Grace Home
Colors and patterns are littered over everything with the same amount of organization as the trash carelessly tossed aside on the road. Yellow tuck tucks barrel down the streets honking their horns and swerving to avoid the slow wandering white cows that seem own the place. Ugly dirty water buffalo are herded in the direction of somewhere by women draped in beautiful cloths carefully covering their ankles and shoulders but reveling there brown stomach. Men wearing skirts have hiked them into miniskirts to cool off from the heat while they drink shots of boiling hot chi tea or spicy curry from road side venders. A neighborhood of cloth rooftops sits across the streets full of children with smiles and no pants and cows painted and honored with headdresses are tied to a tree in the shade. The people in the tent city are living a life open to the elements lounging around appearing as if they have no place in the world to go. The images of idols and gods decorate the sides of buses, trucks, and buildings as incense burns in hopes to appease there gods. Order is lacking as people cut you in line at the grocery store and the pace on the streets is seemingly slow and frantic at the same time. I have wandered the farthest from home that I have ever been as men blatantly stare at me for my white skin, blue eyes, and light hair.
Set aside from the manner of the world outside is Grace House. Grace is a home for those who lack. For those who are lacking fingers, toes, sight, speech, or the ability to process the world in a manner that makes sense. Orphaned and left behind due to the fact that for some reason of another they did not seem normal. Grace is now their home, a beautiful place where the definition of normal and perfect have been altered to fit each and every resident just as they are.
There is no judgment or comparisons in the walls of grace house. There is no dwelling on the have and have nots. When grace is your home a “high four” is as good as a “high five”. You can shamelessly waltz around waving your one finger in the air directing the order of a room with it, completely unaware that most of the rest of the world has to use all ten fingers and toes to do the same job. It’s where your uncontrollable biting and head butting habit are not thought about twice, but just part of the natural order of the day. Here the blind find you by touch, trust you to describe the comings and goings of the world, and walk you to the front door everyday to say goodbye for the twentieth time. Walking across the floor of grace is a good as scooting and yelling un-comprehendible sounds is understood as good as speaking words. And so what you pick your nose insistently and get drool everywhere. The house holds a stench of urine and a lingering odor that leads to the possibility that someone might have just left a skid mark of poo on the floor, but dirty pants are nothing to be troubled by. Grace is full of the unpredictable where everything goes.
The best part of grace is that no matter what you are lacking physically everyone has a laugh and a smile that they can call their own. Everybody knows of a joy that does not make sense. At grace no accomplishment is small and praises are given for everything. Claps, hugs, and cheers are given out freely for anything that represents improvement no matter how small.
Standing in the rooms of grace house I understand grace. I understand that it is smelly and a little out of control. I know that Grace is for everyone and if fills in the gaps for the things that are missing. It is the place where imperfections and weaknesses are just a part of who everyone is. Grace is beautiful and it promises that someday the blind will see, the lame will walk, and restless minds will find an undeniable peace. It promises that with faith and accepting that we all need some fillings for our cracks; we will make it home. It reassures me that my weaknesses only leave more room for Gods strength.
It’s no wonder to me why my stent on the world race ends working at a place called Grace Home.
The girls that live at grace house are beautiful and amazing. Though they all moments where they need extra patience they are wonderful, full of life, and loving. Every day we are greeted with hugs and sent away with more hugs.
Sarah Covenant Home is an orphanage for special needs children in India. Grace Home for girls is just one of five homes that together house over one hundred special needs orphans. They are a great organization who are practicing true religion “to care for the orphan and the widow in there trouble” (James 1:27)
Many of the children still need sponsorship if you are interested in donating or sponsoring a child you can check it out at schindia.com. Sara’s Covenant Home is continuing to grow as more and more children are moved out of the poor conditions of the government orphanages and into a more caring environment.
Anika
