As of March 11, 2019, Mukti Mission and the Sharda Sadan home have been around for 130 years. Sharda Sadan, which means ‘Home of Learning’, opened with two pupils and soon increased to several hundreds. Today, it houses more than 2,200 students, both residential and day scholars, who are eager to take advantage of an education that has been imparted since the last four generations. A great-grandfather, aged 85, proudly came to grace the occasion as his great grandson is the fourth generation student of the school.
Mukti Mission founder Pandita Ramabai’s heroic fortitude, unflinching devotion and absolute faith have brought hope and a bright future to thousands of suffering women and children. Surrounded by opposition, abuse and treachery, she has fought almost single-handedly against the evils of superstition and ignorance, the tyranny of caste, the iniquities of child marriage and perpetual widowhood, which for century upon century have blighted the lives of women in India.
Over the past 130 years, more than 7,000 children have studied at the school. It is a unique school where parents of the students play an important role in its growth. It is more of a family-based school where students from all walks of life attend and have testified that they have not seen or experienced any kind of discrimination.
Being an ex-student of the school, Dr. Mahendra Chitre, a neurologist in a leading hospital in Pune, was invited to be the Chief Guest to preside over the function. Dr. Mahendra Chitre delivered a very down-to-earth address, bringing sweet memories of his childhood experiences. The audience was moved when he made a reference to his 2nd Standard teacher, Sumanbai Shitoley, who was in the crowd. When Sumanbai was teaching the little boy Mahendra, she wouldn’t have thought that she was investing her teaching skills in a student who would one day become a neurologist.
Teachers, you have an important role to play in the lives of your students. Your little primary section student today may become someone who will impact the nation tomorrow. Mukti Mission’s special emphasis is education. The dream of starting a Pandita Ramabai University is being pursued and will take another decade for this dream to become a reality. However, the immediate goal is to work towards a Senior College of Science, Arts and Commerce as a first step to fulfill the larger dream in the days to come.
Also at the event was Chairman and Advocate Markas Deshmukh (also a former student) and 450 former students. Two very senior teachers, Mrs. Sumanbai Shitole and Mrs. Sakhubai Jadhav, who taught at Sharada Sadan in 1967- 1972, were amazed to see how the school has grown and were very touched.
The staff and students set up a wonderful programme which was centered on the theme of ‘relationship’. It was a blessed day which ended with a delicious lunch for all.
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MUKTI MISSION?
READ MORE
When Rajalini was a young girl, she would visit a nearby hospital run by a Christian Mission. She would watch, fascinated, as the nurses cared for patients, taking note of tender and compassion they had with every interaction.
“There was one patient in particular who not only needed medical care but needed a loving touch from the Lord,” Rajalini recalled. “There was a nurse who ministered to the patient as if Jesus was touching him. Looking at this service to humanity, I felt a burden in my heart to grow up and become a Christian nurse and do likewise.”
As eager as she was to get started on her studies in order to pursue nursing, her situation held her back. Her parents worked on daily wages and she was in charge of household chores, such as cleaning and cooking.
It was through the benefit of education at the Sukungia Day Care Centre, run by Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission, that Rajalini was able to continue her studies. The initiative was started with the aim to help studious but impoverished children get through school.
“After joining the Day Care Centre, my life was transformed inside out. I have learned so many new things and I felt a great sense of deliverance. My mourning turned into dancing. I am now in Junior College and will definitely pursue my dream to become a nurse so that I can help the hurting people by showing the love of Christ.”
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUPPORT A YOUNG WOMAN LIKE RAJALINI IN INDIA? HELP EMPOWER GIRLS AND WOMEN AT MUKTI MISSION.
GIVE TODAY
By Shital
I am Shital, a daughter of Mukti Mission. I arrived at Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission in May 2001, at the age of five, along with my two older sisters. After our father’s death, our mother was not able to look after us or provide for our needs. So she decided to take the three of us to Mukti to give us a better future. She always hoped that we would grow up in a place where we would be loved and cared for.
