Hopegivers International :: Hopegivers Blogs

Hopegivers Blogs

Blog Entries for: India

MA Update, July, 2010: A day in pictures

See how Dr. MA Thomas, Hopegivers' founder, is continuing to progress from his stroke.

July 2, 2010 | 7 Comments | View or add comments

Aasha Hope Home Journey with Dwain Banner

What a great trip! Deacon and I were able to see what the Lord had done over the past 3 ½ years and what He is continuing to do through Hopegivers International. On October 31, 2006 God gave our home group (through Wellspring Baptist Fellowship) the funds to build a Hope Home in India. Dr. Thomas informed us the orphanage would be built at in the slums of Delhi, India. We were so excited about this orphanage, its location and the opportunities there to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Most of the people in this community are dalits, the unwanted, people who do not count in the population because by many of the upper class they are not considered people.

In March of 2010, Deacon and I were able to return to Delhi once again. This time we were not there to lay the first brick, but to dedicate the completed orphanage building! It was so exciting to see the building and especially the children, 50 of them, wow, the Lord had granted the pastor his heart's desire of taking in 50 children!!

June 18, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

MA Thomas Update: May 21, 2010

MA Thomas Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. He gives strength and help in the time of difficulty. The assurance of the nearness of God can give great courage and joy as we face any crisis in life. Time spent in God's presence fills the child of God with a strength that can only come from heaven.

I have come to realize - due to Dad's sickness - that prayer is not a magical means by which something happens automatically. Instead, prayer is an experience in which a spiritual transformation takes place. This is why we are commanded,

"Rejoice always, pray always, and give thanks always; for this is the will of God."

We thank you for your prayers - such valuable prayers - on behalf of Dr. M.A.Thomas. As you know, from previous communications, he is in Kota where he began his ministry 50 years ago.

May 21, 2010 | 3 Comments | View or add comments

A Few Funny Stories from a recent Hope Adventures Trip to India!

Our first funny story is regarding our overnight train ride...we had all been asleep, but due to the time difference and our internal clocks getting out of order, we couldn't sleep any longer and we all sat up and started talking. This was at about 5:30 am and there was another passenger in our cabin who we did not know. He had woken up as well and started cleaning his teeth with a little hand towel on his bunk. Then he spit in it and washed off his head and face, than hawked a big loogie (phlegm) and then spit it in the towel, then tossed the towel aside and while we were quietly talking and riding. This passenger, while setting Indian style leans to one side and lets out a loud burst of gas...none of us flinched, or said a word...a few seconds later, he leaned to the side and repeated the same thing...still none of us flinched...and once again like clockwork, the passenger did the same thing....then he got up and headed off to the squatty potty or possibly the western toilet....the rest of us looked at each other and none of us could contain our laughter any longer...as we are all letting out our chuckles, one of our group members speaks up and says, "You want to know the funny part? The third time it was me!"

May 12, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

A Fruitful Trip to India with Team Banner!

Team Banner serving the Aasha Hope Home I am so happy to share with you the adventures of our recent journey to India from the United States. We brought a group of nine friends to visit Hopegivers' staff, students, and Hope Homes in India. I cannot begin to explain completely how much my heart personally has been touched by these loving and giving people and the children of India. So, I will just share with you some of the adventures the Lord graciously took us on during our recent visit.

First, it was such an honor to be a part of the growth and development of the Aasha Hope Home and to be able to be a part of the dedication of this new home for the children! We are so excited to see how God gave his vision to one of your local pastors and shared that vision with another member of the body of Christ half way around the world in order to provide the means for that to come to fruition. Also, it brought us great joy to witness God's faithfulness in filling the Home with 50 children. What an amazing and loving God we serve.

May 4, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Imagine Having 100 Children with the Chicken Pox!!!

As a father with just a few children, I know what it is like when one or two of your children get sick. Everything changes! As a parent you have to care for the sick child (and clean up after them if necessary) while attempting to keep the children who aren't sick away from the sick child. The well children seem to have energy amplification during this period too - especially if the parents get sick Right, Moms and Dads? This makes the chore of keeping them away from the sick child nearly impossible. And of course, they share toys, chairs, beds, rooms - the list goes on and on leaving the inevitable situation - sickness works its way through the entire family. As a father I know this situation all too well, but I always count my blessings. I am only dealing with a few children! Because I travel around the world visiting Hopegivers' Hope Homes, I am blessed to see my co-workers in the ministry, who not just care for two, three, four, or even five children, but 10...20...40...140...or 600!!!

