HOPE IN INDIA
Last month, we had the opportunity to visit The Shelter in Cuttack, India. This very special place has provided help for children in need for over 100 years, and it continues today because of donors like you. Founded by locals and missionaries in the early twentieth century, The Shelter remains one of the brightest spots of hope in the Church of God Movement.
Walking through the doors, we were immediately struck by the spirit of the place. Every one of the girls has faced lives of extreme poverty, addiction, abuse, and even sexual exploitation. Yet the first feeling our team experienced was joy. The Shelter stands as more than a building; it is a refuge, a place where girls can rest in safety, focus on their studies, and learn to dream.
Dreamers like Sukurmani. Now 13, Sukurmani’s journey to The Shelter was unique. In fact, we told her she needs to write it all down someday because her biography would sell many copies! Her parents had been facing many difficulties caused by the extreme poverty of their village. This multiplied when her father was struck by lightning and died. Her mother could not cope with the pain of his loss and renewed pressures as a caretaker and would disappear for days at a time. This led to Sukurmani’s nomination to be a resident at The Shelter.
Transitions like these are not always easy. Young children do not always understand the strife of their parents’ situation. But through the tireless work of Director Samarpita and her team, and your ongoing support, kids like Sukurmani slowly learn to dream again.
Now dreaming is a habit. Sukurmani is a healthy teenager with athletic prowess beyond her peers. She is the junior grand champion of track and field at her school and was so proud to show us all her awards. She loves history and Hindi class and dreams of being a police officer when she is done with school so she can help other families like hers in the future.
What makes The Shelter especially impactful is the way it creates an ecosystem of wholeness for girls to grow up in. These girls live in The Shelter eleven months out of the year. They dream together. Cry together. Dance and grow up together. For kids living without hope or options, The Shelter remains an enclave of hope tucked away in the busy streets of Cuttack.
Cuttack, a one-thousand-year-old city, suffers from a lack of resources for its nearly one million residents. A city jammed onto a small river island, resources are limited, and the need is constant. Yet in the middle of that reality, The Shelter stands as a reminder that targeted, faithful support changes real lives one child at a time.
This visit reinforced why your partnership matters so much. Because of your generosity, places like The Shelter can remain open, staffed, and responsive to urgent needs. Your support does not disappear into a system; it shows up in beds, meals, education, and hope.
As we left, we were reminded that lasting change doesn’t always start with massive programs. Sometimes it starts with a simple idea: to make space for the vulnerable, paired with a community willing to tend to their potential. One hundred ten years of cultivation have yielded generations of dreamers throughout India and the world. A story of wholeness born through adversity and nurtured through the love of supporters like you.
COME SEE THE STORY FOR YOURSELF!
Stories like Sukurmani’s are shaped through presence. That is why Children of Promise regularly invites sponsors and friends to travel with us and experience the work firsthand. Every three years, we personally visit every sponsored child to listen, encourage, and strengthen relationships with the local leaders who care for them.
Step into the story.
Trips with Children of Promise are all-inclusive, including airfare, in-country transportation, lodging, meals, and opportunities to meet children and volunteers. Guests assist our staff with the child interviews we do every three years. While travel can be demanding, seeing how faithful support creates safety, dignity, and hope makes the journey meaningful. Whether you travel or continue supporting from home, your partnership helps sustain stories like this one.
See why so many people return after their first CofP trip! Sometimes lasting change begins with a simple idea. Sometimes it deepens when you step into the story and see for yourself.
Visit www.childrenofpromise.global/trips to see all our upcoming trips and for more information on the purpose of our travel. Questions? Contact our team at info@childrenofpromise.global or invite us to your church to share more about these life-changing trips.
Peace,
Leave a Comment