Year: 2008

Saturday we loaded up in the bus and headed back to the R&R; house where we painted several rooms with a paint “wash”. The staff at the home do this wash several times a year, so it was a great way to lend a hand. The best part of the day was that the kids were home from school, so

Today we made our way to a slum area, which is home to an estimated 6000 people. It is an extremely poor area, and our friends from R&R; have been working in this slum for many years. Sickness, rape, abuse are common in the slum, and the most heartbreaking stories are those of children who are being abused. The R&R;

After packaging the rice the team headed to the Rescue & Restore house, home to over 30 kids who have been rescued from life on the streets. It was heartbreaking to hear the stories of abuse the kids received while living on the streets. Many have been sexually abused, but they are grateful for the hope they now have since

Thursday we loaded in the bus to go to a home where nearly a ton of rice was waiting for us to pack in individual bags for Friday’s rice distribution into the hut slum of Chennai where 6000 people live in utter poverty. The team tackled the massive 75 kilo (165 lb.) bags of rice and separated them into 250

The team connected in amazing ways with lots of the kids, and it was great to watch the kids as they squealed with delight at the rides, the special meal, & especially the chips and ice cream. It was a day to remember! The final part of the day was the most important. We gathered the children at the exit

Life on the streets of Chennai is a desperate struggle for survival. Thousands of children live in the train station, under bridge overpasses, and on the streets. These children fight every day just to survive. They are the victims of predators of every kind. Freddy & Daisy, the Directors of Rescue & Restore House minister to these kids every week

Our time with the kids was amazing. A puppet show, singing, dancing and a craft project kept everyone busy and fully entertained. This was a rare treat for them. The kids (and few women who live in the home) were so hungry for physical touch. This is understandable when they are considered “untouchable”. The soaked up the hugs & high

Tuesday we made our way by bus to the Aids orphanage, which is home to 15 kids who are HIV+. When we arrived Wilson, the Director, gave us some background about this work amongst those with HIV in Chennai. He began by going to the local Aids hospital 10 years ago and volunteering to help. The Hospital Director was very

A puzzle piece treasure hunt followed the puppets, and the kids got right in to the competition of finding and completing their puzzle first. They searched around the home in teams for all the pieces of 5 different puzzles. When the pieces all fit together, they read a message about God’s love for them. At the end of the hunt