Hope for India's Orphans
Donation protected
I was a street kid, a railway slumdog. I spent my early childhood trying to survive, hopping trains was one way to do that. Today I am living in the United States and working as an electrician. I am returning to India, to the same orphanages that I used to live in, in December. I have group of volunteers that are eager to help build a home or homes, depending on funds, for destitute people who need help. It means a lot to me to be able to go back and help because I know what it is like to starve and be homeless. To watch people die.
I don't know if it was 1984 or 1985 that I was caught by a man who worked for the train I had hopped. This man could have hit, kicked and yelled at me to scram but he chose to do something amazing, something that changed my whole life. I was taken to the home of a lady who cleaned me up. Gave me my first bath. Most kids don't remember their first bath but I do. It stands our because I was probably 5 or 6, I don't have anyone to ask to know for sure. I just try to piece the memories together.
I remember the next day I was picked up by a man wearing a fancy suit who took me to Mother Theresa's Home for the Death and Dying. (I was very malnourished, had tape worm and absessed teeth.) At some point this black and white picture was taken of me and sent out around the world in hopes that someone would adopt me.
In Washington state a woman saw my photo. Something about my photo stood out to her amongst the hundreds of other pictures of orphans. She carried it around with her, showing it to people and asking them if they would pray about adopting me.
In 1986, after being moved to at least 5 different orphanges, I boarded an airplane headed to Washington state where the woman who had seen my picture, now my mom, was waiting for me along with my dad, two brothers and two sisters.
I am thankful that I was adopted and now 29 years later I am excited to return to India for the second time since I was adopted. Last year I spent the month of February with my wife and son volunteering at the Mother Theresa Missionaries of Charity Orphanges. We did laundry, made beds, mopped floors, disinfected toys, and played and read with children. We worked in the handicap home so we also helped rehabilitate children who had handicaps.
We had the oportunity to visit Boys Town, which is the last orphanage that I lived in. I took this picture of me and the cook who amazingly enough, had remembered me. (He remembered that I would hide food, which I did, because I never knew if there would be more food from years of starvation.) It was such a surprise that he was still there and even more of a surprise that some of the other boys who I had lived with in Boys Town were also still there.
They had never been adopted, like I had, and so the nuns at the home let them build little houses, like the one below, on the property. The houses are small, 300-400 square foot with no bathroom or kitchen. (Cooking is done outside and they have outhouses.)
I plan to return with a team of people during the month of December in hopes to volunteer and if financially able, we would like to build at least one of these small houses for more kids who never found homes. It is my hope that I can ease the suffering of even just one person or child. I know the difference that once person can make.
I am on a mission to bring adoption awarness and the benifits that it has on the children. No child should be alone and not loved. We all need love. I was a street kid, I have been hungry, no home, no one who cared for me. I am proud to have been rescued from the streets and have found a loving Family, Parents who love me and want the best for me, and a 30 years later I have kids of my own. There is Hope. I came from the streets, to become a proud hard working family man with the help of my Family. Without them I would not exist. One decisions from my parents gave me a life that I am the most Thankful for. we are a 501 3(C)
http://www.indiaorphan.com/
I don't know if it was 1984 or 1985 that I was caught by a man who worked for the train I had hopped. This man could have hit, kicked and yelled at me to scram but he chose to do something amazing, something that changed my whole life. I was taken to the home of a lady who cleaned me up. Gave me my first bath. Most kids don't remember their first bath but I do. It stands our because I was probably 5 or 6, I don't have anyone to ask to know for sure. I just try to piece the memories together.
I remember the next day I was picked up by a man wearing a fancy suit who took me to Mother Theresa's Home for the Death and Dying. (I was very malnourished, had tape worm and absessed teeth.) At some point this black and white picture was taken of me and sent out around the world in hopes that someone would adopt me.
In Washington state a woman saw my photo. Something about my photo stood out to her amongst the hundreds of other pictures of orphans. She carried it around with her, showing it to people and asking them if they would pray about adopting me.
In 1986, after being moved to at least 5 different orphanges, I boarded an airplane headed to Washington state where the woman who had seen my picture, now my mom, was waiting for me along with my dad, two brothers and two sisters.
I am thankful that I was adopted and now 29 years later I am excited to return to India for the second time since I was adopted. Last year I spent the month of February with my wife and son volunteering at the Mother Theresa Missionaries of Charity Orphanges. We did laundry, made beds, mopped floors, disinfected toys, and played and read with children. We worked in the handicap home so we also helped rehabilitate children who had handicaps.
We had the oportunity to visit Boys Town, which is the last orphanage that I lived in. I took this picture of me and the cook who amazingly enough, had remembered me. (He remembered that I would hide food, which I did, because I never knew if there would be more food from years of starvation.) It was such a surprise that he was still there and even more of a surprise that some of the other boys who I had lived with in Boys Town were also still there.
They had never been adopted, like I had, and so the nuns at the home let them build little houses, like the one below, on the property. The houses are small, 300-400 square foot with no bathroom or kitchen. (Cooking is done outside and they have outhouses.)
I plan to return with a team of people during the month of December in hopes to volunteer and if financially able, we would like to build at least one of these small houses for more kids who never found homes. It is my hope that I can ease the suffering of even just one person or child. I know the difference that once person can make.
I am on a mission to bring adoption awarness and the benifits that it has on the children. No child should be alone and not loved. We all need love. I was a street kid, I have been hungry, no home, no one who cared for me. I am proud to have been rescued from the streets and have found a loving Family, Parents who love me and want the best for me, and a 30 years later I have kids of my own. There is Hope. I came from the streets, to become a proud hard working family man with the help of my Family. Without them I would not exist. One decisions from my parents gave me a life that I am the most Thankful for. we are a 501 3(C)
http://www.indiaorphan.com/
Organizer
Adam Milan DeHart
Organizer
Goldendale, WA
