April 2016 – It was 1 a.m. in early January. My husband, Jeff, and I finally landed at Mumbai’s international airport after nearly 20 hours of flight. Feeling groggy and a bit disoriented, we were greeted by a rush of warm, humid air, the smell of smoke and curry, and a sea of Indian faces.

Among them, we spotted our host, a man holding a sign with the words “India Partners.”

The drive to our hotel found us in surprisingly heavy traffic. Lighted slums lined the streets among corporations and large apartment complexes.

That was the first of many frightening car rides we would experience on our seven-day exploration in India. Even scarier was daytime traffic in the country’s most densely populated city with road signs and lines that serve as mere suggestions.

After we crashed for a few hours of sleep, IP president John Sparks met us for breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Over spicy Indian cuisine, and the native coffee blend made of hot milk and instant coffee powder, we were briefed on cultural forces and expectations for the days ahead.

We knew about IP’s safe house, a home for children rescued out of the city’s red light districts. American Family Radio listeners had responded with remarkable generosity in providing “days of safety” during past promotions.

But today, it would be more than a story for us, more than a recorded, translated voice. Today, we would look into the eyes of these treasured children – both those rescued and those still trapped in the brothels.

Learning about Jesus
It was late morning when we veered off a city street to begin our journey on foot through a series of alleys – one of Mumbai’s many red light districts. Women in colorful, Indian saris, sat along the way with piercing stares as we made our way along broken concrete walkways.

Had I just wandered into the area unattended, I wouldn’t have known I was walking through a den of compromised souls. But I certainly would have known it was a slum.

We were led into an area where IP rents a small room that would typically be used for prostitution. However, in that particular space, women receive compassion, training in legitimate trades, and teaching about the love of Jesus Christ.

A Bible study was set to begin in moments. The tiny room was quickly filled from wall to wall with women and small children who are typically destined to follow in their mothers’ footsteps.

Right outside that door, a mother and daughter sat on a bench, both adorned with heavy makeup, practiced smiles, and sad eyes. In the distance, a small, dark man dressed in western attire continually peered at us, pacing back and forth as if he were guarding a prison. While adult prostitution is legal in India, trafficking is not. So, pimps often masquerade as “boyfriends.”

Hidden away from the industry and productiveness of the vast city, IP staffers are found in that obscure little room day after day, where they train, disciple, and love the women trapped mentally, physically, financially, and spiritually in the darkness of sexual slavery. As a result of IP’s faithfulness, some of the women are rescued, and others unselfishly release their children into an IP safe house to receive shelter, nourishment, counseling, private school education, and Christ-centered discipleship.

According to Pastor Eliezer Mallipudi and his wife Prema, discipleship is the core need in India, a country that is nearly 80% Hindu and only 2.5% Christian. A 2015 Pew Research study projects a decrease in Hinduism and Christianity with a corresponding rise in the number practicing Islam.

Little Lamps
The couple operates Little Lamps, a home for orphaned children in rural, central India, where we arrived on the third day of our trip. Last fall, AFA/AFR supporters stepped up in record-breaking fashion to provide the financial resources needed to add additional space to the overcrowded home.

Because of that outpouring of generosity, we had the honor of witnessing and briefly helping with the physical construction of the second floor. But, beyond the bricks and mortar, exists a spiritual building – the work that happens through long-term, loving, parental relationships with the children.

The Little Lamps home portrays the heart of the couple. “We don’t have believers,” explained Eliezer. “We have disciples.” Little Lamps is a perfect illustration of the principle that a lamp burns not for itself, but to light the way for others.

“In the life of Jesus Christ,” said Eliezer, “He spent 80% of His time making disciples and 20% in public ministry.” Eliezer and Prema live in like manner. But their life together as a married couple didn’t start out that way.

“Everything was going well,” he said of their marriage early on. “But I was only a Sunday Christian. In 1996, because of the prayers of my mother and my wife, I attended a gospel meeting.”

Although Eliezer had grown up in a Christian home, he had not understood his need for salvation. At that gospel meeting, he heard testimonies of changed lives, and he was challenged with the message of salvation and the great commission. He left that night a changed man – a man who had surrendered his whole life.

From there, he grew more aware of his responsibility to spread the gospel. And after Prema was given a dream about a home for many children, they opened Little Lamps, a home where needy children could be trained up in the ways of God.

Living Water
Meanwhile Eliezer’s heart for the great commission was enlarged as he mentored new believers who would eventually become pastors in surrounding villages. “So far, we have planted 12 churches,” said Eliezer. “And this year, we are going to plant six more.”

We visited several of those villages during our stay. One stands out – a large village with lush fruit trees and simple yet beautifully constructed homes of bamboo. Smiles and laughter were plentiful; women wore vibrant clothing and flowers in their hair. Children still wearing their school uniforms played in water supplied through the bore well at the entrance of the village.

We sat down with one village pastor, who explained that clean water is the doorway to the gospel in the rural villages of India.

“Fifteen years back,” he said, “I came here with my family to share the gospel and to do church planting. We suffered a lot in that time because of water scarcity.” And few were coming to Christ.

“Then miraculously, two years ago, God opened the door for this water well,” said Pastor Sukamma. “If the bore well had not come, people would suffer spiritually and physically. So, when it was sent by God, people came to know about the spirit of God. People are bursting in joy because of the physical water and the living water.” The number of new disciples in that village has since more than doubled.

“For myself, and for the ministry, and for my beloved community,” he continued. “I am blessed by this project. But I am longing for the help to be done for others who have no church and no safe water.”  

The dark areas in the map indicate states where India Partners is transforming lives by rescuing girls and women from red-light districts, and providing medical clinics, computer training, clean water projects, tailoring schools, and more.

 

 

 

You can help. Your church can help.

• Sponsor a pastor
• Support a village church
• Provide clean water

Learn more at:

• indiapartners.org/livingwater/
• India Partners PO Box 5470 Eugene, OR 97405 877-874-6342