Friday Fun Night

Friday night at House of Hope is family night. Interns and friends who work with House of Hope come for dinner with the kids and it is always a fun, LOUD evening. Before dinner the kids have a Bible study and sing songs. Then we all sit down (on the floor, Indian style) and have a yummy dinner of curry. After dinner, we usually play games. At the end of the night, the kids are exhausted and ready for bed. Its a great time to share life with these kids. Here's some pictures from our Friday Fun Nights....

Eating dinner Indian style

Daal, egg curry and rice

Tanmay says the food was yummy!

Swamini helping with the dishes.

Sonali and Ranjana

After dinner, Chetan "borrowed" Daniel Uncle's motorcycle helmet.

Who is taller?? Our boys are growing so fast!

Esther and Angel are friends. 

The boys ended the night by playing some football. 

Our Italian Friends

This week we had a special visit from our Italian friends: Tiziana, Corrado, Sara and Gabriel Ferrari. The Ferrari family lived for several years in Pune and came to know about House of Hope. Tiziana made visits to House of Hope while she was staying in Pune. Even after they returned to Italy, she continued to stay in touch with us.

During the holidays Tiziana organized a fundraiser at her daughter, Sara’s school: Scuola Don Roscelli. The Italian students were very eager to help and were able to collect a large donation for House of Hope and Bright Star Education! 

The Ferrari family came to Pune this past week to deliver the donation and visit House of Hope and Bright Star Education. It really is amazing the difference that one family has made. They saw a need, organized their friends and classmates, to make a big investment in the lives of so many Indian children. We are very thankful for their generosity and friendship! 

Happy Birthday Angel!

We celebrated Angel's birthday on 22nd December. She is two years old and a very healthy, happy little girl! We enjoyed celebrating her birthday with chicken biryani and chocolate cake. For her birthday present, Angel received a baby doll which she is quite attached to. Angel is loved by all at House of Hope. Her happy smile brings so much joy to everyone. We are also very happy to report that even though her mother is HIV positive, all of Angel's medical tests have come back negative! It is so beautiful to celebrate her life and we are blessed to have such a sweet girl in our home.

Christmas 2011

It was a very merry Christmas at House of Hope! The children enjoyed many visitors who brought lots of sweets and gifts. Even our local politician, Rajesh Pillay gave sweaters and sponsored the children to have a full day picnic and a nearby garden and amusement park. The children really enjoyed!

Enjoying breakfast before the activities start. 

Two little monkeys sitting in a tree....Vishal and Shyam

Angel really enjoyed the merry-go-round

Sakshi getting mendhi on her hand.

Kids getting excited for the magic show!

Anush got to participate in the magic show

Monica and Swamini

Shaheena

Sakshi ready to swim!

Even Sangita Aunty played!

Nanda and Esther

Girls going for a carriage ride.

Prasanna enjoying a horseback ride.

Sakshi

Merry Christmas from House of Hope!

So tired after a fun-filled day!

Early Christmas!

Last week, Christmas came early to House of Hope! Sarah Hesse, a German high school student living with her family here in Pune, organized over 130 Christmas boxes to donate to House of Hope and our school, Bright Star Education. Sarah is a student at Mercedes Benz International School in Pune. Sarah delivered the boxes to our children along with her mother, brother and classmate.

It took 3 cars just to transport all the boxes! It was a big surprise for our kids and they were thrilled with all the fun gifts inside their boxes. The boxes were filled with socks, gloves, hats, toiletries, games, little toys, and candies.

We are so thankful to Sarah and her mother, Simone for all their efforts to organize these Christmas boxes. Isn't it amazing how one person can organize their friends and family to be a blessing to so many children in need?? If you are interested in being a blessing and making a difference in the life of a disadvantaged child, please contact us! kristina@brightstareducation.org.

Alll the boxes that will be given out to the school children on Thursday at our Christmas program.

Kristina
for House of Hope

Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali from House of Hope! We celebrated with a fun time of food, friends, games and fireworks.

Preparing the tea lights to decorate the house.

Baby Esther's first Diwali

Enjoying all the yummy food

Sahara

Sahara and Renu

Vishal

Tanmay and Sahara

Angel

Ranjana

Watching the fireworks show

August Update

Its been a busy month at House of Hope! We have a new intern from the Netherlands who has been spending a lot of time with the children, teaching them new things and having lots of fun!

Swamini, Sandesh and Sonali playing a game of homemade Twister. 

Sweet Esther is growing so fast!

Vishal learns to make pizza.

Taekwondo class

Future Taekwondo Black-Belts

Chetan, the rockstar

Chetan learned all his cool moves from Aunty!