As I was growing up in Mukti, I was nourished and cherished by the people around me. I received a good education from primary school through 12 standard (Grade 12) while at Mukti and subsequently went on to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science with the help of the Mission. By God’s grace, I completed my degree with First Class (honours).
I was given all that I needed, not only for my physical and academic needs but spiritually as well.
At present, I am living and working in Pune with an IT company. Mukti encouraged me to explore new things in the outside world with my education and talents. Through these new opportunities, the joy of the Lord is reflected to those around me. People often ask me, “How can you be so happy?” This gives me a platform to share my story, of how I experienced God’s love, with my co-workers. Though I am surrounded by many challenges as a new employee, I have already seen how God is protecting and strengthening me.
I am really grateful to God, that He brought my sisters and me into the Mukti family and to have a secure home. Whatever I am today is because of God and the gift of Mukti. I believe “The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.”
SHITAL IS ONE OF MANY INSPIRING WOMEN WHO CAME FROM MUKTI.
SUPPORT THE NEXT MUKTI GIRL AND HELP HER GROW INTO AN EMPOWERED WOMAN. GIVE TODAY
When May’s first daughter Rachel was born 11 years ago, May knew that she wanted to take her family on a mission trip.
“With our children growing up in a society where they have everything at hand, I wanted them to know that God loves all people, not just those around them that they are able to love. I wanted them to know that despite different cultures, we are all the same. We were all created by God and we all have the same needs.”
When she heard about GAiN’s LIFE Team to India, two weeks at Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission to run a children’s camp for orphaned girls during Diwali, she knew that it was the perfect opportunity for her family.
May approached her husband Andy about the opportunity and together they encouraged their daughters to pray about going. After months of prayer, they finally got their answer when their youngest, Amanda, age 10, said, “I really want to help the girls, too. I think we should go.”
“It wasn’t a decision we made overnight. It was the girls’ first time out of North America, to a country that is totally opposite from our society and culture,” May explained. “We knew it was an extreme shock to them.”
So May, Andy, Rachel and Amanda joined a team of six other people to India in October. May was assigned to lead the crafts workshop, teaching the girls how to make things like popsicle stick flowers and Perler bead designs.
While the girls enjoyed getting creative with the crafts, May’s favourite part of camp was music time with the kids.
“I enjoyed singing with the girls – the blind and disabled children. Being able to sing with the blind children and move their arms to do the actions… That was such a highlight for me, to see the joy on their faces,” May reminisced.
For Rachel and Amanda, one of their most memorable moments was visiting the blind women’s home on the Mukti campus. The ladies spoke minimal English, so the girls and other team members were able to help them write Christmas cards to the women’s sponsors.
As it was their first trip outside the country, May has been able to see how the mission trip to India has impacted her girls.
“Since we’ve been home they’ve been wanting to find out how they can help the mission on this side, in Canada,” May explained. “It has certainly impacted them in the sense that they’re more aware of the needs of people and that there is a spiritual need. They pray often for those in Mukti, especially the special friends they’ve made there. They’ve seen the physical needs as well and so they often ask, ‘How can we help them? What can we do? What can we send them?’”
A LIFE Team trip to Mukti Mission is the perfect way to introduce your family to mission trips, May says. She highly recommends the experience for people who want to take their young children.
“Bringing children, I find, breaks a lot of barriers because children are children and my kids just love making friends with the girls,” May explained.
“Our team was wonderful. We had unity and all had the same desire, which was to love on the girls. Often they have this perception that Canada is better than India, but it wasn’t about our two cultures. It was about them and showing them that God loves them and we are just like them.”
JOIN US ON A LIFE TEAM TO INDIA THIS YEAR.
“People at Mukti are being the hands and feet of Jesus,” one India LIFE Team participant observed of the staff and volunteers. “It was great to work as part of a team to do God’s work. We shared the challenges and tasks, which made the project a success.”
“Canadian team!” The senior women at Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission exclaimed while pointing to crafts on the wall. A string of lace-covered burlap rectangles, adorned with flowers and foam butterflies that framed the verse Psalm 119:105, lined the walls of the Home of Joy, the retirement home for senior women at Mukti Mission. The women were ecstatic to see GAiN Canada return, pointing out the proudly hung crafts to reminisce about their time with last year’s Canadian LIFE Team.
