Okati

     A couple of days ago my dad asked me if I was having “fun”.  I had to answer no, India month one has not been “fun” for me. It has certainly been an adventure but more of the Baja Trail then the Lake of Shining Waters kind. However, India month one has been freeing. God used month one to show me who I am without all the labels I use to define myself.  In America I am single independent women. In India none of these labels are good. Life is understood in community and women aren’t independent. In America I have a four year BSN that allows me to work confidently in top hospitals with autonomy. The degree and the title are almost useless to me in India. The medications have different names, the hospital system has no resemblance to Medicare and I know very little about my patients (think of it as starting a book in the middle). In America I have a close knit family and very dear friends. In India I am a stranger in a strange land. In America I am the chosen daughter of the King who holds me in the palm of His hand and has had divine plans laid out for since the begging of time. In India with all the distractions and labels stripped away I am finally able to see this as truth in my life.

I spent a large part of the month wondering what the heck I am doing in middle of nowhere India. I cried out to God asking for peace and a purpose for my skills and then I started asking for a sign that I should go home to America. He has not answered a single request. At least not the way I wanted. Instead He has given me mounds of adoption paperwork that no one else here has the time or knowledge to complete. He has given me a family of 7 other American women to live with. He has given me a sense of fulfillment when I look back over Victory Home after a week of an intense deep clean from top to bottom by a short term team. He has given me peace in the moments when I am on the floor underneath a pile of giggling girls. He has given me joy in watching a blind girl giggle for hours on end playing in a bucket of water or in seeing the pride of a young man bloom as he helps clean his room. He has given me a heart for the daily small blessings that I would have missed.

India month one was a Peter month for me. I had everything planned, figured out and I ended up drowning. Everything sunk under my feet. But my heavenly Father in His infinite grace and wisdom waits for me pulls me out of the pit and says, “Oh ye of little faith. Are you done yet? Can we get on with my plans now? I chose you for this but it cannot happen apart from me. You can bring nothing with you.  We must do it together, in my power, in my timing, for my glory.”

So here we go. Month two with a new heart. Lead on O King Eternal.

Prayer requests:

-Pray that I will live in a spirit of praise with this new found freedom of having no control.

-Pray that whatever I am doing I will be bringing glory to God.

-Pray for me as I try and discern the Lords will for my future here in terms of becoming a house parent for very sick children.

-Pray for me as I, along with one of my housemates, am accompanying 3 children (and ahyas/nurses) to Hyderabad (an 8 hour trip) for a week of upcoming surgeries.

-Continue to be praying about this http://awakenfromslumber.blogspot.in/2013/06/how-this-here-thing-works.html 

How this here thing works....

 

Who: Sarah’s Covenant Homes. The organization I am serving with here in India. Run by a wonderful lady named Sarah who has been given a vision from God for Indian children with special needs who have been abandoned or relinquished by their parents. We currently have 103 children in our care with physical and intellectual disabilities ranging from no disability (either they were misdiagnosed or the “disability” was treatable) to severe and profound (Autism/cerebral palsy). There could be more children but staff, space , and funds are needed.

What: At SCH we provide services for these children that the government cannot. The children live in a home setting with a ayahs (“nannies”), house parents, and at least one nurse. In addition to providing the basic necessities of life we provide opportunities for children to receive medical care, along with lifesaving (g-tubes, spina bifida repair…) and life giving (club foot repair, vision correction) surgeries.  For those who are able to go, we send them to mainstream schools and for those who are not  we have special education teachers the come to the home. SCH strives to provide a place for these children to be loved, cherished and receive life. But most of all it is a place where these children learn that they are valued, made in the image of a Creator who does not make mistakes. Each one is unique and beautiful.

How: Honestly? Only by the strength and miracles works of God Almighty. And he chooses people like you to make His plans come into fruition. Each of our children (I must clarify that some are adults. Our children and young adults don't age out and we don't turn them away.) is individually sponsored. The sponsorship provides them with shelter, food, clothing, clean bottled drinking water, caretakers (The Indian ayahs, nurses, drivers, cooks etc. are paid a (very tiny) salary) and a new start at life. In addition to individual sponsorship we have funds for other necessities for our children. We need funds so that our children can have the surgeries they need. Our van, used to take the children to school/hospital/activities, bit the dust recently and funds are needed to extend its life.  Speaking of school, our children who attend mainstream school need funds to pay the school fees.  There is also a fund that gives our kids opportunities to be normal kids. Remember the waterpark from last week? Someone like helped us make children laugh like this…

There is always something and nothing is ever free. Sarah is a woman of amazing faith. She sends the kids to school even though we don’t have the funds to do so because she is claiming in faith that God will provide. Sarah’s Covenant Home is a not for profit organization. Every dime we get goes back into helping the kids in some way, shape or form. I along with the other volunteers are not paid to be here. But here we are because God has given us a glimpse of His vision and made us fall in love with His special children.

