Teaching in Chennai

We are into day two of the seminar being held for Lutheran Church leaders from Andhra Pradesh, the state immediately to the north of Tamil Nadu. We (my friends and colleagues from Norway, Eivand-Bjorner and Olav and I) have a fascinating group of people here from three churches: the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, the South Andhra Lutheran Church, and the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church - a denomination of "tribals," or indigenous people - people who were here before the Dravadians moved in more than two millennia ago! As tribals they are without caste, and looked down on by the rest of the folks... FYI, when you read about the "tribal areas" in Pakistan, the same is true. We are being translated into the Andhra language, Telegu, and we are spending a fair amount of time in group discussion.

Because we are team teaching, I had the opportunity to leave the seminar this morning and meet with Doug and Jane Koons, members of Bethlehem who are serving with LPGM for the next two years, helping to build relationships with the Arcot Lutheran Church. They took me to an old ALC school in one of the worst neighborhoods in Chennai. The school, with very few resources, and in a ramshackle four story building that is dark, damp and overcrowded, serves street children - the absolute poorest of the poor in this city. They live literally on the streets with their parents (or a parent), with a plastic tarp that keeps (most) of the monsoon rains away. At any moment, the police can descend on them and evict them. It is illegal to live on the street, and they have to find another place to squat. And regularly, the parents will keep the children out of school to help with whatever jobs they can find. The parents are illiterate, and cannot (and don't have the energy, in any case) to support the children in their education. This means absenteeism is high; attendance can be very sporadic. The teachers are magnificent, and incredibly committed to a very difficult task.

It was both heartbreaking and encouraging to visit this school. The needs are great, to be sure, and yet the children are like children everywhere: eager to please and optimistic about their futures. It is my hope that we can find a way to work here - at the very least, providing a library for these children that will meet their needs. I encourage you all to pray about this. I promised both staff and students that they would be in my prayers from now on!

I am grateful for your prayers! Thanks for your partnership in this adventure and in the Good News we share!

Blessings, Chris