group of students and what God has for their future.

Burmese Refugee Children

Today was my first day teaching English to the Burmese refugee children. They are so wonderful. Their country (Burma) has been very unstable for years. These driven were driven out along with their families around 4 years ago. Their parents do not know the Indian language Hindi and therefore are unable to get work. They end up in slum areas where they are barely able to feed their familes yet alone send their children to schools. We have started an education program for these children. The new children in the refugee center will also be a part of this program until they can read and write english well enough to be put into a private school.

I worked with the older children today beginning with the alphabet and the sounds they make. They were so responsive and caught on quickly. During break time they are provided with a healthy meal and a safe environment to play. They begin and end their school days with a devotional. This is very new to them and they do not really understand it all, but they are drawn to this love and care they are reveiving. Although only one person there can speak their native language, they are all excited to be able to learn.

Please continue to pray for this program and the other programs we have throughout the various slums.

The weather is getting hotter every day... but I am finding ways to keep cool!

God continually blesses me each day I am here. I am always encouraged by the emails and prayers from back home.

I'll update more later!!

The first picture is of some of the children we have taken from the streets and have put into family care. I spent the other morning with them. They are doing very well in school and in their new family, but a few are struggling emotionally wanting to find their parents and wondering why they left them. Please keep them in your prayers as well.

The second picture is of all the new Burmese students.

Restart Center

I guess it's time for another update! Things are going so well. My new roommate has been such a blessing to have. Grace is an amazing person. It is nice to have each other.

The new children arrived at the restart center a little over a week ago. We went to one of their sunday services to meet them. They are so precious! They have quite the challenge ahead of them adjusting to a new life and learning two new languages. In order to be admitted to a good school they must first learn Hindi and then they will have to learn English as well. They are from North East India so they speak a completely different language. But they are learning quick and can already say, "my name is..." - so cute! Their first night in Delhi their faces showed the trama of their lives. Many of their parents had been killed by militants or aids and other diseases. Some still had one parent who had gave them away because they were unable to care for their child. But in just a few days we were able to see bright smiles and hear laughter as they enjoyed their new brothers and sisters and people who loved and cared for them.

I will begin going out to west Delhi to stay with them overnight. I am so excited to get to know them more and help them adjust to their new surroundings.

Please continue to keep all these children in prayer!

In the other slums the children have been completing their exams the past few weeks. This is tremendous pressure for any child in India as the outcome of these tests has much to do with their future in this country. So many children throughout India are committing suicide on a daily basis because of the pressure. So please keep these exams in your prayers as well.

As soon as exam time is over we will be holding a VBS for the children.

The pictures I've included are from the sunday spent with the new refuge center children.

The link I am including is an article that came out in the newspapers here. It discusses child labor. I will hopefully start posting more of these articles on a regular basis.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2588183.cms

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated this! So much has been happening!

Vinita and I were working on a documentary on the educational programs in the slums to bring more awareness and support from the states. I will be sure to let you know when it is complete. We are hoping by the end of March.

My dear Vinita left for home yesterday night... she is in route back to Louisiana :(

It is hard not having her here, but I am excited to see what's next. This will help me to learn the language and culture even more by having to get around on my own.

I have a new roommate moving in tomorrow. She is not working through the same organization, but she is a wonderful blessing and an answer to prayer.

They will begin the building on the new restart center very soon! This is such a praise as it will provide so much for abused and abandoned children from the street, sweat shops, and prostitution.

The other restart center in the east part of the city has taken in 6 new children. They will arrive in one week. I am excited to begin working with them. Please pray for their transition from their emotionally and physically abusive environment to this place of care and love.

I am also working with a pastor here to start a program for developmentally disabled children who are abused. Pray for all the resources, volunteers, and wisdom needed to get this started.

I am having a wonderful time as well with the children in the educational programs. Our "craft times" are always eventful and full of laughter.

The first picture shown is of the kids in the eastern slums of the city. We had them each decorate their name and a picture of their favorite thing and then we linked them together to hang in the classroom. Many of the children drew pictures of grapes and mangos!

The second picture is of a girl who lives in the ragpicker's slum and is a student at the school there.

Faith, Hope, and Love in the midst of death

I met this little boy my first week in Delhi. We were walking through the slums to get to know the area. There were children everywhere! Most of their parents were out trying to make money leaving the kids to fend for themselves during the day. There is no school nearby. Even if there was, no family could afford the fees. The streets were muddy and full of pot holes. Most of the families shared a small square room as their home and had sheets draped down as their front door.
This particular day the pastor wanted us to see their future school building that is under construction. As we approached the front of the building we were introduced to the workers. One of the men was so determined to finish his digging he briefly looked up, shook his head to the side and greeted us with, "Jaya masihaa" which means victory to the Messiah. As we passed the men the pastor pointed to a small boy sitting on the front steps and told us he was the son of the man who was digging. Something was different about his eyes. I soon realized he was blind. He had been blind since birth. He sat there trying to eat what appeared to be a cracker not paying attention to anything else around him.
As we continued to the front door I kept looking back at him. I thought to myself that this boy is going to be such a huge testimony. Both of his parents are believers and are investing their time to help build this school. I thought maybe one day they won't have to live in the slums. I said a quick prayer in my head for God to watch over this precious little boy.

He passed away yesterday morning. I was told he became sick with fever. With no medical attention it was too much for his little body to handle. We don't know the exact sickness that caused his death.

Before coming to India I was told all the facts and statistics. I was told these people live in extreme poverty. Children die on the streets everyday. I knew what to expect. But somehow everything I knew suddendly became real to me this morning. I felt so helpless at that moment. The pastor was on his way to be with the family when he told us the news. What was he going to tell them? What words could possibly bring comfort to this mother and father?
The only words that came to my mind were from a hymn, "What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus".
Honestly, I wanted to run home. I wanted to go back to the states and pretend this wasn't real.
I had just finished giving the morning devotion to the teachers when I received the news. I had shared how when we obey God we are showing we love Him and He promises to always be with us. I love God and I want to obey him. That's why I'm here. And I will continue to stay here to help show these people the love of God that overcomes death and destruction.