It's A Good Life

I have fifteen days left with my kids. I can't believe I'm this close to leaving. It feels like the six months flew by, but at the same time I feel like I left the US a lifetime ago.

Whenever I think about going back to the US, I am overwhelmed with emotion. I can't wait to burst through the gate in the Knoxville airport and see everyone I know and love. I miss my friends and family so much it hurts. My heart yearns to be back in a community of people who love and support me unconditionally.

Then I think of leaving the kids. How am I going to leave them? I can't imagine leaving them here without a foster parent to love and care for them. Am I damaging them further by leaving? Am I just another name on a long list of people who have abandoned them? I know that's not true, but do the kids understand that? They've had three incredibly loving and amazing foster moms who were here before me. The girls talk about them a lot and understand that all three of them love the girls even though they went back to America. So I know the girls won't have ill feelings towards me, but I still feel awful about leaving them. That's how it's always been for them. Someone comes and loves them deeply, then after several months she leaves. That's how our girls know love. And it breaks my heart.

I'm so thankful God sent me here to love the girls for the time that he did. I'm so thankful he sent Abby here to love them alongside me. I'm so thankful for Haley, Jenny, and Marla who loved the girls long before I came along. I'm so thankful for the future foster moms who will come along and continue to love our girls. More than anything, I am thankful for the forever families who are fighting for their children and anxiously awaiting the day they come home. I pray that every one of our kids has a forever family out there.

Honestly, I am scared of what's going to happen to the girls when I leave. I love the girls as if they are my own daughters or younger sisters. Learning to trust God completely and release the girls to him is the hardest thing I've ever done.

It's hard, but it's beautiful. There is truly nothing more beautiful than trusting that God has a plan for every single one of them. He's always provided for them and he's not going to stop. He is their protector, their father, their hope.

So I hold on to the fact that I know he will not leave them as orphans. He will come to them. He will redeem them and give them new life.

I've faced several different reactions to me leaving. I've heard harsh words saying that I never should have come here and formed attachments with the girls only to turn around and leave them. I've been told that six months isn't enough of a sacrifice for the girls. I've been treated with a complete lack of respect or love. I've been hurt by people I once respected and looked up to. I've also heard words spoken out of love and with pure intentions that have hurt me just as deeply. Words such as "I'm so glad you decided to come home and finish your education. You're doing the right thing." Or "Aren't you excited to get out of that country and be back in America?"

I know people speak words like these completely out of love. I know that they miss me. I know that no one truly understands what this experience has been like for me. I've been on the other side of the world with limited contact for six months. No one has been beside me start to finish to see how I've changed. Most people will never be able to understand that my girls have become a part of me. That leaving them is the hardest thing I've ever done. I know that none of my friends will fully understand what it's like to become a mom to twelve children then lose it all within a matter of hours. No one will understand the guilt that I live with knowing that walking away was my choice.

Leaving is hard. To the people who have spoken harsh words, I know that you want what's best for the girls. I'm hurt but thankful that you value their hearts over mine. Your words had some truth. One year would be better for the kids than six months. Two years would be better than a year. But isn't six months better than nothing? Maybe you can't see it because you don't spend every day with the girls like I do. You haven't seen the girls grow and change in the same ways I have. My time here may have been short, but I am so thankful for every single day I've had with my girls. Each day has been beautiful, wonderful, and filled with a new adventure.

To the people who speak kind words about me coming home, please know this isn't easy for me. Yes, I'm excited to see my friends and family. I'm so excited to enroll back in school and pursue a degree that will lead me to fight for social justice. I'm thrilled that in a couple weeks I get to throw my arms around your neck and cry tears of joy. But be aware that my heart is broken. I feel guilty, lost, and full of grief. I'm not the same person I was when I left in June. I just ask that you give me grace and greet me with love and an attitude of understanding. When you ask if I'm glad to be home, expect my answer to be no, not completely. When you ask if I'm okay, know that the answer is no.

