A Bright Light In The Slums

On the outskirts of Delhi, entire communities of people exist on the fringes of society. The name “trash dump villages” is given because the surroundings have been reduced to a dumping ground. The village is built inside of the trash dump. The people collect the trash and work to segregate the plastic, paper and metal for recycling; that is their earnings for their livelihood. Others living in the slum are laborers, rag pickers and street beggars.

Pastor A. Vashi was called to start a church in the trash dump village in 2012. Of the 50,000 people living in the slum, almost half are children. The literacy rate is only 23%, which makes educating the children a very difficult task. Vashi created and runs a literacy and Bible education program which directly impacts the lives of hundreds of children. The New Life English School has a makeshift classroom in a partially collapsed mud brick house. The children are particularly at risk of disease, malnutrition, abuse and human traffickers. Despite the threats from neighboring Hindus and sometimes even the government, Vashi feels called to help these communities and especially the children. The people in these poor communities are receptive to the Gospel and open to the help the Christian community provides.

Pastor Vashi’s eyes light up when he describes stories of change and hope in the lives of these people. He sees great potential for the Gospel to take root in the children and the adults. H.I.M. and pastor Vashi hope to raise more support to continue working in the trash dump village and to grow the New Life English School. We are asking for prayers and financial support for their basic needs to be met, enough study materials and better facilities for the children.