It has now been 4 months since I have been in India, staying in Hyderabad with my friend of six years, Varsha. During my first week in Hyderabad, I was connected to a struggling orphanage by God's grace. After 3 weeks I started an after school Bible Class three days a week with a friend of Varsha's named Daniel. He has since been assisting me in traveling, translating, and teaching, and has really become a good friend as well. It is hard to trust many people here, and I have been truly blessed that God has provided all that I have needed being that I came here alone and with nothing prearranged.
A few weeks ago, I felt that God was prompting me to take a step further to open my own home for orphans and abandoned children here. I met with two pastors that I had been connected to early on...once again by God's grace, and we made plans to start looking for a home to rent. They are currently running five other children's homes, and have over 16 years of ministry experience, as well as many contacts in the public sector that can support us when needed.
Within a week or so, we found the perfect house! It is a two bedroom that we are going to turn into a three bedroom with a large front yard for the kids to play in. It is in a very safe and quiet neighborhood, with a wall surrounding the property and a front gate.
You can see pictures of the home here: Lovelyn Flipagram
In May, we will be taking in two boys I met in a slum, Harinadh & Aravindh, whom we transported to their current hostel. There are a few other kids at this hostel that we feel would benefit from a more home-like atmosphere and more attention, and so we are praying about the opportunity to transfer them in God's perfect timing. In the future, my dream is to start a dreamland orphanage and school on some land in a more rural area that houses around 100 kids, and at that point we would like to take all the kids from this particular hostel because of the current conditions at this place.
We have named the home and future ministry, Lovelyn Academy, for short, "Lovelyn." Lovelyn is a combination of the word "Love" and "Evelyn," which is my daughters name who was born sleeping at 39 1/2 weeks on October, 29th, 2010. Lovelyn is a loving home for orphan and abandoned children to be received as sons and daughters, comforted and loved from the overflow of comfort and love from our Heavenly Father; taught in the way they should go, and provided with the best education for a promising future.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
We have partnered with a non-profit organization in the United States, Jesus 4 Kidz, that will be receiving donations for the Lovelyn home. This organization currently supports two orphanages in India, and their vision is that every child know their Heavenly Father and experience the love of a forever family.
Announcing my NEW Website soon where you can donate monthly!
Watch my two part video update here: India Update: Pt. 1, India Update: Pt. 2
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
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