I'm not okay, but that's not a bad thing. When I return to the States, I'll have a lot to process and a lot to adjust to. But that's okay. It will just take time.

This is where I'm at. I have fifteen more days with the girls. I wish those fifteen days could last forever. But they'll come to an end faster than I'd like. Then before I know it, I'll be running through the gate in Knoxville and into the arms of everyone I love back home.

It's a good life. I'm thankful for a God who has taught me to find immense joy in times of pain. I'm thankful for a God who makes beautiful things out of us. I'm thankful that I found life here in India. I'm thankful that when I leave, my kids will continue to find freedom and life in Christ. I'm thankful for a God who will not leave any of us as orphans. I'm thankful for a God who comes and meets us where we are.

Recent Milestones

So much has happened in the last month! Nearly all of the girls have reached a new milestone!

Heidi celebrated her 5th birthday on October 14th! It's hard to believe she's five because she's so tiny. A few days before her birthday, I went to a local bakery in Ongole to order her cake. I showed the baker a picture of a minion as Despicable Me is Heidi's favorite movie. I was really just hoping they could draw a minion on with some icing.  Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from this Ongole bakery and wasn't going to be surprised if I picked up the cake and it looked like a little yellow peanut. Needless to say, when Abby and I went to get the cake we were shocked! We took Heidi out earlier in the day to pick out a birthday present. She picked a stuffed dog or "kookah" as our girls call them! (Kookah is the Telugu word for dog). She carried her kookah around with her the rest of the day. We had Heidi's party on the roof of our building in Ongole. We celebrated with cake then broke out a parachute to play with! All of the girls loved waving the parachute up and down. After the party we took let Heidi pick one sister to take to dinner. A few minutes later Abby and I were off to our favorite restaurant, Ramya, with Heidi and Chelsea!

Victoria and Phoebe learned to walk with their guide canes before we left Ongole! When they got home from school either Abby or I would take them on a walk down the street. The roads in Ongole are no easy feat. I was so impressed with how well they did! Since moving to Hyderabad they have continued to use their guide canes. Phoebe even got to take her cane with her on a shopping trip!

Chelsea began talking more! She hasn't mastered full control of her tongue yet, so there are several sounds she cannot make. But that doesn't stop her! She has become vocal about her wants and needs. Abby or I will hear her yelling for us saying "Ca-ee! A-ee!" Her favorite song is Every Move I Make and she LOVES to sing it all the time! I bet you've never heard a cuter rendition.

Jeanette has come a long way in her behaviors. She used to shut down every time she did something wrong. If one of her sisters upset her, she would usually hit them. Then when Abby and I pulled her away to talk about what she had just done, she would cry and refuse to say anything. Now Jeanette is learning appropriate ways to deal with her emotions. She rarely hits her sisters and is learning to talk to Abby and I about her feelings when she gets upset. This is huge for Jeanette and I am so proud of her!

Esther has been receiving individual time with her tutor after school. This has been so good for her. Esther really benefits from one on one time and instruction. But with twelve kids, that's been really hard for Abby and I to give. We break the girls up in small groups as often as we can, but one on one instruction for more than a few minutes is a rare thing. Esther has been thriving with her new tutor! Every day she shows us pictures she colored, things she write, and she loves to recite new songs! She is colored inside the line consistently and learning to write small words.

Since moving to Hyderabad, Paula has made huge strides in her independence. We live on the first story of our house which is so much better for Paula than living on the third floor like we did in Ongole! Paula is able to stay in her wheelchair the entire day at home as well as at school. Our house is so big that she has no problem maneuvering wherever she wants to go. Attached to her bedroom is a huge bathroom that is completely wheelchair accessible! She can wheel herself to the toilet as well as the sink without assistance. She's also transferring herself from her chair to bed every night on her own!

