South Asia (image sourced) |
THE CRISIS
FIRSTHAND
Sunitha is
thirteen years old. When drought damaged her family’s crops two years ago, her
father took a four-month loan from a money lender. The rate of interest was 30%
for three months. Unable to pay back the loan, Sunitha’s father had to escape
with his family.
Today,
standing by one of the stop lights in Delhi, Sunitha rushes from one car to
another, hoping for someone to buy one of her towels or umbrellas. She
struggles to walk properly, and her hair is a listless, red color--a clear sign
of malnutrition. Nearby, her mother is cooking meal on the pavement, using
dried wood and cow dung. They even sleep here at night. “We are fortunate if we
can afford one meal a day,” she said. Today is one such “lucky” day for them.
Lunch will be wheat rotis with red chili pepper to suppress hunger.
THE PROBLEM
Studies have
shown that illiteracy leads to poverty, bonded slavery, child marriage,
underpayment for goods and services, low esteem, economic bondage, and
intergenerational illiteracy. Empowering adults to become literate and
encouraging them to let their children receive education is a critical step
towards empowering hundreds of millions of oppressed people in India.
HEALING THE BROKEN WORLD
Compelled exists to take the truth of the Gospel to the unreached and to love our disempowered neighbors in the most difficult places of South Asia. To this end, Compelled operates
several literacy centers in various parts of South Asia. Trained literacy workers,
with the permission of the village head or tribal chief, host evening literacy
classes for the villagers. Each literacy center usually teaches anywhere from
20-75 adults. Over a period of 18-24 months, these adults will be able to read,
write, and do basic math. As minds open up to new ideas and possibilities,
these villagers work with our missionaries to educate their children. S*, a Compelled senior leader commented, “Through education, it is possible to break
the intergenerational oppressiveness within [just a] few years. We work hard to eliminate
the structural causes of poverty and oppressiveness through literary work.”
Mihir, who
is from the K* tribe, said, “Now that I am able to read and count money, I can
sell my produce directly in the nearby town. I earn a fair price.” Others
echoed Mihir’s statement, adding their commitment to ensure their children
pursue education and viable economic pursuits.
Pastor K*, who oversees the literacy work explained,
“At the end of every class, the literacy worker will offer to pray. Over time,
it is inevitable that the villagers hear the Gospel in a clear way. The healing
of the mind along with the healing of the soul is a powerful combination to
heal this broken world, here and into eternity!”
COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION
Sundar belongs to a tribe based in the mountains of
central India. When Compelled started hosting evening literacy class in his village,
Sundar was very excited. He eagerly learned to read and write, eventually
moving on to develop basic math skills. Within two years, he transformed from a
shy young boy to a confident young man.
And an even greater change was happening within him. At
the end of each literacy class, when he heard the words “Almighty God” prayed,
it always gave him a peace he could not define in words. Sundar, along with a
group of young men, started to ask more questions and understand the truth of
the Gospel. Soon, he gave his life to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, Sundar earns a good wage from the sale of his
produce in the market. He has a solid house, with a tin roof--the first in his
village. His confidence has allowed him to interact freely with the people of
the town. Not long ago, he decided to run in a local election for a position
that influences several villages and won! In light of all of his
accomplishments, Sundar said his greatest joy is simply being able to read the
Word of God.
PROVIDING LITERACY KITS
We urgently need at least 225 literacy kits. Each
literacy kit will contain a solar light, a mat for people to sit, blackboard,
set of slates and chalk and a signboard that advertises about the literacy
class. It costs US $ 55 for one literacy kit.
We request you to please consider helping provide
one literacy worker with a kit, to enable him to take the light of the Gospel
and the light of literacy to the most oppressed in South Asia. To donate, click here.