For over six years, ICII’s first children’s home, Home of Compassion (HOC), has been able to provide a Christ-like environment for children who were living without hope and needed a place to call home. Here is the story of a girl who has been living at the HOC orphanage since 2006.
At age eight, Chinnakaal was one of the first children to live in the new home. Chinnakaal has a tragic past. She can’t remember her father, who died when she was very young. A couple of years later, her mother also died. She felt ashamed among her acquaintances because of her low caste. Chinnakaal had to live with her crippled grandfather who was nearly blind and hard of hearing. Instead of helping to care for Chinnakaal, her father’s relatives were hostile and violent towards them. She could no longer attend school, and her grandparents could not provide food and other needs, so they brought her to Independent Church in India’s Home of Compassion orphanage.
Living at the orphanage, Chinnakaal learned about Jesus and accepted Him into her heart, and her life began to change. Instead of poverty and despair, she now lived in a loving, caring home, and she was no longer rejected at school.
As Chinnakaal grew older, she began to tell her other schoolmates about Jesus, and she even invited kids to church. At the age of 14, she helped Pastor at a VBS teach other children in remote villages about Jesus. She also helps whenever she can at church services. She has served at outreaches to the blind, giving them food and blankets. The Lord began to bless Chinnakaal for her faithfulness.
Now at age 15, Chinnakaal enjoys playing Kabaddi, a popular Indian sport. Chinnakaal’s Kabaddi team (with her being the key player) won the championship in her state of Tamil Nadu this past year!
While Chinnakaal enjoys sports, she doesn’t forget about who is the most important in her life- Jesus! God has indeed changed Chinnakaal’s life from one of despair and poverty to fruitfulness, joy, and true meaning in her life! It doesn’t matter what age or background a person comes from. If they have a heart to serve the Lord, He will use them for His glory!