Stephanie is so much happier in Hyderabad. She really loves her new school! I have the hardest time getting through to her sometimes. No matter what I say or do some days Stephanie just sits there completely shut down to anything going on around her. Some days she wets her pants and will sit in it until someone notices and takes her to change. This past week has been amazing for her though! She has started taking initiative and telling either the ayahs or Phoebe when she needs to use the bathroom. Then someone will lead her there. She loves sitting with Abby and I and has become more aware and active in what's going on around her. I'm thrilled that she is coming back out of her shell and asserting herself, but I am overjoyed that she is HAPPY. During the evenings I will sneak a glance at her and she's laughing. In the mornings she is so excited to get ready for school. At bedtime when Abby and I tuck the girls in and sing our bedtime song, she is beside herself with giggles! The other night I really thought she was going to flop out of bed because she was laughing so hard. It nearly brought me to tears seeing a genuine and joy-filled smile across her face.

Jackie celebrated her 6th birthday on November 13th! Her favorite thing to do is dance so what better way to celebrate than with a rave?! For her party we turned down the lights and gave all the girls glow sticks. We danced the night away as we celebrated our spunkiest munchkin becoming another year older! Earlier in the day, Abby and I took her shopping and let her pick out two birthday presents. She got a new necklace and a play doctor kit! She also got mehndi on her hand. Jackie has asked about her birthday every day since a week before Heidi had hers. Needless to say, she was ECSTATIC when the day finally came!

So many of the girls have reached new milestones and we couldn't be more proud of them!

We have a new addition! A sweet little boy named Ian joined our family last week! Can't wait to share more of him with you!

Welcome to Hyderabad!

We've been in Hyderabad for over three weeks now. And what a crazy three weeks it has been! Our first ten days here we were stranded in the basement of another SCH home because our house wasn't ready. The girls were stir crazy by the time we moved in! But the day finally came and we moved into our beautiful new home!

Our house (called Joy Home) is a giant two story house. We live on the first floor. Another group of kids that SCH will soon be getting from the government will live on the second. The amount of space we have is crazy! It's triple the size of our apartment in Ongole.Our house has four bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths. The older girls share one bedroom while the younger ones share another. The rooms are HUGE! Jackie, Heidi, Angel, Chelsea, Jeanette, Esther, Naomi, and Rebekah share the largest room of the house. They have more room than they've ever had in their lives! We are so thankful that SCH picked this beautiful house for our girls! The smallest bedroom in the house has been transformed into a school room where our girls do their homework. They have a tutor who comes every afternoon and helps with homework as well as catching them up in school as most of them are behind a couple years.

The best part of living in Hyderabad is our new schools! Having access to better schools is the main reason we moved. There were no special education resources in Ongole and our girls were not getting the education they needed or deserved. By the time we moved, four of our girls had been kicked out because they "didn't have any ability to learn". Getting all twelve enrolled in various schools was a long and stressful process, but we are thrilled to now see all twelve thriving in their new schools!

Esther, Jackie, Angel, and Chelsea are enrolled at Bachpan Playschool. Bachpan is a top notch preschool with one of the best academic programs in Hyderabad. Chelsea and Angel are in playgroup, the beginning class. Jackie is in nursery, the second level. We are really hoping they will soon see how smart she is and bump her up to LKG with Esther! Esther's class, LKG (lower kindergarten) focuses on learning to read and write small words as well as many other things. The girls love Bachpan and can't wait to put their uniforms on every morning!


Heidi started at Kangaroo Kids Playschool last week. I am so excited to see her thrive in their integrated program. I really think that attending a different school than her sisters will help her to develop appropriate social skills and become more attentive in an academic environment. Heidi loves going to school! She's the first one to leave in the morning (which is hard as she's the slowest of our bunch), but she can't wait to walk out the door and get on her bus every day!

