Answered Prayers & A Return to India
Sep 10, 2019 | by Lindsey Schacter
This summer, the Schacter family travelled to INDIA on a cross-cultural service and learning trip. They shared about it with us on Sunday, Sept 8 but we wanted you not to miss their story because they are building something in India that is more important than a structure: they're building relationships. Here is their story...
"Thank you so much for all of your prayers as our family traveled to Pandita Ramabi Mukti Mission in India this August.
Getting to return to Mukti as a family of four felt like such a gift to our family! One of the best things about being back at Mukti after a four-year hiatus was seeing many of the staff and girls that we had built relationships with over the past times we were there. As the girls have grown older, it was encouraging to reconnect with each of them and hear about their plans and dreams for the future and to cheer them on together! We heard dreams of being a lawyer, a pharmacist and a teacher to name just a few. I'm so thankful that these girls have the chance to grow in their relationships with Jesus, get a solid education and have the chance to break the cycle of poverty as they dream big for the future!
Over the course of three weeks, we spent a lot of intentional time with the residents of Mukti in some spaces that are often overlooked by teams; the Homes of Joy where the retired ladies are, the Sunshine nursing home at the hospital and the home of Kindness where the ladies with special needs live. We also spent time singing songs back and forth with the blind ladies as they wove beautiful baskets and and taking each opportunity to pray for each other and together as a group. We spent some mornings helping in the special needs school which was a highlight for our team! The children there were the most loving and the staff and teachers were so dedicated to speaking value and teaching these children in love. Children with any kind of physical or mental disability are not generally valued in India, especially in rural areas. I loved seeing some of the special needs children being brought by their families in the village to come to school each morning. It encouraged me that Mukti is changing the conversation around value even to families in surrounding villages!
Another highlight for our team was getting to lead the sharing and prayer times at children's chapel each evening. What started out as simply wanting to attend turned into some live-action retelling of the parables and opportunities to share our testimonies and pray together. I was also invited to share the message on light at a 60th-anniversary celebration of the PRS Club on campus (similar to Girl Guides). I loved and was thankful for these opportunities to speak as a team to the girls about their value and to remind them that they are deeply loved and valued individually by their Creator.
There are many more stories I could share! Thank you for standing with our family on as we went! Our two boys were well loved at Mukti and were also healthy the entire trip which was a miracle I am thankful to the Lord for! Thank you for praying for us!"
- Lindsey Schacter is a supported mission partner of Jericho Ridge with GAiN Canada.
To learn more about Mukti, visit https://globalaid.net/initiatives/women-children/mukti-mission