Living in a home without much free space is always a hot topic in Hong Kong. High population density and rising land prices make people moan and groan. However when relating to the slum families in India, those in India are suffering from many other problems apart from having no free space. Currently there are 65 million slum dwellers in India who make a very low income and thus every day have to struggle with desperate living conditions, insecure environment, and very limited healthcare protection and education resources.
People struggling alone in desperate living conditions can easily feel hopeless, but when they find a companion along the way, hope resurges. CEDAR’s partner Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief (EFICOR) faithfully responds to God’s calling all these years and commits to walk with the poor and disadvantaged communities in the slum of Sri Ram Colony.
From darkness into light
Bhur is a mother of four and she suffered from eye diseases in the past. She shares with us, “My husband earns only Rs. 3,000 per month, and we could not afford the cost of Rs. 15,000 for the eye operation. With the help from EFICOR, the operation cost is reduced to only Rs. 1,000.” In this February, Bhur had her eye operation which not only restores her sight, but also let her and her family find a light of hope.
Dream comes true
Ruksar was born in an impoverished family with nine siblings. She has discontinued schooling after Primary 3 and started to work for living since then. She said gratefully, “Before I joined the Cutting and Tailoring programme of EFICOR, I only did some embroidery work at home. In the vocational classes, I learned how to sew and found my own dream. Now, I am a tailor, able to earn more income and even make clothing for my family members.”
The helpless found security
Shakila and Zamalludin is a middle-aged couple. Shakila’s left limb is paralysed and her husband Zamaluudin’s right eye is blind. Because of physical disability, they can only make meagre earnings from running a simple and crude grocery store to provide for the living of their nine children. They said, “In the past, we did not know what kind of assistance we can obtain from the government, until EFICOR guided us how to apply for the disability certificate, and with it we can now obtain special allowance and proper medical care service. We are very happy and grateful.”
From their stories we learn how God give hope to the impoverished families through the service of frontline co-workers. Are you willing to walk with the urban impoverished communities in India?
Pray for them:
- EFICOR’s Sri Ram community development programme has transformed from “service provision” to “community empowerment”, mainly providing organisational and management training to dwellers’ association, strengthening pre- and postnatal care support, and increasing employment opportunities for women and youngsters. Pray that EFICOR’s slum project will be developed continually to bless more slum dwellers;
- Pray for restoration in the relationship of Indian slum dwellers with God, other people and their societies to bring them hope and renewal;
- Pray that more churches and believers in Hong Kong will open their eyes to the world, concern more for the needs of the poor and disadvantaged communities in poor nations, and walk with them with prayers and actions.
Step up and move the world for them:
- Come and join CEDAR’s Barefoot Walk on 8 November, to walk with the urban slum dwellers in India, eradicating poverty together! Please visit www.cedarwalk.org and register online.