First, my apologies. Our internet service has been off for several days. This is what happens in rural India during monsoon season. Periodically you lose service. It is interesting to note the panic that comes when service is absent, even for a few days. My, how addicted I am. It is good preparation though, for me, as the service in Panchsheel is non-existent and unless I get a working SIM Card, I will not be online until I reach the airport in Munich on my way home.
So, a good exercise in patience.
This is my last week in Padhar and I’ve been working hard to accomplish all the tasks I need to before I leave. This part of my work is really exciting: determining how we can address the needs of our schools. Dreams and plans begin to come into focus. Dollar amounts are proposed for each project. And the prospect of helping more children get an education starts to become a reality.
If the proposed budget is approved we will increase the number of schools we help from 3 to 5. We will increase the number of students we sponsor from 38 to 51 and the amount we give to equipment and supplies from $4800 to $6200. Overall it would be a 23% increase in our giving budget, but that is a figure I believe we can accomplish!