How do you pick which kids go to the Dream Homes?

One of the questions we are often asked is, “How do you pick which kids go to the Dream Homes?”

It’s not an easy question to answer, mostly because there are SO many kids that would benefit from living in the Dream Homes who deserve to be rescued out of the trauma and tragic living situation they are in. The best way to summarize the “how” is that SEED tries to rescue the worst case scenarios. The kids who are severely abused or the families that are in dangerous poverty.

Currently, we have 37 girls and 40 boys living in the Dream Homes. Our staff in India usually learn about these kids through a pastor or teacher in their individual communities. Once they hear about that child's situation, our staff will approach their parents to take them into the Dream Homes, where they explain that they will get three meals a day and full-time care. Unfortunately, not all parents will approve and we can't force them to. This is a partnership with the child and their families and ultimately, we want a healthy reunification of each family. If that can't (or won't) happen, that child will not be placed in the Dream Home as SEED does not have the legal ability to remove a child without their parents full consent and cooperation.

This also means that at any point, the parents can change their minds once the kids are living in the Dream Homes. This is when it gets particularly heartbreaking because the Dream Homes are sometimes the only opportunity these kids will have for a better life.

Kids in the Dream Homes are in a constant battle to overcome the years of abuse and trauma they have endured in their young lives. They are battling being lured back into the lifestyles they had before. And, sadly, sometimes SEED staff is in a battle with the families to keep the kids in the Dream Homes. It’s not over, just because they make it there.

And unfortunately, we have news about two boys who are no longer living in the Boys Dream Home, Roshan and Soumitra, who just left in August.

Roshan, a 7th grader, moved into the Dream Home in January of 2020. Before coming to the Boys Dream Home, he grew up in the slum with absolutely no discipline or rules. He started skipping school, using tobacco and alcohol and gambling. His mother approached SEED because she could not offer much hope for change. He worked hard while living at the Dream Home but sadly, his father has demanded he leave so he can work and earn an income for the rest of the family.

Soumitra, an 11th grader, is from a family that migrated from Bangladesh. He stays with his grandmother and aunt on holiday breaks from the Dream Home. His aunt does not want the responsibility of caring for him and has pulled him from the Dream Home to send him back to Bangladesh to work.

This is heartbreaking news. The staff of SEED did their best to counsel the families but the families went through with the decision to pull the boys out. Our SEED staff in India feel helpless. They feel like they failed.

The truth is, this is one of the biggest challenges they face with our families. This isn’t just a battle for the kids to overcome the history of poverty but it’s a HUGE challenge to have the families overcome it as well.

So this is what we are asking of our partners: Will you join us in praying for Roshan and Soumitra? Will you pray that they don't forget what they have learned under SEED's care? And that if possible, their families hearts will change and be open to putting them back into the Dream Homes?

This work is complicated. It's not cut and dry, as much as we wish it was. We can't have a 100% success rate, but we know that God is working in the lives of these kids and right now, that's enough.

These kids are special and their lives matter. We are thankful for every single person who partners with us to protect and love them.