“I had heard people say that the residents [at Mukti] still talk about the Canadian teams [after we leave], but to actually see it was really special,” said Lily Kwok, India LIFE Team leader, who was touched to see that crafts made at last year’s camp were still displayed.
“It’s really nice to know that some of these things we do, it’s not really that big of a deal [to us but they are] special for them.”
While this was our 10th LIFE Team to India, it was only the second time we had sent one specifically to run a camp during Diwali (the festival of lights). The purpose of the camp was to spend time with the orphan girls who would be left behind during the country’s biggest holiday.
Lily likened the situation to a child at boarding school who had no family to return to during the Christmas break.
“Being present there at that time made a difference; just seeing the girls do something special that they would not do otherwise,” Lily said. “And also providing a little bit of relief for regular staff, no matter how brief that is, was a good break for [some of the Mukti] workers.”
The team was made up of nine participants, including a family of four with two kids, a young couple in their late 20s and three single women.
Team members led camp for five days; three days the first week and two days the second week. The kids were split into three different age groups: 6-12, 13-17, and 18 and older.
Participants had the chance take on specific roles suited to their skills.
One led the kids in games, while another led craft workshops. Other team members got to lead music, teaching each age group new songs and accompanying actions.
“The kids there can’t sing enough,” exclaimed Lily Kwok, India LIFE Team leader and LIFE Teams manager for GAiN. “We taught them ‘Lighthouse’ with the actions. They just love new [songs]. We actually made even more actions that were more exaggerated. They wanted us to sing it two times.”
On days when there was no camp, the team helped with other various tasks throughout Mukti campus, including helping at the dairy farm, visiting at the hospital, assisting the overseas communications office and even teaching staff how to cook Chinese stir-fry.
Many team members were encouraged by just spending time with the residents and hearing their stories, noting how Mukti has welcomed and loved each and every person, whether they are blind, autistic, healthy, sick or old.
When they weren’t talking to or playing games with the girls, they were visiting the older women at Mukti, including the blind women’s home and the retirement home.
“They are very much a part of the community,” Lily said of the blind women. “They help each other and help the community. It’s very inclusive.”
The community aspect of Mukti was something that not only stood out to team members, but also challenged them.
“The way we serve and interact with the Mukti residents, as well as with the teammates, really is a good balance. It was a different mission trip than ones I had been on before, because it doesn’t put so much emphasis on ‘reaching out’ or ‘serving’, but puts a lot of importance on being spiritually well and developing the relationship with team members,” said Bessie, India LIFE Team participant.
“[The trip] has impacted me in such a way that I don’t really want to go home,” Tyrel, another participant, said before leaving Mukti. “My time here has given me a taste for communal living in Christ; how to live for others in the skills God has given us.”
Reflecting on his two weeks in India, Tyrel realized that even the simplest way to show love can have a big impact. “To serve God does not always mean big flashy acts for Him but rather just accepting generosity from others with a grateful heart is sometimes enough. Even just being present and occupying the same space as others is all that’s needed.”
WOULD YOU LIKE A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE?
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR UPCOMING TRIPS? CLICK HERE
“I received hands-on experience [with] an organization that makes a positive difference in the lives of needy and destitute girls and women in the world.” – Bob, India LIFE Team participant
“Aaron, please take care of our girls for the next two weeks,” Anil Francis, deputy director of Mukti Mission said to Aaron Rogers, GAiN’s chief operating officer and India LIFE Team leader. “They are not in school right now, they’re on holidays. They’re stuck here [with] nothing to do.”
In late October to early November 2016, GAiN sent 10 enthusiastic LIFE Team participants to Mukti Mission in India to lead a children’s camp.
The plan was to host a camp for orphaned girls who did not have family to return home to during the Diwali holiday. But 10 days before the team’s arrival, they got news that laws were changed and no children were to be sent home for the holidays – bringing the number of anticipated camp attendees from 130 to 300.
