God Bless The Little Children

Finally here is my blog about the ministry that we volunteered at in India, month three on the World Race. Because of slow internet and other difficulties I couldn’t get it up sooner. I also wanted to put up more pictures but was unable to. So here it is, I hope you enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 Aloe

 

 

 

 Wendy

 

 

 

 

 

These are 4 of the 106 children at Sarah’s Covenant Home in Southern India. We volunteered here for three weeks while in India on the third month of the race. Sarah’s home is a home for orphaned children with special needs. Many of the children were found in train stations, garbage dumps, churches or abandoned in hospitals and sent to government orphanages. Sarah finds these children suffering in these institutions and brings them to her home. ‘Home’ is what best describes the place where the children now live. It is a home environment were the children are well looked after by  Indian ladies called Ayahs. The Ayahs live there and take care of the children 24 hours a day. They are very dedicated to their work but are short staffed and the needs of the children are great. They really appreciated the help that we gave but need more full time help.

 

The children have a wide range of disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism, deafness, blindness and physical deformities are some of them. I have never worked with children with special needs before and at first felt  greatly challenged. I was scared to pick up the children with CP and didn’t know how to respond to the children with autism but soon I became comfortable and really enjoyed playing with them or giving them cuddles.

 

The home tested my patience as the children love attention but I could only give so much between 106 children. We heard the word ‘akah’, which means sister, several times a day. In in India if they don’t know your name they address you by ‘sister’ or ‘brother’. Some of the children have behavior problems and the staff isn’t trained in how to deal with the problems. It was difficult in dealing with them myself, I don’t know how they do it 24/7. God  told me ‘Love! I just want you to love them and give them attention’. So that is what I did.

 

Although the Lord challenged me he blessed as well. The best part of the experience was looking after the fragile children and babies. We assisted in feeding, Huggie (diaper) changes, and of course cuddles. I enjoyed holding the children, who can not walk or talk, and singing to them. They would just look up at me a smile and my heart would melt.

 

One of the children who sticks out is a little girl who was born with only two toes and one finger but is very smart. She loves to be held and cries every time she is put down but when she’s content she’s a joy to watch. Even with stumps for hands she can hold a cup, pick the icing out of her cookies and meticulously line up all her toys in a straight line. She is so adorable my whole team would take her home in a minute.

 

There are many more children that have captured our hearts in the short time we were there. Most of the children are available for adoption through the government.. I am having thoughts of maybe come back to adopt one day if it is in God’s will.

 

It has been hard to leave. I will continue to pray for the children and for the future of Sarah’s Covenant Home. If you get a chance to visit the home, do it you will not regret it, you might just be forever changed.