[I’m back after a blogging funk that I seemed to fall into in Africa (Month 10 in Tanzania was great, by the way) with some amazing stories of what God is doing in India. Enjoy this one…and lots more to come!]
India is unlike any country I’ve been to. Being in month 11, I thought I have kind of seen it all. Wrong. I don’t think I can even do this amazing country justice by trying to explain it, but I’ll do my best to give yall a taste of my life for a month.
My squad arrived in India after one of our last long travel days (yay!). A 36+ hour travel day is pretty normal, so naturally, it was a breeze hopping on a ferry, then a bus, then a plane, then another plane, riding in a taxi and then on an overnight sleeper train all in the same outfit in the heat of India carrying a 45 pound pack on my back. Naturally, a breeze.
My team and two other teams arrived in cute little Ongole, India with adrenaline pumping ready to embrace our last month of ministry together on the race. Cassie and I hopped in a rickshaw (a motor bike with small cab type thing) that felt a little more like an amusement park ride than a mode of transportation to get to our housing. We weaved in and out of traffic, sped past pedestrians, almost knocked over bicyclists, and of course, gave the right of way to enormous cows meandering in the middle of the streets.
It’s loud here.
It smells like curry and sweat.
It is so hot.
It is full of beautiful people and bright colors.
It’s chaotic.
It’s just India…
and I have completely fallen in love.
Before jumping into ministry, all of the teams took a night to pray about what we felt like God wanted us to do in our last month of ministry. After coming back together and talking with our contacts, the majority of people felt led to go and plant a church in a nearby village. Me and four other girls couldn’t get the kids from the children’s home out of our minds or our hearts. We decided to stay back in Ongole while the others went off an hour away to a village. Check out Ginger’s video to see what’s happening there!
The kids at Sarah’s Covenant Home are not ordinary kids. They are full of life and joy. Their smiles and hugs will make you forget any problems you think you had.
They show love like no kids I have ever met before.
…And they all have special needs. Children with physical and mental disabilities are the most likely to be abandoned and least likely to be adopted in India. After hearing some of the kids stories, falling in love with them, and the family style children’s home, I knew the Lord was telling me to be a part of it. And now that I am, I can’t get these precious children out of my mind. God was telling me to be a voice for those who don’t have one. I need to Share the Love with yall.
For all of you Williamsburgers that know them, Katie Duff Zenger and her husband, Kody served at this home for three months last year and are back again this month shooting video footage and getting pictures for their Share11 campaign. They also can’t help but tell the world about what’s going on in Ongole, India with some amazing children of God. The idea is to donate $11, tell 11 of your friends and help raise $1.1 million by 11.11.11 to go to Sarah’s Covenant Home.
I’ve seen the hard work that goes into running a children’s home this year. A lot of time, energy and money goes into it. This home is like other children’s homes amped up. There is way more energy to have 24/7 care, the staff have dedicated their lives, and the money…well, you just need a lot more of it for children with disabilities. But these forgotten and lost in India are the ones God tells us to look after and to love.
India is overwhelmingly hot, a lot of us are sick, and we’re just flat out tired from 10 months of ministry…but I have an energy that can only be from the Lord and from these kids that give me more joy than I can ever express to you in a blog. Please be praying for the children, the staff, home, and finances–and check out the websites above. I will be posting stories and exciting things going on here over the next few days that I can’t wait to share. Until then, check out this awesome video Kody did when Allan and Greg took two of the boys for a stroll.
(Photos and video by Kody Zenger)
