This is what the future of learning looks like for Achiever Academy in India!  Abundance! 

Thank you Whites Chapel Methodist Church in Southlake, TX, John Boelens, and many others for donating 10 new tablets loaded with cool new learning apps and 10 more refurbished laptop computers - all on the way to India this week.  And this year, we're also talking along a new projector, thanks to a generous donor. Now if we just had electricity all day ... hmmm. 

We continually accept used laptops and our tech-wizard volunteers can refurbish most anything! Even while we’re India, we can put our volunteers in contact with you and arrange to pick up or arrange other transport. We have friends coming & going to/from India throughout the ​year who will transport laptops so this is an offer that never expires!

​We hope you will prayerfully consider sharing our need with your friends, family, small groups, etc.  This makes a simple, free

​Garage Sale-ing for India! I REALLY dislike garage sales but look what 2 hrs of time produced just this morning!  Each year, Jim & I volunteer for a month with Acts of Mercy in Mahabalipuram, India. This will be our 8th summer and we’re counting down the weeks until we leave on June 3rd – actually my last day of school.  I know… my mother’s been telling me for years…. I’m officially crazy. But when I found an airfare that would save us $1600 if we left on June 3rd, I couldn’t pass it up. But that now means just under 4 short weeks as we prepare for teacher training, shop for school needs, and finalize the set-up of 10 new tablets, donated to Achiever Academy by the Faith Builders class of Whites Chapel Methodist Church in Southlake, TX.  Thank you!  And thank you to John Boelens, who tirelessly assists us with purchases, donations, refurbishing, trouble-shooting and downloading of apps for computers and tablets. You are our valued ministry-partner, John, and we truly couldn’t do it without you! 
 
So, facing the last weeks of school, a week in Seattle for Jim’s Vietnam reunion, and leaving for India, I have what seems to be a zillion more things to do before we go. So I was not looking forward to taking time to go garage sale shopping this morning.  But, like most detours God leads us on, within just a few minutes, we knew it was time well invested for His holy purpose. We know 

It was a great day at school today as we celebrated the annual Achiever Academy Chapel Dedication Service.  This is a very special service held in the first quarter of the school year with the purpose of dedicating the academic year, the children, and Achiever Academy to God. Parents, children, teachers - we all love this event. Brightly colored tents are erected to protect attendees from the heat. Parents, teachers, and community members attend with their children, with about 150  typically in attendance.  The children lead the ceremonies which include singing, prayers, national anthem and pledge, words of encouragement, and more.  Jim usually is asked to pray a prayer of dedication while I speak with the help of a translator. A few audience members speak English, most speak the local language of Tamil, and some speak other tribal languages from faraway places, understanding only our smiles and bowed heads. Most are Hindu, some are Muslim,

Today's message is simple and straight to the point. We need water. 

It's hard to believe that in the 21st Century, in a village on a peninsula surrounded by water, our children are thirsty, it's true. At our Chapel Dedication service yesterday, parents questioned why Achiever Academy leadership asks parents to provide drinking water for their children while at school. The Director explained that Indian government regulations prevent a non-profit school from providing water, food, etc. to students. He went on to explain that when the inspector examines school records and discover receipts for water, they require everyone who drinks this water to appear in person at the government office to swear they received the water, and thus prove the Director did not drink all the water himself.. This is India's answer to preventing corruption within non-profit organizations and while we respect the purpose, the devil is most certainly in the details. The parents were notified of the problem and asked to send drinking water for their children each day. Many of our parents cannot afford to purchase water and do not understand why the school cannot provide it. So the children come without water, the school cannot pay for it, and the result is, our children our thirsty.

It's hot here in southern India. Really, really hot. The latitude is about the same as Panama. Air conditioning is rare here in the village and nonexistent in schools. We spend hours each day without electricity to run fans in rooms with virtually no ventilation. 

The weeks fly by so quickly each year here in India and all too soon, it's time to say goodbye to our old and new friends. As we head for home tonight, we thought we might provide a few updates to some of the many things that we have experienced. 

Little Trisha – 4 year old girl from Calcutta who doesn't speak the local language. Trisha still cries for her mother from time to time but Venkat goes to her and comforts her when she does. Sometimes, he takes her from her class, so as not to disturb the others, and teaches her outside. He now has her writing numbers and the English alphabet for the first time ever! Last week, she ran up to me and smiled and said, “Good morning, Mam!” in English! She stands in the line with the other children and folds her hands and bows her head to pray the Lord's prayer. Venkat was a gift from God for little Trisha! Can't wait to see her next summer. 

Ashwani – A hindu Kindergarten student whose father was hospitalized after a motorcycle accident the first week we were here. Chitra came and got us as soon as she heard the news and together with a few other teachers, we prayed immediately. We then

 asked you to pray too and many reported to us they did so. Her father made a full recovery very quickly and her mother came to us a few days later to thank us for praying. Last week, little Ashwani came to me and in perfect English, thanked us for praying for her Daddy.

