Answered prayers bring Vimala a new job, amidst her severe disability

Over 21 million people in India are disabled and face the reality of few jobs and social discrimination on a daily basis. However, thanks to your help, disabled students at Agape Rehabilitation Center, India Partners’ indigenous agency in Chennai, are experiencing a different reality.

The students at Agape Rehabilitation Center learn computer and job skills that prepare them for successful futures in today’s high-tech world. Since 1995, Agape has been a place of refuge and learning where thousands of disabled individuals have gained economic independence through computer training.

Vimala is one student who greatly benefited from studying at Agape. Vimala joined Agape’s computer education course with much apprehension. She has a neurological disability that severely affects her voice and causes strained physical movements. At first, communication between Vimala and Agape’s staff was extremely difficult. However, the staff noticed Vimala was smart and had a great memory, so they kept encouraging her to do her best.

After great effort and perseverance, Vimala successfully graduated from the computer course. While her peers were receiving job offers, Vimala was repeatedly denied employment due to her severe disability. Agape’s staff offered her solace and prayed that God would open a way for her to get a job.

Then one day their prayers were answered! A friend of Agape offered Vimala an online job, which required no verbal communication and had flexible hours. Agape’s staff visited her home and told Vimala and her parents about the new job opportunity. Thankful and excited, they all helped Vimala set up the computer and Internet connection in her new home office.

Today, Vimala is happy with her new job and looking forward to receiving her first paycheck. Thanks to generous people like you, Agape Rehabilitation Center is a safe and loving place for Vimala and other disabled students to gain confidence and the job skills necessary to support themselves and their futures.

However, under pressure from the current landlord, Agape must move out of their current facility and consolidate all of their work into one space. Thankfully, they will be fully operational in the consolidated space by July 23rd, just in time for the next class of students to begin their year of computer training. But, with many more disabled students like Vimala seeking services from Agape, this confined space will not be suitable for long.

Fortunately, this housing challenge comes at an opportune time. Thanks to generous donors, Agape recently purchased land where they plan to build a new rehabilitation and training center, complete with classrooms and a living space for five times as many disabled students.

Before the new center can be built, a wall is needed around the property to protect the land from animals and flooding. Once the wall is built, construction on the new center can begin. Agape’s staff prays that the new center will be a place where more and more disabled individuals like Vimala can feel the love of Christ, as well as a renewed sense of dignity.

Would you help complete the next phase of the new center by donating $25 or more to help build the compound wall? Your gift will enable five times more students like Vimala to be equipped with job skills and a brighter future.

To give, click “donate now” and select “Agape – New Land and Building” from the drop-down menu. Thank you.