As promised.....

Hello to all,

I promised some time ago (maybe a week or two) to get some pictures on the blog of our India trip. So, for the next two posts I will share a couple with you along with two stories. For today, I would like to focus on our time at Redemption Ministries and the Nash Campus Orphans.

The pictures you see are of the orphan children that our Women's Ministry at Harrison support. Thirty of the fifty children are supported financially through the giving of women here at Harrison. I can't say enough about how very proud I am of you ladies for giving so freely.

For those of you who aren't aware of how this giving works or when it came about- let me fill you in. We are into our second year of giving to Redemption Ministries. Beginning in June of each year we work to get monthly pledges to support 30 children for one year. The monthly pledge this year is $15 per month- per child (or $180 total per child per year). Some ladies have partnered with a friend to support a child-meaning they split the cost. Some gave a one-time love offering of what they could afford. We call this monthly giving 'James 1:27 Ministries' after the verse, "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."

Could you imagine housing, feeding, clothing, educating and giving health care to your children for $180 per year? I can't either. And to be truthful it is not enough. They need so much more. But with what we have given thus far 30 children are now off the street and in a new home! Praise the Lord! David and Jemima Raju who runs Redemption Ministries and the orphanage do a wonderful job making a rupee (the Indian dollar) stretch!

David and Jemima are wonderful Godly people. While in India, we stayed two days at their home. They treated us as if we were royalty. I can honestly say for the first time in my life I saw what true Biblical hospitality is like. Their whole family embraced and loved us. I can't begin to explain the sacrifice and trouble this family went too to have us in their home and care for us. Never in my life have I been treated with such love and affection.

In the picture above you will see our team with David (in the navy tee) and his three children (Glory, Shanthi and Pardeep). I met this precious family two years ago on my first trip to India and have kept up contact with them ever since. I can testify that all of them have a passionate love for our Lord and want nothing more in this life than to serve him. And they do. I witnessed their love and service first hand through the orphan children. You could see the children's love and respect for the Raju family. And there was no doubt in my mind the love the Raju family has for these children.

Now, let me tell you about the children. Oh my goodness. They are the MOST precious darlings you have ever seen. I came home calling them my babies. And they are. The Lord himself seared their little hearts to mine. For two years now, every email conversation I have had with the Raju's has started and ended with...'How are the children?' and 'Tell them I love them'. David will testify too- they are mine. I feel an immense responsibility for them. I realize that I am not alone in this feeling either. I have no doubt that every member of our India team left the orphanage feeling as if the children belonged to them too. My prayer is that every woman who pledges monthly to these precious ones will feel the same. I pray that the children will know they have a whole lot of mom's in Tennessee who love them.

Sadly, our giving and visiting can never take the place of real moms and dads these precious children are without. But as much as I feel they belong to me, I am forever grateful that they belong to HIM, Jesus. He is their Heavenly Father. As I left the orphanage, saying goodbye was hard. I trust that they are in the loving and capable hands of the Raju family and their Heavenly Father. I'm trusting God for each and everyone of their futures. I told Him as much too! Everyday- I remind Him they are His (as if He could or would ever forget them!). But, it helps me!

While we were with the children they preformed their Christmas play for us--it was too cute! I was amazed at how well they had memorized their lines for the program. They did such a fine job!

We gave them the McDonald's Happy Meal toys, pencils, gum and candy everyone donated. Let me just tell you- it was like Christmas morning at the Drain's. They were so THRILLED to have these new things- things my kids would just throw away. Words can't express what something so insignificant to us means to them.

We also got to hand out a new set of clothes to each of them. The boys were given a shirt and a pair of pants and the girls got a shirt and a skirt. Every last one of them matched. Everyone had the same color and style. The kids were ecstatic. They would hold up their clothes for their buddies to see (as if they didn't get the very same thing)! I sat there bawling. I have never seen so much joy on a child's face in all my life for something you and I take for granted. Daisy over heard two of the boys say "Auntie Lori is weeping." I wish I could have explained to them how I felt. I had such mixed emotion. On one hand I couldn't have been happier- the children were happy and so much better off than what they were two years ago. On the other hand- I felt so sad for us- for me. I forget the simple pleasures and the blessings the Lord so richly provides for us. We are so rich and most of the time we don't even realize it.

After handing out the clothes for the children we were asked to give the children a word of instruction. I was totally not prepared for this. I sat there thinking to myself....if this were the last time I would see Shelby and Gabe what would I want to tell them...how could I say a lifetime of words in a few minutes. In tears, I told them I loved them and more importantly Jesus loves them. I asked them to obey and honor the Raju family, their teachers and ministry leaders because they love them too. I asked them to take care of one another. I can't tell you how very inadequate I felt at this moment and many others while we were in India.

Before we left the orphanage the Raju family had purchased coco-nut trees for us to plant there in our honor. It was such a humbling experience for us. And, it was a thrill for the children. They enjoyed it just as much as we did. David told us that every time they looked at the trees they would remember us. We were touched beyond words.

Oh, how I wish I were better with words. I wish I could help those of you who support these children know what your giving means to them. For those of you who don't support them- I wish you would consider making a donation or taking on a child for yourself. Beloved, I believe with all my heart that giving to this ministry is a Kingdom Investment that you and I will never know the depth of here on earth. There are more children awaiting a home in the orphanage but the funding isn't there. They barely scrap by on what we give let alone take in more children. The orphanage, girls and boys dorms, classrooms, and dinning hall has the room for more children but the money just isn't there to support any more at this time. Please pray for these children and those in need of a home. If you are interested in giving financially please see me, Lori Shepherd or Robert Curry.

Well, this has been a short glimpse into a wealth of experience. It falls so short of what I would like to offer you in the form of words but I pray that God will use it to bless you and the children!

Love to all,

Lori