Monday, January 28, 2019

Shilpa - An Update

Five years ago, we published a letter that was given to us from Shilpa.  She was a young woman who wrote her testimony telling how Christhia Seva Mission came to the aid of she and her mother.  In her testimony Shilpa described how she had to quit school at the age of 11 in order to work in the fields everyday to provide for the needs of her family.  Shilpa also tells of how Mathew Mathai, Director of CSM, learned she had left school and made arrangements with her mother that if Shilpa was permitted to return to school, Mathew and Mary Mathai would guarantee their food, shelter, clothing and school supply needs would be met.

Shilpa and her mother 2019

There have been some great things happen in the life of Shilpa since we first published her testimony.  First, she has completed school.   In her testimony, Shilpa indicated she wanted to attend nursing school.  Well, she did.  She also graduated with honors.  Today Shilpa has a job as a nurse in a major hospital near the Bengalaru Airport a few kilometers from her home.



Speaking of her home, in 2016 several of us had the opportunity
Shilpa, her mother and cousins
in front of their home.
to visit Shilpa's village to see the property she had obtained on which she would build a house.  We prayed with and for Shilpa and her mom that God would provide for her a home through which she would be able to honor and glorify Him.

Since then, the house has been completed. Shilpa, along with her mother, lives in this home.  Shilpa has most definitely found a way in which she can use this home to honor and glorify God.  In addition to housing Shilpa and her mother, she has taken in two
Shilpa serves on the worship
team at the church in
Shidalaghatta.
young cousins who find themselves in a similar situation to what Shilpa was in at their age.  Nisarga and Niharika are the daughters of Shilpa's cousin, but is not able to take care of them.  Shilpa is now providing these girls shelter, clothing, food and an education, passing along the same benefits she had also been provided.  These girls have been raised in a Hindu home.  Shilpa now has the opportunity to be the instrument through which they can see the love of Jesus in action..

It is gratifying to see someone like Shilpa who has seen the blessings God has provided her through CSM and who obediently has chosen to be an instrument through which God can use her to be a blessing to others.

May God be glorified in the lives of Shilpa's cousins as He is in hers.