Seventh Star

I spent the weekend at the Seventh Star Home for Destitute Children in Madurandakam, about 2.5 hours from Chennai. It is run by a man named Paul Vijayakumar who has taken in about 37 children who are orphans, semi-orphans, abandoned, destitute, or whose parents have leprosy. The kids range in age from 5 to 19, are super cute, and very respectful. Their English is about as limited as my Tamil, which allowed me to practice my nonverbal communication skills. Paul's 5 year old son is mentally disabled and there is one other girl who has some mental disabilities. In addition, one of the boys is severely physically handicapped.

The facilities at Seventh Star are pretty basic, even by Indian standards. They have two buildings, one of which includes a few rooms for Paul's family. There is a squat toilet in the area where the family lives and a latrine in the courtyard; Paul is currently working on finishing some more latrines. There are no western-type showers; only buckets and taps. Most of the children wash under the faucet in the courtyard. Paul has a very big heart and is trying his best to keep the place running. The LDS humanitarian missionaries here are working with him to start some kind of a business. I was asked to meet with him to talk about his idea of starting a bakery and candle making operation (unfortunately, too many people here mistake me for some kind of an expert or something). What the place really needs is a plan for sustainability (if anyone likes volunteering in difficult living conditions, I'm sure Paul would love to have you).

On Sunday, I attended church with Paul and several of the children at a small congregation housed in a building of another orphanage (Pathway). There were about 10 adults and about 60 youth and children present (most of the youth were the older Pathway children). It was a wonderful experience to be in a church setting surrounded by great youth who are so eager to learn.

As I've visited various orphanages and non-profit organizations in India, Africa, and the U.S., I've often been presented with a difficult dilemma: is it better to donate time, money, and other resources to an organization that has capable, talented leadership and is (usually), consequently, well-capitalized already or to one that is really struggling and could greatly use the extra help. Well-manged operations are more sound administratively, structurally, and financially. In general, they either are or quickly become sustainable. Perpetually struggling organizations, on the other hand, often have much greater relative need. However, organizations that are already sustainable or have the potential to rapidly become so are more likely to efficiently use the resources and to ensure that any investment has a larger positive impact on the desired target group. Not that I currently have many resources to invest, but I'm often left to balance desperate need versus potential greater impact and efficiency. If it were a traditional for-profit enterprise, there would be no question about where I would put my money. Should it be any different in the social sector? What then happens to the disadvantaged group (especially if they are young children) that the unsustainable non-profit was meant to serve?

Seventh Star


The founder, his wife, and some of the children.




Sabitha, a very cute little girl.


Modeling some clothes that my family sent.






Teaching the children to play Uno.




Uno!


Sleeping

More pictures can be found here.

Answers, please

I’ve recently become cognizant that my time in India is quickly waning. When I think of returning home, I’m flooded with a mixture of emotions. I’m anxious to see my family and friends, but there are definitely many things about my life in India that I will greatly miss. I’m sure the India nostalgia will persist forever, just as has my enduring love for Africa.

Living in India has been a difficult experience for me; in some ways even more difficult than the two years that I spent in Italy. (I’ve never been sick so frequently, for instance; despite its reputation for disease, I never once got sick while living and traveling in Africa.)

I felt very strongly that I should come to India. And, since I don’t generally trust feelings, I spent several hours reasoning through the events that transpired that led to my coming; I can only conclude that it was somehow divinely appointed. However, I’m still not sure why God brought me here. No doubt that I’ve learned a lot and progressed immensely while in India. But, I’d hate to think that the trip was necessitated by purely selfish self-developmental reasons. I know that I’m extremely hard-headed but surely God could have found an easier, more efficient way to humble me? Then again, perhaps not. I am pretty stubborn and maybe he decided drastic measures were in order.

It is also possible that the purposes of my exile in India will only reveal themselves in the coming years or perhaps remain a mystery forever. For now, maybe I will have to be content with the time spent here and the relationships gained. Still, a little further guidance from God on the issue would be propitious. Maybe I should work on my listening skills?