Sponsorship

A family in New York that has three adopted children from New Delhi . . . a birth mother in Missouri who released a child for adoption through Love Basket . . . a Sunday School class in rural Kansas. What do these people have in common? They all sponsor needy children through Love Basket’s Child Sponsorship Program in India. This is a program worthy of your consideration . . . .

. . .Ten years ago, a dream of reaching out to women and children with a ministry of vocational training, literacy programs and medical care became a reality for Love Basket. Founded by Prem Gideon, Love Basket’s North India Director and Social Worker, Anurag began its ministry in Lado Sarai, a small village outside of Delhi’s city limits. The abject poverty of Lado Sarai cannot be fully understood unless one has had the opportunity to see the single room dwellings many families call home. Women cook small pots of rice or lentils over dun-fueled fires. Barefoot children walk through muddy streets past livestock, piles of trash, and broken glass. Most homes lack plumbing of any kind and, more often than not, multiple families will share communal wells and toilets. Many of these homes are so small, family members sleep and eat in shifts. It is not uncommon to see a five year-old child caring for a younger sibling while both parents are working day-laborer jobs.

Initially, Anurag’s outreach programs were limited to literacy training for women, typing classes, sewing programs, and the purchase of school supplies, books, uniforms and shoes for a few village children. Over the years, we have been blessed to watch as layer upon layer of ministry has been added. Today the lives of hundreds are touched daily in countless ways.

The foundation of Anurag ministry continues to be the Education Sponsorship Program for the children of Lado Sarai. By way of explanation, the education system in India is technically free and open to children in every economic strata and caste. However, if a child does not have a school uniform, shoes, and basic supplies, they are unable to attend school.

The Child Sponsorship Program began in 1991 with a core of 25 little girls. Today, over 165 children are sponsored by Love Basket. Some are sponsored by individual families and some by churches or Sunday School classes. Six of those “little girls” have now graduated from 10th grade; others have been trained through our vocational programs and are now self-supporting in honorable work.

In addition to clothing and education, sponsored children have access to after-school tutoring, a mid-day meal, monthly events such as picnics in a park, a drama group, Bible Club or Vacation Bible School in summer.

Each child receives blankets in the winter, personal care items such as soap, coconut oil (for hair care), toothbrushes, combs, etc. Extremely destitute families may receive a small sum of money for cooking oil, rice, drinking water or some other necessity.

Each child has a staff member that knows their name and situation — and from whom they can seek counsel regarding school or family issues. Each sponsored child has the luxury of a daily routine — school, mid-day meal, after-school tutoring and/or study hall and an occasional fun afternoon of watching a Christian video or attending Bible Club. Anurag is their home away from home in every sense of the word.

One of Anurag’s most visible outreaches is the feeding program. For many of the children of Lado Sarai, Anurag provides them with their most nutritious meal of the day — plus a glass of milk and clean drinking water. For every child fed, there are dozens more that would benefit from this program if more funds were available. At the present time, Anurag feeds almost 500 children daily. Approximately 200 are fed as a direct result of Love Basket’s outreach ministry, with the remainder sponsored by other Christian relief organizations and charitable organizations within India.

We have profiles of many children needing sponsorship. Your gift of $21 per month will provide a child with food, education, health care and social programs including Bible study and music. Please contact Kate Powers at 636/797-4100 or via e-mail at LoveBasket@jcn.net to sponsor a specific child, or use the response device in the enclosed brochure. If you would like to contribute to sponsorship, but do not feel able to sponsor a specific child, you may donate to the Anurag General Fund.
 

Would you like to send Azmi to Medical School?

Azmi lives with her mother and younger brother in the Village of Lado Sarai. Azmi’s father is deceased and her mother works in a factory earning a monthly wage of about twenty-five dollars.

It is inconceivable to most Americans that a family of three could exist on such a sum of money — even in India, it is quite a challenge!

For ten years Azmi has received school supplies and uniforms, participated in Christmas pageants and dramas, and attended weekly Bible classes at Anurag.

