By Haley Lewis
Children of Faith has been a very special place in my life for 12 years now. I first visited when I was 16, on a mission trip with the Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church youth group. At the time, I had no idea the impact COF would have on me. I’ve been fortunate to return again and again,
Each trip to COF, it changes a bit. The kids grow up (so fast!), new kids come, some kids leave, and the campus morphs and improves. But each time I go back, what remains the same is the rare kind of place COF is: there is something magical about the campus, the kids, and the energy of the home that wakes me up and reminds me what matters in life.
One of the most impactful moments of my most recent trip earlier this month happened when Rosie invited some graduated COF students back to say hello to Patty and me. Ten students showed up, and seeing them again brought back so many memories of past trips. It was precious to see them thriving and hear about their lives.
I was shocked to see a once timid Mounika had ridden a motorcycle/electric scooter to COF that night. She even gave me a ride on it!
And then I turned around and saw Prem.
Prem had been at COF when I visited in 2014 and again in 2016. He was around 9 or 10 years old on those trips, and a very sweet little boy, friendly and fun. After that, I never saw him again. At some point, he left COF, and I had no idea what had happened to him. But he crossed my mind every now and then. And then suddenly, he was standing in front of me! He was a young man now but I recognized his face immediately.
Over the past 12 years, I have written letters to the kids at COF. I have always loved crafts, so making cards is something I genuinely enjoy. It gives me a way to stay connected with the kids between visits, and reminds them that someone far away is thinking about them.
Prem had kept those letters. He had brought some of the photos and letters I had sent him when he was still living at COF, all those years ago. And then he gave me a new letter, reflecting on past trips. In it, he wrote:
Those visits were very special in my life. I don’t know exactly why, but you talked to me with so much love. You did not know much about my life or my family, but still you treated me like your little brother… Whenever I feel sad, I think about the sweet memories I had with you. Those are some of the best memories of my days at COF.
— Prem
(There were definitely some tears.) We talked about our lives and caught up after all those years. We played some volleyball, and then he left.
But I kept thinking about that letter afterward. There have been plenty of times when I have wondered whether my trips to COF actually make a difference. Ten days is not a very long time, especially when there are 120 children and your attention is divided among them all. Sometimes I leave wondering if I really did enough.
Prem’s letter changed the way I think about that. I already knew my past visits had impacted me. I didn’t realize how much those memories could mean to the kids too. It had been ten years and Prem still had the letters. He still remembered my visits and how they made him feel valued as a little boy. Prem’s letter reminded me that people don’t always remember exactly what happened, but they remember how they felt. And kids remember feeling loved.
Knowing that those small moments stayed with Prem all these years later feels like such a gift, and something I can’t put into words.
I think we tend to get so caught up in our own lives, in work, cleaning the house, taking care of ourselves, that we forget how big the world is. Going to COF gets me out of that mindset. It reminds me that there is a much bigger world outside of my own life, and that there are people dealing with things I have never had to deal with. Parents who work hard but still cannot afford to feed their children enough rice. Kids who have lost both parents at a young age.
And then in comes COF. These kids no longer have to worry about whether their next meal will be enough. They get to go to school and learn! They get to start thinking about what a future might look like, they become engineers, teachers, loving mothers and fathers.
But just as important to me is the fact that COF is teaching them to be kind. Anand, one of the founders of COF, preached on Sunday that Christianity teaches us to treat everyone equally. To be kind. To help others. To be good people.
The work God is doing through Anand and Rosie is changing generations of children and families. I feel very lucky that COF found its way into my life 12 years ago, and even luckier that I get to keep coming back.
You can be part of this life-changing work without traveling all the way to India
A visit to Children of Faith is a powerful reminder that this Home is about so much more than providing food, shelter, and education—it is about giving children the love, encouragement, and opportunities they need to build a brighter future. Your support makes moments like these possible, from a special day at the beach to a new sports jersey, a caring teacher, or extra help in the classroom.
Your donation helps Children of Faith provide a safe, loving home and a quality education while helping each child discover their God-given potential. Give today and help make a lasting difference in the life of a child.
