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*Updates for Agra, India*
January 2008: Musical creativity nurtured
Thanks to sponsors who sent $200 at Christmas for Agra robins; they now have a new Yamaha electric keyboard and an electric guitar to nurture their musical talents. Click here to see the photo gallery.
4 December 2007: Birthday party for robins
Sis Robin
On 26th Nov we celebrated birthdays of our three children, Abshishek 26 Nov, Annu 27 Nov and Vishal 25 Nov. All children were so happy and enjoy lot. Our Zethar enjoy so much, after these three children cut cake, Zethar took the knife and cut it and eat himself, it was really lots of fun.
Regards
Joseph.
Click here to see the photo gallery.
19 November 2007: Agra robins in their new glasses
Manish, Sangeeta and Devendra received their new spectacles thanks to generous sponsorship money. They are the only children in the entire slums in that area who have spectacles. Click here to see the photos. Pastor Harry Singh and one of their house parents proudly looks over them in one photo.
November 2007: English lessons for Agra robins
Praise God! Finally! On Monday 19 November four of our sponsored children who live in Agra slums started semi private English lessons. We are happy to be able to also provide employment for Aniela, Pastor’s wife, who is a qualified language teacher. She is friends with, and supported by, some of the members from our church.
Sometimes it takes a great deal of time, discussion, prayer and a paradigm shift to get things to happen in a third world country. Thanks to Veronica’s brilliant support Sangeeta, Annu, Manish and Prokash are currently able to get lessons from Aniela who is a trained language/Hindi teacher.
It is not common to have another ministry help out another ministry and to have the children leave the orphanage since they have signed strict affidavit forms to stay with the children and protect them from harm. They are normally NOT allowed to leave the premises and must be escorted the full time to make sure the children will be protected at all times...well this is a big leap of faith for Pastor Harry and he must be commended as they are thinking outside the box.
We are happy the children are able to leave the slums each weekday for 1½ hours to get special English lessons from a teacher qualified in languages just one kilometre away and chaperoned by Harry's wife Prembeti. What a blessing she is to us and the children! Hopefully she will learn some English too in the process so everyone is blessed in this big circle!
We’re hoping that the children will then share what they learn with the other robins. May we ask you to pray that this project will be successful and bear much fruit.
Thank you for your continued support! A BIG thank you to Veronica for selflessly supporting Aniela to teach our otherwise destitute children.
September 2007: Agra home visit.
We’re thankful that Sandra Bamji, Chief Executor of ICARE, Sydney, was able to visit both of our RNCH homes in India this year. She visited the children in their home, attended a conference with the RNCH Agra committee, brought back children’s letters, took updated photos and supplied video footage. We’ll be able to use this material to produce footage to help us get the word out that RNCH is indeed a great opportunity to make a difference for children in distress through our ICARE sponsorship program.
2 January 2007: Excursion to historic Fathepur Sikri
Dear sis Robin,
We had a wonderful picnic together with all the robins on 2nd January. We went to a historical place calls Fathepur Sikri, this is 35 KM far from our home in Agra; we went there by bus. May be you might have heard about this place most of tourist comes to Agra to sea the Taj Mahal as well they visit Fathepur Sikri. Here is the highest gate of the world we visit it called “BULANDH DARWAJA”. This is really amazing for all the children. We also got a tourist guide to explain some of the building names and information.
Children took their ball and some playing items with them. They all have enjoyed lot. We also took some food and puri (Indian bread) with us and we ate there.
Thanks,
Joseph
View photos of Fathepur Sikri picnic..
29 April 2007: Progress on new Agra home
The wall and gate is completed for the new RNCH facility in Agra. The wall isn’t as high as we’d anticipated but it will still protect the children. The team is now working out the plans for the actual home. Click here to view photos.
5 December 2006: Children doing half-yearly exams
“…....rest of things are fine, all the robins are now busy in preparing their half yearly examination, also they are doing some Christmas programs in the church. Regards, Joseph.”