Our Daily Activities – Sometimes people ask us what we do while we're here. Most importantly, we engage in relationships. Each morning, we ask God to give us opportunities to reveal His love for others. Sometimes this becomes relationships with villagers, students, parents, teachers, and their families. We train teachers in English and instructional best practices. We sing and laugh a lot too! This year, we brought 10 E-Tablets loaded with Bible software and other educational apps. We deployed these in the school and trained the teachers in how to use them with all ages of students. They are a big hit with children and teachers alike! We also brought 3 laptop computers to add to the 10 we purchased/brought last year. If you've not had an opportunity to read the “Someone's Coming” blog, I encourage you to read the incredible story of the computer donation program. And, if you would like to donate a new or used laptop, or cash to purchase one, please let us know by clicking the“Contact Us” link above. In the evenings, we plan for the next day, write for the blog, answer emails, and sometimes even, walk on the beach. Our favorite beach is at Koklimedu, a nearby fishing village that was decimated by the tsunami in 2004 and where some of our beloved Achiever Academy children live. They welcome us warmly each time we visit and we've enjoyed watching the children grow up in our 6 summers here. Sometimes, we run into former students or teachers in the village who have moved on to other schools or villages. Often, shopkeepers and restaurant owners greet us as old friends. We feel loved and warmly accepted here. It always feels like we've come home again and it is hard to say goodbye.

We hope you've enjoyed our journey this summer and appreciate your prayers for us and our friends here. We have experienced so much more than we have had time to write about so we hope to continue blogging in the weeks and months to come. In the meantime, please continue to pray for the teachers, children, and staff of Acts of Mercy. 

If you are interested in learning more, or even perhaps, in joining us here in India next summer, we'd love to hear from you!  Send us an email by clicking on the link Contact Us above. All questions and interests are welcome! 

May God bless each of you and your families as richly as He has blessed us here in India.

Feeling Blessed,
Susan & Jim

"Someone's coming."

It was a familiar voice and a familiar message. I had heard the message several times before and it was comforting to hear it once again. Comforting for so many reasons: a new window to the world would be opened, lives could be changed, and yes, comforting because it meant I didn't have to figure out how to solve this problem.

The year was 2011 and the location was Achiever Academy in Mahaballipuram, India. Jim and I had just arrived, excited to get started on our volunteer work training teachers in English and loving on children. As we unloaded our bags and begin to set up in the computer room, we were greeted by old friends.... VERY old friends ...8 ancient dinosaur-age computers that been donated to Acts of Mercy as used cast-offs years earlier. As we set about trying to boot them up, I chuckled, realizing that a good boot in the side might be just what they needed. Despite our best efforts, we finally managed to coax only 3 of them to turn on with only 1 of those with Internet capacity. After waiting about 10 minutes for my GMAIL inbox to open, I discovered that the operating system was so outdated, we couldn't open much of anything from the Internet. It was then that we stopped and did 

It was a soft touch that brought great joy today. For some, it was the joy found in the promise of great things to come.  For others, it was the joy of warm childhood memories. For us, it was the joy found in the soft touch of the Holy Spirit. 

Each year, as we make final preparations to come to India, we are amazed at the small miracles that God seems to give us to increase provisions and multiply our resources. This year, Susan stumbled upon a 20% off coupon from Mardel's but still she was in a tizzy as she considered what would be useful and what could fit in the suitcases and also be within the weight restrictions of international travel.

As she was making her way through the store she came across a large set of brightly colored felt board Bible figures, from Adam to the Zachariah and Birds to Whales, it also includes a book with over a hundred stories and instructions on how to 

See Why I Love This Guy? I captured this great moment on video of Jim Sir loving little Trisha, (4 yr old). Her family has recently moved here from northern India and she only speaks Bengali. Children here speak Hindu and Tamil and are learning English. So you can imagine her fear at being all alone every day, isolated by language from adults and children alike. She spends much of her day crying, except for the hours she spends holding Jim's hand. He's working to assimilate her into the school and found her first smile when he danced the “Hooky Pooky” with her. Priceless!
  

The days fly by so quickly here with so much to do and so many children and friends to love on. We teach English lessons and consult on instructional strategies and educational best practices.  We raise money throughout the year to purchase computers for the school and work with groups back home to accept their donations of used laptops, which may be reburbished and sent here to provide critical Internet access to students and teachers. More about this great new program that God is blessing in a coming story soon. The children arrive at school by scooter, bicycle, Tuk-Tuk, private car, and any number of ways. They begin the school day in Morning Assembly, singing and praying together, singing the Indian national anthem, and presenting daily news reports. Once classes begin, teachers move frequently between classrooms designed to teach Pre-K, Lower K, Upper K, and 1st - 5th grades. This is an activity-based school and very different from a typical government-school (public school) where there are commonly up to 100 children in a classroom - even Kindergarten. Achiever Academy is happy place where children and loved and encouraged to develop every type of skill and talent.  We hope you will enjoy this little glimpse into our days at Achever Academy, and why we return each summer.  (Note: this is a video we created in 2012 but we never get tired of watching it so hope you will enjoy it too).

Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these....he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them."   

Oh yes He blesses them. Every single day. You can see it in their faces and hear it in their voices. You can feel it in their hugs.  It's a Little Bit of Heaven on Earth.

It's great to be back at Achiever Academy in Mahabalipuram, India, where Jim and I feel very much a part of the school faculty and at home in this village. I work in the school each day, primarily training teachers in English literacy and reading instruction. When he's not working elsewhere for Acts of Mercy, shopping at the market, dropping off our laundry, or visiting with villagers while he runs errands, Jim sometimes joins us in the trainings. This year, we've noticed a healthy improvement in the teachers' English so we're conducting more advanced grammar lessons, often using scripture and even music for practice.  A wonderful new addition this year is the opportunity to 

மேரி கிறிஸ்துமஸ்!
 Merry Christmas!
 from the children of Achiever Academy in India.


Click the image above to open a video greeting from the children.

Please continue reading our new blog post below - "The Perfect Gift". !

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father...." 
James 1:17

It's Christmas time and Americans are busier than ever. The celebrations are joyous & the To Do lists seem endless.  There's much to prepare and the birth of a Savior is worthy of our best. Shopping, baking, decorating - how to squeeze it all in around the more meaningful celebrations such as Advent programs, parties, family gatherings, caroling, etc.? So much joy to be found in this Holy Season.

In India, the children of Achiever Academy are busy too. They are singing carols, preparing for their school Christmas Pageant, and learning about the true gift of Christmas - the birth of Jesus. 

It's been a remarkable year for Acts of Mercy, based in Mahabalipuram, India. You could feel God's touch when compassionate donors from the U.S. completed the funding for the construction of the first four-plex cottage of the Vayaloor Widows 

We Only Have a Minute
We have only just a minute, just sixty seconds in it;
Forced upon us can't refuse it, Didn't seek and didn't choose it;
We must suffer if we lose it, Give account if we abuse it,
Just a tiny little minute, but eternity is in it.     

It hardly seems possible that our month (seems like only a minute) in India
is gone but early tomorrow we must be on our way. We wish we could have done
more, some of our expectations were not fulfilled, but we also had opportunities that we could not have imagined. Hopefully we were instruments of the Holy Spirit most of the time. ...

Looking for Mr. Potato Head.  And Lego blocks. And floor puzzles.  And sewing string cards.  And lacing beads.  And wooden puzzles.  And trucks and cars and tractors. And dress up costumes.  And jungle and farm animal toys. And so much more.

Maybe what we’re really looking for is you.

In our time here, we’ve been encouraged by so many offers of support for Achiever Academy.  It is our hope that through our blog posts and videos, you have come to know a little more about why Achiever Academy is such a special place, especially in this exotic and often dark land of southern India. But most importantly, it is our prayer that you have been moved to learn how God is working in Mahabalipuram each and every day to change lives and offer hope for a brighter future.

A sign on the playground of Achiever Academy reads:
“If you are planning for a year, plant rice.
If you are planning for 10 years, plant trees.
If you are planning for 100 years, educate a child.”

Indians value education above all else because they have recently come to understand that education is the passport out of poverty. This is a relatively recent value-system that has developed only within the past 20 years or so and therefore, most have suffered as a result of a poor educational system. In the ...

We arrived at school early today blessed with a little quiet time. Susan started praying in the empty classrooms and I stood in the second story window meditating as I looked over the playground, soon to be filled with happy, joyful children laughing and singing through another day at Achiever Academy.
As I stood there in the near silence I heard an occasional bird call but there was something else.
I listened carefully and then my failing ears picked out a gentle tap tap tapping. It took me a moment but then I recognized what it was.

Mahabalipuram is a city of Idols. It is impossible not to notice. But today this reality came crashing in on me. Driving into Mahab from our house along the East Coast Road you cannot help but notice the massive six to eight foot tall granite figures standing within ten feet of the side of the road.

We have walked many of the streets of Mahab and driven out into the surrounding country and almost everywhere we go the piercing whine of electric grinders or the tap tap tapping of mallet on chisel chipping away stone can be heard, identifying the location of another stone carver working at his craft. ...

"Welcome Home!”  What sweet words to hear on our first stop in India, the Vineyard Church of Chennai. Sharon Christian, daughter of our hosts, John & Carol Christian, rushed right up to us and gave us a beautiful smile. “Welcome Home.”  Sharon sings as part of the worship team which also includes our dear friend, Saroop, and his gracious wife, Smytha. It is Saroop you will hear singing at the end of the “Welcome Home” video above. The delay in our departure from Houston and the additional delay in preparing our home in Mahab perhaps were orchestrated to make our first community activity in India the corporate worship of Jesus with the Vineyard Church in Chennai. This would be the first of many wonderful surprises God continues to share with us.

The next morning, we declined an offer of a car transport to school, instead preferring to walk the familiar streets.  Along the way, we recognized several familiar faces.  We laughed when we realized a car honking at us was really an affectionate greeting from     (click the "Read More" link on the right to continue reading)