Khumili and Eseza

Khumili, a beautiful, slight-of-build 8-year-old girl, belongs to the Dalit (or “Untouchable”) caste in India. There are over 160 million Dalit in India and over 15 million bonded child workers who are often severely mistreated. Living conditions for the Dalit are beyond deplorable.  Despair is a way of life, with no opportunity for change.

Hilly Tripura near Bangladesh is home for Khumili.  Here thick forests fill the high country and swamps and thick jungles consume the lowlands.  The average annual rainfall is 82 inches, and temperatures vary between 50 and 95 degrees. 

Just this week we’ve begun sponsoring Khumili, who is fortunate enough to be attending a crudely built but carefully staffed school affiliated with Gospel for Asia’s “Bridge of Hope” outreach ministry for children.  While we can do little long-distance, our relatively small monetary involvement will support a daily meal (no small thing), periodic medical care, curricular and spiritual education, and clothing for attending school – reasons for Khumili to believe in, and hope for, lifestyle improvements that were previously impossible.  Of course the caste system is what it is, and yet HOPE is everything.

We are particularly “sold out” to this ministry because of its Christian roots and influence, but also because 100% of our donations go directly to meet Khumili’s needs.  How? Gospel for Asia holds other fund-raisers targeted toward corporate donors that support its film ministries, Gospel literature distributions, radio broadcasts, church plants and Bible schools, and administrative needs.  I like that.  Individuals taking care of individuals; corporate agencies taking care of the bigger gears behind-the-scenes.

On another note, I’ve been a pen-pal for several years with tender Eseza, another beautiful young girl with dark eyes as deep as the night sky, who lives in Uganda, Africa.  This affiliation is facilitated by another Christian organization: Orphan Justice Missions.  There is no money involved in my relationship with Eseza, just personal communication.  I’ve enjoyed getting to know this talented and creative artist whose only supplies are a few colored pencils (crayons melt in Africa!) and typing paper.   Her letters are often decorated with elaborate border designs and sketches of animals.  I’ve sent her a few sheets of colorful stickers as well as some pretty papers and stencils (I’m limited to flat items that fit in a regular business envelope) that she seems to relish.  Such small things, but they mean so much! 

So we now are linked to two similarly-aged dark-skinned beauties in Africa and India: Khumili and Eseza.  In both cases, the bottom line seems to be encouraging them with reasons to HOPE.

“Come, you blessed of My Father,

inherit the kingdom prepared for you

from the foundation of the world:

for I was hungry and you gave Me food;

I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;

I was a stranger and you took Me in;

I was naked and you clothed Me;

I was sick and you visited Me:

I was in prison and you came to Me…

Assuredly, I say to you,

Inasmuch as you did it to one of

The least of these My brethren,

You did it to Me.

Matthew 25:35-36,40