With this abrupt change came the pressure to accommodate more girls and still run an effective camp.
“We thought, there are so many different [flower] families, we’d like to give everybody an opportunity to partake in the camps,” explained Aaron.To make the camps more efficient, Aaron and the team decided to do sessions with one or two flower families (homes that Mukti girls are separated into based on their age) at a time. They ended up doing 12 two hour music workshops and craft workshops, twice a day for six days straight.
“I’m always amazed at how God brings individuals together,” said Aaron. “As a leader, my job is to see how we can make them work together as a team; all different personalities – with jetlag and cultural adjustments and other challenges.”
Team members took on roles where they could best use their skills and talents to serve the Mukti community. A couple on the team with a music ministry background were able to lead music sessions for the camp.
They were joined by two other members, one who also played an instrument and one who led the kids in actions to accompany praise and worship songs.
Other team members ran a crafts workshop with the girls while some worked on the fields, helping build a polyhouse to grow vegetables.
While the team spent a great amount of time with the girls during the camp, they also made an impact on the lives of older women, who tend to be overlooked when visitors come to Mukti.
“There’s a home, called the Sunshine Home. It’s located on the back of the Mukti hospital,” Aaron explained. “One afternoon, Jenny [LIFE Team participant] took a team there to do crafts with the women.
That was a huge highlight because when you go to Mukti, everyone loves hanging out with the girls; they’re fun, they’re cheerful. Hardly anyone goes to [visit] the women because it’s quiet and it’s not as exciting or vibrant. They’re quieter, they’re softer spoken.
They don’t get a lot of visits. But we, as a Canadian team always make it a point to visit the older women’s homes.”
Not only were the elderly women at Mukti blessed by the presence of the team, in the same way, team members felt just as blessed to be able to serve.
“I was encouraged to realize God could use us in this way, even in our older age, and that we were freed to lead without anxiety,” Catherine, LIFE Team member, expressed.
Overall, the trip had an impact on the lives of both Mukti residents and LIFE Team participants. Another participant, Barb, expressed how she experienced word and deed at Mukti. “I always felt I was [showing the love of God in word and deed] but [people at Mukti] also gave me back so much and demonstrated so much love toward me.”
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US FOR OUR NEXT LIFE TEAM PROJECT TO INDIA IN OCTOBER, CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
“I don’t think I have quite enjoyed worship and prayer as [much as] I have with the residents of Mukti. Seeing their simple faith has inspired me and the commitment of the staff has made me re-think what a restored and transformed community looks like.” – India LIFE Team Member
When the LIFE Team project to India spent two weeks at Mukti Mission in August, jam packed schedules had the team mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted – but they left Mukti feeling spiritually enlivened.
“I think our team was challenged by seeing the residents at Mukti being so joyful and rejoicing because Mukti was very different from how you would experience a senior’s home in Canada,” explained Stephanie McDonald, India LIFE Team leader. “Maybe if you met someone in the same physical circumstances in Canada, they wouldn’t have the peace and joy that these women and children had – and it was very evident that that came from the Lord.”
The India LIFE Team was made up of ten people. With the exception of two members, everybody on the team had come on the trip with a member of their family or someone they knew. The combination of the older generation with the younger generation, as well as the ease of knowing at least one other person, created a team dynamic that mimicked a big family.
Participants visited with different houses at Mukti, spending time with residents and doing daily assignments in different areas. Daily jobs were assigned based on interests, skill and need. Some of the assignments were at the school, the hospital, the farm, in the office or doing maintenance work.
This team spent a majority of their time visiting the homes of girls and women at Mukti. They would break up into smaller groups to visit different homes to do devotionals, worship and pray with the residents.
“What was so moving was that [with] the women who don’t really speak English, we can all come together and worship the Lord and sing songs that we all know,” said Charmaine Wee, India LIFE Team leader. “It really was incredible and moving that we can go halfway across the world and find people who are believing and worshipping the same God.”
LIFE Team members quickly realized that a simple smile or display of attentiveness was more than enough to overcome any challenges that would arise due to language differences.
