India
In 2008, Children to Love began a partnership with Berachah Children’s Home. Berachah sits on the coast of southeastern India, in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Founded in 2000 by Kiran Paul, Berachah Children's Home has continued to serve as a haven for children orphaned or semi-orphaned by poverty, parent suicide or natural disasters. When possible, children are restored to their extended family.
Berachah Children's Home began when Pastor Kiran took two abandoned tribal children into his home and today, Berachah Children's Home is home to about 200 children. Outside of the home, Berachah has mobilized foster families to care for 6 HIV positive children, in accordance with Indian government regulations.
Children with no place to go in India are often vulnerable to human trafficking in its various forms. Stories of parent suicide, physical and sexual abuse, forced labor and extreme poverty color the background of many of Berachah’s children. Pastor Kiran works closely with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of at-risk and abandoned or orphaned children in the community. Not only does Berachah Children's Home create a safe haven for these children, but offers a true place to thrive for those who call it home. Each child is given the opportunity to attend school, eat three meals a day, and grow in an environment that addresses their physical, spiritual and emotional needs.
Berachah is a well-known entity by the local police, Child Welfare Committee and the community at large, a testimony to the reputation of the ministry in a nation where Christianity is the minority.
Berachah Ministries also offers additional programs designed to strengthen families and other vulnerable youth, such as a sewing program for widows and a nutritional program for children in the surrounding slum communities.
Pastor Kiran and his wife Lakshmi have two children of their own, Grace and Benny.
Yesu and Blessy were two children saved from a life of begging and poverty through Berachah Children's Home. Watch their story here.