Projects in India:
- Children’s Home: 30 children are receiving food, clothing and books.
- Primary School: 270+ children are being educated free of charge.
- 100 Pastors in the remote villages receive monthly financial assistance and spiritual training.
- 20 AIDS/HIV Families receive groceries on a monthly basis.
- 40 destitute widows receive financial aid monthly.
THE NEED:
India is the second most populous country in the world with a population of 1.03 billion. Of the estimated 400 million children, 300,000-500,000 are in prostitution, while 47% under age three are malnourished. There continues to be a high incidence of child labor and unschooled children, and girls remain particularly disadvantaged.
Of the 496,453,556 females living in India, 8% (40 million) women are widows. Many widows are forced to beg for money in India to pay for food, as there is no government structure to aid this huge segment of the population. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, where Love and Hope Ministries is located, the female population is 37,682,594. Out of this 37-plus million, 8% (1.5 million) are widows.
Land and Climate: India, covering 1,269,219 square miles, is roughly one third the size of the United States. Most of the country experiences three basic seasons: hot summer (March-May), rainy (June-October), and cool winter (November-February). Temperatures rarely go below 40°F in January or reach above 100°F during the summer.
Language: India is home to several hundred languages, of which 33 have 100,000 or more speakers. Eighteen languages have official status: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sindhi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Hindi is the national language spoken by at least 30% of the population. English is also the official language, and is the language of government, business, science, education and national communication.
Religion: India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It is also an adopted home for Zoroastrianism. About 80% of Indians are Hindu.
Food: Diet depends on region. Rice is the main staple in South India and wheat bread (roti) is the main staple in North India. Indian food is usually hot and spicy. Different types of curry (eggs, fish, meat, or vegetables in a spicy sauce) are popular.
(Source: Culturegram, Vol. 4, Orem, UT: Axiom Press, 2004).
Projected Expenses for a Mission Trip to India:
Airplane ticket = $1,800
Air-ticket within India = $100
Visa fee = $100
Travel shots (first-time visitors) = $500
Food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) = $30 per day
Accommodations = $40 per day
Transportation within India
(Rental car, driver, gas, etc) = $30 per day
Miscellaneous expenses = $100
Total Price = approximately $3,400 per person for ten days for first-time travelers.
Total Price = approximately $2,900 per person for ten days for others.
Note: There may be an increase in the expenses due to currency exchange or the season of the year that we are traveling. Love and Hope is not responsible for the changes in price.
Destination: Eluru
State: Andhra Pradesh, India
Duration of the trip: 12 days including travel
Dates: December 1-12
Team Leader: Pastor Wayne
Host: Dr. Jabez Rapaka, Love and Hope Ministries
The tentative work we will do while we are in India:
- Sharing the love of Jesus to children in Love and Hope Children’s Home.
- Sharing the love of Jesus to children of Love and Hope Public School.
- Distributing clothes to widows, children, HIV/AIDS patients and the elderly.
- Conducting a pastors’ conference to strengthen and encourage the Indian pastors and their spouses.
- Visiting various Indian villages to share the Gospel and visiting churches to strengthen the local believers.
Tentative Schedule for India Trip- December 2019
Note: Schedule is subject to change based on the circumstances on the ground
|
Date |
Day |
Place/Morning |
Place/Evening |
|
December 1, 2019 |
Sunday |
Departure to NY |
Departure from NY |
|
December 2, 2019 |
Monday |
In the air |
Departure from Dubai |
|
December 3, 2019 |
Tuesday |
Arrival in India/Travel to Love and Hope Head quarters from the airport |
Rest |
|
December 4, 2019 |
Wednesday |
Pastors’ Conference (10am -5 pm) |
Rest |
|
December 5, 2019 |
Thursday |
Pastors’ Conference (10 am -5 pm) |
Rest |
|
December 6, 2019 |
Friday |
Ministering to Love and Hope School Children |
Gospel Meeting in Village 1 |
|
December 7, 2019 |
Saturday |
Rest |
HIV/AIDS project |
|
December 8, 2019 |
Sunday |
Sunday Services |
Rest |
|
December 9, 2019 |
Monday |
Meeting with Love and Hope School Teachers |
Gospel Meeting in Village 2 |
|
December 10, 2019 |
Tuesday |
Rest |
Love and Hope Children’s home & School staff Christmas party |
|
December 11, 2019 |
Wednesday |
Travel to Airport |
Return from India |
|
December 12, 2019 |
Thursday |
In the air |
Return to Virginia Beach |