“Even the little things, [such] as holding someone’s hand or asking for their name can lift them up [despite] language barriers,” said one of the LIFE Team participants.
While team members set out to show God’s love to residents, they found that they were also deeply moved by the joy, passion and faith of the people they had come across at Mukti.
One of the home visits that touched many LIFE Team participants’ hearts was Bartimi Sadan, a home for blind women named after Bartimaeus from the bible. While these women would normally be devalued by society, at Mukti they are cherished and encouraged to become independent, creative individuals. This was apparent when the team got to witness the women weaving baskets, cleaning and cooking.
“They would crack jokes. We had some funny moments with them,” McDonald recalled. “And they recognize you based on your voice. They would remember names really well.”
Upon their arrival at the Bartimaeus home, LIFE Team members were greeted with chairs that were laid out in the front of the room for them, but they ended up sitting with the residents to sing with them instead of perform for them.
“One of the women played the electric keyboard and another one played an accordion-organ type instrument and they could both play by ear. That was a huge blessing to be able to sing with them,” said McDonald, who described the house as her favourite, having visited it twice during the trip.
“LIFE Team participants were encouraged by seeing how faithful the Christians were at Mukti. I think our participants left being more affected than any resident [of Mukti] would have been affected by our team being there,” said McDonald.
“For short-term missions, one of the goals is that you would leave being impacted and the trip would change your life, even in a small way. On the last day where we did our debrief, you can definitely tell that people thought: ‘how will my life not be different because of what I have seen and what I have experienced and the relationships that I have made and the way that I’ve seen God be so present?’”
OUR NEXT LIFE TEAM PROJECT TO INDIA IS IN AUGUST.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION, CLICK HERE OR CONTACT US AT LIFETEAMS@GLOBALAID.NET.
Team member is blessed by the change in plan –
As someone who has been on mission trips every year for six years, Jenny knows that you should not merely expect the unexpected – you should embrace it.
“Really be open to change and expect that what you’re thinking might happen, might not happen. If you’re open to different opportunities, you might find out that it ends up being better than what it would have been.”
Having been on a GAiN Life Team trip to Haiti every year from 2011 to 2015, Jenny is no stranger to plans changing – and that’s just what happened when she went to India with GAiN this past November. Instead of returning to Haiti to participate in medical clinics in the community of Leogane, like she had done for the past five years, she decided to serve in India at Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission to help host a kids’ camp.
“I thought, well, here’s an opportunity to do something with kids instead of a medical thing. These kids don’t have anything special, they don’t have any relatives to go home to. That’s what pulled me to go to this particular trip in India.”
But true to her previous experiences on mission trips, things didn’t exactly follow the original plan. Team leaders and Mukti staff saw an opportunity to involve the girls, but also create sessions for the older women as well.
The LIFE Team was initially formed to run a children’s camp for girls at Mukti who had no relatives to go home to during the Diwali holidays. Laws – which had children return home for two weeks during Diwali – were changed and instead, all the kids had to stay at Mukti. This meant that more than double the amount of girls (about 300) would be now attending, thereby adjusting the camp schedule.
Mukti residents were divided into thirteen groups of 15-30 people based on their age. Groups included children, women, special needs children, blind children, blind women, mentally ill women and elderly women.
Jenny volunteered to run a crafts workshop, dedicating six hours a day (two hour workshops, plus one hour of prep, twice a day) for six days straight. Girls and women of all ages had the opportunity to create bookmarks, cards, bead bracelets, foam crafts, paper and thread ornaments and fill out colouring pages.
“At the end, I probably spent more [quality] time with the adults than the children, which is pretty ironic because initially I had gone [on the trip] to spend more time with the kids. I still did crafts with the kids but when you’re teaching them, you’re not spending much time talking to them. You’re more in an instructive kind of role. I thought that was an interesting twist because that’s not what my original intention was when I thought I’d go to India, but in the end I think it actually worked out really well the way it did.”
