Southern India
Simon and Sarah Devaraj
Sarah became a Christian and grew up in BEC. She met Simon Devaraj whilst undertaking theological studies at Moorlands College and they later married. Now they along with other members of Simon’s family, are working in the Bethesda Project, which is situated in the Chinna Kalvarayan Hills of Tamilnadu in central southern India. Blandford Evangelical is a part of the network of those who provide financial, practical and prayer support for the Project.
The goals of the Project are:-
- To provide quality, balanced education to local tribal children in a Christian environment.
- To provide care and support for orphaned and destitute children, offering a long-term and secure future through the children’s home.
- To build and nurture a local community of believers through the church and engage in village evangelism.
The Union Church building itself, was built between 1971 -73 as the first expression of missionary endeavour by Simon’s parents. In 1978 a residential agricultural training programme was established for young men, made possible by a large donation from a retiring missionary couple. The project was then sponsored by Tearfund through EFICOR. This project was very successful and as a result, eventually became redundant, having led to major improvements in local agricultural practices. This led to a new use for the facilities.
Hannah, Sarah, Josh, Simon, Matthew 2008
In 1989 the Gnana Deepam Matriculation School was first established, and now provides education for almost 600 children from 3 years old up to year 10, at which point the children take government exams. The children’s home, which is an important part of the Project, provides a home for over 30 orphaned or destitute children, whilst the Bethesda Project also provides residential boarding facilities and care for tribal children from isolated villages that are beyond the catchment area of the two school buses.
Early students from the school are going on to higher education in Salem and one girl is now studying medicine in China, to become a doctor. BEC is part of the ongoing support for this student named Rachel.
