As she knelt to wash tiny, three-year-old Harshita, Glory Diana felt hot tears roll down her cheeks. “What have I gotten myself into?” she wondered.
Just that afternoon, some officials had brought Harshita to Agape Fellowship Home and asked them to take care of her. Pastor Tonglen and Glory Diana willingly agreed. But now, with fewer than 12 hours in their home, she had already become violent, biting and cussing at the other children. She was filthy from living on the streets, but was making a bath nearly impossible with all of her punching and kicking.
Glory Diana didn’t even know Harshita’s language. How could she comfort her?
As she recalled the story years later, Glory Diana described day after day of meetings with the teachers at school because of Harshita’s bad behavior and foul language. She told stories of theft and lies and bed wetting. She sighed, remembering the weariness of that season.
But then she began to smile. “But God has really changed her,” she said.
And I could see that.
When I met Harshita, a year had passed since that traumatic bath experience. Though she maintains a feisty nature, Harshita can be endearing, too. When we come to visit, she always offers to share the snack we bring her…first with her “mother,” and then with our team members. She has learned to stay within the healthy boundaries set for her at Agape, doing her homework and pitching in with chores. And when she prays, it feels like the very throne room of God opens to her voice. She exhibits a sincerity and a passion I don’t believe exists apart from a history of pain.
God has, indeed, really changed her—just as he has the many children who’ve lived at Agape, past and present. Thanks to the humble offering of faith by Pastor Tonglen and Glory Diana, God has displayed His glory by changing orphans’ lives right in front of their community.
But right now, they need your help.
In the last five years, Pastor Tonglen and Glory Diana have had to move the twelve orphans in their care three times. And their current landlord has told them he’d like to tear down the house they’re in so he could build an apartment building in its place.
Not only is this stressful for these hard-working house parents, but it’s also very disruptive for their children who, in the midst of healing from trauma, are forced to change schools and relationships constantly.
We’ve decided that’s enough. They need a place of their own!
Some generous donors met Pastor Tonglen and were so touched by his ministry that they have donated $47,000 toward a home for this amazing work. What’s more, they’ve pledged to match every dollar you give through the end of the year, up to an additional $20,000! If you help us make the most of this matching grant, we’ll have the $87,000 necessary to provide a permanent home for this powerful ministry to orphans.
So we’re looking for big-hearted donors like you to contribute, making a life-changing investment in Agape Fellowship Home. Remember, your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar, going twice as far!
Please let Pastor Tonglen and Glory Diana know you’re with them as they minister to orphans in Bangalore by contributing to this home today. Just visit www.boazproject.org/agape to make your donation.
Thanks for providing a stable environment for the kids of Agape!
Believing in miracles,
April Jurgensen
Founder/Executive Director
The Boaz Project, Inc.
P.S.—You can also visit www.boazproject.org/agape for updates as we try to make use of the full $20,000 matching grant by Dec. 31st!