Dear Friends and Family, please grab a cup of coffee and read this wonderful story of answered well wishes and desires to all your thoughts! Hallelujah!
I write to you with great joy and thanksgiving for mercies which endure forever. Celebrate with us for answered desires that have gone on behalf of the least, the children belonging to the backward and untouchable communities who are attending our ABM schools at Ammireddigudem ever since August of last year. Thank you for your constant encouragement.
By GOOD grace, I received the Correspondentship Order in my name on Saturday, January 21st. But before then, I had to continue to fight for my rights and that of the children, to good education and food each day and the Lord has provided.
So, another two weeks went by, and I had to send another reminder on the 20th the DEO wrote back that the file had been signed and forwarded it to the District Collector and Magistrate and she expected it to come back with the Order the very next day. On the 21st she sent me a congratulatory note along with the Order transferring the Correspondentship to me. I am now the government-approved manager of our two schools!
Sudheer and I have an appointment with the Management on the 27th. We will be requesting the Management to withdraw its letter of directly handing over the two schools to the government, an act that is not tenable in law (Andhra Pradesh Education Act 1983). Please REMEMBER us as we to come before the hearts of those people, wisdom on our part, and for this long trip and meeting, we trust that we have come this far, and we will go all the way home to clean this mess and give a future and hope to many families because of quality education at our schools.
In the meantime, what does this mean in terms of our involvement at the schools where we would like you to consider getting involved?
The government has to depute government funded teachers and provide aid so we will not be responsible for the staff salaries and basic upkeep of the schools anymore. BUT this will take a couple of months after the end of this academic year on April 24th because nothing works on time with the government, more so if it requires pay. I am hopeful that I would not have to approach the Courts if they do not work by the rule of law. We will have to pay the salaries of the current five contract teachers until the end of this year (4 months).
I need immediate help with putting up the school boundary wall. As the court case progressed, the antisocial elements (connected to the local government which was trying to take over the schools) damaged the CCTV cameras outside and tore down the barbed wire fence, damaged the children’s slide, etc. I need to put up a wall to make the property secure and repair the damage.
I’ll inform you of the outcome of our visit to Kavali later. It is a 182-mile trip one way but will take five hours due to driving and road conditions. We will go on the 26th, stay at a hotel, and return the next day after the appointment discussions. REMEMBER us that they will give us the needed letter for the Education Department that we may begin the change at the earliest.
Much love and thanks