Wesley Owen needs your help.
From 29th March to 30th May we are collecting all spare Bibles that you no longer want and sending them to India where they will be a treasured gift.
There are a great couple of verses in Isaiah 55, 'So it is with my word that goes out... it will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.'
All you need to do is bring them or post them to your local Wesley Owen Bookshop. Click here to find your nearest store.
Be part of this exciting promise of God. Hand in your spare Bibles and we will send them to India to bless our Christian brothers and sisters there.
Go on... strip those bookshelves bare!
Malcolm Stockdale,
Managing Director of Wesley Owen
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Please see below If you are interested in the Dalit Freedom Network and for further details on how you can get involved.
Abolish Caste - Now and Forever!
The Dalit people make up a staggering 25% of the total population of India. These 250 million people are the 'outcastes' of Indian society - the 'untouchables'.
The Dalit are among the poorest of the world's poor; they are stripped of their basic humanity, are denied basic human rights, and are entrenched in a system that gives them no freedom.
The ruling caste tells them they are Hindu, yet they are denied access to the temples, cannot become temple priests, and due to lack of education, cannot even read their scriptures. Dalit women are sold into bonded prostitution. Even finding a place to bury their dead is a problem. Seventy percent of Dalit live below the poverty line. Only two to three percent of rural Dalit women can read and write.
On November 4, 2001, thousands of Dalit travelled to New Delhi from all over India to denounce the oppressive system under which they have been living. Even though the government tried to block the ceremony, these Dalit declared they were leaving Hinduism for religions that allowed them freedom and gave them equality. Since then, Dalit have regularly been identifying themselves with other faiths.
The Dalit are crying out for holistic reformation: ending untouchability will require entire villages being transformed from the inside out. The Dalit Freedom Network (DFN) began in 2002 to respond to the cries of Dalit for help in their quest for freedom from caste slavery. DFN has wholly embraced the idea of village transformation. Our goal is to see 1,000 villages in India holistically transformed over the next decade. In order to achieve this we are focusing on four key areas:
Education
As the majority of Dalit are illiterate and most are unable to attend school because of discrimination or financial problems, few Dalit children have a hope for a better life. The Dalit Freedom Network has committed itself to building Dalit Education Centres in Dalit villages so Dalit children have hope for the future.
Health care
Dalit people need basic medical care, which DFN is establishing through local village healthcare workers and regional healthcare centres.
Economic development
Dalit parents need economic opportunities in order to provide for their family. DFN offer these opportunities through micro-loans, economic education, and Self-Help Groups.
Social justice
Finally Dalit need protection from physical persecution. The Dalit Freedom Network is the only organization wholly devoted to the protection of Dalit human rights. With a presence in Washington, DC, London, and throughout India, DFN and DFN's partners are active advocates for the rights of Dalit men, women, and children across India.
Change a Life and Transform a Community
Why Sponsor a Child?
Without education many of the children of the Dalit communities of India will be condemned to a life of bonded labour, begging, continual abuse and hopelessness. An English medium education opens the doors to opportunities that would have been forever denied to them. Base this education on a Christian Worldview and value system and you lift these children out of the oppressive caste inferiority mindset and endue them with spiritual freedom, social equality and personal dignity. This will transform a society!
By being a willing sponsor the educational costs of an Indian Dalit child you will not only be impacting the child’s life forever, but also be supporting the Dalit Community in its fight for freedom and dignity.
You can sponsor a Dalit child for as little as £12 per month per child. If you would like to sponsor a child please go to www.daliteducation.org/wesleyowen. You can also make a donation to the Dalit Freedom Network via Wesley Owen in store or online. Simply add the amount you want to donate to the shopping basket.
For more information on the Dalits visit www.dalitnetwork.org or contact Dalit Freedom Network, 39 Honor Oak Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3SH
Tel: 020 8699 6077, Fax: 020 8699 7160
For more information or details please contact:
Wesley Owen
23 Castle Street
Inverness
IV2 3EP
Tel: 01463 226152
Email: inverness@wesley-owen.com
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