Growth

There are always plenty of things to be sad and depressed about.

Here are a few signs of growth:

We just completed our 3rd session of the Church Members Training in HIV/AIDS care today.

A good day - full of meeting folks - sharing from the heart - discussions and learning.

One of the Church groups who have faithfully attended are coming from Gujarat. They take the overnight train and arrive here at 5.30 am - then head back the same night to Gujarat.

They are so hungry to learn - it almost hurts.

Recently they started a small phone help-line for people with HIV. An advertisement in the local paper - and the flood gates seem to have opened. They have already clocked 165 phone counselling sessions.

So much can be done. Oh, for people to be willing!

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A church fellowship from Ambernath attended our previous batch of training. Over the past 4 months they have made contact with over 30 HIV positive people in their area. 6 have already passed away. They are helping out in various ways with 5 HIV positive kids.

The dear brother who has been spear-heading the work had come by to the Jeevan Sahara Kendra for a short visit 2 weeks previously. Though the work had grown - there was still much room for improvement - especially in terms of willing hands and hearts to pitch in. We talked and prayed and then went our ways.

Yesterday he called up and said that things had changed - dramatically. There are a number of men and women willing to help now. He said he would come with 5 people for today's training. A total of 8 showed up. People are giving of their time - here a bit, there a bit!

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An elderly lady from a neighbouring church has been attending the trainings faithfully. She told a bit of her story today. They had a relative who was quite sick some years back. No one wanted to be near him - he had HIV. This lady and her grown children started visiting the man - he was skin and bones - but they talked with him and prayed. He got better. His whole family were reunited. Things were looking great.

Then he started to slip back into his old habits. The bottle became prominent again. His body-builder physique is gone again - and so is his peace of mind and spirit. The joy of the Lord is no-where to be seen.

This elderly lady said that when she heard about the training she jumped at the opportunity to serve.

So much is possible.

Signs of growth - small steps taken by finite, fallible people serving a great God!