She is described by Anurag staff as “one of Anurag’s best students — ever! She is always first — in sports, in drama presentations, in her school work.”

Her goal is to become a doctor. An educational gift of $2,000 will enable Azmi to complete one year of school. Our Anurag staff and director have no doubt that Azmi will achieve her goal — if a sponsor steps forward to meet her medical college expenses.

Your designated gift for Azmi will impact her life in immeasurable ways. We are seeking one donor — or a team of donors — to help Azmi achieve her dream of becoming a physician.

Sheetal

Sheetal is 5 years old and lives with her parents, brother and sister in one mud room. They have no kitchen, and share bathroom facilities with other families.

Sheetal’s father pulls a rickshaw and her mother shells peanuts. Their income is approximately $20 per month.

Their religion is Hindu. Sheetal is one more example of how we can reach people in India with the gospel by showing the Love of Jesus to their children and meeting the physical needs of their family.

Your gift of $21 per month will provide Sheetal with a hot meal, milk, and clean water every day, a school uniform and backpack, basic items such as blankets, soap, and personal care items. Sheetal will also hear about Jesus through Bible Club and summer VBS

Sheetal & Meenakshi

Sheetal and Meenakshi have been sponsored by individuals or the Anurag General Fund over the past ten years. Their father is unemployed and their mother is a maid — this meager income supports these four plus their younger siblings.

Sheetal, (12) hopes to attend a government-sponsored college and become a nurse. Meenakshi, (14) aspires to be a teacher. In the meantime, they receive clothing, medicine, food, personal care items, tutoring and Bible instruction through the various outreach programs available to them at Anurag.

Their mother, Raj Kumari, is so pleased that her daughters have the opportunity to receive an education. “Perhaps their lives will not be as difficult as mine has been,” she tells me with quiet dignity. Despite the adversities of daily life, Raj Kumar’s eyes reflect the hope and the blessing she and her daughters have received at Anurag.

Your gift of $42 per month will insure the girls’ continued education and help this family continue to feed and clothe all four children.

Pooja

Pooja has been sponsored by Anurag’s General Fund for almost ten years. The oldest of five siblings, Pooja’s youngest brother is disabled. The family struggles daily to meet basic needs.

Your gift of $21 per month will help Pooja continue in her studies as well as provide daily meals to Pooja and her siblings.

Lakshmi

Lakshmi has been sponsored for over six years in our tutoring and “family help” ministry. She is one of seven siblings and is the only one currently sponsored by Love Basket.

Your gift of $21 per month will help us feed and educate one of Lakshmi’s siblings — and continue to help the family with basic items such as blankets, soap, dental supplies and personal care items.
 

Harish

Harish is a 6 year old little Hindu boy in need of sponsorship. His father is a shop helper earning around $52 per month; his mother does not have a job. Harish, his parents, brother and sister all live in a one room home without a kitchen, and of course they share the bathroom (with no running water) with 8 other tenants.

Your gift of $21 per month will allow Harish to come to Anurag and receive a hot meal and milk every day, clean water to drink, as well as supply other practical needs for his family. Every sponsored child also receives services from the medical clinic such as Hepatitis vaccines. Most importantly Harish will be exposed to the gospel on a daily basis.


Meera

At age 14, Meera simply radiates joy and promise — and is representative of how we can touch lives thousands of miles away for just a few dollars per month.

Meera’s father is an office worker and her mother takes in ironing to help meet the needs of this family of seven. Filling the gap, Anurag has helped Meera’s parents meet her physical and spiritual needs on a daily basis for almost ten years.

Tutoring and Bible classes, health clinics and our feeding program have made a substantial and significant impact on Meera’s life to this point.

Your gift of $21 per month will insure Meera’s continued enrollment in Anurag’s outreach programs

Sponsorship Program Contact Person: Nona Alderson NonaA@LoveBasket.org

Love Basket Inc. 10306 Business 21 Hillsboro, MO 63050
Phone 636.797.4100 Fax 636.789.4978 Info@LoveBasket.org

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