Less than two weeks ago I walked off the plane in India and smelled the familiar scent of the Delhi airport – the spices I can’t quite name and the promise of an-upside-down world. A huge, stupid grin split my face and I couldn’t shake it even if I wanted to. This was the place I’ve longed to be for the past year.
In a way, I was home.
There are ministries all over the world I am committed to, ones with people I love and people I pray for regularly. Places and people I miss and look forward excitedly to seeing again. But none of it compares to India and the peace I feel whenever I walk into Asha House.
Many of you remember the problems they were having this time last year. They had moved to an incredible home, but there were a lot of problems from the government in that state. The team itself had to be in hiding while we were there and the police could come at any time to question the staff or the kids at whim… just because they were a Christian orphanage and refused to put up a Muslim or Hindu shrine on the property.
A few months ago, the problems grew worse and Asha House moved once again. Now they are in the old team house, the one I helped move every one into in 2009, the same one the team in 2011 stayed in. It’s pretty cool (and weird) to be in there and have all of those memories… and know that it’s now Asha House. The biggest praise for that meant that we didn’t have an hour drive each way to get there… we could walk from the house we were staying in. This allowed us to spend more time at Asha House than ever before! What a blessing.
Since last year, 6 children have returned home to their families or had to go to other orphanages due to government regulations (another reason for the move). So there were 23 children and 4 staff. Walking up into the building was the best feeling in the world. Hearing them call out, “Kristen Auntie! Dog Auntie” (we gave each other animal nicknames), brought that same smile to my face again. They’ve all grown so much… another year older, another grade ahead in school. My little four-year-olds from 2009 are now nine! I can’t believe it!
The entire week was full of laughter, of song, of prayer, of Bible reading, of all things beautiful. A place of a dream. A place of dreams. And… the biggest answered prayer I’ve ever been privileged to witness.
Victor and Simini, two of the four staff of Asha House, have prayed for every moment of their 8 years of marriage for a biological child. While they consider the 23 children there their children in every sense of the word, this was something they wanted desperately. They prayed, they saw doctors after a few years, they had treatments… and were told that it would be very, very difficult… if not impossible… for Simini to get pregnant.
Still, they believed. And through it all, the children prayed for “Simini Ma’am” to have a baby.
Last year, they spoke with Connie and I about it again, about how they still wanted a child but knew the doctors said it wasn’t likely.
Then, late last fall… Simini got pregnant. She was told she was at-risk and had to take life easy. She couldn’t pick up the children she had, the babies of Asha, and had to stay in bed more than being out of it. No strenuous activity… which, in a building with a lot of stairs and 30 children, is a tall order for any mother.
Every night, the children of Asha House gathered by her bed and prayed for her baby to be safe and healthy.
When Connie and I spoke with Connie just before the trip, we discovered that Simini was due the week after we were to leave. What if she has the baby while we are there? We thought. That would be so cool! Honestly, I didn’t think it would happen.
Our second day in India, with the team scheduled to arrive that night, Simini was rushed to the hospital. She hadn’t felt the baby move in 24 hours. It suddenly occurred to me that she could still lose the baby. Until then, the thought hadn’t crossed my mind.
We were all praying.
The doctors told Simini that the baby weighed 2 Kilograms. And that was too small. It (in India, it is illegal to find out if you are having a boy or girl before birth) needed to weigh at least 2.5 kg.
The children prayed for the baby to be at least 2.5kg.
It was a long day for everyone, especially Simini. She been given injections to induce her labor, but was told that she wouldn’t be scheduled for a C-section until 6pm if it was necessary (she’d gone in at 10am). At 6pm, we got the call that she was going in for surgery.
We all prayed.
Within minutes, a beautiful baby girl, weighing 2.625kg, entered the world. She was perfect. Small, but over the minimum weight the doctors had said.
*Photos by Connie Rock.
Her parents named her Stuthy, which in Hindi means, “Praise”.
And the night she was sent home, the children, the staff, and the team gathered around her beside and thanked God for His goodness, for His power, and for baby Stuthy and Simini.
*Photos by Connie Rock.
And then there were 24.
A few days later, the team threw Simini her first baby shower. We gathered with the children and her and Victor’s parents and celebrated God’s goodness. It was such a beautiful time.
*Bottom 3 photos by Connie Rock. The one on the left is Victor's family, on the right is Simini's family. The bottom is Asha House and our team, minus Connie.
The whole week, I couldn’t get over the fact that the children weren’t surprised. They prayed for Victor and Simini to get pregnant for 8 years. After Simini got pregnant, they prayed every night at her bedside for her health, safety, and the same for the unborn baby. When Simini was rushed to the hospital after not feeling the baby for 24 hours, they prayed. When the baby needed more weight, they prayed.
God answered their prayers. They were overjoyed. But not surprised.
How often am I surprised when God answers my prayers?
I want to pray like the children. I want to believe like the children.
"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13
