When you first meet him, he comes on a little strong. He’s overly talkative but incredibly friendly, and loves to tell you stories from his life. Although he is a Catholic priest, he was raised Baptist in Georgia, and now currently resides at a Hindu monastery in Kolkata, India. They hold his residency and can pull strings for him in the government. However, in return he must follow their rules, dress the way they dress, and cannot publicly profess his love for Jesus.
His name is Wallace Crawford, but in India he is known as Wally Baba.
Wally came to India about two years ago, wanting to start an orphanage. He was confident that God would take care of everything, he was just amazed that God had a building and supplies ready within ten days of his arrival. He named his orphanage after his mother, Bess Crawford. Now, with his partner Brother Christopher, they run a school and orphanage for the poorest Indian children in the area. Most are fatherless children of prostitutes, while others don’t even know who or where their parents are. These are the children we had the privilege to love while we were in India. Even more, we got to encourage a man in his work for the Lord.
The day our team first met him, we spent two hours in Domino’s listening to his testimony and stories. After getting to know Wally, you learn that his social awkwardness is the result of loneliness. Life is hard for him. Spending most of his time at the Hindu
monastery, he rarely gets the opportunity to share his heart for Jesus
or spend any time in community. Wally confessed that he earnestly prays
that God would release him from his current home and provide him a place
with brothers and sisters in Christ. When it was time to go, there was hesitancy and reluctance in his face, but behind that lay excitement. He now had new American friends that were going to work with him for the next two weeks.
Nonetheless, Wally loves the children in his orphanage. Almost every morning he
leads the kids in singing children songs, complete with hand motions and skipping around. The morning singing closes with him leading everyone in prayer. On occasion he cannot be with them so that he and Brother Christopher can beg for rice and beans from local store owners in order to provide the children lunch.
Wallace Crawford is a man that has laid down all of himself and his life to follow Jesus. He understands the love Jesus has for all the people of the world, and his true desire is to see people know that love. Although things may be tough for him now, the Bible assures him that he will reap the rewards of his sacrifice in heaven. In the mean time, God will provide Wally with all the strength and rice he needs to fulfill His plan.