What's it all about?

40 nights for the orphans of India. My 'Lent in a Tent' is about raising hugely needed funds for 'Shining Faces in India' orphanage in Salem, Tamil Nadhu, by sleeping ouside the Chaplaincy at King's Bruton for 40 nights. My target is at least £10,000 - which amazingly is only enough to feed the hundreds of children there for about two months.

I hope that many might be inspired to trade 40 pounds for my 40 nights. Actually, in the back of my mind I'm convinced that we could smash through the target and go much much further ... I wonder.

Sunday 24 February 2013

For the safety of Vanitha ... night 19/40

Well I'm just back late after a fantastic visit to preach at a school near Worcester. Abberley Hall is its name, and what a school it is. Quite a gem! They just do things with excellence. But more than that, today the Head also decided to put a stake in the ground on behalf of his school and at the end of the service took a collection for the orphanage. I've no idea what was received, but for now my heart is warmer for the kindness shown.

Because it's late I thought I'd simply introduce you to another gem - a character who has been like a precious jewel to our team in India as I type. This is Vanitha ...


She's at the orphanage to work because her husband is violent towards her. She looks after a group of young children, and her own two boys are housed in the boys' hostel. One of the things she's doing is playing 'Mum' to our team - looking out for them and cooking every meal for them.  When I last spoke to Sam, my son, he said just how attached they had all become to dear Vanitha.

Actually, he says it as 'Van-eater'. That's because they could never remember her name so I suggested, 'Think of a woman who eats vans'. From then on she was Van-eater!

The terrible truth of the matter, though, is that Vanitha is doing the cooking because the last beautiful lady, Vesenthi, is no longer at the orphanage. She's no longer in this world. Her husband, also violent, burnt her to death with kerosene, and killed himself in the process.

I met Vasenthi's newly orphaned son, and her mother, on my last visit. Can you begin to imagine the depth of urge to help?

This little venture, Lent in a Tent, is just one way we can make a difference to hundreds of unknown lives; but also to known lives ... lives we've touched and been touched by ... like Vasenthi and now Vanitha.

If you'd like to reach out and touch in a practical way, then please ...

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