April 22, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

April Update on Dr. MA Thomas

We praise God for your faithful prayers and support.

Dr. M. A. Thomas had a set back in March when he developed a kidney infection. But by God's grace the level of infection is reduced and he is continuing with his physical therapy.

Just recently he has begun to move his right arm from his side to his stomach and his hand to his mouth! Although slow, there is definite progress, so praise the Lord!

Please pray that his immune system is strengthened and that his healing will continue.

May the Lord continue to bless all of you.

April 15, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

50th Anniversary Service and Graduation in India

What a joy it was for me to lead a team of 14 to Kota and to the Kripa Hope Home. We came to attend the graduation services of the Hopegivers' Bible College. One of my favorite places to visit is Kota Junction and the Bishop's House. I had forgotten how wonderful it is to wake up each morning at 5:30 to the voices of the Bible College students singing. They sound like a choir of angels. I slip into the back where no one can see me and listen. It sounds like heaven must sound.

March 19, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

MA Thomas Update: January 2010

Dr. MA Thomas has had lots of ups and down with his health in recent months. He has been severely ill since 9th of December,2009. We had to take him to the hospital and he was admitted in the ICU for 21 days, during which he came so close to death several times. Only by the grace of God was he able to make through.

January 28, 2010 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Christmas in India Blog

Over Christmas a team from the US was in India visiting several of Hopegivers Hope Homes and ministries. The team also was with the children over Christmas. Follow Scot's blog of their time with Hopegivers in India here: http://blog.go0se.com.

January 22, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Update on the Health of Hopegivers' founder, MA Thomas

Since the last update it has been quite a bumpy road for Bishop MA Thomas, and all of us.

On Dec 12, Bishop Thomas was admitted to the hospital in Kota. He was hospitalized for a kidney infection, and it was discovered that his hemoglobin was down to 5. Because of his condition he had to go on dialysis and have blood transfusions.

January 11, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

A Smiling Spirit

As I was standing in the monsoon rain outside a Bombay train station, huddled under my large blue Marriot umbrella ( a billboard for privilege), a young cripple walked out of a crushing crowd just below my vision. I looked down a bit as he tilted his head and looked up at me, blinking through the pouring rain, and smiled. He could only look up at the world since he walked through it on all fours with sandals on his hands. His deformed spine has him walking head down, face in the dirt, through life.

November 23, 2009 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Praise and Prayer

Today dad is back in his own room in Kota. The room where he has spend countless hours in fasting and prayer for the ministry. I covet your sincere and earnest prayers that God may protect him from another Episode of Pneumonia. We also need to pray for miraculous healing of his brain functions, for his movement and strength of his right side. Medically it seems impossible for him gain his speech and strength back, BUT then we are reminded again from the word of God , that we truly serve a God of all possibility. With Him there is nothing Impossible.

November 5, 2009 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Prison to Praise

Recently I had the great joy of recording a CD of Hindi Devotional songs. Some of these songs were written in the 2006 persecution in which we were imprisoned. God has truly been faithful. It was my father's desire before he fell ill, that I would make this Hindi album as an encouragement to many others who are going through similar trials. I thank the Lord that I have been able to do so. It has brought my dad much encouragement!

You may know that my father, Dr. M. A. Thomas (recipient of the Padma Shree award, Mahatma Gandhi award, and Mother Teresa award), is not doing well physically. Since he had a major stroke in December of 2008, he has been paralyzed on his right side and is still unable to speak. I ask for your sincere prayers, that God may heal and use him again for His glory in the ministry.

October 14, 2009 | 2 Comments | View or add comments

October Update on M.A. Thomas

Greetings in Jesus' name! I thank you sincerely for your prayers and thank God for the progress my father, Dr. M.A.Thomas, is making on a daily basis. Last week we had to take him to the hospital where he was kept for four days, because of an infection in his lungs.

October 2, 2009 | 3 Comments | View or add comments

Dr. M.A. Thomas Update

I want to sincerely thank you for your prayers for Dr. M.A.Thomas. As you know, he is now staying with his younger sister in Kerala.Christ indeed lives within the heart of Dr. M.A.Thomas. Though I do see my father not able to do things that he once was able to do, I can still rejoice becuase I still see the joy of the Lord all over his face.

