Hope Without Borders

Greetings,
Five days ago we moved into the girls home, which is conveniently five minutes down the street from the boys orphanage. The girls have been a great joy to spend time with and have a tremendous amount of energy. While Erica has been teaching 7 health classes a week, Catherine has been massaging special needs children and staff at 3 different locations. Busy! Busy!

Today we may be learning a traditional Indian dance for the big teacher's day event taking place tomorrow! We are also attending an event at a school nearby on Saturday to see a friend dance for a community event. We are so ecstatic to be a part of the community and the events that surround Indian culture. Indian men and women have been outstandingly kind and open to our friendship, which has been a true blessing.

Below is a story of a young orphan boy at the boys home. 

I, Erica, pray that it encourages you to have Hope Without Borders. 

No individual, 

from your worst enemy to an abandoned child, 

is hopeless. 

Anyone can be made into a new creation, 

and all those who are lost can be found. 

Thus, I urge you, to have:

Hope without Borders

Imagine that:

You are a three-year-old boy with a one-year-old sister. Your mom takes you to town; you are excited as you watch her buy your favorite snack at the corner store. Your mom politely tells you to sit down with your sister and eat your snack. She also says, "Stay here until I come back."

You watch as she casually walks away.

Hours pass...

Tears of fear gradually form until you break into an uncontrollable sob; you shake as time continues to pass and your mother is not returning.

Your sister and you are abandoned, 

alone.

At last, a passerby recognizes your sister and you; they take you home.

Your father is taken by surprise and outraged when he finds that your mother has eloped with another man. He immediately seeks her out and attempts to kill your beloved mother......

Your mother is near-dead in the hospital.

Your father is taken to prison.

Then, there is you and your sister...Where shall you go? Where shall you find rest?
Someone suggest a place of hope called Bethania, which takes in children in troubled situations. Your sister and you find hope, reprieve, and safety.

11 years later...
Your dad visits, your mom vanished, and you feel a sense of hope. You have 30 brothers, your sister is safe, and you are genuinely cared for. Thus, you learn to have hope without borders for all the downtrodden and lost like yourself.