Dear Saints and Aints.

Shalom.

This is but a brief update - on popular demand ... While reading it, Ezekiel's Valley of the Dry Bones might come to mind. "There were many bones and they were very dry …" But I need to put something on paper … Time slips by so quickly that I think I wrote the last letter only yesterday …

In a couple of weeks the kids will have a fifteen days holiday. The place will be blissfully quiet as most of them will be away … Right now they are in the midst of a battery of exams. Our concentrating on their studies is slowly paying off. The kids learn to study and begin to see where they have to improve. It would be too much to ask that years of "neglect" in that area can be remedied in a few months. But we have to make a start somewhere. Charity will not cure poverty but providing the poor with a free and quality education will go a long way towards that goal.

Our little struggling computer institute is just doing that - struggling. Some kids are very keen to learn while others are content to just know what a computer is all about. Next year we hope to introduce "Computer Familiarization" as a subject in our school curriculum. With so many students it will hardly be more than that. The computer institute then will cater to those with greater/higher you-name-it-ambitions. Most of the staff is interested in KNOWING about computers without the hassle of going through the "pain" of LEARNING it … Like instant sanctification …

The rains prevented us from doing any construction work during the rainy season; this changed a couple of weeks ago. Now we have nice weather and things are moving. Though the holiday season, just ahead of us, will probably again slow us down. But we are confident the dining hall will be "occupational" by Christmas. We also received funds for the second half of the top floor of the school building and will proceed with that and hopefully have it "operational" after the Christmas holidays.

Due to a mistake by the finance ministry the local bank froze our account till the matter is cleared. Though we went to Delhi to sort it out, and did, the necessary information still has to reach the bank … We find ourselves at lack in the midst of plenty as this thing caught us by surprise and we have only limited funds outside that particular account... This of course made us stop everything apart from eating and drinking and even that will become difficult if the Government doesn't move quickly.

The other night some thieves removed all the water taps they could lay their hands on - 102. The value comes to less than a $100 but the hassle is something else. Of course the water tanks were empty the next morning and the kids had a "bathing holiday" which the little fellows didn't mind at all …

I finally have given up on "being good" and instead decided on "doing good" … It is certainly much easier. When I became a Christians the church handed me a long list of "dos" and an even longer list of "donts". But never being the brightest I got the "donts" mixed up with the "dos". I did the "donts" and didn't do the "dos". This might explain why I am basically a happy saint … I console myself with the thought that, if people can't figure out the nature of a tree by its fruit, that's their problem. As for the presence of "imperfection" my consolation is that often the sweetest fruit attracts the biggest worm…

There was a group of Pharisees, so I read somewhere, that carried their good deeds written on their shoulders; in reading the following paragraph -- consider me one of them … The eighteen year old son of one of our staff got his nose fixed by a plastic surgeon; it had come in the way of an exploding tear gas shell and he didn't like the "improvement" … Twice he tried to commit suicide because of his nose. The kid drinks a vile "country liquor" (I call him a patriot - he loves his “country”), chews tobacco and does who knows what else but – is worried about his looks. Talk about priorities … But he is thrilled to look normal again. Badal, a sixteen year old student, and one of my two cooks, got a scar surgically removed from his forehead; Pankaj yet another student got his cleft palate fixed. He is so happy to look normal that he can't stop grinning … Another student needs a cataract operation but before that his blood pressure has to come down and some other problem fixed. He is only 16 years old … One kid has three fingers on his right hand fused and they will be separated after the holidays … There are other kids in line who, with a little bit of help can be fixed up. I believe a kid who feels good about himself will perform better and will feel better towards others. The mother of the eighteen year old calls me an angel; when I tried to fly - I fell flat on my face. I am just a very ordinary guy trying "to do good" because he is unable "to be good" and in the process bring God's compassion (which he desperately needs himself) to those God entrusted him with and - a few He didn't …

My health is ok. November 21st I turn 71 … As for my advancing in "weight", while standing in front of a school waiting for my car to pick me up a man, wanting to make conversation, asked, "Are you waiting for your child?" I grinned, "No, I am only overweight." But otherwise I feel well - the usual body aches apart. When I told Bapu the other day I was a bit wobbly on my feet he scolded me, "I knew it would happen; I told you, you are over 70 and you can't push yourself anymore the way you used to." But - "To rust unburnished, not to shine in use …" Once while at the beach in Goa I got caught by a wave and for some moments I had no clue where up or down or right or left was. This place frequently does this to me … Yet in the midst of it, gasping for air, trying to hold on to my sanity - I taste life! I wish it wasn't all so much "fun". At times I am in agreement with the fakir who when offered a soft chair - chose his bed of nails instead …  

Yohan and Priya are both well. Yohan just had his 35th birthday. Bapu has another six months before he completes his second M.A. He enjoys his studies. Please pray for them; they need you encouragement

I almost completed the calendar for 2007; I want to send it out the first week of November. It is probably a bit "over Photo-ed" (two photos to a page) but it will remind you to pray for us. I added an additional five pages with information to make it more "interesting" - if you get the time to read it … Honestly! I love to give you my best because I believe my friends deserve the best. PLEASE if you know anybody else who would want a calendar I am more than happy to send one. Also if your church wants more calendars I will gladly send them. After all, there is no such thing as "bad advertisement" …

Reading through my mailing list I am filled with joy and gratefulness. God has blessed me with a group of wonderful people who made all we are doing - the small and great miracles - possible. The ministry is not a one person's job even if one person seems to hog the limelight; a pat on the back, if received, will be equally distributed to all - for all have shared in this work. Thank you; thank you for that!

In His great love --- Frank, Yohan, Bapu and all …

You can have a "sneak preview" of our calendar at: http://community.webshots.com/user/fjuelich