Asha House

Asha House is where we spent most of our ministry time. We would end up working here twice a week and then come back for church on Sunday. Asha House is a children's home that takes care of 35 children in ages ranging from two to sixteen. Some of the children there are what they call "true orphans" and have no parents at all, other children have parents but their parents cannot provide for them.

All of these kids are fed three meals and bathed daily. They are loved, prayed for, and taught about Jesus and how to serve him. The older half of the kids are sent to school during the day. Education is a huge thing in India. It can be expensive to send kids to school but education is the only way to better yourself. Without Asha House these kids would not get access to school.

When we were there we worked with the younger kids when the older ones were at school, helping to prepare them to take their exams to get into school. We taught them English, math, and things like the days of the week and months of the year. They loved to play this hand-game where you get in a circle and go around, saying either the months or the alphabet, touch the hand of the person to your left. The object is to not get your hand touched when we get to "December" or "z" (like the British they say "zed"), if you do then you are out and the game starts all over again.

Around 1pm is lunch time. Before lunch is served the kids all have to wash their dishes and hands at the hand pump. We would help pump water for them. This was one of my favorite things to do because they would all say "good afternoon Auntie" and when they were done they would say "tank you Auntie." They eat in the "Church Room", which is also where we had school. It is really the "Everything Room." Like good Indians all of the kids eat with their hands. At first you might think it is easier to eat rice with a fork or spoon but hands are really the way to go. These kids can consume a huge amount of rice. After lunch the kids all have bloated bellies because they are filled to the top with rice. They sometimes look like they might pop. They are so cute.

After we have lunch there is some play time and then the older kids work on homework and the younger ones take naps. We could either help the older kids or nap with the little ones. I loved to nap. It was a sweet time to snuggle with and pray over them.

We would leave around 3pm to make the hour long trek back to our house in Pochenpur.