3 December 2006: Annu’s 5th birthday party
Click here to enjoy photos from Annu's 5th birthday in RNCH Agra. He is the youngest of the children and doing quite well now since recovery from his life threatening flu. Thank you for your prayers and support!
12 October 2006: Manish’s birthday party
Click here to see photos of Manish’s birthday party. As you will see, Manish is thrilled with the gifts from his sponsors who are instrumental in sending him the message of HOPE for a chance in life. We’re sure that his very first birthday party will be one of the memories he cherishes throughout his life.
11 September 2006: RNCH Agra celebrates 1st birthday
Celebrate RNCH Agra’s first birthday was a huge event held in Pastor Harry's church. It was attended by many local Pastors, the church congregation and the RN committee. The children sang some songs for the celebration. Click here to view photos and see how well the children look. Thanks to sponsors and supporters for making this happen.
6 July 2006: Exciting news from the field!
Hello Everyone! Just thought I’d pass on some exciting news from the field! Below you can read the most recent report on how things are going while building the 12 foot high protective wall around the newly purchased land in Agra. Please pray for protection over the workers; as you will read in Joseph’s email below, they did have a little mishap. I don’t know yet how the fellow is but I will find out. Thank you for your continued interest and prayers! The photos attached show the progress of the Robin’s Nest project. Harry is laying the first brick! They are simply thrilled at the opportunity our donors are giving them to actually physically being able to build and expand God’s Kingdom! Blessings! Robin.
Sis Robin (July 2, 06)
The wall work is in progress, in fact it’s not going as fast we want due to lack of water, but it OK. Water supply is big problem for us, we are carrying the water on carts and water tankers and it’s going costly to us. But anyway we are in work to handle the problem. Day before yesterday one young man taking out water from drum, these drums were on cycle rickshaw.
When one drum was empty the other side was become weightless so this young man was fell down from the rickshaw and drums too. Some near by village children are making fun when we bring water in the tanker they all come and join us to make empty the tanker. They always like to play in the water as we made tanks in the ground. rest of things re going fine. - joseph
21 June 2006: First brick laid! (view images above)
“Sis robin, By the grace of God today we laid the first brick in the wall foundation. We
had a nice inauguration prayer and after prayer we laid the brick, this was really and amazing for the local village people as they were first time hearing Christian songs, prayer and the word of God which was Read over there in the open ground. I’ll send you the pic of inaugurating time. Pray for all the work and mainly for the favor of all the local people for building work.” - Joseph Singh, Administrator.
18 June 2006: Unprecedented welcome by locals of new RNCH
“Dear sis robin, we are so glad that the has come for Where We Are waiting for a long time. and its realy a God's grace God make this possible to start build project here for the orphange, we have talked some of the villagers where the construction is going on there people are very glad that they will have a chidlren home in there village. also me and my wife we are thank God for HIs provision. we are planning to make our own water supply, this will be not well becasue mainly we do not have more wells now here, but we will fix electrical pump to fetch the water from ground.” - Joseph Singh, Administrator.
17 June 2006: Prospective new robins
“Before we start wall construction we go there and conduct a prayer to bless the land and dedicate it for the Lord’s work. I’m trying to get some full orphan, tomorrow I’m going to a village to meet some people especially they have called us to see some orphan children. So I’ll see they are really orphan, then we bring them to our place. All the children are now fine. Now they have finished chicken pox, and they are doing well. Thanks, Regards, Joseph.” Joseph Singh, Administrator.
16 June 2006: Locals assist with new RNCH construction
“Sis robin, i have taken some pic of digging work and i'll send to you soon, also, now we are worrying about the water. because there is no wter suplly in the land, and we need lot of water for the construction work as it needed lot of water, so we have talked to a farmer as he having his fields near by our land he will help us to supply water from his tube well. also we have bought two cement tanks to store water. i'll try to send you daily updates on the wall construction. Thanks, Joseph.” Joseph Singh, Administrator.