This is not a post to enact guilt. Pity gets our children nowhere.  Nor is this a post begging for money. God always provides for His children. This post is to empower you with knowledge to let you know SCH works and where you can come alongside us. You can do something. You don’t have to be crazy and move to India. You can change the world for one child even with $40 donated from your couch. God takes that and multiplies it to 2,000 rupees and that partially sponsors one child for a month.  I have only been here three weeks and I have seen it happen. I have seen the peace of a sleeping girl who received spinal surgery, paid by sponsors, that helps her live without pain. I have seen the joy of the children in their new school uniforms. We have so much and the blessings that can come from that are endless.

Can’t donate money? Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray for the daily spiritual battle we wage against the Evil One who doesn’t like seeing these children thriving. Pray for strength, stamina and wisdom for our staff.  Pray for our children individually by name. Pray that we love these children entrusted to us well. Pray that God will provide the funds needed for our children and young adults care. Pray that the donations given will be used for God’s glory.

Finally here are the links to SCH funds. (Here is the link to the main webpage www.schinda.org  It is also on my sidebar here)

Sarah is very good about being transparent about SCH funding….. http://www.schindia.com/details/frequently-asked-questions/

Our children who are still in need of sponsorship. If you sponsor a child fully or partially please let me know I would love to send you pictures and personal updates of him/her!! …. http://www.schindia.com/gallery/not-yet-sponsored-children/

The wheels on the bus go round and round? Help us make that a reality… http://www.schindia.com/Special-Projects/help-resurrect-our-school-van/

Surgeries that we haven't paid for yet and upcoming surgeries for a few of our little ones…. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amfwk_HArCifdE5NQnJmcGpDNHlTM2gtb2tiYWtadGc&usp=sharing 

For the surgeries and medical care we can’t foresee...   http://www.schindia.com/Special-Projects/urgent-surgery-fund/

We have 70 children in diapers. Need I say more?... http://www.schindia.com/Special-Projects/diaper-fund/

On behalf of each and every one of the children, thank you. May your family be blessed for blessing ours.

Bookends

Be careful what you wish for or it might just come true. Ever heard that before? I wrote last week about how I wanted God to use me to DO in India. Monday morning I went to work and ended the day with a list of approximately 60 children that need to be catheterized for lab tests! Funny God, very funny.
In other nursing news I spent some time this past week in two local hospitals. The first hospital I went to is the local hospital that treats only AIDS patients. Anti-virals for HIV is one of the few medications that the Indian government provides free of charge (I could go into a rant on socialized medicine but I will refrain). The person comes in and is seen by a doctor to monitor the progression of the disease. Then they are given the antivirals at the hospital pharmacy. Being white and blond pretty much makes me a star attraction any place here and I am used to people staring at me all the time. But let me tell you, walk into the AIDS hospital carrying an Indian child and I might have just as well walked in wearing just underwear....hahaha.
The second hospital I visited was because two of our children required minor surgery. Both the pediatrician and the surgeon speak excellent English. After they explained things to the SCH Indian nurses they took the time to explain things to me in English,  for which I was very grateful. However, nursing in India does not have the same respect that it does in America. The professional division/level of respect between doctors and nurses is on a whole other level. So I was a little taken aback with the way things were explained to me, almost as if I was the child. Still adapting to the culture here! Nevertheless, I am extremely grateful that our children live in an area that has doctors and facilities who are able to help us care for these children.
Many of you know about my government hospital experience in India a few years back. I am happy to say that the local hospital is 10x cleaner and better run. However, medical care in India is still nowhere near the care we expect to receive in America. This experience proved to be my low point for the week. The second girl we took in for surgery is a tiny couple that with the fact that when she is uncomfortable she arches her back makes her a very hard IV stick. As I watched the nurse, who ungloved, tried unsuccessfully to start an IV on the angry/uncomfortable baby using the same needle 4 times (a patient is charged for each needle) I started to tear up and had to step away. I suddenly became very angry at the injustice of the whole situation. Later that day when I came home and just cried out to Almighty God asking "Why?" and this is what he told me....

