| Some children of these CSW's are
now living in boardings and are able to attend schools removed from
the brothel areas-25 boys and about 20 girls this year, who are
already being redeemed from the degradation of the brothel environment.
These children have all passed their school examinations, and one
girl is the top student in her class! As their mothers learn to
read and write, their study materials will bring the gospel message
to them all. Some of the children will even join in teaching their
mothers during the next school vacation.
Mothers who remain illiterate will remain in an enslaved state
until they die of AIDS, as some have already. In this AIDS era,
death casts a long shadow over the lives of these women and over
their children as well. They all want a different future. Newsweek
recently reported new life-saving empowerment, which CSW's in
Kolkata (Calcutta) are demonstrating while the AIDS epidemic explodes
all over India. These are the most vulnerable and powerless people
affected by AIDS, and their protection from AIDS is a hugely important
public health concern.
There is more good news! We've written about the need for election
of church elders, and this has now been completed. Over 800 members
of the church voted for elders, out of an adult membership of
about 1100. There were 52 candidates running for election. (How
different from U.S. churches, where members have to be begged
to take office!) Of the 19 elders, 15 were elected for the first
time to the church's "Pastorate Committee." These were
ordained yesterday at Miraj Christian Church by the bishop of
the Kolhapur diocese, the Right Reverend B. R. Tiwade. We hope
this election will restore confidence and accountability to the
management of local church affairs. Elections had not been held
during the previous eight years, though terms of office run only
three years. Some of the previous elders had been in office 20
to 30 years continuously. The present group has a number of much
younger "elders," but only one woman was elected. Better
balance will come, in time.
Problems continue in our hospital, with low census, falling income,
and disunity among some of the staff. So there is much yet to
do to restore confidence in the community, and to reach out to
the large number of poor people needing better medical services.
We are encouraged by the excellence of outside consultants and
volunteers who have come to offer their advice and experience.
These are often Christian leaders who have retired from key leadership
positions in other institutions.
Judy and I plan to depart India and return to the United States
on 19 March, and to retire on 1 July 2003. We will visit as many
churches as we can during April, May, and June, and probably continue
even into the fall months as well. We will stay initially with
our daughter and son-in-law, Dr. & Mrs. Michael and Maritza
Granger, 275 Butterfield Lane, Fayetteville, GA 30214-3683, telephone
(770) 716-1226; email: pwjewett@juno.com.
We want to share our experiences in the health ministries of our
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), in India, Malawi (Africa), and Haiti.
Bless you for your long-standing support and encouragement. May
we all continue to pray for peace!
In Christ,
Paul and Judy Jewett
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, page
160
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