Bangalore, India

St. Michael's Home is located in Bangalore, India. Among other things, it is a home for unwed mothers, a children's home, a vocational school for women, and a day camp for children. They take in women who need a place to live while pregnant. The Sisters provide housing, food, counseling, care, comfort, and total confidentiality. The mothers receive excellent pre-natal care and if needed, training in sewing and embroidery so that they can support themselves when they leave. Women from the villages and slums are also given such training, and their children cared for while they learn. The tablecloths, pillow covers, and placemats produced by the vocational program are beautiful, and we brought home many of them for use in our own home and as gifts.

The mothers stay to breast-feed their babies for eight weeks after the birth, giving their babies an excellent physical and emotional start in life. St. Michael's nursery has a capacity of approximately twenty infants. They take incredibly good care of the babies until they can arrange for people to take them into their families. When Surya was there, it was during an unusually quiet time for the nursery, as there were no more than five children there at the same time.

St. Michael's has a reputation with the United States government as one of the most well run children's homes in India. As soon as we mentioned that we were working with St. Michael's, any initial resistance or indifference on the part of consulate or immigration officials dissipated. Unfortunately, it is my understanding that St. Michael's is no longer undertaking international adoptions to the U.S.

The grounds are beautiful, with an extensive flower garden and many flowering trees and plants in and around the various courtyards. St. Michael's also grows its own fruits and vegetables, and has a small dairy farm.