Paula, Naomi, and Rebekah are attending Sparsh Special Education School. We absolutely love Sparsh and have been thrilled with the resources they have access to there! In addition to their education they each receive half an hour of speech therapy, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy every day! They come home with daily reports detailing what they learned and how their therapies went. Naomi and Rebekah have been learning how to jump in physiotherapy and Paula gets leg exercises every day! They are all learning phonics and how to pronounce their ABCs correctly. In occupational therapy they are learning how to correctly hold pencils and are working on fine motor skills.

Phoebe, Victoria, Stephanie, and Jeanette were recently enrolled at Devnar School for the Blind. Devnar is normally a boarding school, but they were happy to let our girls attend during their school day! They are all learning to read and write Braille as well as learning regular academics. They started them out in 1st Class since they didn't learn how to read Braille in Ongole. On the girls' first day we discovered that Phoebe had been enrolled at Devnar several years ago before she came to SCH! She learned Braille then and has continued with it on and off during her years at SCH. She's a really smart girl, and we are hoping she picks it back up quickly and can be promoted to a higher class! Devnar has amazing resources and education for children who are blind. We're really excited about the opportunities the girls will have here!


With school enrollment, comes heavy school fees. Thankfully, four of our girls get to attend school for free!! Victoria, Phoebe, Jeanette, and Stephanie have zero school fees! All they need is $25 a month each for transportation. Victoria and Phoebe's are already covered! Steph and Jeanette still need sponsors. You can become a $25 per month sponsor for Jeanette here and for Stephanie here. Just donate under the School Sponsorship link.

The rest of the girls have some pretty hefty school fees. All of the girls fees cover their tuition, enrollment fees, books, uniforms, field trips/special events, and transportation. We are currently fundraising to cover everything for this semester (now-May). Heidi needs $645. Chelsea, Angel, Jackie, and Esther each need $525. Paula, Naomi, and Rebecca each need $490.

We need $4,215 as soon as possible. I know that's a huge number, but every little bit helps! Could you please donate even just a simple $10 so our girls can go to school? You can donate at www.tinyurl.com/schjoyhomeschoolfees.

Enjoy our Shake It Off music video as you consider donating towards our girls' education!

Following

I haven't been blogging as much as I should, and for that I apologize. So many have you have been following my journey here, supporting me and my girls financially, and praying for us without ceasing. I owe it to you to keep you updated. 

Honestly, I've had a hard month. I have faced a lot of struggles, the hardest being my decision to return home in December. Becoming a foster mom to orphaned children with special needs has always been my dream. Those of you who know me well (and probably some of you who don't) know that I've wanted to do this long before I even knew SCH existed. 

I hear a lot of missionaries tell stories of God bringing them to the last place on earth they ever thought they would be. I've heard accounts of people refusing God at first, saying "No, no, no. Absolutely not. I will not go there; I'm not doing that." It wasn't like that for me when I felt God calling me to come to India. I had wanted this life for years. When I graduated high school, college was the last place I wanted to be in the fall. I wanted to take time off and go care for with orphans with special needs. And with every semester that went by, I hated the life I was living more and more. I wanted to be here with my girls. I longed to be living this life. 

When I made the decision to come to India this six months, it was easy. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that this is where I was supposed to be. I sold my car without a second thought or doubt. I left school, my family, my friends, and every last person I knew with joy in my heart. I miss everyone like crazy, and saying goodbye was definitely hard. But I was filled with inexplicable joy to be following my dream, following God, and move to India. I couldn't wait to be with the girls. My heart was already here. 

So I arrived and began fostering seven girls on my own. Leah lived with us back then. (You can read more about her here). I was living in Ongole by myself and completely overwhelmed. I was lonely. The only Telugu word I knew was kucho which means "sit". I couldn't communicate with anyone. I had no friends here. The temperature ranged from 110-125 every day and my body had never felt so drained. Every time I thought of my mom and friends, I cried. I had no idea how I would make it until December. 

