Volunteer

The orphanage is three hours outside Hyderabad, in south India in the state of Andhra Pradesh. We have constructed a set of apartments specifically for volunteers who come to stay for a week, two weeks, a month or longer as each situation allows. We welcome those who want to contribute the orphanage in any way they can. We will take very good care of you during your stay. Contact us at livingindia60@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering on site.

Testimonials

I had always wanted to go to India, so when I was invited to go do art projects with the kids at Home of Hope Living India, it was the perfect chance. I have never been a teacher before, but suddenly found myself in front of 60 children eager to learn. I just pulled all the lessons from my memory of instruction I received through the years and was pretty much winging it. The best is when the kids get the paper and paints and take off in full concentration, the sound of busy hands. Since I am also a massage therapist, yoga practioner and years of capoeira training, we started having movement classes. I also taught foot reflexology. The best is that I hear from David, staff at the orphanage, how the kids are continuing yoga on their own and painting murals on their own.  I have now been to the orphanage two times and will go again, challenging myself to bring new lessons to keep up with them. On my last visit, the orphanage had recently received 10 laptops from the Gates Foundation so I was able to introduce Photoshop and tie it in to the art projects we were doing. It was a perfect way to teach some computer skills and have it be fun. More to come! If you’ve ever thought about volunteering to teach, just do it! You will ignite a child’s mind and spirit, and who knows what world opens up next.

Bethany Francher

Want to go on a journey that will inspire and change you forever? Well, I did last winter by spending 2½ months at Home of Hope in Chandrakal! Such a journey as a volunteer had been on my “bucket list” since seeing the movie by the same name. I’m returning this winter!

My husband and I were in India in the Peace Corps ’65-67. Divorced now, I wanted to renew my spirit. And don’t let your age stop you—I celebrated my 67th birthday in India. The kids love the younger volunteers, too! Birthdays are big deals in India, with kids looking forward to each big cake!

Home of Hope is a remarkable place because of the people who call it home. Their spirit, smiles, and patience are contagious. On the 3-hour (one-way) bus ride to hospitals in Hyderabad for checkups and meds twice a month, the children were content just visiting, sleeping, and watching the landscape go by. The kids pointed to peacocks in the fields, but I never saw them. Peacocks are the national bird.

I helped with the younger children’s classes. They sit on the floor and write their ABC’s, etc. on small slate boards using chalk. And all of the children love to draw. I was also on the playground with the children during their play breaks. The playground equipment gets a lot of use! The older boys sometimes play cricket. The older girls play games like hop scotch, etc. and enjoy jumping rope. The younger girls play “shop.” The shops are pharmacies, food stores, etc. They use rocks for money, leaves and flowers for food, etc. They make the most with what they have. Another volunteer Bethany taught them yoga—every morning at 6 a.m., the children hold their yoga classes.

When the laptops were donated, I helped the older kids learn to type. Later on, they will teach the younger children. Quick learners!

The Dora and Diego items I packed were a big hit with the younger kids, who could relate to their complexion and energy!  We used the 15 copies of a Dora book many times to help them with English, not Spanish! The kids always found new objects in the book, wanting to search and count them!

Growing up, I could never go to sleep without saying “goodnight” to my folks and siblings. So each night I would go from room to room and say “Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite. If they do, just bite them too!” One morning, one of the older girls said that Mary, age 5, had asked why “Madam” didn’t come by to say “goodnight.” I felt so bad – maybe I was checking my e-mail. Needless to say, that never happened again. My ritual each night was important to them. It is often the littlest things that count! There is so little here so the little things can stand out. The children were teaching me!

Maybe I’ll see you next winter! My plans are to return to Home of Hope each winter, sometimes for 2 months, sometimes for three or four, but always in the winter (September through February). Home of Hope has the warmth of a family you will fall in love with forever.

If you cannot volunteer at Home of Hope, please consider donating to Living India and Home of Hope. It’s tax-deductible in the States. They really do have very little. And I know that every donation counts and will be very much appreciated.

Peace to the World and Its People,

Bev Pitner