Following is a letter that Dr. Ruby sent to members of "Friends of Jeevan Jyoti Charitable Trust (Foundation)" on Facebook.

Dear Friends in Christ,

You may have thought me insensitive as I have made no reference to the depression and recession that is affecting so many in your countries.

I am a very politically sensitive person, most of my generation are. At a very young age, we were encouraged to read the newspapers and allowed to listen in while our elders debated. India is such a diversity, but the one thing we share together is our right to political debate and opinions. We were born into a truly free society after the struggle for independence.

The levels of poverty have not gone down, though the technological advances have gone up. All I feel it has done is a greater expectation from the poor in terms of living in the face of grinding poverty.

The sex workers have a greater expectation for their children and some of the children do make it out. That has not stopped the devadasi system — where a young girl is married to the goddess Yellama at puberty, and then expected to lead a life as a prostitute until she dies, often of a disease like AIDS. The sex workers have hope for their children — the right to their education and her way out of this morass of degradation.

Here is where we come in:

1. To help the women know that there is a God who loves them, cares for them and that they matter through tender care, counseling and prayer.
2. Run a PRE-PRIMARY School. Proverbs rightly says "Teach a child in the way he must go and when he is old he will not depart from it." This is the premise of why we choose to teach English to these children through a system that will put them on par with their peers in primary school and thereafter. What we ingrain in them now will remain with them for life.

Coming back to the issue of recession, my first reaction was that of dismay and then of alarm. It was the testing of my faith in a God in whom are all things and in whom there is no lack.

After a time of waiting on Him, I believe that if this work is of Him and that it is His mandate that this work should go on, then He will provide the resources. I am called to be faithful to the end and not give up even when the devourer is hovering at the door.

Like Esther. What she said keeps coming back again and again until it has become a part of my own statement: "…if I perish, I perish." I will continue to promote His work in the face of all hardship and see that His Word is not annihilated in this area.

Only thing is, none of those working with this ministry are of independent means. They are able to fill up their ration quota from what they get paid by us. There are children involved. Moreover, we feed our students with a nourishing meal which they otherwise would not get. For some it is the only meal they get.

We meet the needs of the children holistically:

• Body: physical food
• Soul: education to meet their intellectual needs
• Spirit: teaching them about a Saviour and God who loves them

What I am requesting you to do, even if you cannot donate money is to share this work and the above with organizations and churches — in short be ambassadors for Jeevan Jyoti Charitable Foundation.

Please spread the word as I am certain you would not have registered as 'Friends' if you were not concerned. Therefore, my dear Friends in Christ please contribute your mite, whether in prayer or promotion of this work of God.

With much love in Christ,
Shalom.
Dr.Ruby Fredericks
JJCF.Pune,MH.India