You have probably heard of the brave Malala Yousafzai- the young advocate from Pakistan who continues to make enormous strides for education in the East.“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world,” she says. Crosspoint’s public school is a manifestation of this same mentality- every child deserves the chance to be educated and given the opportunity to reach their highest potential.

This particular public school is in a remote part of India and its children are very poor. Most are illiterate upon arrival, come from Hindu families, and do not know where their next meal will come from. When the school first opened in 2015, only 2 students were enrolled. By the Lord’s provision there are 30 students enrolled in the upcoming school year! The families represented in this school come from the surrounding villages and do not see the importance of education because of their financial situations. When students thrive here, it shows their families that they are capable of success and are worth investing in.

The principal of this school has to be very creative about sharing the good news because of the huge threat of persecution. He accomplishes this through action songs and the parables that teach moral lessons. Most of the time these students are hearing the truth and don’t even realize it yet! There are 152 schools in this region of India- all of which are under the management of the government.  The public school has been able to host programs and administer knowledge exams to many of these secular schools, opening countless doors for our voice to be heard and accepted. This school also hosts medical clinics, sports events, summer Bible school programs, and cultural programs for the surrounding communities.

    1. How can you help?
      1. We are praying for the opportunity to open another public school with the hopes of opening more in the future. This would require a specific license from the government as well as adequate funding for a building, supplies, and teachers.2.
      2. One major vision for the staff is a study mall. This would be a mix between a library and a study hall. They are praying for a one room building, a consistent worker to oversee the study mall, and books to fill the shelves. Most schools do not provide quiet study settings for students to succeed, so this study mall would be open to students from all schools for more intentional study time. This would also create an incredible atmosphere for conversations with the students on many topics beyond what we cover at school.
      3. Transportation is always a burden for families who can hardly afford necessities. The school is able to provide limited transportation for their students, but with more buses, they would be able to address this burden even more.

Your support for Crosspoint of India also supports our public school. Would you consider making a gift today to give an education to these children? They will be the first generation of children to read and write in their village, ever.

 

This post was written by A. Casey when she visited India through Crosspoint of India in June, 2017.