These are pictures of the kids at the Children's Home. There are currently 50 boys and 50 girls ages 5-12. Three men take care of the boys and two women are in charge of the girls. While we were there, we held a 5-day VBS in the evenings. It was a TON of fun!
The kids only speak Malayalam, so either Varghese or Reji translated for us. Each night we started with the kids singing us a song. Then we sang Jesus Loves Me in English and taught them the motions. I told the story, followed by a craft, a game, and ending with review and prayer with Chris. And we had gifts for them just before we left. We learned the first night that the next time we’ll buy all the same toy to avoid any conflicts… :o)
The room we met in was the boys’ sleeping room. Every night they put out their beds and every morning they stack them against the walls again. The girls’ room was on the other side of the back wall. All their backpacks are on the table in the back all ready for school in the morning…
The first night we told the story of Moses, made bookmarks and played a game with the globe balls from Rick…
The globe games were great fun!
When we arrived on the second night, the power was out and the kids were just sitting in the dark singing a song. Just as we walked in the door, the power went back on and all the kids burst into applause when we walked in the door! :o) Night two was the story of Daniel, a glow stick craft (Jesus is the light of the world), and a globe ball relay…
After we all got our necklaces made we turned out all the lights…
It was great hearing them when they looked around and saw one another!
We played a game of Simon Says, which is challenging with a translator… ;o)
The Wordless Book was the lesson for day three. It went much better than I expected! The kids knew all the colors in English and remembered what they all meant for their bracelets. They liked them so much that they would show them to me every time I saw them…
As a bonus we were able to give our extra bracelets and the Wordless Book I had made out of felt to one of the pastors we met who is involved in Child Evangelism Fellowship in India!
Every morning the kids get up at 5:30am. They clean up the sleeping room, take baths, eat breakfast, have Bible lesson, do chores, and head to school around 9am…
The next night, Varghese went home to his family for a few days and Reji came in to translate for our story about Noah. One of the boys requested the story and I just couldn’t say no. So I quickly wrote up the story, modified half our fish crafts and we added a fun and lively dental hygiene lesson from Dr Rick! It was a very good night!
Singing Jesus Loves Me
The kids loved taking “photos” and getting to see them!
Learning that you can’t brush your teeth with your eyes. LOL
Everyone got a new toothbrush!
The kids don’t get home until about 4:30 or 5 in the afternoon. They have tea, take another bath, do homework, have dinner, more homework and head to bed around 9:30! They have a very full day!!!
Then before we knew it, it was the last day of VBS. :o( For the final day we told stories about Jesus and fish (the calling of the disciples to be fishers of men and the feeding of the 5000), made fish and gave the kids their balloon balls that the ladies at our church made for them. I’m glad to have had help blowing up all those balloons! They LOVED them!!!
A whole school of fish!
Final review with Pastor Chris
Us and the gang!
It was really hard to say goodbye to these guys! We had thought these kids were orphans but they are not. Most merely have parents that are simply too poor to care for them. After they turn 12, they have to leave the Children’s Home and then IEM supports them financially to live at home. A few are abandoned. Some have heartbreaking stories. Like the two girls who were hated by their father who wanted boys and tried to kill one of the girls by placing burning coals on the back of her head. They were eventually found by one of the wardens begging in the street. Joshua and Moses were left waiting while the other children were all picked up by family or friends for summer vacation and had to spend their holiday with a warden’s family.
Kids at the home are available for sponsorship through IEM and are always in need of your prayers!