Yet at the same time, I knew I was home. I knew I never wanted to leave. On paper my life looked miserable. I was sick, lonely, culturally inept, everything looked negative. But there was a joy in my heart that turned all of that to dust. I fell head over heels in love with my girls instantly. I became their mom and loved every second of it. I loved helping them reach new milestones. I loved cleaning their poop off the floor for the millionth time that week. I loved laughing with them, playing with them, singing with them. I loved staying up all night with my littlest nugget when she was sick. I loved caring for Leah when she was in the darkest place I had ever seen. I loved it all. I knew this is where I wanted to stay. 

Exactly two months after I first arrived in India, Abby came along. A week earlier I moved six new girls in with my original girls. (Leah was living with another foster family at this point). I became a foster mom to twelve and fell in love with this life even more. I wanted to stay here forever. The thought of returning home in December and not coming back made me sick. How could I ever leave my girls? How could I ever return to the life I had been living? I felt so at home here, so overjoyed and in the center of God's will. So I decided that I would stay indefinitely. I would finish school online and continue to foster my girls until God told me otherwise. 

He told me otherwise a lot sooner than I anticipated. I was crushed. There was no way that I wasn't coming back at least until May. I wanted to give my girls at least a year. I couldn't fathom leaving them in December and not returning to foster them. I love each of my twelve foster daughters more than I have ever loved another person. I really believe the love I have for them is the love a mother has for her children. I would do absolutely anything for them. I would give up everything I had to spend the rest of my life here. I will never stop advocating for them and giving them all the energy and love I have. I wish God's plan for me was to stay in India and continue to foster them. I really do. But He has other plans. 

His plan for me here and now is to return to school and finish my degree. After fostering and living here, I've decided to change my degree so that I can one day pursue a career in something I am truly passionate about. I'm going to study political science, human rights, and law with a goal of one day working towards promoting the rights of children and adults living with disabilities worldwide. While I am beyond excited to pursue this life, I still can't imagine ending this chapter in just six weeks. 

How am I going to tell the girls that I'm leaving and don't know when I'll be back? How am I going to tell them that one day I might visit, but I will never be their foster mom again? How do I tell them that my love for them is deeper than any love I've ever had, yet I still have to leave? The truth is, I don't know how I am going to do any of it. I don't know how I am going to step on a plane in December. I don't have a clue what my life will look like once I'm back in America. Sure, I'll be going to school and have some sort of job. But will I be happy? Will I feel like I am in the center of God's will? Will I miss the girls so much that I cry ten times a day? Will I feel like I've abandoned them and made the biggest mistake of my life even when I know I haven't? I don't know. 

I don't know if I will ever see all twelve of the girls again. Who knows how long it will be before I get to come back and visit. I hope that it is soon, but I have no way of knowing. Some of them may be adopted by then (HALLELUJAH). I know that I may get to be a part of some of the girls lives once they are home, but I may never hear or see a single thing about some of them too. My final goodbyes, hugs, and kisses may come in December. And the hardest part about that is that I have no way of knowing if it is the final goodbye or not. 

It was easy for me to come here. I followed God and trusted him, but that wasn't hard. I wanted to be here. I mentioned earlier how I've heard so many accounts of people following God to the hard places, those hard places being foreign countries and ministries they didn't feel equipped for. It wasn't easy for these people to follow the Lord, yet they did and found immense joy in doing so. I think that's what it is like with me going home. Returning back to America was never a part of my plan. It was never what I wanted. But it's where the Lord is leading me. 

I will follow Him, and trust in Him even when it breaks my heart. I believe that He will rebuild me, heal me, and make me new. I believe that He will take care of my girls and continue to heal them from loss, rejection, and abandonment. I believe that He will not leave any of us as orphans, but that He will come to us. We serve a God that has not left us nor forsaken us. He is a living God who is here with us always. I am so unworthy to serve a God as loving and merciful as ours. Whether I am a mom in India or a student in Tennessee, I serve the Almighty. And I am overjoyed to do so.

