The Bethesda Children’s Home began in 1993 when Pastor Sam and his wife Laisha housed 15 children in need of nourishment and a place to stay. Many children had been forced into early labour or begging by the desperation of their families; they were instead equipped to pursue education and skilled jobs. It was one of the first children’s homes in the area.
Since then, the home has grown and flourished across Tamil Nadu as new staff joined and new homes were built with the support of people in India and the UK.
In 1996, Pastor Sam and Laisha built a new children’s home, which was moved into from the rented accommodation that they had used previously. Then, in 1997, another was rented, expanding Bethesda’s capacity and scope of influence within the local community. By the early 2010s, there were 3 homes, collectively housing around 70 children.
In 2013, the decision was made to unite these homes into one brand new building, allowing for greater focus and community. We would like to humbly thank St. Albans Church and Southampton Vineyard Church, both of the UK, for their help and support in allowing this monumental project to come together so successfully. As a consequence of this, our capacity rose to be able to accommodate up to 100 children in our new home in Mettupalayam.
In 2020, the home faced new challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Indian government decided that children in care homes should be sent to their parents or relatives wherever possible. During this time, the Bethesda team drove hundreds of miles, delivering much needed provisions to the children and their families.
Since then, the children and staff have been united once more in Mettupalayam. The focus has been on maintaining the grounds and pushing to provide the best facilities possible for the young people at Bethesda, with exciting new plans for the future, including the construction of a new dining hall in 2026.