May 2006: Update on the new RNCH wall
“There will be 6 to 8 men work each day 8 hours, from morning to eve. They
have one-hour lunch break during their work. We will pay them Rs 120 to 160
per person per day. According to their work. In a day they can fix at least
600 to 800 bricks, so it will take nearly 35 days. To complete the wall. We
have some church people they will also give their time as volunteers help to
order the material, looking after the work, supplying water etc. the gate
size will be 10 feet wide and 8 feet high, so big van can also enter into
the place. This will made of iron angles. The signboard is 3 feet wide and 8
feet long it will be multi color made on Rexene sheet (flax printing) the it
will fix on the iron boarder write Upstairs to the gate.” Joseph Singh, Administrator.
May 2006: Orphanage attacked by Hindus
“Right now in India's Robin’s Nest we are building a protective 12-foot stone
wall around the new orphanage. Just recently an orphanage was attacked by Hindus and one of the children was stoned to death. I'm so thankful we have the money to build this wall. It will cost AUD$3,800 and as soon as they finish building this we will begin to build the orphanage. It is so exciting! The initial building will be AUD$6,500 but we’ll need funds after to furnish it with refrigerator, stoves, bunk beds, etc.” Robin Byrnes, Director RNCH
22 May 2006: Children’s favourite games
“Daer sis Robin, here are some pic of ou RN children, actually annu loves wearing bangles, always he love to wear girls dress, like froks, and skirts, some times it make so funny. in one of pic you see bangles in annu's hand. sometimes when monkeys come then nisha hit them with her "Gulel". prakash loves playing like "buying &selling" u can see him in pic. and manish and prakash presenting special song in the church, also in evening all the chidlren doing singing practice.” Joseph Singh, Administrator.
April 2006: Exams finished and visit to Delhi
“sis robin,children have finished their school examination, their progress report will come on 3rd may, i'll send you that via home mail. and now all the chidlren are on holidays. we are planing to take them for short holiday tour may be delhi just to show them some sight seen. nisha is fine now she is doing well
annu is also better now he is recovering and doing fine. manish, sangeeta
and prakash they all are doing fine. now they have full day free to play and
to have sleep, no school now so they all are very happy. manish always ask
me to bring oranges in eve. and annu love grapes they all have different
tastes somtimes it make svery funny when they demands for fruits.
rest of things are OK.regards, joseph.” Joseph Singh, Administrator.
24 February 2006: Allocation of donations; children visit Taj Mahal
“Dear Sis Robin, to day we have fixed the invertor, its really good and we are not worrying
about power cut, you know here in Agra most of the time power get off, and because now summer is starting so we need this inverter, thanks you. Yesterday we went to the taj festival (it's the annually festival/fair near Taj Mahal) with all the robins (children) and they are really so happy i'll send you photos in couple of days, it was so nice place and children have lot of fun. also anu and mansih and nisha, sangeeta they enjoyed riding in the rides. we have eaten many indian foods as the chidlren lieks spicey food ,like GOL GAPPA, Chiole Bhature, Dosa Masala. chidlren's school teacher was also joined us.” The money used to treat the children to the festival was kindly donated by Robin’s Aunt Shirl and Uncle George of Ontario when they visited the home in February. Joseph Singh, Administrator.
27 September 2005: Children busy with exams
“… sis robin children are living very happy now a days their examination are going on and they are busy with their studies. Annu is the youngest of them all and is very funny, I have bought small car toy so some time they drive that car, they sit altogether in that and play with that. Yesterday we took them to a fair in the air force camp, we altogether gone so all the children were much enjoyed their, they saw airplanes, parachute jumps and all of them have much enjoyed.” Pastor Harry Singh, Field Partner.
29 May 2005: Children growing spiritually
“…The children all growing well in the spirituality they al get up at 5:30 in the morning and they all pray and sign, they start their day … During the opening time we have called the pastors of Agra City and they prayed for the children … All is going well by the grace of God and sonly it will become better and better. Thanks for your help and thanks for all the supporters Robin’s nest children home Agra.” Joseph Singh, Administrator.
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