WIDOWS & ELDERLY
Without a husband or provider, widows are destitute and often homeless. Following the Biblical mandate of James 1:27, Bless India supports these women, as well as needy elderly couples by providing a home for them in Gadjuwaka. Some have come to live and help in the orphanage and school, and find joy in serving God in this way.

 

EVERY DAY
On July 5, 2007, CNN ran an article titled, “Shunned by Society, Widows Flock to City to Die.”  In the article, Arwa Damon describes the horrors suffered by India’s estimated 40 million widows.  The author writes, “Ostracized by society, thousands of India's widows flock to the holy city of Vrindavan waiting to die. They are found on side streets, hunched over with walking canes, their heads shaved and their pain etched by hundreds of deep wrinkles in their faces.
“These Hindu widows, the poorest of the poor, are shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition -- and because they're seen as a financial drain on their families.  They cannot remarry. They must not wear jewelry. They are forced to shave their heads and typically wear white. Even their shadows are considered bad luck.  Hindus have long believed that death in Vrindavan will free them from the cycle of life and death. For widows, they hope death will save them from being condemned to such a life again.”  The author goes on to describe 70-year-old Rada Rani Biswas. She writes, "Biswas speaks with a strong voice, but her spirit is broken. When her husband of 50 years died, she was instantly ostracized by all those she thought loved her, including her son.  ‘My son tells me: '’You have grown old. Now who is going to feed you? Go away," she says, her eyes filling with tears. "What do I do? My pain has no limit."

At Christ the King of Kings Ministries , widows and elderly alike are given safe homes, food, clothing, and medical care.  They are given compassion, love, and respect.  They are able to contribute to the ministry with simple and fulfilling tasks.  But most importantly of all, they are given the ultimate Hope—life in Jesus.  They can be the bride of Christ, tenderly cared for all the days of their life and beyond!

THE BEGINNING & FUTURE
The ministry with widows and elderly people grew as a natural expansion of the orphanage.  While they have not been a major focus of current building projects, they have enjoyed steady growth and will have more room to increase when the orphanage moves to their new facility.

PRAY!

• Pastor Mekala would love to purchase embroidery machines for the widows.  Pray that God would lead in this project and provide the funds if it be His will.
• That every widow and elderly person would thrive in the Lord!