A possible Christmas Love project for Vintage Moms

I just wanted to let you all know about something I am doing this week, in case any of you are moved to be a part of it. For about a month I have been following a blog called Sarah's Covenant Homes that is truly inspiring, challenging, and convicting. If you have a moment to go visit, you will quickly see what I mean.

I'll give you the quick background that I have learned: this woman, Sarah, is an American Christian, married to an Indian Christian man, who has devoted her life to caring for special needs children who have been abandoned by their parents. In India, when a couple give birth to a child with birth defects or other issues, their culture often tells them that they must have angered the gods, and the child's "deformity" is their punishment. Often the mother gets the most abuse for "her role" in the "sin" that angered the gods. So parents can be quick to abandon such children, to avoid the social stigma. Even if they keep the child, they will most likely not have the resources to meet the child's medical needs.

So these children are put into state-run hospitals and institutions, where they are often completely ignored, mistreated, and malnourished.

Sarah started 2 "family style" homes for these abandoned, special needs children--which benefit abandoned or widowed women too, as these are the women hired as caregivers for the children. But just a week ago Sarah was "given" 39 new children (they previously had 44) from a state institution, and felt that God was making an opportunity that she needed to act upon immediately, before the state changed its mind. So all of a sudden, there are twice as many children, many of them little ones, with many different needs, but all of them most impoverished of love.

Sarah has been posting needs on the website, and after seeing the face (pictured above--the darling!) of one of the new orphans she has just rescued from the state institution, I pledged to send a box of clothing to help meet their needs. If any of you moms would like to contribute, I will be collecting the following things on Sunday morning and at Old School Monday:

--fleece pants and hoodies for children ages 24 mo to 6 yrs.
--tights and baby legs and leg warmers for all sizes girls
--cardigans, sweaters, fleece vests for children ages 24 mo to 6 years.
--baby sleepers for sizes 12 mo to 24 mo.

I will also be accepting spare change to help with the shipping costs.

Absolutely no one should feel obligated to help with this! But I must say, looking at the website with my girls and talking about the children and their needs was quite the educational experience, (my 4 year old crept closer and closer to me as we looked at more children--she was clearly aware of their pain and how lucky she was to have parents!) and they have really enjoyed gathering some things to send. So if any of you are looking for a meaningful way to love on "the least of these" in the name of Jesus this Christmas season, please consider these kids.

If you can, please also consider visiting the website to read about Jaron, pictured below:


Sarah's writing about him alone sums up so well the value in what she is doing there, and what it means for these kids to be given a chance at new life.

Thanks for considering this!