India. Where to begin? I feel as if I could spit out at least three blogs a day on India. India. The sights, the smells, the tastes, the sounds, the feelings.
As the months passed and the time for India approached, I got a little more anxious. I thought I would be counting down the days until we fly to our next destination, but I find myself avoiding the calendar, wishing time would stop. I imagined not caring for the food, but I can’t seem to get enough. I honestly thought I would be a little miserable here, but this place has stolen my heart. But before I tell you about the 43 hour train ride, the unimaginable heat of Delhi, the winding streets, loud horns, petting zoos, the Taj Mahal, the stares and the cat calls, chai tea, cows everywhere, and the bobble heads, let me tell you about the heart of it all, these kids, this ministry.
Jireh Children’s Home. Located on the outskirts of the booming IT city of Bangalore, India, this children’s home began around 6 years ago when the Lord called a couple from their home in northeast India to open up a home to orphaned and semi-orphaned children. They operate completely off of the Lord’s provision through regular donors and miraculous givings, as well as their up and coming stationary business where the kids design and make their own greeting cards to sell. Jireh, as I’ve discussed in previous blogs, is the Hebrew word for God the provider. I have seen this provision in many ways and He is revealing it to me,yet again, through this home. Each day, Brother Marong and Sister Sendme fall on their knees in prayer not just for their 2 biological children, but also for their 10 other kids that live all together in the children’s home. They range from three to fifteen years of age and their personalities are just as widespread. There’s the athlete and the smarty pants, the joker and the charmer, the leader and the servant. But one thing all of these kiddos have in common is an abundance of love, both given and received. The older ones take care of the younger with compassion and each helps out without complaint. They have a passion for God that is unmatched by anyone their age. When they worship, they sing with all their might, so much so that you can actually see the veins in their foreheads and cannot help but be moved. They love God and each other so well. They have an insatiable hunger for God’s word and have hearts that pray with great fervor. They want me to teach them all I know about gymnastics and are just as eager to teach me about cricket and boxing. They are manly enough to lead and influence, but still possess enough childlike innocence to want to hold my hand as we walk down the street. If I ever thought I understood childlike faith, these kids are rewriting my definition.
For the past week, we have been putting on a summer kids camp for anyone ages 5-15 to come and learn the Word of God, to experience His love, and to sing His praises. We did games, skits, songs, scripture memory, Bible study and so on. In the evenings we return to the home and play volleyball, badminton, football and jump rope. We have devotions in the mornings and craft some afternoons. There have been prayer meetings and Bible studies, but most of all shared joy, love and hope. I would hide each one of these kids away in my pack if I could. There are simply no words to explain what I feel when I look in their eyes or hear them call to me, “Auntie, Auntie!” I constantly find myself having to mop the floor from my melted heart.
Before this month I wasn’t even much of a kids person. I was even upset in thinking the only reason my team was placed with a children’s home was the fact that we are all women. Bring on the stereotypes. The truth is, teenagers are my ministry forte. I don’t do snotty noses or cheesy songs like “If You’re Happy and You Know It”. I’d rather be dealing with the boy band lovers and the deeper issues of life. This, of course, meant that I was destined to be peed on by a child and, yes, this destiny was fulfilled just yesterday. That God has a sense of humor. So I guess you could say that I, like the Grinch of children’s ministry, have had a heart change. And I love it. My heart beats out of my chest, pushing against my flesh like a Roman Candle waiting to explode across the sky…
“Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day!” -How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
But here’s the deal: these kids have to pay to go to school, along with the finances needed for necessities like food and clothing. Marong and Sendme do not have the money to pay all of these bills for 12 children. They are believing and praying everyday for the Lord’s provision and I pray, too, for that and believe we can act as God’s hands and feet in the matter. I know you might be thinking this is crazy because I just asked you for over $14,000 to support me and now I am asking for your checkbooks again, but this is the life a child. This is his education. This is his sustenance. This is his hope.
It takes only $123 to put a child in school for a year. There are currently 12 children at the Jireh Children’s Home. That is $1,476 to get a year’s worth of education for this home. Their school begins again June 1st and the tuition is due shortly before then. We’ve only got a couple weeks to do this. I want to commit to sending at least one of these children to school for a year and I don’t even have an income. Won’t you consider sponsoring a child? You may contact me the using the link on the side menu of this page for more info on donating.
*the Internet connection is currently too slow to post photos, but I’ll add them asap!