Understanding Abandonment

My girls (as well as the other children at SCH) are mostly all orphans due to their disabilities. Most Hindus believe in reincarnation. With that belief, they believe that if someone is born with a disability, they are being punished for something in a former life. It is also believed by some that having a child with a disability is bad karma and a punishment to the parents. Because so many Indians share these beliefs, a lot of children with disabilities are abandoned from birth or a young age.

That sounds absolutely terrible and dreadful, right? It makes you angry that someone would literally throw their own child away or leave them for dead because of their disability. Well it should. It is in no way right, but there is a lot more that goes into abandonment than just religion. I want you to understand what goes through some of these people's heads. Anger is a healthy feeling to have in response to this, but I'm not sure that being angry at the parents is right. Our anger should be directed towards the lack of education, the poverty, and the deeply ingrained culture values that stem from old wives tales and beliefs that are not true.

Can you imagine living in a tent made of roughly sewn together bed sheets and tarps? That is how a huge population of India lives. The "untouchables" are people living in the lowest caste in India. They are often disabled, beggars, and living on next to nothing. In most places in India there is little to no social mobility. Can you imagine living that type of life with no hope of change? Poverty is already such a vicious cycle and almost impossible to escape from. But here there simply isn't an option. You're poor and that is just the way it is. You can't get into a good school (even if you somehow found the money to pay). You can't hold a simple job. These people simply do not have options. Now imagine having a child with a disability. How are you possibly going to care for them? You don't have the money to get them medical care or specialized education. You don't even have the money to feed them. Sometimes it seems like the only choice is abandonment.

Now imagine being a 17-24 year old girl awaiting marriage. You have no say in the matter, as your parents are picking your husband. They decide to pick someone they know and trust from your village. He also happens to be your second cousin. This happens far to often in Indian culture, especially in villages where ancient religion trumps modern education. Most girls have no say in who they marry, and even if they did, would they know not to marry family members? Would they know that the likelihood of having a child with a birth defect, deformity, or disability is alarmingly high? Probably not. Would they even know a single negative effect or risk of marrying a family member? Unfortunately, most people probably have no idea.

One more scenario: imagine having a child with a disability and loving them with everything you had. You look at your child and see that they are perfect. Your child is everything you have ever dreamed of and more. But then you remember that if people in your village find out about your son/daughter, they will shun you. More than likely you will lose your job. You might not be allowed back in your temple. Your other children could be denied education. You look down at your child and realize that they might mean a life living on the streets or in the slums, struggling to obtain food and water. Then you realize that in this culture, the only thing you feel like you can do is abandon them. Hopefully they will be found by someone who can give them the resources they need and you can continue to provide for your family. Imagine the heartbreak and loss in that scenario.

These are some of the reasons kids are abandoned here. And trust me, there are many more. It is a messed up and lost system. A system in desperate need of better education and resources. It is heartbreaking, awful, and sad.

If we ever want to end the orphan epidemic, we cannot solely focus on adoption. Yes, adoption is critically needed. There are over 142 million orphans worldwide. Every single one of those kids needs a family. They by no means all need to be adopted to America or another developed country. Many of them living in other countries would benefit most from being adopted by families in their own country. But if adoption is our sole focus, are we really looking to the root of the problem? Kids will continue to be abandoned. The world is in desperate need of education and resources to aid families. People need support in raising children. If they feel that they cannot care for a child, they need resources to do so. People need to know that help and support is not only out there, but attainable. People need to be educated on how to raise multiple children, children with disabilities, or critical illnesses. They need to be educated on the effects of gendercide, and the value and equality of women. They need to know that every child is worthy of life despite gender, medical condition, ability, or social class.

