The Enabled Project is the only organization in the rural villages of India providing care and services for children with special needs and their families. As such, it is critical in preventing children with special needs from being orphaned, mitigating the orphan crisis in India.
First, A Story
The following is a true story of how showing Christ-like love to a girl with special needs saved her from being orphaned.
A pastor walked the same route to his church every day. He noticed a girl sitting on the side of the road, in the same spot, day after day. The girl had polio, and could not walk.
The pastor found the girl’s parents and asked, “Can I bring your daughter to my church?” The parents replied, “You can, but she cannot walk. We have to tend to our fields all day, so we cannot take her.”
The pastor then said, “I will take her myself.” And that is just what he did. Each day, the pastor carried the girl on his back to the church—a distance of two kilometers.
The girl’s parents began to notice a change in their daughter. She was happy! Very happy! Seeing this change softened their hearts toward her. They decided to visit the church to see what it was all about. Soon after, both of her parents put their faith in Jesus!
Her father was so excited about his new faith that he soon led the rest of his family and 17 others from his community to faith in Jesus. Today, her father is a local faith leader, boldly sharing Jesus with others in his village.
The Struggle
With one of the highest populations on earth, India spends less per person on health care than any other country in the world. This is despite having some of the world’s most significant health needs. Access to healthcare for people with disabilities is virtually non-existent and is of particular concern.
In India’s rural villages, a lack of resource or infrastructure is only part of the issue. In many places, traditional taboo can prevent members of a higher caste from association with a Dalit (an untouchable), a widow, or someone with a disability. Sometimes it is even forbidden to eat, drink, or share proximity with them. There can be an active disregard for those who suffer due to the belief that difficult situations are a consequence of supposed transgressions in a past life. Unfortunately, this often contributes to entrenched stigma and disadvantage.
Enabled Project: A Way Forward
Pioneers’ Enabled Project works in this complex environment to respectfully empower the local community to consider an alternative response to their challenges, while also offering support, practical care, and a restoration of dignity for all people regardless of race, religion, caste or disability status.
The Enabled Project’s team of doctors, community health workers, disability therapists and development professionals introduce and establish quality care in some of the world’s most remote communities. The geographical challenges of working in this isolated region can seem overwhelming. However, through a passionate commitment to the value of each person, and to the establishment of a sustainable and collaborative model of care, the Enabled Project is discovering a way forward.
The Bless Foundation
The Bless Foundation is a Christian non-profit organization that focuses on the Unreached. The definition of “unreached” is any people group that is less than 2% Christian. 41% of the world’s total people groups are considered unreached.
From the beginning, The Bless Foundation has given priority to a part of the world nicknamed the “10/40 Window”. The 10/40 Window is simply a term used to describe a region of the world within 10 and 40 degrees latitude from Western Africa to Eastern Asia. The 65 countries that make up this region involve the majority of humanitarian crises and people who have not had an opportunity to hear the Gospel live here.
The Enabled Project is one of five beneficiary organizations the Bless Foundation is partnering with during 2018. The mission is to help improve conditions in five areas of need:
Fighting Human Trafficking, Ending the Orphan Crisis, Mobilizing Cross-Cultural Workers,
Advancing the Gospel and Supplying Life Sustaining Resources.
Your support of The Bless Foundation will allow the Enabled Project to continue writing stories like this. For more information or to give a gift, please visit: https://www.theblessfoundation.org/
Matthew 28:16-20 New International Version (NIV)
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Article first published on Austin Christian Voice
