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When we see the impact of usury on the lives of our friends,
it is not hard to understand why Old Testament passages forbade
charging interest to “brothers” (i.e., fellow Jews),
and why Muslims still are not allowed to lend money to their Muslim
brothers at interest.
Time and again we have seen how families will spend all they
have, and even all they own, to meet health care costs—for
medicines, operations, etc. Many medical treatments prescribed
are unnecessarily expensive because simple, basic, generic medicines
and common sense are not used. Instead, doctors here, just as
doctors (and patients!) in the U.S. are persuaded that the newest
medicines are best. Of course, they are always the most expensive.
Newer surgical procedures are often far more expensive than older
types of operations, yet newer operative procedures are adopted
without consideration of the costs to poor patients. To the contrary,
higher charges make the accounts look better (to the hospital)!
Enough said.
We have other good news to report. The boarding facility for
girls of primary school age, all daughters of commercial sex workers
(CSWs), continues to operate with 20 girls attending primary school
in a nearby rural community. A retired CSW, Vimalbai, has continued
as the only adult staying with these girls, but just now the Rev.
Timothy Jalam’s widowed mother has come from another city
to live in the boarding as well. She is a great help. The search
continues for a woman to teach Bible in the hostel. Meanwhile,
the girls regularly attend church and Sunday school. Acceptance
of the girls by the schools and the community has been gratifying.
Twenty-five boys, all sons of CSWs, are attending school in a
more distant community, and are living in a Christian boarding
there. It has always been easier to remove boys from the brothel
environment than girls, understandably. Recent introduction of
literacy training for the CSWs has electrifying potential! They
can see hope that they may be delivered out of the exploitation
they now experience. This has brought new threats to Timothy,
as the women are gaining a sense of empowerment for the first
time in their lives. Pray for the safety of all this exploited
community, and for the safety of Timothy and his family.
The Miraj Christian Church is the largest congregation in the
Kolhapur Diocese, Church of North India, with over 1,000 dues-paying
(voting) members. Both English-language and Marathi-language services
are held in a packed church every Sunday, and there are many other
activities during the week. However, election of elders has not
been held for six years. Terms of all present elders have long
expired. General body meetings haven’t been called, and charges
of murky financial transactions have been raised. These issues
may be moving toward resolution. Now a strong movement has started
from the congregation to call a general body meeting, to call
for new election of elders, and for full financial reports.
This is the largest church in the diocese, and it should be making
the strongest financial contribution to support pastors’
salaries and programs in many smaller, rural churches. If new
elections are held, new life and growth may follow, and the entire
diocese could be strengthened. Please uphold this matter in your
prayers as well.
We now expect to return to the U.S. in late March 2003 for our
retirement. Thereafter we hope to visit many churches to share
our experiences in Presbyterian medical missions—in India,
Malawi (Africa), and in Haiti. Thank you for all your continuing
prayers, your interest and your support! May God continue to bless
your lives, your witness, and your work.
In Christ,
Paul & Judy Jewett
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