New Kids on the Block

Here they are ladies and gents.  The whole gang (minus Riny and Joseph).  

Left to Right: Jino, Anitha, Cletus, Sunitha, Noel, Aneesh, Clint, Athun, Midhun

So after the loss of 2 of our kids from last year we had a couple empty beds this school year. (Don't worry their mother now has a job where she is able to put them in school and provide for them without our help.)  We were very happy for the change in situation, but also a bit sad to see them go.  But of course God knew we had the space and energy to take on some more kids and He definitely sent them to us.  Five to be exact!  

The first 3 kids to join us at Jubilee were Anitha, Sunitha, and Aneesh.  Their mother brought the children from another state looking for a place for them.  They had the clothes on their backs and broken chappal on their feet.  Seeing their physical state and hearing their story we could do nothing but take them in with open arms.  

Next came Athun and Midhun.  They are from the same village as Cletus and Clint, 2 of our original Jubilee kids.  Their story is sadly the same as so many children in India.  With a mother and alcoholic father and of low caste, low education level, and low wages the boys were making it from day to day.  Their parents rarely had enough money for school or to provide them with daily meals.  Their mother, like the mothers of our other kids, came to us begging for help.  We were blessed and happy to oblige!  

It has been about 2 months now since the new kids came to us at Jubilee.  It was a rough start getting them healthy and adjusted to being in school everyday, but with lots of prayers and patience they are doing fantastic!  They arrived at Jubilee a couple of weeks after I arrived Stateside, so I can't wait to get back to India and meet them face to face.  Riny tells me that Cletus and Clint talk about "Carie Auntie" all the time and the new kids can't wait to meet me either :).

On another note, I started Malayalam lessons this week.  Shockingly I found some beginners software on Amazon!  The kids speak Malayalam and only Malayalam and I want to be able to communicate with them with more than playing charades and the few Hindi words we all know.  It's tough, but I'm writing a better story and speaking Malayalam is in it!  

Check this out if you want to brush up on a little Malayalam yourself.

Believe me, it's as scary as it looks!