Bhogpur Children's Home
It’s a three wool blanket and one ski cap kind of night in chilly Dehradun. There’s no central heating at the Bhogpur Children’s Home, where we are spending the night as the guest of Calvin Taylor, whose family has served in India for three generations. Sam has a cold, and has warned me that he will likely snore like a freight train. I have headphones and Ambien handy, so I think I should do okay. I also have a pillow nearby that I can use to smother one or both of us if things get out of hand.
The home was founded in 1945 by Calvin’s grandparents, and houses 420 children, all of whom have parents who are suffering from or have died of leprosy. It’s an honor to meet the kids and staff, and to see firsthand such a legacy of commitment to caring for the poor in Jesus’ name. It’s always great to meet colleagues and to share ideas and compare notes. I’ll leave here with lots to think about, and with a new set of kids to keep in my prayers.
We’ll be here for another day, so I’ll have plenty of time to take pictures of the kids and the surrounding area. I decided to just be a guest tonight, and I left the camera in my bag. It’s early, but it’s dark and I’m a bit jetlagged. I will probably head to bed soon.
Sam is already snoring. Time for headphones and sleepy pills.
Good night.
Good morning.
Fast forward a day and a half, and we’re in the Dehradun airport. It’s still cold and cloudy. We spent last night at a hotel – Sam’s cold was sufficient to warrant a change of venue so he could enjoy a hot shower. It seems to have helped, as did a night of relatively warm sleep.
Our time in Dehradun and Boghpur has been great. I pray that, like the ministry we visited here, Asia’s Hope will still be serving kids in 100 years.
We’ll relax in Delhi this afternoon and evening and then head to Agra by train tomorrow to see the Taj Mahal. I’ll be sure to bring extra camera batteries. I hope to do the sights justice.
I’m sure I’ll love the Taj, but I’m already restless. I’ve been poring over the photos and bios of our kids in Kalimpong – I want to call as many by name as my aging brain will permit. I miss even the ones I haven’t met yet! I’m can’t wait to see Nandu and his family again and introduce Sam and the team to them. In the meantime, though, I’ll enjoy being a tourist.
