Tapestry updated December 15, 2024
Desiring to be a useful thread in the tapestry that God is weaving for humanity
If this matters to you, and you want to team with us to provide for a Rose Scholar, commit to providing just $15 month. You can give monthly, quarterly, annually ~ whatever works for you. Please give as you can ~ designate it for "Rose Scholars" ~ and every penny of what you give will go to provide for a Rose Scholar in Jesus' name.
Brent writing...
My first several trips to India, children in general, girls in particular, were not on my agenda. The main objective of the first trip was to help facilitate our adopting of a little girl, named Komal, as well to help other families from church in their desire to adopt. Along the way (and over the years, much to my shame and regret) I slowly began to comprehend that there was often something wrong with the way girls were valued and treated. From time to time, I would see signs and billboards that proclaimed "Save the girl child," and often wondered what that was about. Finally, in late 2013, I started reading about the problem, which is much bigger and too complex for me to write even half of what I learned. If you really want to understand more about this problem go to http://www.savegirlchild.org/ which is from an Indian perspective. You can also read the book "Half the Sky". While not written from a Christian perspective it will, nevertheless, help you understand more. Doing an internet search on "treatment of girls in India" will provide hours, or even days, of reading. Of course the most accurate information comes from getting to know the Indian people and hearing their personal stories. After doing so, you will become as passionate as I am about changing the culture in as many homes and villages as I can.
Tapestry is currently giving families monthly $15 stipends to keep their daughters in school. As of August 2023, we have four born-again women who act as overseers, each taking responsibility for up to twelve girls who are referred to as "Rose Scholars." At the end of each month school attendance is checked. There is a twenty five cent penalty for absences of over two days. The overseer gives the stipend to the girl's mother (or whoever is responsible for the girl). For families who typically live on $300 to $500 a year, $150 a year is a huge blessing. The money is used at the mother's discretion, mostly for the things necessary for the girl to stay in school, such as clothing, food, medicine, transportation, books, and other school supplies.
Without help, many girls are taken out of school to work in the fields, or to care for other siblings while her mom goes to work.
This stipend helps families survive and gives hope for the future. It also helps keep the family intact and in their home village. When there are 20 or more Rose Scholars in a village of 300 to 500 hundred people, it can make an incredible, short term, difference to everyone in the village. When educated girls grow to be the foundation of the village, the blessing is even greater and longer lasting.
Yet...
The main objectives are not education or economics. The three main objectives of our Rose Scholarship effort are:
- To communicate VALUE
- To communicate LOVE
- To offer DISCIPLESHIP-EDUCATION- OPPORTUNITY
Unfortunately, in many impoverished village settings around the world, the birth of a girl is often seen as a cause for mourning; especially if she is the second, third, or fourth daughter. Sometimes there is pressure from the extended family for a husband to divorce the "offending" wife, or for the mom to expose her new born girl to the elements. We want to speak into each Rose Scholar's life, "You are valuable! You are incredibly precious! You are treasured!" We want to fundamentally impact the way the family and the village, values girls.
While a stipend can add financial value to a girl's life, it doesn't mean that she is loved. However, even if a Rose Scholar never experiences love in her home, she knows that I love her, and that there is a sponsor on the other side of the world who loves her; who is caring, praying, and providing for her. Most importantly, she will come to know that Yahveh God, the one Who dreamed her up, knit her together in her mother's womb, and gave her life; loves her and hears her prayers! This stipend shouts "LOVE!" The last time I was in India almost half of the Rose Scholars broke down in tears of love and gratitude. For many girls, feeling loved is a rare experience.
Our overseers are in regular contact with the Rose Scholars, to reinforce that value and love, as well as to be available to disciple the girls. This is why it is so important for each overseer to be Born-Again, not just a nice person who loves kids. We don't want overseers who are cultural Christians, but women who have been transformed by the renewing of their minds; which happens when someone is born-again from above.
Learning math is way down the list... (smile)
None of us know what the future will hold, but with God's help, we will do our best to support a Rose Scholar until she has completed her schooling. For some of our girls that may be fifteen years or more.
Some of our Roses