In order for change to be brought about in the orphan epidemic, people all over the world need to be educated. There needs to be resources in place to aid families who feel like abandonment is the only option. We as well off citizens of our developed and educated countries have to speak up for these people. We need to bring awareness to the root of this epidemic. We need to unite together with a vision and fire to end the abandonment of children. We need to help these families.

Join with me in spreading awareness and understanding of why children are abandoned in other cultures. Help me campaign for education and resources to families who feel like there is no other option. Share this blog. Research ways you can help. Tell your friends and coworkers. Spread the word.

"Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving." - JK Rowling. Let's save these kids lives by keeping them with their families.

Life from Paula's Eyes

Hi my name is Paula!

I am thirteen years old. My favorite thing to do is laugh, especially when other people aren't happy. I like when people are happy.

I have cerebral palsy.

I spent the first twelve years of my life crawling around. I got a wheelchair a few months ago. The wheelchair is great for going on walks down the street. I really like racing my sisters on their bikes. But I don't really see why I have to stay in my wheelchair at home. Crawling is so much easier. My moms say it's because I can get around easier. Apparently people like me are happier in wheelchairs. Well they must be crazy because it just seems like a lot of hard work to me. 

I have lived at SCH for a long time. For a bunch of years I didn't have a foster mom. Then I got one about a year ago. Since then I've had a few different ones. I've lived with a whole bunch of different girls, but I really like the sisters I have now. Carrie and Abby are my foster moms now. They're ok I guess. I really like to laugh and sing with them, but I can't stand when they tell me what to do! I am thirteen years old. They just don't get me. They are too old I guess.

I have eleven sisters now. I really like being a big sister to Chelsea, Heidi, Angel, and Jackie. Some of my other sisters annoy me, but mostly I like being one of the oldest. Phoebe moved in a few weeks ago and I have a lot of fun with her. 

I really like to dance! Except when too many people start looking I get embarrassed. What if they think I'm a bad dancer? Usually I just laugh at myself so everyone knows it's a joke. I like when we're all on the same page about these sorts of things. 

I have to do this thing called physical therapy all the time. It's pretty much the worst thing on the face of the earth. This lady named Ruth comes and stretches out my legs then makes me crawl up the stairs and stand up by myself. It's not a lick of fun until I start singing my ABCs. Then I have a pretty good time. 

I love getting dressed up in new clothes! Carrie bought me a new half sari for my birthday. I felt like a movie star in that thing! Really I just love any cute clothes. A girl's gotta look good, am I right?

My moms keep saying I'm a total teenager these days. I don't really know what that means. They're weirdos sometimes.

Singing is pretty much my favorite thing to do. I love to sing every single song I know all in a row. That usually means I sing my ABCs, Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, and three of my favorite Telugu songs. Sometimes my sisters tell me to stop, but singing makes me happy so I keep on anyway.

I share a bedroom with Victoria, Phoebe, and Stephanie. We love it because we stay up way later than all the little girls. Even after Carrie and Abby put us to bed we will stay up for almost an hour talking and laughing!

I love Jesus a whole lot. I've learned a lot about prayer recently and it's a pretty cool thing. Did you know Jesus actually listens to you and answers your prayers? That's pretty cool if you ask me.

I overhear a lot of people talking about me. They always say the same thing. I'm really joyful. And I guess that's true. I like to laugh a lot. Mostly I just like to make sure everyone is happy. When I see someone who isn't happy I try to cheer them up. Being sad just stinks, I'll tell ya that much.

I really do love everyone. People are always so nice and I just love when people are nice to each other.

I love being a big sister, and I love my foster moms even when they are weird. 

I think I'd probably love you too. I like when Carrie and Abby let me Skype people. Maybe you can ask them to Skype so I can meet you! I'd really like that. 

That's about it for now. I'll talk to you later. 

Duces,

Paula

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Would you consider sponsoring Paula? She needs sponsors to cover her daily needs such as food, water, rent, transportation, and medicine. You can sponsor her by clicking this link!

