Compassion International visit
While here in Chennai, I visited a Compassion International work in the North part of Chennai. This slum was one that was deeply affected by the massive tsunami of two years ago. Driving to the site helped me understand why it could have been such trouble. Many of the squatters in this slum were affected because the waves took wiped all the coconut palm huts that were made for housing.
Most of the families here are the families of fisherman. In fact, when the tsunami came, the men were out on their boats fishing. The 200 or so children involved in this Compassion International work were at the church for a Christmas celebration. Thankfully the water came to only a few feet from the church and stopped.
Compassion International has over 240 projects, mostly in southern India, serving over 56,000 children. Most of these projects come in the form of a church based community center. The children that are selected are between the ages of 3-8, are usually orphans or semi-orphans, and whose families make less than 3,000 Rupees per month.
What a delight to see the kids perform for our little group of visiting dignitaries. Over 150 kids crammed into a small bamboo church. They were all well behaved and very cute. I was reminded that there is such joy, even among the poorest of the poor. In the West, we can condition happiness to our financial status, but even a quick visit to the slums can show how enslaving that can be.