I know this blog is going to stretch back a few months but this is one that I've carried with me for months knowing that I needed to relay to you. In Feb. our team headed to Ongole in the southern areas of Andrah Pradesh to work alongside ICM. I've written a bit about the organization and our time down there in earlier blogs if you want to go check them out. ICM is a pretty extensive ministry covering over the area and boast a number of churches and growing church plants. However, I wanted to focus on a ministry that flies a bit under the radar that can be found under their umbrella. It is called Sarah's Covenant Home.
Our team honestly only spent a couple afternoons at this home and it's impressions will remain on us I'm sure forever. An American woman named Sarah married an Indian man named James and both had a passion for minisrty. While James has been drawn into establishing and networking churches in the region, Sarah's heart was turned towards those who were neglected. God was calling her to feed His sheep and Sarah's Covenant Home is what came out of it.
For those who haven't been following me these past years, I'd like to say that I've been blessed to be in a number of countries, cultures and around a number of different ministries. Through all of these experiences, SCH stands out as one of my favorites. I'm pretty sure "favorties" is the wrong term but there's a tenderness inside of me that desires to stand alongside what they're doing.
The little guy to the right has "mischief" written all over his face which was more endearing than you'll know to us guys. He's full of life and we were instantly drawn to his energy and "boyhood." He's straight up boy and likes getting himself into things. He was abandoned by his parents with special needs and the government didn't really have a place to put him.
This little one is blind. She loved finding people than would attach herself like life depended on it. She mostly wanted to be held…loved. In so many ways she's like most other little girls. Unfortunately, her real dad didn't want her to be his little princess…so he left her abandoned, neglected and for the government to take care…
This guy is a young man. His mind hasn't quite caught up to his body. His child-likeness is very evident through his exuberance when he has someone to jump with. He'll literally jump with an authority that seems to punish the pavement with his joy. He needs men in his life to love him, wrestle with him and be gentle with his misunderstandings…He longs to sit on his father's lap, or really anyone's. Unfortunately, his father is nowhere to be found…He was left abandoned. The government scratched it's head.
This one is tuckered out…and so is the little girl he's holding. These little gifts are bundled up with energy and can drain the average person in 2.3 sec. However, there comes a time when very little feels better than sitting under a fan and taking a break. I think God calls it REST. Here's a quick pic of a little girl resting in the arms of Branden. She feels God's love through him and finds refuge in His arms. Simultaneously, through holding this little girl, I'm sure Branden is feeling a bit of God's love for Him…He's the one holding them both and at the day He hasn't neglected or abandoned either of them…
These two were a match of energy that would spontaneously burst out with giggles and joy. Realistically I'm not sure which giggles more of the two. This little guy would walk off with your sandals, shoes or anything he could snipe. We probably should have kept our hats from them until after the random lice check 🙂 Either way, nothing seemed to matter at the end of the day to these two except that they were loved and had an outlet for the love to be reciprocated.
Have you caught a trend here? There are over 80 children who have been left abandoned and neglected by their natural parents. One by one they've been found and turned over to the govenrment. Sarah's heart was broken and led to take care of these little gems. Did she have the money? no! Did she have the space? nope! Did she have the means to take care of these precious ones? Not really…but she knew that her burden was an expression of His heart for the poor, orphaned and abandoned and that He would provide…So she took them in…All of them.
All 80+ children are abandoned, neglected without any idea of who their parents really are, except one. They all are deemed "special needs" children with some serious physical, emotional and neurological complications. All of them need to be fed, held, loved and encouraged. Many have fought through harder circumstances than some of us will ever face…
…What a daunting task…
…How would Sarah ever take care of them?
Well…that's the beautiful part of this story that has scarred my heart with a bit of awe. God started drawing widows from villages who weren't being taken care of to this home. Sarah's been able to help match aging widows desiring family and provision with abandoned orphans needing a mother and a home…
I don't remember the numbers but there's over 20 of these widows who give of their life daily to pour into these little ones. They both help heal wounds in each other. Likewise they help fulfill a part of purpose in each other's days…
In the bible, James talks about how true religion is to take care of widows and orphans in their distress…
SCH has found a way through God's provision to meld both together. I can't think of anyone better suited to love abandoned children than widowed mom's. It really is a gorgeous picture of how He works if you let that settle in a bit.
I don't know why that model hasn't been seen often before…at least in my life or through my eyes. It makes me wonder how many neglected children are in our own communities…how many neglected widows? What are we doing about that? Regardless, in a place needing more hands and resources, I found a family thriving only through God's love.
Even their dog has felt the love has he's ballooned with rice belly contentment. The widow who feeds, "walks", and cares for this dog literally beams straight through face with pure enjoyment at the opportunity to care for this little guy…
I've seen seemingly hundreds of overworked, burned out caretakes for orphaned and special needs children all over the world. I can only glimpse the toll it must take on them all daily. Usually an atmosphere of exhaustion hangs in the air in these places. However, while these ladies have challenges that are daily daunting, their's a breath of family that resides here. There's a scent of belonging that saturates a collection of souls that were once deemed undesirable.
SCH could use your help.
They could use your prayers.
They could use your investments…
They could use you.
To find out more info about SCH click this link:
http://www.sarahscovenanthomes.blogspot.com/