Papa,

I don't know why some children grow up in wonderful two parent homes while others are abandoned at day one at the train station....but I know there are no orphans of God.
I don't know why some children are born in perfect health while others fight for every breath...but I know each child is your masterpiece created in Your image.
I don't know why some special needs children get Joni and Friends Family Camp while others are neglected in back rooms of overcrowded orphanages....but I know you are The God who Sees.
I don't know why some children have extravagant birthday parties at 6 years old and while other children don't even know the date that they were born....but I know you know the number of hairs on all our heads.
I don't know why some children get medical care by world renown physicians and why others are dying from common colds because there is no doctor....but I know you are the God who heals.

And heal He does. I am happy to say that both the little ones are doing much better.

The begging and end of the week were two completely different sides to the same coin. On Saturday I had the opportunity to travel with 16 kids and ayahs, a few SCH staff, two of my housemates and 8 Passport team members to a water/amusement park about 3 hours away. It was a BLAST!!! The kids rode carnival rides, had an excellent lunch in a restaurant (an extra special treat!), and then got to play in the pools/slides. It was so much to see these kids just be kids. They were not disabled and they weren't orphans but just kids enjoying a day of fun. It was awesome to see the kids who are not very mobile move around the pool and the boys are fishes! Even though I got a sunburn and had to rent an India appropriate bathing suit it was SO worth it.  The kids wore themselves out and all crashed on the 3 hour drive back! It refreshed my soul after a week of sick kids. On the way  home God rekindled the hope in my heart for His perfect plans for each of His children. I am extremely thankful for the gift of SCH and the opportunities at a normal life that they provide for these special children. 
Interesting fact: Indian's are not big on "swimming" (especially for woman) and in Telugu there is no word/phrase for "to swim". Instead they say "play in water".

I apologize for this long jumbled post but I want to give those of you reading an idea of what a week can look like here. None of ever know what God has planned from one day to the next, every day with Him is an adventure. That is something that is something I am learning to enjoy.

Please be in prayer as we have more surgeries for our children on the horizon. (Want to help fund surgeries for our sick children? Follow this link http://www.schindia.com/Special-Projects/urgent-surgery-fund/ )

Please also be in prayer over the next month as we have a lot of big changes ahead. Both in living situations for the children and my role here at SCH.

If you have any questions about SCH or life here in India please ask! Also please let me know how I can be praying for you as well.

Jackie and I all excited for our day at the amusement park!

For everything there is a season

     As most of you know I have arrived safe and sound at the launching point for the next year of my life. First a little on the basics. I live in a three bedroom apartment with three other American woman who are absolutely amazing. I currently have a room to myself (with A/C!) but that could change many times over the next year. I have a bathroom where I bucket shower (the most amazing thing when you have been out in 100+ degree heat all day) but which does contain a Western toilet :-)  Every morning during the week I go to an SCH home (there are 3) and observe the nurses living there to help me learn about the children and what life is like at SCH. Then in the late morning I do office work for a couple of hours.In India the work week is Monday-Saturday so Sundays are our day of rest, literally. I buy fresh fruits, vegetables and excellent spicy meals from street vendors. For everything else I go to a grocery store. It seems like my life has not changed that much.

WRONG

 

 

     When I arrived in Ongole a week ago I felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water over my head and I was left gasping for air. It wasn't culture shock that over took me; it was the sudden and complete loss of control.   My job description for the month of June was to "watch and learn". This past week I have rebelled.  I came to India to DO. I want to change the world for a child here. I want to be a part of God's marvelous plan for this organization. That cannot happen if I sit and watch. Add to that the fact that I cannot make my needs and wants known because I know four words of Telugu. I feel useless and helpless. To make matters worse in my rebellion I have missed opportunities to meet needs and have failed to love well. It is only week one. *sigh*

      But in His infinite grace and mercy Papa God whispers to my soul "Daughter I have  so many lessons to teach you and I cannot do that while you are running the show. You cannot participate well in something you know nothing about. Watch, study, learn well and then I will use you to DO things in my Name." Week 1 out of 52 and I am absolutely certain of one thing, God is going go break me and change me. I will not return to America the same. I only pray that while He does it I maybe a witness for His kingdom in what ever way He chooses.

 

Pray that I stop rebelling and cherish this season of learning. Pray that I love the children, the staff and volunteers better. Pray that He makes His purpose for me known in His timing and pray that I will be patient. Pray for my health as I adjust to six day work weeks and the heat. 

 

 

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" ~Ecclesiastes 3:1