March 2012
St. John's School
When Swarna and Thirumalai founded St. John’s School to bless families in Jesus’ name in their hometown of Tenkasi, in Tamil Nadu, India, they had no idea the impact the school would have on the lives of so many poor children who could not otherwise receive such an education.
The school began with 25 children in a rented building. It soon proved to be too small for the number of students who wanted to attend, so at great personal cost, Swarna and Thirumalai purchased property and began to build a campus. Today there are over 850 students at St. John’s School, many from Hindu or Muslim backgrounds, and all of them taught in a Christian school in English.
Last month, Joanie and I with a team from Life Mission Fellowship in Hammonton, New Jersey, spent several days at St. John’s School. We were able to participate in English classes, help train students in computer skills, and encourage the teachers in the remarkable work they are doing. In addition, I taught theology at the local Assemblies of God Women’s Bible School for two days and spoke at their baccalaureate service. We also visited Dohnavur Fellowship that was founded by Amy Carmichael and continues to care for orphan girls to this day. It is a truly remarkable place and testimony to God's grace.
St. John’s School was one of the first projects we helped support with the help of many of you, and our support has been well worth it. Nothing has been wasted and everything is well built, well used, and well cared for. But there is still much to be done, as there are more families who would like to send their children to the school. More classrooms and toilets are needed, and they want to build a fence around the campus to keep out the cobras who visit from time to time.
NOOR
Since there are regular flights from Delhi to Kabul, Afghanistan, Joanie and I decided to visit David, Beverly, and our grandchildren, Elizabeth and James. We also wanted to see something of the work of NOOR that David oversees and that Charis has helped support.
This winter has been the worst in Kabul in many years, with unusual amounts of snow and very cold temperatures. Many people have suffered as a result. The head of a development agency told me that in one camp in Kabul, 43 children died from exposure.
It snowed for several days while we were there and they have had even more snow since we left. Kabul will benefit from the melting snow in the spring, but in the meantime it is the cause of great hardship.
We were able to visit eye clinics around Kabul that are run by NOOR and provide training for Afghan doctors as well as eye care for thousands of poor people each year. We had planned to visit the Tom Little Memorial Hospital named after the leader of the team that was killed in 2010. It is not far from where David and Beverly live and is due to open soon. However, there were anti-American demonstrations in the city and on the road by the hospital the day we were to visit, so it was not safe for us to go there.
We were moved and challenged by how much NOOR is doing with so little. One of the clinics is housed in the kind of shipping containers that are used to transport material by sea and then by truck. They have been joined together and modified on the inside to accommodate reception, eye exam rooms, and an operating room.
NOOR is also a project we have supported over the years, and like the St. John’s School in Tenkasi, it has truly been worth every penny we have been able to raise.
In both places, through committed people, God is being honored, people are being blessed, and the gospel is being demonstrated. And God has allowed us the privilege of being a part of what He is doing.
Sincerely,
Alec D. Brooks, President
