New Girls' Dorms in Bihar/Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh States

Some of our Asian Aid girls are blessed to be living in new dormitories. A generous donor from the US has provided new girls' dorms at Khunti and Ibrahimpatnam. They are such a contrast to how many of our boarding children are living, sleeping on broken cement floors, with only grass mats for mattresses. In some areas the students risk being bitten by snakes or scorpions at night. The new buildings have sufficient double bunks, complete with mattresses and pillows. The boys are green with envy!

A few of the 320 girls hoping to enroll at Khunti school

At Khunti School, word got out that the new dorm would house 100 extra girls and that sponsorships from the US would be provided. The school principal was worried that no new girls would turn up on the day of the opening ceremony. However, his worry turned to horror when 320 girls arrived! What a ragged batch of children they were, all gazing longingly at the beautiful dorm and gardens. Each girl was given a pretty new dress and sent home until the application could be processed.

We hope that Asian Aid will be able to support some of these girls in the Karmatar School, as there is definitely not enough room for them all at Khunti. How sad it is that so many talented children are out

Boy whose relative tried to kill him

tending the buffaloes and goats, or breaking rocks on the roadside, or, worse still, working in asbestos factories in the cities.

We recently accepted one small boy at Khunti School whose story is particularly tragic. After his father died and his mother abandoned him, a relative tried to kill the boy, as he is heir to his father's small piece of land. Life is so cheap in India! This boy's life will be totally changed now, thanks to his new sponsors.

Blind boys at Bobbili School

Blind School Built

Our Bobbili School for the Blind now has 82 special children (June 2001). To hear these little children repeat Scripture is very touching. All the children can repeat eleven full chapters, mostly Psalms. Recently two of the tiniest children repeated a Psalm and the full chapter of I Corinthians 13 for a group of visitors from the US. This prompted one of the listeners to make arrangements to build a new school and dormitory. This project should be completed at press time, as the new school year begins in June.

We praise God for His provision, as the children have been housed in very cramped quarters. They roll up their sleeping mats each morning to have their classes and meals. Funds that have been previously raised in Australia for this project will still be fully utilized, as the compound wall must be built and the school furnished and equipped. It is wonderful to be able to provide more facilities than was originally budgeted, as the needs are so great.

Sunshine Orphanage Changes Lives

Our Sunshine children take leadership roles in the schools where they study or work. Their singing ability is well known. The children now have smart new choir uniforms, red shirts or blouses and black pants or skirts. They chose to have these uniforms as their Christmas gifts.

When Helen Eager, Asian Aid Australia's Director, first visited India about 20 years ago, she and Dorothy Watts found Samson. Samson was a skinny, malnourished nine-month-old baby with huge eyes. They took him to Sunshine Orphanage near Bangalore. Samson is now finishing his final year at James High School. It was a very special experience this year for Helen to see him up front singing solos and providing all the music for the Sabbath programs with his guitar. Samson hopes to study to be a veterinary surgeon. Our eleven Sunshine nurses are now scattered all over India, and two are working in Nepal.

Helen Eager, Asian Aid Australia Director, with three Sunshine Nurses, a Nursing Trainee and an African friend