KGM’s Children’s Ministry … and the opportunities it provides
you can help “Train up a child in the way he should go …” Proverbs 22:6 and help spread the Good News through them!
CTC facilitates this by providing you the opportunity to sponsor a child or by helping support the operation of its two children’s homes and providing for its special needs.
KGM operates the “Good Samaritan Children’s Home” (GSCH) for girls and the “Good News Children’s Home” (GNCH) for boys.
The children’s homes grew from the vision of Rekha George, the wife of KGM Director, Bobby George. Rekha used her incredible passion for children and her gift of service to bring this vision to life in these children’s home. And, because Bobby loves children as much as Rekha he was quick to jump in with both feet too! They provide a place of love and Christian nurturing for these precious children – boys and girls ranging in age from 2 to 17 years old.
In addition to meeting their physical needs, these places of refuge also provide for the children’s essential spiritual needs, ministering to them with God’s word and showing them His love on a daily basis. Giving each child every opportunity to come to a saving knowledge of Christ is the main goal of both of the homes.
Many of the children who have come through the homes have gone on to serve full time in ministry. KGM has helped a number of ‘graduates’ attend Bible College and nursing school.
The children at the homes are typically from single parent, very impoverished environments. Some are true orphans. If not for the KGM children’s homes, during a typical day these children would either have only one meal (perhaps a bowl of rice) or no meal at all. Most would be unable to attend school or receive medical care. Sadly, many come to the home with crushed spirits after having endured this harsh lifestyle. The children are as young as two and generally leave the home when they graduate from high school. Normally this happens at the age of fifteen. Because many of the children are behind in school when they arrive at the home, some do not graduate until they are sixteen or seventeen. Upon graduation KGM helps them transition into a career or encourages them to go to Bible College in one of the larger Karnataka cities, and when they can, they even provide for the cost. The children’s homes have remained a constant testimony to God’s love and protection for children. In spite of nearly constant persecution by Hindu radicals, KGM Children’s Ministry has thrived and grown. The staff of KGM sees God’s hand in what they are doing every day. click on a picture to enlarge & scroll through
The Children
The ministry was started on pure faith as The Good Samaritan Children’s Home in 1999. It began in a small, old house only able to accommodate ten children (both boys and girls) in a very cramped situation. The girls slept in two rooms and all the boys in just one room. Small, sporadic gifts came from Indian friends of the ministry – but there was no regular support on which they could depend. It wasn’t until 2005 when CTC came on board to help them, that they were able to have regular, sustained financial assistance. Through God’s miraculous provisions, in November 2005 KGM opened the doors on a new home which can house 30 children. It is located on the ministry headquarters property in Byndoor. Simple and sparse by American standards, it is a huge step up from the old facility and a palace compared to the thatched huts many of these children came from. The children sleep on the concrete floor on mats topped with thick goat skin blankets. Each child has a small shelf for his or her belongings which typically consist of only very few clothes and a pair of boots for the monsoon season. Through further support, God’s grace and incredible blessings, in 2009 the facility was expanded to house 50 children. In 2010, the government established a new regulation requiring separate facilities on separate properties for boys and girls. The Good News Children’s Home for Boys was started (GNCH) by Pastor Joy and his wife Molly in their village of Hebri 60 miles south . They were able to build a large room on the back of their own home to serve as a temporary facility that accommodates 12 boys. This requirement has since been lifted again allowing GSCH to house boys. In 2011 the government instigated a requirement that children’s home facilities be in completely separate unattached buildings. Because of this GNCH is being phased out. When the boys their have all graduated from high school the home will be closed.History & Facilities
5:00 a.m. Prayer time of 30 to 45 minutes & personal time 6:30 a.m. Study time, bathe and get ready for school 8:00 a.m. Breakfast and off to public school 1:00 p.m. Lunch – usually rice at school for the small kids. The older kids come back to the home where they are fed. Meals usually consist of rice and vegetables, sometimes fish, and almost never meat simply because of the cost. 2:00 p.m. Back at school 4:00 p.m. School’s out. The children return to the home where a snack of tea and a cookie or rice cake awaits them with some relaxation time. 5:00 p.m. Washing clothes, cleaning around the home, working in the garden, and taking care of the cows that provide their milk. 6:00 p.m. Study hall 8:00 p.m. Dinner – usually rice, vegetables and pickles. On Fridays they have fish and on Sundays, they have eggs. 9:00 p.m. Prayer, listening to bible stories and reading the bible 9:30 p.m. Lights outDaily Routine
In 2008 CTC ministry partners provided funds for them to take a day trip by train to the neighboring state of Goa. The children saw the sights and spent some fun time on the beach there. None of the kids had been on a train before nor had they ever been any distance from home, so this trip was truly an exciting venture for them. In 2009 Bobby and brother Kumar took the boys on a weekend jungle outing. This was the first experience like this for every one of them! They had a blast! It is both KGM’s and CTC’s desire and prayer that we will soon be able to make meaningful, fun & educating field trips a regular routine for the children. click on picture to enlarge & scroll through
Field Trips
Here’s where you can learn about:
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