Jeff and Tracy are an amazing couple. They have four kids, ages 10, 7, 4 and 8 mos. They’ve traveled to India with Streams of Mercy to minister in orphanages since 2008. These trips have deeply impacted their lives.
About a year ago, Jeff called me with a radical idea. He was headed back to India, and wanted to know my thoughts about him taking his 10 year old son, Peyton on the trip. I was ecstatic! I knew this would change Peyton for the rest of his life. Jeff and Tracy had significant fears for their son, but knew this was the time for him to love and serve orphans.
Jeff and Peyton headed off to India. Most of their time was spent with Freddy and Daisy and the Rescue and Restore Orphanage in Chennai. This home has 32 children who have been rescued from the streets of that massive city. Peyton was immediately accepted as one of the ‘Kids’! He won the hearts of the children in the orphanage, and they won his. They had tons of fun playing soccer, and just being friends.
The highlight of the time with Freddy and Daisy’s kids was when Jeff and Peyton announced at dinner that they were spending the night in the home. The children began to cheer that their friend Peyton was spending the night with them. Peyton had made lifelong friendships in the home and with a young boy named Giva, living in the slums of Chennai. Giva is a boy in the slum church, and he and Peyton became close friends immediately.
When Peyton came home, his mom asked him what the trip meant to him. His response was revealing! He said, “It was beautiful but sad”.
In our self-centered culture, it is easy to think that true love is giving our children everything they want. That’s not true love. True Love is not the latest Play Station or iPhone. True love is allowing our children to care for the widows, orphans and unlovely. It is allowing them to have their heart broken for the needy of this world.
Rescue and Restore is a dynamic orphanage, and outreach to children living on the streets of Chennai, India. Freddy and Daisy Paul lead this wonderful work. There are 32 children in the home and hundreds more who are loved by Freddy and Daisy.
The children living on the streets of Chennai come from many different backgrounds. Some are orphans, while others are run-aways. Others have been dropped off on the street, and abandoned by their families. Many of the children have lived as work slaves or have been trafficked. Freddy and Daisy long to help many more children living on those streets.
