Helping the Least of These

A few years later, God directed us to a remote province of West Bengal, India, to the tiny village of Relli. Even though we had kept our arrival a secret, word had leaked out about a new children's home opening soon in Relli. The initial plan to start with 20 children evaporated like mist as children lined up to be interviewed. As we spoke with the children, asking them questions and looking into their eyes registering fear of white strangers, our hearts were broken. Story after story was told and we kept thinking, how can we say no? Another voice was telling us that we didn't have funds to support all these children. Where would the money come from?

But how do you tell a boy whose stepfather has tried to kill him that we won't give him a safe home? How do we tell a girl whose father can't afford to support her and will force her to marry at 13, that we don't have room for her? How do we tell a 6 year old boy who is always hungry, that we won't take him in? So we stepped out in faith, faith that God would speak to the hearts of those who learned of this home - and we told the children, you are all welcome in our home where you will be safe, fed and learn of Jesus.

That was 10 years ago and God has blessed by allowing us to open additional homes in Belarus and Africa. Over the years we have struggled; we've had our share of problems, and by God's grace, we have had many glorious victories. We have seen our children give their hearts to God; we've watched them grow up into lovely young people to graduate from our school and go off to college. We know from first hand experience that there is no greater joy than helping a child.