Volunteers recently returned from constructing classroom buildings on the new campus of the Jingshai Mihngi Adventist School in India. The K-10 school of 476 students currently rents buildings that sit directly next to an open sewer line. Besides the constant stench, students must deal with dark, cramped classrooms, leaky walls, flooding, and broken floors.
First-time Maranatha volunteer Rick Williams was disheartened by the conditions. ‘The current school is dismal to say the least,’ says Williams. ‘It is in extremely poor repair. I was a teacher and principal for 13 years, so this is close to my heart.’Â
Volunteers began constructing walls on the school’s new campus, which is five minutes away from the current school, set atop a hill surrounded by forest. Over the course of their mission trip, the group worked on two buildings that will house six classrooms. The new campus and classrooms will provide bright, clean spaces for students to learn, with clean air to breathe.
Volunteers also conducted outreach in the community, like children’s programs and a vision clinic where glasses were distributed. Over two Sabbaths, the group worshipped at local Seventh-day Adventist churches and experienced the culture of the region.Â
‘Meeting the people and [knowing that the] church and school is a great evangelistic effort, it really made me feel like a part of something bigger, making this a very meaningful trip,’ says Williams.
Maranatha’s work at Jingshai Mihngi continues over the next several months and will eventually yield four buildings, holding 12 classrooms, administrative offices, and bathrooms. Once complete, the school will transition to the new campus by May.