Children's Home

My first morning at the Home, I awoke to the sound of eerie music drifting into the room. Initially everything felt strange and different. The house was silent and I soon discovered that everyone had already gone to the assembly building for church. I went outside onto the round, stone balcony and looked out. What I could see of the compound was a winding red dirt path, low spreading trees and weathered buildings. Hundreds of little white butterflies danced over the grass, and chickens pattered through the dirt. Across the path stood the Christian Mission Hospital. A dark-skinned man in a towel skirt sat there, staring at me. All of this, mingled with the weird strands of music made me feel like such a foreigner. It seemed I had suddenly been transported into another world.

Later I found out that the music was coming from a radio, which transmits all over the area. The past few days the Tamils have been celebrating a harvest festival called Pongal. The Hindu gods are worshiped, and people make designs in front of their houses with coloured powder. Now I understand why the music was so unsettling. What I have seen of Hinduism so far is so terrible. The people are enslaved to fear. There is a spiritual battle here and I feel it potently in this village.

Anyway, despite the darkness, there is so much light! God’s glory and majesty really is displayed throughout all the earth. His presence is evident in all the beautiful things He has made. The Christians are wonderful and joyful. The family I am staying with, "Appa," "Amma," Paulsam and Priscilla are AMAZING. I am treated as their very own (which also means helping in the kitchen by washing dishes and cutting vegetables). Appa, the headmaster, is very kind and friendly, completely devoted to the Lord. Amma is probably the most beautiful Indian lady I’ve met so far. When I first saw her she was wearing a gold sari and bangles, which looked lovely against her dark brown skin. She has a beautiful smile and eyes that speak volumes of joy. Her beauty is not skin deep, but the “unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:4). Sornakumari spends most of her time in the kitchen, concocting delicious meals for everyone. She is entirely selfless, waiting to eat until everyone else has had their fill. I hope to get to know her more. Paulsam (their son) is quiet, but very kind; he’s a teacher at the high school. Priscilla is the sweetest! Despite her disabilities she goes about cheerfully, uncomplainingly.

The Home is comprised mainly of the mission house (where my host family lives), the Christian Mission Hospital, boys' hostel, girls' hostel, primary school and high school. There is a little store (which is actually a shack) where the children can buy treats, and many little houses where different families live. The village is actually outside of the Home. Amma goes into the village often to share the gospel with people. Most of them are Hindus, and most of the children at the hostel and school come from Hindu families as well. Only a few are Christians. Oh yes, and I forgot the assembly building. It is only a short walk from the house, and it’s where all the Christians from the area gather to worship God. It is a beautiful little building with arched entry ways and a thick wooden door.

Everything is beautiful here, albeit dusty and dirty. At first I felt I was in the middle of nowhere, but after being here several days, I've become better accustomed to the life -- the comings and goings, the animals, and of course the dirt. There are many different kinds of trees: mango, papaya, coconut, and others I don’t know the name of. Many trees have sweet-smelling flowers growing on them.

The children. I love the children SO SO SO much! They are everywhere ... playing, sitting under trees or on stone benches, flying by on bicycles. When I first met them, the boys just stared shyly and waved. The greeting around here is "vanakkam" (meaning hello), which you say while putting your palms together like a steeple. Many of the boys have these wooden tops, which they spin to the ground and then catch with a string. They were very eager to impress me with their skills. 

Sornaraj brought me to the girls’ hostel. We had not walked very far when suddenly a gaggle of girls swarmed me shouting, “Sister! Sister!” They instantly starting touching my arms, and slipping their small dusty hands into mine. One little girl Valarmathi, who was the first to hold my hand, just stared up at me adoringly with her gorgeous black eyes and very long eyelashes. I know I am being very descriptive about everything, but I can’t help it. Everything is so interesting and lovely, I can’t help but try to capture it with words. Sometimes pictures just won’t do.

“Sister, sister, come!” Within seconds, they had pulled me over to the playground and we played probably five different games in five minutes! I couldn’t help laughing at how cute they all were, and how delighted they were to see me, a complete stranger. The little girls don’t stare as much, they just instantly accept and love you. The older ones are a bit shyer, but they soon become very friendly too. 

The difficult thing is giving them all the attention they desperately need. They were all talking to me at once, (in Tamil no less!!), grabbing my hands to do clapping games, running to find a skipping rope, dancing and prancing all around. They are very wild and sometimes hit and slap each other. All I could manage to communicate was “Ille!” (meaning no) and try to make them apologize to each other.

I love them all so much. One girl in particular, Manju, just melted my heart. Every time she looks at me, it’s with hungry eyes and I just want to bawl. These love-starved children are no longer an idea in my head but reality, right before my eyes.

Later some of the girls showed me where they sleep. The older girls sleep in one long room. The little girls in a few different rooms. The rooms are empty except for rolled-up mats. The children sleep on the floor without blankets or pillows. They don't have toys, except for maybe a ball here and there, or a skipping rope. They also brought me into the box room, where they keep their belongings. Each child has a small basket or suitcase, containing everything they own – which isn’t much at all … a few sets of clothes, perhaps a flashlight or penknife, a few treats. The room I have all to myself back at the house seems so luxurious compared to this.

Please pray for these little ones. As I wrote before, most come from Hindu families. Here they learn about Jesus and seeds are being sown into their precious hearts.