Rice & Beans; India - Leena

Eating Rice and Beans Provides Blankets for an Indian Village

Every two weeks people from our church gather together to share a simple meal of rice and beans at the church house. The idea behind the dinner is to raise awareness that many in the world are limited to this food choice day after day. Instead of gathering and spending money to eat out in a local restaurant, the attendees chip in the saved funds into a corporate bean can. The money that is collected is then distributed to local and global charities, including causes such as the crop walk.

The most recent contributions were gathered for the trip that Natalie Perdue and Julie Justus went on to India. They gave the money to Leena Lavanya, the woman that they went to visit in Andhra Pradesh. Leena has started several ministries that meet the spiritual and physical needs of the marginalized in the surrounding communities. Among her ministries are an AIDS Hospice, a home for lepers, an AIDS orphanage and a sewing school for women who are coming out of prostitution.

The money that was given by the rice and beans participants was used to purchase blankets for those living in a small village near Leena’s home. The villagers spend their days begging in order to have enough food to eat. Leena normally brings rice to them but this month they had asked for blankets. Their homes are simple huts and no electricity is available to the community and so the blankets will be useful in keeping them warm during the colder winter months. They gathered together when the team arrived and Leena led in the distribution. The experience was touching as each family came up to receive the Christmas gift. It is amazing how the simple act of eating rice and beans can show the love of Christ on the other side of the world.

If you would like more information about the ministries of Leena Lavanya please contact Julie Justus (jjust4all@yahoo.com) or the church office. If you would like to come to the next Rice & Beans contact Betsy Rice (betsy.a.rice@gmail.com).