Amicus SDA Church (Rochelle, Va.) members, Momota Koyal, Sue Endres, and Dan Endres, and six Adventist college students, recently spent a month in India as part of a mission trip. They spent time at the Springs of Life (SOL) Orphanage where Sarah Endres, another Amicus member and graduate of Takoma Academy (’90) and Washington Adventist University (’94) has been teaching for the last eight years. Koyal is also a graduate from SOL.
Springs of Life Orphanage is a school for first through eighth standard located outside Kolkata, Calcutta. The Amicus church has been collecting mission offerings to help the Springs of Life Orphanage for several years.
The team of students represented majors in education, pastoral evangelism, media ministry, health ministry and midwifery. Each team member was involved with teaching various classes at the school. The schedule allowed a first period assembly where the younger children met and had a VBS program, while older children learned how to study the Bible and develop public speaking skills. The older children gave five minute ‘sermons’ the last few days as part of their homework. The team also handled Friday vespers, mid-week prayer meetings, Sabbath sermons and Sabbath school. Various non-critical, health related needs were also attended to.
Toward the end of the trip, a health fair was conducted. School children had the opportunity to invite their neighbors to this event and thoroughly enjoyed it. Since most of the villagers do not speak English, the participation of the children was vital. The event drew 57 people. The children met the guests and led them to the various stations for massage, readings in blood pressure, BMI and blood sugar and consultation. The turnout was larger than expected and more blood sugar strips needed to be purchased.
Several ladies from the Burnt Mills SDA Church (Silver Spring, Md.) had made special pillow cases and raised money to purchase new pillows for each student. Burnt Mills members have also sent SOL part of their special Christmas Offering in the past.
Two of the college students were so moved by the children and their experience there that they are looking into doing their required internships at SOL and another had already planned to do her internship and stayed in India. God truly blessed not only the children at the orphanage but those that went to minister.