September 2, 2009 | 3 Comments | View or add comments

Recent M.A. Thomas Updates

Dr. M.A. Thomas (Papa) continues to recover in southern India. Samuel Thomas gives us the latest updates on his progress.

August 11, 2009 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Return Home: M.A. Thomas Update

The day before M.A. Thomas' stroke, I knelt by his bed as he fought to breathe in the oxygen he was being supplied. I asked him, "what is it like to know that each time you close your eyes, you may reopen them to see Jesus?"....

June 23, 2009 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

M.A. Thomas Update

Well, Papa is finally preparing for the day he has been waiting for since his illness began in late November. He is going home. Yes, as I write this, all of the preparations are being made for his return to his beloved homeland.

March 31, 2009 | 5 Comments | View or add comments

Slumdog Millionaire

I was privileged to go and see the movie Slumdog Millionaire with many of my friends and co-workers. Although, some scenes were hard to watch, I felt immediately transported to India. Having visited India many times, I struggle each time with coming home and trying to convey to friends, family and supporters of Hopegivers who have not been able to visit India, just who it is that we serve.

February 24, 2009 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Joyful Thomas Reunion

The long awaited reunion occurred this weekend between M.A. and Samuel Thomas. It was such an exciting moment when Sam walked in the door and Papa's eyes met his. Of course there was lots of hugs, but for me it was the ear to ear smile on Papa's face that said it all.

February 17, 2009 | 10 Comments | View or add comments

Joy Unspeakable

"Joy unspeakable" are the two words that are constantly in my mind when I see the children here; and as I said previously, my heart breaks for those of us that think that we have so much, but do not have that joy unspeakable. That is why I cannot help but give to this work, from both my time, my talents and my treasure.

July 16, 2008 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

In a Trip Around the World, India Shines

The following is feedback from a Global Challenge Expeditions (GCEX) team who recently spent some time visiting HG-sponsored projects in India on their way around the world. GCEX is an awesome ministry that we love very much, check out what they had to say about their time in India.

July 16, 2008 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

The Cost

I praise God that He took me to India through Hopegivers International and has shown me the true meaning of counting the cost to follow my Lord. I have found it is a magnificent thing to have such an incredible reason and purpose to live. If you don't believe me come with me and let me show you my India.

May 22, 2008 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

My India Top 11

Instead of re-hashing all the things we did here the last few days, I'd like to propose a list of my top 11 favorite things in no particular order about the country of which I've become so fond. We're speaking of India, for those who've not been paying attention.

May 14, 2008 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Short, sweet + right on!

Pre-India, I think had somehow mistakenly equated a person's amount of privilege with their ability to give, but that notion is a grave lie.

February 12, 2008 | 2 Comments | View or add comments

A Holiday Away

For the first time in my life, I spent Christmas away from my house, family and friends. I was surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Jesus...I woke up to the presence of God through hearing 600+ children sing praises at 5:30 am.

February 5, 2008 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Mission Trips, Shmission Trips

My girlfriend was asked to lead worship for the orphans of India over Christmas? Gulp. That sounds nice. And she's going to skip Christmas with family? Um-hmm. And she wants me to come? My eyes grew to double their size as I hypnotically nodded...

February 3, 2008 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

A Nebraskan goes to India

The most important thing I noticed during my trip was not how much the children ate or the clothes they were wearing or the warm beds they slept in. Instead it was how loved they were, and how much they loved.

January 15, 2008 | 4 Comments | View or add comments

I Went Back to the New Testament...

I saw people without enough to eat give me the best food they could buy. I saw Christians take everything they had to buy flowers to put on my neck, when they barely had enough for food and clothing. I saw a zeal in believers common in this land, that is missing in my land.

January 14, 2008 | 4 Comments | View or add comments

A Thousand Steps

"A thousand kilometer journey begins with one step," this was the reply the Indian pastor gave to me as I described how God gives me these seemingly small tasks to accomplish...

January 14, 2008 | 2 Comments | View or add comments

Trip of Paradoxes

The Lord doesn't ask us to be super men and women. On the contrary, in the Bible he often uses the humble, meek, and those of little influence in society as conduits of His work.

