Divya and her father Pentiah receive medical treatment and counseling. In addition to the meal, invitees were given free medical treatment. Pictured: A nurse redresses a leg wound.

HYDERABAD, India - Pentiah sat under a tree near the Secunderabad railway station, coughing hard as he watched his eight-year-old daughter Divya lying on his lap. He needed medical treatment for himself and food for his child, but the few coins he earned from begging were not enough.

Pentiah and his family used to live in Zaheerabad, a town 180 km away from Hyderabad. There they worked as farm laborers and Divya went to school. But after two years of no monsoon rains, his crops failed and he found himself without a job and no way to make a living.

He left to find work in Hyderabad, but shortly after arriving, began to suffer from asthma. With all of his wheezing and coughing, no one would give him a job. Soon after, his wife left him. Begging in the streets of Secunderabad had now become his only option.

Like Pentiah, hundreds of homeless roam the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, suffering from untreated illnesses and going days without food. Fortunately, that would not be the case for over 1,600 homeless on Saturday, December 17. On this day, Operation Blessing India was holding a feeding program and medical clinic for India’s homeless and everyone was welcome, including Pentiah and Divya.

Pentiah and his daughter entered the Wesley Church grounds along with hundreds of others. Volunteers welcomed him with a cup of tea, and then took him to see the doctor. He and his daughter were examined and given free medicine by the OBI medical team. Pentiah was also referred to a doctor who said he would continue to freely treat him at the General Hospital.

In all, OBI’s one day outreach provided a nutritious lunch and free medical treatment for over 1,600 people, as well as offered attendees help to find shelter – in particular, for Divya.

OBI team members took Divya, along with other three girls, and placed them in a children’s home. Pentiah accompanied them to see the home where his daughter would stay and expressed his happiness at knowing his daughter can now go to school like other children her age.

“We are glad we could share the love of Christmas,” said an OBI representative. “You could see a broad smile on every face.”

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