Help Orphans In India (GSAM General Fund)

Over the last few months, life at the Good Shepherd Agricultural Mission has settled into its familiar monsoon rhythm. Most days are hot and humid, wet and humid, or somehow all three at once! Everyone is well, and we are grateful to report that the rains have caused no serious problems for us so far this year.

Our new drainage system is working extremely well and has made a tremendous difference around the campus. Our old dining room continues to leak badly whenever the rain is heavy, but this has been a longstanding problem and will be a significant challenge to repair properly. For now, we are managing it as best we can and are thankful that everything else is holding up well.

The monsoon naturally slows life down a little. The children spend more time in the hostels and common areas, continuing with school, homework, reading, games and their usual routines. When government rain closures have temporarily shut schools across the district, our teachers have continued lessons online. Because our children live so close to the school, they have even been able to walk across the campus and join some of those lessons from the classrooms while their classmates connected from home.

While people may slow down during the monsoon, the plants certainly do not. Everything bursts into life. Grass, weeds and bushes seem to grow almost faster than we can cut them, so our lawnmowers and brush cutters are running throughout the week whenever the weather allows. The paths also develop a slippery green coating remarkably quickly, creating plenty of scrubbing and cleaning work around the school and hostels. It is hot, sweaty and never-ending work, but it cannot be avoided.

These may not be dramatic months, but they are good ones. The children are safe, healthy and continuing with their education, while the Mission quietly carries on around them.

Thank you for continuing to stand with the children of GSAM. Your generosity supports not only the major milestones, but also the meals, education, care, maintenance and countless ordinary days that make this place their home. We are deeply grateful to have you walking alongside us.