There are over 31 million orphans in India. Many of these children are forced to work, beg and scavenge for survival. IGL works hard to care for some of these children in our 19 children’s homes and multiple day care centers, schools and study centers. God’s faithfulness in providing for our children’s ministry has been immeasurable over the last few months. Please enjoy this update of our children’s ministries:

Our New Home!
We have opened a new home in Surgana, Nasik where eight children are currently living. These children are from remote, forest regions, with little or no basic amenities. They don’t have access to transportation, roads, markets, health care, safe drinking water or sanitation in their villages. IGL however, provides holistic care to these eight children as they are taught about health, hygiene, good manners, and the gospel, along with their academics. They are given healthy meals, shelter and clean clothes. The children actively participate in prayer and devotion. They also enjoy learning Bible stories and songs. Many like to memorize scripture to recite.

Naveenkumar’s Testimony
Naveenkumar is a child from the Vishranthi home. He recently experienced a great miracle. He was outside during a horrible storm and sought shelter under a tree. Unexpectedly, the tree fell down right where he was standing. Just as suddenly, he felt as if someone was pushing him out of the way. When he looked around, to see if he could see who had saved his life, he didn’t see any one. Later, he realized that it must have been the Lord that had saved him. We praise God for this miracle!

Sharan’s Story
Sharan lives at the Bethel Care Home. He was raised in a Hindu family. He has five brothers and one sister. His father is an alcoholic and his mother works for daily wages. They were living in a small hut without fundamental facilities. It was very hard for them to feed their family and his parents were not able to meet the needs of their children. Therefore, Sharan was admitted in our home and has been living there for five years. At first, Sharan struggled socially and academically. After coming to this home, he became well disciplined and was transformed by the power of Christ. He is grateful that God provided him with a good shelter and proper care. He is especially thankful for the education provided. Recently, he visited his family on holiday. One day, while he was walking on the road, he was hit by a motorcycle and was injured. Considering the circumstances, Sharan should not have lived, but the Lord spared him and saved his life. He is recovering well. He praises God for this miracle. Sharan is now able to use this experience to further the kingdom. Please continue to pray for his spiritual growth and his family members’ salvation, as they are still practicing Hindus.

Easter Celebration in Review
Easter was a time of great celebration for both the children and staff in our Children’s Homes. They attended weekly services and Bible studies reflecting on the passion of our Lord leading up to Easter. The children were taught about the sacrifice of our Savior, who redeemed us from the bondage of sin and we as a body of Christ have continued to grow spiritually as we meditated on the passion of Christ. The children enjoyed the Easter celebration as they enacted an Easter pageant as an evangelistic outreach for people in the village. Many who came to this program hear about Christ for the first time and give their hearts to Christ. Following the Sunday morning service, children enjoy a special meal of Chicken Biriyani (Chicken cooked with rice and spices), Raitha (onion and yogurt salad) and Payasam (milk dessert). In the evening again, a special event is organized for the children to show case their talents and share their testimonies.