I recently completed my first visit of the year to the 10 homes we are now supporting.  I am happy to report that  many, many children have returned and are happy to be back.  The new children are adjusting well and beginning to learn the Word of God.  We have had very few start-up problems.

The funds donated to the India orphanage project are sent to the WELS World Mission office (2929 N Mayfair Rd, Milwaukee, Wisc. 53222).  The cost of supporting one child per month in an orphanage is $25. Cost for a Christian education is $12 per month.  It is important to tell you that no administrative costs are taken from the Orphanage Fund.  These costs are covered by a grant from WELS Kingdom Workers.  The costs include my travel expenses, postage, mailings, expenses for the twice yearly workshop and a small stipend.

Direct care for the 300 children in our homes includes food, clothing, school fees and supplies.  The children receive a new school uniform at the start of every school year and  new clothing at Christmas.  Their diet is a nutritious Indian diet.  They have chicken or fish once a week, an egg once a week as well as fruit.  They receive milk in the form of buttermilk daily.  The staple of their diet is rice. Flavored  rice or cereal such as cream of wheat prepared with onions and chilies is served at breakfast.  Vegetable curries or lentils with boiled rice are given at noon and in the evening.

We pay a cook, ($21 per month plus meals and lodging) at every home and a warden if she is not a member of the pastor’s family.  We do not pay salaries to family members.  We rent the buildings where the children live.  Rents range from $17 per month to $95 per month depending on the location of the home.  We also pay for large medical bills as they occur.  We have had children hospitilized with infections,  broken limbs or requiring surgery.  It is not a yearly occurance but it does happen.  We have provided medication for HIV+ children.

The supervising pastors and their families volunteer to supervise a home and teach the children in that home.  It is done in addition to their congregational and seminary responsibilities.  They teach the children faithfully, see that they are well fed, meet with their teachers in the place of parents and guardians, and take pride in their accomplishments as if they were parents.  Once a guardian told Elder Lazarus that her grandchild looked much better at the home than in her village.  She commented that he was always clean and his hair was combed.  Another parent dropped the child on the entrance day and never returned to visit.  Elder Lazarus and his wife became the father and mother to a child who was basically abandoned for the year.  Elder Lazarus also relates a story of a child who was not only visited by his guardian and relatives but by the congregation and members of the village as well.  These are extreme cases but they illustrate the heavy responsibilty we place on the shoulders of the supervising pastors and their wives.

On behalf of the children, their caregivers, the supervising pastors and their families we thank you for your prayers and support.  Because of you, 300 children attend school regularly, receive good food and most importantly are taught the word of God every day and worship in a Lutheran congregation.