Bethania Kids Home – Kannivadi

By Priscilla Mohl, Director

Opened in 1987, Bethania Kids Home in Kannivadi is the original home for at-risk children founded by the Bethania Kids Foundation.

Kannivadi is located in the plains region below the rolling hills of Kodaikanal, site of other Bethania homes and centers. The home site is lush with fruit and coconut trees, situated close to a stream and waterfall that are active during the rainy season. Vegetables are grown throughout the year to supplement the kitchen’s pantries, and various animals (cows, chickens, ducks, and guinea fowl) are raised by our staff.

Our goal is to educate children who are orphaned, abandoned, and abused; to give them a chance to better themselves in life, and to learn about the love of God. Most often a child is brought to us by a grandparent who has heard about Bethania. Often the father has remarried, and the children have been mistreated by the new mother.

At present there are 36 children living at Kannivadi home. Most ride the van to school in nearby Kannivadi town. Older children are enrolled in vocational college or university, where they receive a degree. The children spend much of their free time playing outdoors, but also they are responsible for chores around the home, including sweeping in the morning and watering plants in the evenings.

The positive changes are many: A feeling of self-worth for the child, the knowledge and love of Christ Jesus, and the assurance that they have a chance at life now that they are receiving an education.