Last February, a second group visited the recently opened school in India and was able to bring new hope to the local people, especially the students. The school project's primary goal is to spread the Gospel and, at the same time, offer the local people prospects for a better life through education.
As I stepped through the door into the girls' room, I felt a small, cold hand in mine and looked into many children's eyes, which were curiously examining me. I smiled at them, but inside I was torn apart.
What I saw made me swallow hard. I could barely contain my emotions. A few wooden beds stood lined up against the walls. On them lay a thin blanket and a small pillow. Only a few beds had very thin, worn mattresses. The walls of the house were made of wooden slats, and a few sheets of metal formed the roof, offering little protection from the wind and cold.
When I saw that, I knew why the 45 children from the orphanage had greeted us that morning with blue noses and trembling hands.
First impressions
Before we finally arrived at the Worrian Christian High School, we had already completed a long and impressive journey. We – a group of nine people from the congregations of Speyer, Bremen, and Salzgitter – set off on February 9, 2025, under the leadership of Matthias Krüger. Our mission trip began with the flight from Frankfurt to New Delhi.
The following afternoon we landed in Imphal, where we received a warm welcome from Brother Peace, the local project manager, and Pastor Ningkhan. In the evening, we took the opportunity to do some shopping for our planned missions in the coming days before spending the night in a hotel.
The next day, the rest of our group joined us: three brothers from Speyer, who had previously served elsewhere in India, and four more brothers from Molbergen. Together we set off for Longpi – a remote mountain village in Manipur, which we reached after about five hours of driving on bumpy roads.
On the first two days in Longpi, we organized a "Kids Camp" for the 85 children of Worrian Christian High School. After a fun welcome game, we divided the children into two groups. We spent the mornings with Bible stories and creative, themed activities. In the afternoons, a variety of activity stations and group games were on the agenda, where the children could demonstrate their teamwork and skills.
Their enthusiasm and tireless energy were contagious. It filled us with immense gratitude to see how much joy we could bring to the children with things that often seem commonplace to us. Their simplicity and contentment were a moving testament to our own love.
Grateful children's hearts for the lovingly filled school cones, filled with sweets as a gift for every child.
Background of the project
Since we were only the second group to travel to Longpi as part of this project, most of the children knew very little about Jesus and the Christian faith. This made the varied program all the more exciting and engaging for them. Their reactions to the stories, games, and conversations demonstrated great curiosity and genuine interest.
We sensed the longing of the children and adults, who had long been labelled by the government as "forgotten" and "uneducated", for affection and a change in their living conditions.
The Worrian Christian High School was originally run by an English missionary organization, which had to cease operations in 2020 due to financial difficulties. Since then, many Christian families have been forced to send their children to school in surrounding towns. This often had painful consequences.
Religious movements such as occultism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and idol worship dominate in the city's schools. Many children there lost their faith, which caused many parents deep despair.
The reopening of the school brings new hope to families in the highlands of Manipur. In addition to academic education, the primary goal is to instill in the children a deeper faith in God. Biblical values are central to the curriculum and are intended to lay the foundation for a life of hope and truth. The vision is to strengthen young people in their faith so that one day they themselves will become ambassadors of Jesus Christ in their communities.
Under the dedicated leadership of Brother Peace and Pastor Ningkhan, we trust that God will use this school to show many children a new, blessed path.
Sunday school with the hostel children
Projects and activities
After the "Kids Camp," the children returned to their school routines with all their familiar habits. Every morning, we also started together with early morning exercise at six o'clock. Afterwards, we gathered for a short devotional before enjoying a simple but nourishing breakfast: a boiled egg and black tea with milk.
Full of enthusiasm, we then set to work on the practical tasks on site. While the sisters lovingly and creatively decorated the classroom walls with Christian motifs, the brothers began various construction and renovation projects. An extension was built for Brother Peace's family, a toilet was installed, shelves were made for the school and children's home, and last but not least, the buildings were supplied with electricity via solar panels – an important step towards sustainably improving living conditions.
Every evening we gathered with the children from the home for a short service. The Bible stories were presented in a child-friendly and playful way, accompanied by children's songs and the shared memorization of Bible verses. The day often ended with a cozy campfire.
We also wanted to serve the surrounding communities with our visit. So we split into several groups and set off for different villages. There, we shared the Gospel with the people through sermons, personal testimonies, and German and Russian songs. Afterward, we enjoyed traditional Indian food and good fellowship with our fellow believers.
Meanwhile, the sisters organized a children's service on the school campus. Under the theme " Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you " (1 Peter 5:7), they creatively conveyed to the children that they can trust in God's care in every situation.
Afterwards, they distributed donated clothing to the children in the orphanage together with the staff – a joyful moment that brought smiles to many children's faces. In addition, numerous sick children were provided with urgently needed medicine. Finally, photos were taken for future sponsorships.
We ended Sunday evening in blessed fellowship at a youth service around a campfire.
Fellowship around the campfire. The children are warming themselves.
Special moments
One of the highlights of our trip was undoubtedly the night hike with the children from the orphanage. Their eyes shone as they tied glow sticks to their wrists, and together we wandered through the night forest in a cheerful, colorful group. There was lots of singing and hearty laughter.
Another highlight was a painting activity with the children: everyone got to leave their colorful handprint on a large tree that had been painted on a wall. The tree symbolized community and our belonging to God's family. Seeing how happy they were to be able to contribute to this picture warmed our hearts.
To conclude our trip, we spent a day immersed in the region's stunning natural beauty. The locals introduced us to the traditional art of fishing and showed us the breathtaking scenery of Manipur's mountains. They also prepared a typical local meal for us: two chickens with rice, served on banana leaves.
On our way back, God gifted us with a breathtaking sunset. This impressive moment reminded us that the people of Manipur are also part of God's wonderful creation. And it is our mission to invest in them with the hope of their salvation.
A light for Jesus
As we said goodbye, Brother Peace told us that news of the school's reopening had spread quickly throughout the region. The school's Christian orientation and the visible activities of our tour group were particularly popular topics of conversation in the surrounding villages.
The people showed great gratitude and joy that believers from Germany had voluntarily come to them to proclaim God's word and lovingly care for their children. To God's glory, this development was received with open hearts in the villages.
With all these impressions and experiences in tow, we finally returned to Germany – changed and deeply moved. This journey was not only a service to the people of India, but also a valuable lesson for our own lives.
Jana Fast,
Municipality of Speyer