As you've been learning about the team, and the ministries they're a part of in India, I'm sure you've heard of Asha House. In Hindi, Asha means HOPE - and that's exactly what you find when you walk in the door. This is one of the three orphanages our team ministers to in India, and the one we've partnered with financially. We hope to help them care for these beautiful children in practical ways - by helping them pay the bills each month so the orphans are clothed, fed, and taken care of. If Asha House stays open, then these 23 orphans will continue to stay in a place where they see the love of Jesus everyday!

The staff at Asha House helps our team out so much - from the women serving as translators in the leper colonies, to Victor helping with transportation, plans, and anything else the team needs (and all while they run an orphanage and take care of a "family" of 23 children and 7 adults!)



ASHA HOUSE



Our children come from poverty stricken slums, outcast leper colonies, and homes of prostitution. Many of them are orphaned or abandoned. They have not been cared for, provided for, and held no hope of an education. By God's power each of our children were brought to the doors of the Asha House.



Once admitted, the children are provided with clothing, soap, toothbrushes, and lots of love! They are assigned to a small family group which is cared for by a staff member. Our children range in age from two years to sixteen years; we are committed to caring for each of them until they can support themselves in the plans the Lord has for their future. The Asha House is not really an orphanage; we consider it a family. We love our children, care for our children and discipline our children in order to be an example of the family of God.

The Staff: Victor and Simini

Victor and Simini each received the Lord's calling to provide a home for the hopeless and forgotten children of India long before they were united in marriage.

Victor started his ministry as a worship leader to a music group that brought songs of praise into unreached villages. While he was a fulltime manager of Emmanuel Children's Home in Delhi, he was a student of Emmanuel Bible Institute.

At the age of sixteen, Simini attended Emmanuel Bible Institute and started her ministry work by living in a leper colony. She has worked in many leper colonies and slums, as well as ministered to prostitutes and street children. The Lord brought she and Victor together when he called her to work at Emmanuel Children's Home. Together they sought God's plan and direction to fulfill their calling. In January 2007, the Lord's timing had come for the Asha House to begin.

The Vision

Beyond being a children's home, Victor and Simini understand God's purpose to use the Asha House as a ministry to reach out to the unreached villages of Hariyana, India.

Already our temporary dwelling has reached its maximum capacity as home to twenty-three children and 7 staff members! We hope to be able to move the Asha House into the midst of unreached villages where more children of labor and exploitation can be reached. This area will also provide the opportunity to reach out to the mothers and fathers of the villages.

We have a dream of starting Asha Children's Village - home to an orphanage, school, Bible college, rescue house, and elderly home. We have great faith that the Lord will provide land for the new home of the Asha House in His own time and way.

The children and staff lift up this prayer request every day!

Testimonies from the children

"My name is Bharat. I am eight years old. I have one brother. I am from a Hindu family. My mother and father are divorced and now my mother works as a prostitute. I was brought to the House of Hope by one of the leaders from my mother's prostitution area. I am in the first grade at Ebenezer Missions School. At the Asha House I take love to help out with my little brothers and sisters. I just learned how to throw a frisbee and put together a puzzle; now I love to do them both!

My name is Flora. I am six years old. I am from a very poor Christian family. I have three sisters and one brother. We lived in a large, Delhi slum. My mother is a house servant and my father is a laborer, so they could not provide for our family.

They decided to send me and my little sister, Sweetie, to the House of Hope. I am very happy in my new home. I am in kindergarten at Ebenezer Missions School. I love to play with my new friends and take care of my baby sister.

My name is Nazma. I am five years old. I have one brother and two sisters. I am from a Muslim family. My father is a drunkard, who beat us and did not provide for our family. My mother could not care for us, so she brought me and my little brother, Shanawaz, to the House of Hope. I am very happy in my new home. I go to Ebenezer Missions School. I am a little quiet, but I love to smile and jump rope.

My name is Shanawaz "Shanu". I am four years old. I have three sisters. I am from a Muslim family. We lived in a large, Delhi slum. My father is a drunkard, who beat us and did not provide for our family. My mother could not care for us, so she brought me and my older sister, Nazma, to the House of Hope. I am very happy in my new home, and I have just been enrolled in Ebenezer Missions School. My older sister is very good at taking care of me. I was very malnourished when I came to the House of Hope, but now my belly is shrinking and my body is gaining weight. Praise the Lord!

My name is Shivam. I am five years old. I have two sisters. I am from a Hindu family living in a large, Delhi slum. My mother has health problems and my father is a laborer. They sent me and my sister, Suman, to the House of Hope because they could not provide for us. When I first came to my new home, I was afraid to do anything for myself. I would not go to the potty, get dressed, take a bath, or even ask for a second helping of food. Now, I am so comfortable in my new home, and I am a big help to my staff leader, Brother Brij.

My name is Suman. I am four years old. I have one brother and one sister. I am from a Hindu family living in a large, Delhi slum. My mother has health problems and my father is a laborer. They sent me and my brother, Shivam, to the House of Hope because they could not provide for us. I go to nursery school at Ebenezer Missions School. I am so happy at the House of Hope. I love to eat and play with my new friend Sweetie.

Support and Contact Information:
* The Asha house is funded by financial gifts and gifts of provision (i.e. rice, meat, fruits, clothing, soap). * We greatly appreciate volunteers of service and time to our children. * This orphanage does NOT do adoptions. We can't help you adopt orphans. * The Asha House is located in Hariyana, India, 45 minutes from Dwarka and 45 minutes from Gurguon.
* For questions please contact: Wilson Bunn
wjbunn@gmail.com U.S. mobile: 828-320-0268 India (Delhi mobile): 9911724476 To dial India from U.S.: 011-91-number To dial U.S. from India: 001-number


To GIVE to Asha House online, click here:
http://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=orphans
and choose "India Orphanage" from the drop down list.