December 17, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

The Journey

Each one of us has embarked upon a journey whether we realize it or not. God places the road map in our minds, the directions and rules are written upon our hearts and He decides the appointed time to go. The time had come for my daughter Hillary to return to India and I also decided to come along.

December 12, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Thoreau on a Train

One of my simple pleasures in Mumbai is to pore over the morning newspapers. I do this to pursue India. I think--maybe vainly, that if I can read the text behind the text then I can better understand what my eyes see. I hope that by reading of the hopes, desires, and disasters in the daily newsprint it will help me see past my own cultural blind spot of pre-conceived notions.

December 7, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Action! Adventure! Heroic Soap! India Trip Recap

Last we spoke I was in rural West Bengal. Today, we are back in Delhi but it is only by the grace of God and an amazing bar of soap that we were able to get back at all. Allow me to elaborate...

November 29, 2007 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Julie from India!

After almost a month in mostly the back country of India, we're excited to get home! But it's been an amazing trip...monkeys, cobras, dancing tribal children, the World Toilet Expo in New Delhi, encountering mice, bandits, and also there was the day we got into Bangladesh...I'll post the picture later. But really, I hate to give too much away...

November 20, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

West Bengal, East India, South Asia

Hello friends, we are now in West Bengal. How about that.

Last time I wrote was from Rajasthan and much has transpired since then. To recap, we took the 10 hour train ride from Kota to Delhi wherein me and Steve were upgraded to the VIP lounge--and by VIP lounge I mean the linen closet.

November 16, 2007 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

A Wounded Neighbor

Am I willing to risk myself? Will I chose rightly in that divided heart of mine? The dividing line of my heart is so clear here because the suffering is so close. I feel most alive when there is risk and the risk here comes in touching the suffering. Will I care? Will I try to help? Will I suffer with you? Or will I simply pass by you?

September 25, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

He Equips the Called

Words will never describe the extent of what we saw and experienced in India, but just know that Hopegivers ministry and God's people in India have transformed my perspective on life and have burned in me a passion to see his Glory shown all over the world...

September 10, 2007 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

We Came To Encourage...

taj_150px We went to encourage, and they encouraged us. We went to serve, and they served us. We went to teach, and they taught us. We went to provide, and they gave us more than we ever even expected, more than they will ever know. Never have I ever seen the Body of Christ so united and so incredibly strong.

September 6, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Reflections on A Life Changing Trip

brooke_150px Children really are an inheritance and blessing from God. They are like peaceful arrows of God's love, and blessed are those whose quiver is full of them. EMI and Hopegivers have a lot of arrows in their quiver, and they are working hard to sharpen each arrow, and send them into all the world with love and peace in their hearts...

September 5, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Fear Into Faith

pastor_ft_100 I was at school, getting ready for the day, when two men drove up on a motorcycle. I went outside to see what they wanted and they insisted on coming into our school. Overcome with dread, I sensed in my spirit that some thing bad was going to happen to me. I felt as if hell had been set loose on me...

August 29, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Monsoons and Demons

As I ventured out this morning to get some breakfast (even nice hotels get stuffy!), I had to keep stepping over and around the sleeping families who live under the eaves of the buildings while it rains. They live in these little dry spots on the side walk, so you have to tread carefully so as to not splash water on them with your footfalls. It is quite the trick to do that and keep your umbrella from folding into a useless form.

August 6, 2007 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Rebuke the Slump!

haitipiggyback_250px Despite my silliness and general discomfort with intimacy, I wish I could sit down with each one of you and share how I've been forever changed by the pastors, orphans, widows, leprosy victims etc. I've met and the things I've seen during my time here at HG. Haunting isn't quite the right word to describe these images I have in my brain, it's something more intense and urgent than that. I don't know what to say other than I feel really close to these folks who have given their lives to serve the 'least of these'--namely orphans, widows, the sick, downtrodden or anyone else in need.

July 27, 2007 | 3 Comments | View or add comments

Recent High Schooler's Trip to India

chelsea_blog_100px I recently took a trip to India for 12 days and I would like to just tell you a little bit about what it did for me. As a photography student, I was looking forward to the opportunity to shoot beautiful photographs. The moment we drove up to the first orphanage my heart sank, the children that I met were true spirits. Every single child had a smile on their face and in that very moment I felt like I was sent there for a reason.