Sponsorship Campaign Week 1: Naomi

As many of you know, I am a volunteer staff member at Sarah's Covenant Homes. I pay for my own rent, food, water, travel, etc. I do this because SCH runs completely off donations. We currently have about 140 special needs orphans in our care. Can you imagine that?? It costs a lot of money to keep this place running.

This is why we have a sponsorship program. When you commit to sponsoring a child at SCH, you are committing to provide them with a home, food, clean water, transportation, education, and quality care. Their sponsorship money goes towards paying the rent for their home, the cost of their food and water, the cost of their hygiene products, the salaries of their physical therapists, nurses, and ayahs. It also covers the cost of their education (mainstream or special ed schooling/private tutors).

Right now, Abby and I live in Ongole with our twelve girls. We honestly love Ongole and would live here forever if we could. But it is not the best place for our girls. There aren't any special education resources in Ongole, nor are there resources for speech therapy. Nearly all of our girls need some sort of special education ranging from programs for the blind to individualized education plans. Over half of our girls desperately need speech therapy. The good news is that SCH is in the process of moving all our kids to Hyderabad where these resources are readily available! 

The plan was for our girls to move sometime in mid-2015. Abby and I really feel that our girls need to move sooner than that. So we came up with a plan and proposed it to Sarah, our director. Sarah loved the idea and is in full support and agreement with it!

If we can get all twelve of our girls sponsored at $200 a month and $50 a month for education, than we can move to Hyderabad at the beginning of the new year! This will provide AMAZING opportunities for our girls that they really need. Abby and I are in Hyderabad right now for a few meetings and have been touring schools with special education programs in our down time. We are overcome with joy as we envision the futures our girls have here. 

So here goes! Our sponsorship campaign is kicking off with our Naomi babe! 

Naomi is officially documented as being nine years old, but we think she is probably around a year younger. She has Down's syndrome. Naomi is mostly non-verbal, but she communicates her wants and needs pretty clearly. Right now she is enrolled in mainstream school, but it isn't fitting her needs. Abby and I are probably going to pull her from school soon and begin homeschooling her until we move to Hyderabad. 

Naomi LOVES the beach. Swimming in the ocean is one of her absolute favorite things to do. This girl is a fish! She dives headfirst into the waves without any fear. The tides pull her under for a brief second as I hold her waist, praying she knows how to hold her breath. As her head pops out out of water, I am greeted with a cheesy grin and rolling laughter. 

At home Naomi is a fashionista. She loves dressing herself, picking out her shoes, and decorating her hair with every colorful clip or bow she can find! Naomi loves tucking her shirts in and wearing high-waisted pants. She is our little Indian hipster through and through. 

This girl brings us so much joy. Her smile is dazzling and her laugh is contagious. 

Naomi deserves the education and therapy resources she needs. Can you help her get there? Pray about becoming one of Naomi's monthly sponsors. She needs $150 a month in regular sponsorship. You can support her by giving either the full amount, $100 a month, $50 a month, or $40 a month. You can become one of her sponsors by clicking this link! 

Abby and I will continue to post blogs, videos, pictures, and updates about Naomi all this week. We are hoping and praying that by the end of this week Naomi will be fully sponsored!! If you commit to sponsoring her (or any of our kids) we want you to meet her! We will set up a Skype date for you to meet our Naomi babe as you begin this wonderful journey investing in her life. 

James 1:27 says "Religion that God the 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." 

God calls us to look after orphans. I know everyone isn't called to come and actually care for them day to day like I am. But He does call us all to care for these children in some way or another. Maybe He is calling you to come alongside these girls and support them financially. I encourage you to pray about sponsorship and where your role is in our girls' lives. Pray about sponsoring Naomi (or any of our 12)! These girls have so much love to give and so much potential. They need your help to really flourish and succeed!! 

The Lord makes beautiful things out of dust. He makes beautiful things out of our twelve girls. He makes beautiful things out of Naomi.