Jenny, who is a psychiatric nurse, especially felt a connection to the mentally ill women she had the chance to get to know. So much so that she wishes to return to Mukti for a longer stay and hopes to spend a more concentrated amount of time with them. This is something she would not have experienced if everything had gone as initially intended.
“Be open and flexible to responding to whatever need is there when you get there,” Jenny advised. “It always works out well and always ends up being a blessing. You end up being a blessing and it ends up being a blessing to you. If you don’t go in with too many preconceived notions, it becomes a more enriching experience.”
WOULD YOU LIKE A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE TO JENNY?
Go to our LIFE Teams page for upcoming trips or contact us at info@globalaid.net.
Mukti was founded in 1889 in India, where it is known as Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission, after its founder Pandita Ramabai and the Marathi word ‘mukti’ which means freedom, liberation and salvation.
Pandita Ramabai was a pioneer in several ways. A recognized Indian Reformer, she was the first to promote the welfare and education of widows. She had a charismatic personality and was passionately interested in the freedom and welfare of her countrywomen.
She founded the Mukti Mission on March 11th, 1889, by starting the Sharada Sadan in Bombay, with two widows. In 1898, she established the Mission at Kedgaon on a 100-acre plot. By mid 1900, there were 2500 residents housed in the Mukti Mission at Kedgaon.
She struggled with and overcame prejudice, class and caste barriers, and the inhuman treatment of widows to help scores enter into a life of dignity.
Today, the needs are different, but the task at hand is still large and tough. Mukti focuses on bringing hope, and a positive future, to women and children in India. The desire is to change lives through a range of initiatives that demonstrate, in a practical way.
Primarily, Mukti provides secure homes for destitute women and children. Here, they find love, care and acceptance regardless of their backgrounds. And for some, the first home they have ever had in their lives.
For over 125 years, Mukti Mission has been caring for Indian women and children from its base at Kedgaon near Pune, in Maharashtra State. Mukti Mission now provides a full range of services to nearly 793 children and 263 women residing on the main campus and in the satellite extension homes.
LIFE TEAM PROJECT
On October 22, 2016, a team of ten from Canada partnered with us and went to Mukti Mission for 15 days to help with various projects and encourage local residents from the flower families. Jessica Howie was one of the LIFE Team participants.
JESSICA’S PROJECT
During Jessica’s time volunteering at Mukti Mission, she became deeply moved by the needs of the Violet family home.
This loving home consisted of both young and old adults who were either visually impaired, blind or intellectually disabled.
Wanting to spend her $150 from RBC for the #Make150Count campaign, Jessica initiated a time where the LIFE Team participants would host the Violet family home.
The celebration started off with some singing and dancing.
Jessica and her parents then gave a special gift to each individual from the home.
“It was a great time of singing, dancing and fellowship,” shares Manon Howie, Jessica’s mom.
“One that we will never forget.” Aaron Rogers, the LIFE Team co-leader and COO of GAiN, comments “It was encouraging to see Jessica take this initiative and use it to bless others.”
Two bright new faces shine in the Frangipani Flower Family since August 2016.
Sisters Trushala and Deepali were born in such an area where children and women are vulnerable and always at risk.
Unfortunately, their mom could not take proper care of them. She didn’t want them exposed to her work environment.
So, when she heard about the loving and supportive home at Mukti Mission, she felt that would be a good and safe place for her girls.
Quite quickly it became apparent how well the girls adjusted at Mukti.
Trushala, at six years, loves to play and sing. She listens attentively to stories and loves learning new songs. She chats amiably with everyone, especially when she should be studying! She is social and excels at playing with the other children.
Deepali, at nine years, studies in third Standard at the English Medium School. She is clever, enjoys studies and good in English. Quiet and respectful, she easily accepts the love of adults in her life.
Today, the girls are now settled at Mukti.
Being in a supportive environment has helped them begin to grow emotionally, spiriitually and with their studies.
Their mother can still come and visit. But, because of her work, the girls don’t go home for holidays.
Instead the love of their matron-mother and the happy welcome from their new sisters has made it easy for Mukti to provide for their needs and become their new home.