July 1, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Lesson on Giving - Learned from the Field

sandyellingson_candid_100px After working with Hopegivers in a voluntary support role off and on for six years, I joined Hopegivers in September '06 on a more permanent basis. My goal was to upgrade their technology systems that they had long since outgrown. I have lots of experience with software, accounting and non profits so I thought this would be a breeze. Needless to say, I found myself often being as "wishy washy" as a politician.

May 24, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Rob's Farewell Speech

sugarcane_rob_small Everything is copasetic here in Andhra Pradesh and I just wanted to send a quick note to recap this amazing, slightly ridiculous journey. We've covered an incredible amount of miles by plane, train, jeep, scooter, bus, and briefly camel, but our time is sadly coming to an end.

There've been many highlights, some lowlights, but this has been one of the most exhilarating, exhausting, and educational experiences of my life. Whereas on my last India trip, I was content just to dip my toes in, hesitant to do or try new things, this time I dove in head first-literally-into the Krishna River and Bay of Bengal, then figuratively into Indian culture itself.

April 30, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

India's Future Bright

robby_river_250px Let me begin by saying I love pretty much everything about India. The spicy food served by loving hands, the hospitality, the acceptance of mustaches, the loud music, even the chaotic traffic makes me smile. But let me tell you my favorite thing about India—and why I believe India will be blessed beyond measure in the years to come…

April 28, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Bathing With Buffaloes

corn_pile_100px Greetings friends--everything is bagundi (Telugu for kosher) in Andhra. We've had an amazingly wonderful, indigenous, Jungle Book-esque 3 days in rural AP. We've swam in the Krishna river, played cricket with the orphans, and befriended a mischievous talking bear named Baloo.

April 14, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Bringing India Home (Part 5)

ma_desk_sm What a week in Kota! We have had such a special time. Nothing has become more apparent to me than this: I need to somehow bring India home and share it with the Hopegivers' team (sponsors worldwide). This is such an amazing ministry and I had no picture or idea until I got here. It is also very sad because we have viewed the schools and orphanages here in Kota that only a year ago had close to 3,000 orphans and students, and now are down in the 600-800 range. It's truly heartbreaking. Most of those orphans were chased out of the orphanage during the persecution, which leaves them back on the very streets that they were once rescued from.

March 14, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

The Pink Pastor (Part 4)

pink_panther_sm Today we came to Jaipur, the "Pink City." It is pink because it is largely made out of pink sandstone and is a very historical city. There is so much pink here, I even saw a group of men carrying pink shopping bags. I think the men here must be very secure in their masculinity to bear so much pink.

March 8, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

My Best Day Yet (Part 3)

slum_pastor_sm Wow, wow, wow...this has been the most amazing day. Actually, the day started a little shaky when our taxi driver picked us up and we discovered he didn't speak a stitch of English. I had heard stories about why you should never get into an unknown cab, so we tried to verify he was there for us, but no matter how much I waved my arms and yelled at him where we were going, he was a blank screen. Since the hotel told us he was there for us, we decided to risk it and get in the car. Forty-five minutes and twelve slums later, we regretted that decision. He got so lost and kept trying to ask us questions in Hindi, which might as well have been Greek. We kept trying to use his cell phone, but he wouldn't let us. I was about to wring it out of his skinny little butt, when FINALLY he got us to the orphanage. We were so relieved.

March 4, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

The World Is My Oyster? (Part2)

slum_kids_sm In America, you say, "The world is my oyster." In India, the saying becomes, "the world is my urinal (and add to that "my garbage can")." But I must say, it has not been as bad as expected. There are no more open sewers on the streets but that doesn't stop men from obeying on the spot when nature calls. I have not witnessed the more refined and civilized species (ahem!) doing the same. I guess some things never change.

March 2, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

I Gave Jesus A Backrub (Part 1)

jesus_leper_sm Yesterday was an amazing day! We were picked up at 9:00 in our "rental car." In India, when you rent a car, you get a driver with it. This happens to be a good thing in my case as my husband, Shucks, doesn't have adequate life insurance on me yet.

March 1, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Top of Page

Hopegivers Blogs

Blog Entries for: India

Blog Archives - by category

Blog Archives - by date