Visiting India for me turned out to be a life-changing experience.
The World Race took me to this place I never expected to like; with millions of people, extreme heat, trash and lots of noise. Before I even left Romania on our trek to our month four country God placed the spirit of pure excitement within me. I didn’t understand then why my heart had changed; but now I know it’s because of what was ahead of me… LOVE.
Arriving in India I sat wide awake on the 10 hour bus ride from Hyderabad to Ongole just fascinated by what I was seeing; the colors, the people, all the sites and the animals. At that point I knew my team was going to be working with Sarah’s Covenant Home; a home for special needs children.
The first day we took tours of all the locations and my heart really felt like it was going to explode. I was overwhelmed by how many children they had and how they just cried out for love. Some children would run right up to you and cling on to you and others would be lying in their beds almost seeming unresponsive until we would come over and talk with them. These children LIGHT up when shown affection. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like these children know LOVE. They love like I have never seen before.
I was assigned to an apartment foster home with five boys (Asher, Barnabas, Ezra, Jeff and Silas). They are the most wonderful group of boys. They are all so different and wonderful in their own unique ways.
From day one I felt a special connection with the boys we were working with and for some reason especially Asher. Asher is a beautiful four years old who is hearing and visually impaired. Talking with the long term foster mom’s next door they gave some pointers on some things to do for fun with the kids and some stuff we could work with each child. Asher cannot stand on his own (YET!) so I spent a lot of time having one person hold his feet on the floor and me supporting him. He would cry and cry because he didn’t like the feeling and at first I think he was scared I would let him fall. By the end of the month he was standing with just me holding the tips of his fingers. When I would get there in the afternoons I would race up the stairs and scoop him up from wherever he was sitting and immediately he would know it was me. I always wondered how he knew it was me…he would smile and motion by kicking his legs he wanted to bounce. We would spend our time together bouncing up and down until my arms wore out or he was laughing so hard it sounded like it hurt. We would spin around and around until I was so dizzy I couldn’t see straight, during rain showers we would sit on the swing and go back and forth and just cuddle. We always had worship music playing and he would sit with my phone to his ear and he would smile and laugh and rock back and forth as though he was having his own personal time with Jesus. I would play other music but he responded only to worship music. Another girl from my team would bring her guitar and play for the kids and he would scoot right up next to her and sway back and forth clapping his hands and giggling once in awhile. I had never seen anything like it before. I know in my heart this boy who doesn’t speak, who can’t understand English or communicate really well that he knows Jesus. I see Jesus in him, I feel Jesus when I hold him.
The last day when I had to say goodbye for now to the him I held him tight and kissed him a whole bunch; he could feel me crying and in his sweet little way would put his hand on my neck and on my face as though he was trying his very best to comfort me.
This little boy taught me about Jesus and about his love; he changed my life.
I can easily say I encountered Jesus during my time in India.
Please check out their website and consider partnering with them to continue to support and love these children.
Here is a short video I made… hope you enjoy!!!
much love,
Kate
