Lighting and thunder are not uncommon to Georgia and also not unusual in Nagpur during monsoon season. It is always sad when there is damage from a storm. Just as the new batch of students arrived, Prakash experience such an incident. The boys were quickly introduced to the work culture of PBI. Everyone works when there is a job to be done…rain or shine. A tree fell on the Trade Center during the storm and took off the window chhajja (concrete shingle eyebrow) so the students are put to work cleaning up the mess.
One good thing is that the smaller wood will be used in the outdoor kitchen and the rest sold. Don’t you just love the saw they have to use?
Nineteen year-old S….had just arrived and WOW this is life at Prakash! Joy, our General Director is always out in the middle of things so as he talked with S….he was intrigued by S….’s story.
Here is the dear boy’s account of his young life:
“I was born to a very poor family in a village on the border of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
I am the second child in the family. Even though we did not have a lot of money, we were happy. My father was a lorry driver
Whatever he was earning, that met the need of our family.
When I was studying in 4 standard, we lost the breadwinner of the family. My father was suddenly taken away from us due to gangrene of his leg. . It was very hard time for my mother to raise two growing children. To feed us she started working in the nearby chemical factory. She was allergic to the chemicals used in the factory and developed a very bad skin disease. The disease grew so much that she had to leave that job. Once again we faced very big financial problem. To meet the needs of the family, my mother started washing dishes in the neighborhood to take care of us. Somehow we both finished our school education. My sister got married to a nice Christian man and through him I am introduced and brought to Prakash Institute of India. I have a dream that I would experience complete change in my life and I would get right direction for my life as I study the Word of God this new thing Starting Point.
I have chosen the trade of Refrigeration/Air Conditioning. When I finish my studies I would like to help my family and contribute to building the Kingdom of God here on earth. I am eager to learn many things here at Prakash. I am so honored to be able to attend such a place as Prakash.”
Without YOU there would not be stories of transformed lives and opportunities for young men and women like S….
I will keep you all informed and will continue to try and write interesting and meaningful stories about India.