A Child
Redeemed
“Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” - Jesus
Set Free began with a vision of India where everyone has access to clean water and a church within walking distance. As we continue working our district-by-district approach to make this vision a reality, something miraculous began to happen. Children started showing up on the doorsteps of churches. These are the children that Jesus claims as His own. Yet these are also children who were orphaned, abandoned, or enslaved.
Child slavery is a big problem in India for a variety reasons. But as a result of the well drilling and church planting work Set Free is doing in India, mine owners are showing up on the doorsteps of churches with dozens, if not hundreds of children. These literal, 21st century slave owners were crying, confessing, and telling these pastors that they just couldn't do it anymore. Will you please care for these kids? Our pastor partners couldn't turn their back on these children and neither can we.
16.9347° N, 79.6391° E
Well.
Done.
Done.
A Child Redeemed
Here's how our Set Free: A Child Redeemed program works. Your monthly support allows Set Free to meet the needs of these children. Your donations will allow these children to know they are loved, they are safe, they are cared for, and they are named and claimed as God’s.
Rescued
Every Child Matters
According to the global slavery index, there are over 18 million people in India living in slavery. There are even more who have been orphaned or simply abandoned by their families. But whether a child has been enslaved, orphaned, or abandoned – we know that they are a child who is loved by God.
Our partnership with the Sylom Pastor’s Association allows us to be a safe place for these children. Slave owners are showing up on the doorsteps of churches to confess and tell the pastors that they simply cannot do this work anymore. They release their slaves and ask for the church to care for them.
Reunited
Families Count
Debt bondage is a common way for children to end up as slaves in India. Families take out loans, many times without fully understanding the terms. And when they cannot pay, the families sell or the debt collectors simply take their children as payment. Sometimes these children are even kidnapped straight from the villages.
Whatever the circumstances, parents long for their children to come home. The Sylom Pastor’s Association has a network that is able to work within villages through the local churches to find rescued children’s parents, assess if the children will be safe and cared for at home, and reunite these children with their families when possible. The joy on a parent’s face when their child is returned to them is indescribable!
Provided
Every Need Met
Some children are unable to be reunited with their families for a variety of reasons, and these children will be cared for until they are ready to succeed on their own. These kids’ needs will be met. They will be clothed and fed. They will visit the doctor when they are sick and attend school to prepare them for a very bright future. Here’s the breakdown of the costs:
$72 per month meets all of a child’s needs
$36 per month feeds a child
$29 per month provides clothing, school supplies, and housing
$7 per month provides medical & dental care along with sanitary supplies for a child
Equipped
Trained for the Future
Most children in the lowest castes of India have little hope for future employment. These children that have been redeemed from their lives in slavery or abandonment not only have new life in Christ but also have new hope for the future. As they grow up, these children are trained in various vocational training programs that equips them for future employment and success. Through these programs, they will be able to be self-sufficient and provide for their future families. But not only that…
Return
Giving Back
The graduates from these vocational training programs give back the majority of their salaries to help rescue and provide for other rescued children. That's right. By meeting their basic needs and training them for the future, you are also empowering these kids to return the favor. The more children who are rescued, loved, cared for, and trained for the future we are able to send out into the world - the more they send back to rescue their brothers and sisters in Christ.