Vision for the Orphanage
           

Our country, India, is big and beautiful. We love the people and the diversity of cultures and tradition that our country brings. It is the political system, corruption and natural disasters, the explosive population, not equal distribution of the funds, and illiterate generations that have changed the face and situation of our nation. We have over 1.15 billion in population today (1/6 of the world’s population). When I see millions of children under the un-ending pressure of poverty, and they are not able to obtain formal education, and have been put to work since their early childhood days, this breaks my heart.

We are loosing thousands of genius children every generation who do not know the Lord. These children are mainly from Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim families and practice idol worship on a regular basis.
 

Small children are working daily in private companies, factories, and homes. They are busy sweeping floors and cleaning, etc. The fact is child labor is still being practiced in every home throughout India. “Today India has over 30 million estimated children working daily, making it the world’s largest Child Labor force.” This pathetic scenario grieves my heart and I started to pray, waiting patiently on God’s timing. As I see the children walking barefoot, hungry, and begging on the streets, I have drawn closer to God. My heart has been filled with a burden, and I have kept myself open to hear from God. Because of this, the “Children’s Home for Orphans” is now being birthed in obedience to Him. We would also like to establish a child adoption program in which young children may experience a family lifestyle of love and acceptance.

Keeping these scenarios in our hearts have deepened concerns we’ve tried to realize; there are so many children in India unfortunate enough to have either no parents, or parents who cannot or will not care for them. In the Kalimpong and Sikkim areas we also have many of these abandoned and destitute children. Our church is trying hard to provide help wherever we can, but without outside support we are unable do as much as we would like.
 

My wife and I (Mrs. Anupama Gurung) started to pray to God asking for God’s direction and confirmation on whether or not to start an Orphanage.

Every year, we see in the local newspaper newborn babies who are being thrown in the public toilets, in the drainage areas, and garbage storages in the corner of the town. This has caught our hearts, and we have fell to our knees and asked God in prayers what we can do? Our prayers continued for many weeks and months. In the mean time, people have brought orphaned children to our home requesting if we can put the plea out to keep the children in some of the local orphanages that exist. I personally have made requests, several times, in several occasions, but every time the orphanages couldn’t help, having no seats in the orphanage. Sometimes it is because of the lack of sponsors.
 

Last year, from January to July 2006, we continued in prayer, and at the end of July 2006 we made a prayer commitment to start a small orphanage in family lifestyle and love.
 

So Grace Orphanage started this past January 2007 in Kalimpong, with 15 children from all over the region, aiming to give them education and a sense of belonging to a family lifestyle. We take children regardless of color, cast, and creed as God loves them all.

We promise to our children’s sponsors, in return for their support, they will receive a semi-annual e-mail/letter with news updates and a photograph of the child. Should they ever be in the Kalimpong area, we would be delighted if they come to visit our orphanage home.

With faithful prayers,

Pastor Nandu , Anupama & Apphia Gurung, with children of Grace Orphanage Home.