This year in 2012:

Three of the children we are especially close to will turn 18, Neha, Caleb, and Preeti! We met them when they were 13, and have had the incredible privilege of witnessing their teenage growth. Each of them has become a "Masih ke chela," a disciple of Christ, and each of them is on a unique journey toward Him. We thought it might be special to share a little about each of them with you, and invite you to pray for one or all of them, as the Lord leads you . . .

Neha:

She calls us Mummy and Papa. Her own mother happily approved these titles a couple of years ago. She said that Neha had enough "Auntie's" in her life, and that she would be happy to know that she had a second mother watching over her. Neha is from a small village near Manali with only two or three believers in it, all from her own family. She remembers bowing down to the idols as they passed through the village or when she saw them in town. She used to tell her friends to do the same. When she was 6 years old she was given an opportunity to attend the Christian school here in Manali. She spent the next 10 years living in a hostel near the school. Though she battled feelings of anger and hurt over being sent away from her home at such a young age, she also sees beauty in the opportunity she had to meet the Lord. She asked me to pray with her to receive Jesus as her Savior in October, 2009. She continues to be a light in our lives, growing in her relationship with the Lord in ways that fill us with awe and hope.

Caleb:

Caleb captured my heart early on with his shy disposition and talent for music and art. After getting to know him through choir at school, he began attending youth group in the spring of 2009. He accepted the Lord a few months later and began a shaky but truth-gripping journey of faith. We have watched Caleb soar to beautiful heights in his guitar playing, knowledge of scripture, and maturing personality. Other children cling to him, wanting to be just like him in every way. As a child growing up in a children's home, he is good at burying his hurts and feelings. With us he has opened up more and more, and last month wrote in a letter that he sees us as Godparents in his life, a priceless gift of words that blessed us so much. But he has really struggled this past year, which has caused a deep ache for him in our hearts. Though he seems to be at a steady place right now, we are always praying that his foundation will become firm, that he will truly love God more than any other thing, and that he will totally accept the Lord's unconditional love for him.

Preeti:

A miracle of LIFE . . .As my student in 8th and 9th grades, Preeti used to love telling me about her Hindu gods, how powerful they were, how she worshipped them, how she didn't care about this Jesus I talked about. When I taught the song "Hosanna" to my choir students, some of them told me that Preeti sang the song to her gods in the temple. She was brash and hard and rude. She fought with anyone who challenged her, and she was willing to try anything. About two years ago, Preeti's mother accepted Christ and began attending church. This opened up a way for Preeti to also visit the church, and her friends invited her to youth group. Soon she was in our house as often as the others were, though still very clear about her stance against Christianity. Slowly the Lord started working on her. One of the turning points in her life as I see it was a period of time that she spent with one of our volunteers (and a dear friend from home), Casey. Casey offered to explain who this Jesus was to her through a carefully planned survey of the gospels. Surprisingly, Preeti was really happy about having this time with Casey and looked forward to her lessons every week. After Casey moved back to the States, I would ask Preeti periodically if she had made a decision to follow Christ. I never pushed her and always urged her to make a choice only for herself, not for me or for anyone else. At some point I knew the change had already taken place in her heart. Shortly after, she admitted to me that she had given her life to the one true God. We have not seen a clearer, more magnificent change in anyone else. Though like all of us she sometimes battles her old self, we have no doubts about where Preeti will stand . . .surely on the solid rock of Christ, forever.

These children represent the reason we are living here. Because of them we urge you to continue praying. Please pray that God will strengthen and protect them, that He will lead them in all His ways, that He will shine His light through them so that others may also see how great and worthy and wonderful He is. Pray for us, too, that He will fill us with more and more of Himself, that He will guide us and give us more love and more wisdom. Thank you! Thank you so very much. With love and joy . . .G and C.