Working with kids is exhausting. Working with special needs kids is even more exhausting. I thought I could get away "easy" this month because of my work background, working with behavioral challenged children. NOPE! For the past 2 weeks, and our last week in India we have spent endless hours loving on the kids of Sarah’s Covenant Homes.
When arriving to Victory, at any moment, we are instantly greeted with hugs, kisses, smiles, groans, and laughter. Its almost too hard to pull children off of you to walk. Excitement overflows throughout Victory when volunteers arrive.
We have spent a solid three days in each room at Victory; five rooms total. Our purpose was to provide ample examples and training to the Ayah’s (nanny or caretaker) of some “common sense” tactics that they might need to understand. (I.E. sitting up while eating, learning to walk and not be laying in bed all day). Most of the Ayah’s are widows or have no family. They spend then entire month, 24/7 at Victory. They have four days off a month. I get tired of being with the kids after 7 hours, I can’t even imagine all day every day. Bless their hearts. We are also to provide a deep cleanse to each room: scrubbing, washing, sweeping, changing. Sometimes the Ayah’s run away and do not want to help, other times the Ayah’s jump right inand start cleaning too.
And finally our purpose is to LOVE LOVE LOVE these children. It is hard to give special love and attention to105 kids from a limited number of staff. So we are here to show them the love they may have never encountered. We loved children with cebral palsy, spinobifida, autism, mental retardation, pneumonia, seizures, and much more.
Special needs children are more prominent in orphanages because in Indian culture they are at the bottom of the caste system: useless. Therefore they are thrown away in rice bags, left outside buildings and in streets. In the state of Andhra Pradesh it is currentlyillegal to adopt because of past scandalous adoption processes. They are in the working of reinstating adoption in the state. Over a dozen children have families just waiting for adoption to become legal. These children may not remember us in just a few weeks, but we provided them with something they never had: Gracious, Unending, Prevalent Love. It will be so hard to leave these kids in a just a short week!
SCH is funded by approximately $20,000 USD a month. This goes towards Huggies, Pediasure, staff salary and more. But SCH does not have a constant income each month. Most of their budget comes from donations and supporters. But currently, for the upcoming month of August, they see no way of all bills being able to be paid. They have been in this position before and God has prevailed and been ever so gracious, and there is not doubt that he will provide again. Because they need a steady budget, they are starting a child sponsorship program. This program should be up and running shortly. When sponsoring a child, you are contributing to the monthly budget they need to provide amazing conditions are care to all children at Victory. If all 105 children get sponsored, SCH can count on a for sure budget coming in every month and in addition provide children with new opportunities, schooling, supplies, and diet with the extra money that is given. I would hate to see SCH not able to function!
If you at all feel called to give please visit: www.schindia.com
If you at all feel called to volunteer please visit: www.volunteer@schindia.com
We have families, food, fun, and friends and homes that we can’t imagine living without. Let us all do a part in giving these children that same opportunity to thrive. Thrive in environment, thrive physically, and thrive in Christ. You can shows His love through giving children opportunities they’ve never had.
