Encore: visit to India

In the coming weeks, I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from the past six years on this blog. Yes, I have had this blog for nearly SIX years! I have revisited some of these posts lately. It is interesting to me how much life has changed. For those who are new around here, it will give you a glimpse of the journey. I am calling this series "Encore." If you'd like, you can vote on your favorites.


Best of 2006
Here is one of the nominees from March 2006. I had a day job at the University of Kansas, but my passion was India. All of my free time, vacation time, and dollars were invested in this passion. Who knew where this would ultimately lead? ONLY God! Premdas is still my hero and inspiration.

I just returned from another adventure in South India. We visited approximately 10 water projects...eight in one day. These borewells will supply clean drinking water for thousands! We visited the Light of Love Children's home - my new home away from home. This visit was too short, but it was nice because the children knew my name, I knew some of their names and there was familiarity with the people and place. We also participated in two housing projects; one in a tsunami area and one that had been devastated by fire, both reach the poorest of the poor. My purpose this time was to transport medical supplies. I took as much as would fit in the space allowed by the airlines. I arrived home yesterday, I received an email this morning from a volunteer in Tuni who said they have put the bandages to good use already. I was glad to hear it.

I will return to India in June. The purpose of that trip is to scope out a new location for a second orphanage. I will also transport additional medical supplies and school supplies for the children. Their academic year starts in July.

I want to share with you one of the most memorable stories from my trip. The picture of the girl above is Varalaxmi. She is 19 years old. She was married at 16 - not uncommon in that part of the world. What she did not know is that her husband had AIDS. In their first week of marriage he had a fever. That is when she discovered the truth. She is already a widow. They have a two year old son. She is infected with HIV. She has asked Dr. Prem Das to take her child in to the Light of Love Children's home in the new academic year. Her parents want her to remarry because they don't want the responsibility of caring for her. She wants to spend her last days near her son, and has asked to also work at the home as long as she is able. Prem Das has agreed. He has done this before on more than one occasion. Prem Das asked me to be part of the intake interview while I was there. Her story was heartwrenching. I took this picture during her telling of that story. It captured emotion I cannot convey.

Please pray for the work that is being done in India. Please pray for these people in desperate situations. Please pray that I will be faithful and diligent in my work with them. There is so much need that at times it is hard to believe one person can make a difference, then I look to Prem Das example and the thousands of people he has helped - I know then it is worth the effort.