Enter Jesus!

A recent study by an international non-profit found that 4%, or 20 million, of India's population of children are orphans.  Most of these have been abandoned by their family. In fact, it is estimated that only 0.3% of these kids are children whose parents are actually deceased.  Which means that this was a choice,  leaving these children for someone else to care for is a choice.

Or, is it?  What could possibly cause a parent to leave their child; to  abandon them?  What reason could justify walking away?   My kids are all grown.  They have careers, some have families, lives of their own, but they will always be my babies.  When I think back to when they were small I had such a fierce, protective love for them, I still do.  I can't imagine anyone or anything ripping them from my arms.  I would never, ever have abandoned them for any reason.  Or, would I? Could I ever have been so desperate to provide for them that I was willing to give them up?

Would I sell my last goat to put clothes on their backs?  Would I give up my home to give them an education? Would I go hungry to see them fed?  If I had to, would I give them away to save their lives?  Yes, I think I would.  Knowing what it feels like to be a mother, to love someone so desperately, you know that you would do anything to take care of your children.  Anything!

I know that it could only be pure, raw, desperation that would lead a mother to hand her child over to someone else to care for and raise.  Knowing that makes me so very, very honored to be called by God to provide homes for these orphans in India.  I feel such a deep sense of gratitude that God chose Fish Company to be a part of the solution to these homeless little ones.

We kind of fell into our first project in India, the Madicherla Church/Orphanage, located in the Andhra Pradesh region in Bapulapadu Mandal.  In 2014 ICM launched the Women's Initiative and Fish Company was asked to be a part.  We participated in a women's conference in Virginia where the proceeds were used to purchase and build a church and orphanage in a small village.

At that time the Indian government was not at all interested in Christian orphanages, as a matter of fact, it was forbidden.  The government had a long history of controlling religion and Christianity was something they wanted nothing of.  In a country where almost 80% of the population practices Hindu, and another 18% practices Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism, the 2% of Christians are really, really a minority.  But several years ago something amazing happened, Christian groups began entering the country and evangelizing India.  First they sent missionaries to share the gospel and love of Jesus.  Soon the Christian population grew and God began raising up pastors from within the Indian culture.  Those pastors developed congregations and those congregations needed a place to worship.

Enter ICM.  International Cooperating Ministries is a ministry that strikes when the iron is hot.  A window opened in India where the government relaxed their laws related to building houses of worship and ICM dove in and built thousands of churches in a very short period of time, including a church in Madicherla with a small orphanage attached.  Soon the government not only noticed the church/orphanages that ICM had built, but acknowledged that these structures, these houses of worship and homes for children, were having a huge positive impact on the villages where they were located.  The church started taking on responsibility for things that the government had been unable to.  The number of homeless children living on the streets was reduced, which resulted in a reduction in crime.  

These churches with orphanages had such an impact on the villages and the surrounding area in which they were built that the Indian Government actually requested orphanages be added to the other existing churches. The Indian Government actually requested that Christian orphanages be built in order to care for their orphaned population.  Enter Jesus.  

We knew God was calling us to be a larger part of this story so about 4 years ago we took on 2 more orphanages, Medara Metla and Duburuvaripalli.  The orphanages in India are unique in that instead of being a separate building, or a building attached to the churches, they are a part of the church structures.  In order to better protect the orphans their home is usually located on the second story above the church and often is sandwiched between the church and the parsonage.  I love how protective these people are of the orphans God has charged them with.

Our most recent project in India was just fully funded in April of 2020 when Bay Hope Church partnered with us to build a church and orphanage in Chalmeda, which is located near the city of Siddipet in the State of Telangana.  The Chalmeda church was founded in 2007.  Like many areas of India this village struggles with issues related to poverty, disease and high illiteracy rates.  The orphanage will be led by Pastor Abbugari Raju and run by the members of his congregation.  We are blessed to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people of Chalmeda.

4 orphanages in India. While it makes me sad to think that these 4 orphanages are just a tiny fraction of what is needed to provide homes for these children.  I am also so happy to be a part.  When I look at what God has accomplished through Fish Company in such a short amount of time I am amazed and awed.  That He would use us to help His beloved, His church, His orphans. I can just picture Him looking across the land and asking "Whom shall I send?"  and then I picture myself like a little kid in class with my hand raised high in the air, jumping with excitement saying "Here I am, Lord, send me!  Pick Me!  Pick Me! Let me be a part of your solution."  

I am humbled that God is using our little ministry to change this world, and I am humbled that we are being entrusted with the care of these children.  Won't you please consider partnering with Fish Company to help?  I promise, you will be blessed.  

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