Dear Family & Friends

I want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. My hope and prayer is that each of you will be blessed this holiday season and that 2009 will be a year where each of you find fulfillment.

This has been a tough year for members of our own family. We are dealing with many obstacles including reduced finances, loss of employment as well as health issues. One good thing about adversity is that it forces us to re-evaluate what is really important in life.

Each month I receive an email from Joseph Thomas who cares for the children we support through the Joshua Tree. With your support we are making a difference. The children we support face an economic crisis every day.

They aren’t worried about losing a job or their house, because they live on the street underneath a piece of plastic or some cardboard. They just want something to eat, some shoes to wear, a blanket when it’s cold outside and maybe a chance to go to school.

I have included an excerpt from Joseph’s recent email describing how the Joshua Tree funds are being used. Joseph and his wife Sundri were orphans themselves. His English is broken but I think that it is important for you to hear what he has to say in his own words……

DAD we are doing well and we are spending our time in the ministry for the leper colony slum ministry , This is going to be a dream fulfil of my brother Joshua in India , we will reach many children who are needy. I remember our past days in the orphanage. I and Sundri we were hungry for food many time we use to cry for meals but today only because of the Joshua Tree we could be a channel of blessing to other children in the midst of our own people. DAD we love you and you have transformed our life with you efforts , and you have did great importation into our lives by helping us and encouraging us for the ministry of God. today we are working as a team for many people we have 5 volunteer we are helping them and we have 6 children. dad we help them in their education we pay their tuition fees and stationary every month. we do school ministry we pray for these children that these children will one day go to the Bible college to get the knowledge of GODS word and become a great leaders with the help of your prayers and support , pray for them their names are PRERNA , JYOT I , KA MINI, AND LALITA , RAJAT, MANOHAR AND SURAJ, THEY ALL ARE getting support for school fees from the Joshua Tree (please see attached photo)

Your Son Joseph

Thank you on behalf of the Faridabad leper colony children!