When my wife Sara returned from the mission trip to India just over a year ago, I was fascinated by her descriptions of India and the kids at the Ankoor Children's Home. Each of us has been to Liberia three times with Serve The Children, and so it was with a great eagerness that I wanted to hear her perspective on the work being done in India. Of course, I was excited to know that I would be going there myself this past November. 

In reality, it's hard to travel somewhere you've never been when you've heard such amazing descriptions. The question always lies in the back of your head, "What if it doesn't live up to the hype?"

I've spent the past couple of weeks since we returned from India processing, trying to decide what I should say here. Let me first say that this trip was, in many ways, the most meaningful of my trips with Serve The Children. It more than lived up to the hype.

About one week into our trip, Doug was sharing with the kids from the book of Philemon about having a faith that is refreshing to the souls of the saints, to other believers in Christ. That is exactly what I found at the children's home. Yes, we were there to teach English, to play with the kids, to teach guitar, and for me to teach in the nightly chapel services. But I feel like I was the one who was taught. 

Even as I write this, tears come to my eyes as I think of how my heart was touched by these amazing kids and the Gaikwad family during our two weeks there. God's grace was so clearly evident. It's a true blessing to see a group of people whose every action flows out as a result of the gospel and their love for Jesus. That is a critical distinction.

Mike Sandefur with Ravita

Team members can talk about the reasons why they went, what they experienced, and the impact that the trip had on their lives. Those are all great things and we need to hear them. But we also need to know why Serve The Children does what it does.

You've probably heard the mission statement time and again: to improve the future of children by meeting their educational, emotional, and physical needs in a biblically based environment. The goal is not to provide an education and oh, by the way, also teach about Jesus. We provide an education to these kids because we're motivated by the love of God for us all, to be a part of his continued work toward restoration and reconciliation in the world. And a part of that restoration is showing these children that God loves them, that they are made in his image, regardless of what their circumstances and their culture may say about them.

Students putting their shoes back on after class. (They do not wear shoes in class.)

In India they are told by their society that they are worthless and that they are outcasts. At the Ankoor Children's Home, they are shown that God values them, that he determines their worth and not society. The education they receive is simply one of the tools for achieving that.

Mike in the classroom

It's my prayer that each of you will view your partnership with Serve The Children not as just something good done as an extra. I pray that each donor and mission team member would see the true impact for the kingdom that is taking place. That each one of you would see this as an extension of the love that God has shown you, to kids who need to know that same love.

Click here to see more photos from the November 2011 trip to India.