Being in this incredible country, it’s so clear to me why the enemy tried so hard to keep us away with the fight to get visas. God’s moving in incredible ways here!
I’m absolutely in love with the ministry we get to do this month! We’ve been serving at Sarah’s Covenant Homes (SCH), which is pretty much the most brilliant and effective way to care for orphans with special needs I have ever seen before. This ministry is so much different than you typical orphanage. They not only take in children who have been abandoned due to their disabilities, but they provide them with a foster mom and family style living environment. A volunteer foster mom (usually a college aged gal who has previously served at SCH on a mission trip) gets to live in an apartment with 7-10 precious kiddos who she cares for day in and day out, feeding, teaching, and doing physical therapy with them! I love how it creates a home environment in which each child receives one-on-one time with a mother figure and gets individualized attention in learning and therapy, which has proven so effective in helping them overcome their disabilities! The testimonies that we hear daily of how kids get there and don’t even have the ability to sit up on their own, but are now walking all by themselves is so encouraging!! I am the biggest supporter of this ministry and so inspired by how they are loving and caring for the least of these here in India! It’s such an honor to work alongside them!!
The ways that we get to serve here have been so great! Just a few days ago, we were introduced to the girls in the Orange room (every room is a color of the rainbow!) at Grace Home, who do not have a foster mom. These are 8 of the lowest functioning girls at SCH, and it’s such blessing to be paired with one of them and who we will get to work with and pour into daily for the rest of our month. Typically the only time these girls receive one-on-one attention is when volunteer groups come, so the chance to love on each of them by holding them in a loving embrace or playing and blowing bubbles with them is just so special. I’m so excited to watch how God works through us to love on them this month!
Along with working with the girls, we’ve also gotten to help with some projects that have needed to be done for SCH. At Grace Home, the kitchen was discovered to be in a room with flammable flooring, so we moved the kitchen and everything in it to a room on the floor above. The best part was getting to paint the room before moving in! We decorated the room with fun designs and scripture all over the walls to bless the kitchen ladies as they prepare meals! It’s been a great balance of pouring into the precious kids, and rolling up our sleeves and meeting some of the ministry’s needs!
In addition to all of that, we’ve also had many opportunities to go lend a hand at Faith home where Tori and Megan live. These are 2 American girls who came on an Adventures in Missions trip last summer and felt the Lord calling them back to India to become foster moms! Tori has been here for a little over a month, and Megan just got here last week! It’s been really awesome to head over there after ministry and lend a hand to these girls while they are trying to adjust and get settled. Sometimes they have super fun activities planned for the kids, like playing in the kiddie pool on top of the roof! We helped them carry the kids up 6 flights of stairs (you never have to worry about getting exercise in here in India- the land of no elevators!) and let them splash around in the water! They loved every second of it, laughing and splashing, and making bubbles in the water — it was too precious! Another fun time was last Sunday when we helped Tori take some of her kids to church! We went to her home to pick them up, and I got to use a baby carrier to hold a sweet girl on my back for the journey to church! She was smiling the whole time and you could tell she had such a blast! When we got there, we took the kids out and danced with them during worship. It was so beautiful! Also, Indian church is really really awesome! The church is filled with vibrant colors, all of the women wear beautiful head coverings, and the music is so fun and upbeat! After worship, we headed out, since the service is in Telegu, and took the kids back home. What a great day!
Another of my favorite memories was praying over the tailor shop owners! One of our friends from Grace Home took us out to have traditional Indian clothing made for us one night. When we visited the shop for the second time, the family who owns the shop asked us if we could pray over them and their shop! We got to do that and it was absolutely awesome! In addition to that, the last time we went to their shop, they asked us again to pray over them! We all kneel down with them as the ladies gave us some saris to cover our heads and we prayed over them. It was so beautiful and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone so eager and grateful to be prayed for! It was so awesome, because the Lord knows that we are here on a tourist visa and must tread with caution in the area of evangelism, he brought them to us!! He knew our desire to bring the people of this city nearer to Him, and He set up the perfect opportunity! It was an incredible encouragement and a night I won’t soon forget!
God’s been moving so much here in India, and it literally is the biggest blessing to be able to be His hands and feet in this amazing country!
Financial Update:
First of all, oh my goodness, I am so blown away by all the donations that have come in recently!! Last time I posted an update, my fundraising account increased by $1,000 in under a week!! You all are always so faithful to respond and give! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
I am ALMOST fully funded! Currently I only have $1,200 left to go! Please continue to help me pray this last bit in!! Although it’s past the deadline, the Lord loves to show up in mirculous ways right in the knick of time! He’s got this!
Through the big adventure of fund raising incredible amounts of money, I’ve learned that when you’re walking in His will and stepping out in obedience, He is SO FAITHFUL to take care of everything you need.
