I feel like I need to write a good blog concerning what we have been doing and what we will be doing in the next few weeks. Thanks to you all who have been praying and following my blog while I’m here. I feel so blessed when I hear your prayers and encouragement.
The purpose of this trip is to get the Ashraya Mission home ready for girls to live here. That is where I am now. This home is going to be an after-care facility for girls rescued from the sex-trafficking industry. We work side-by-side with Indian Rescue Mission. James, the founder of IRM, rescues on average 2-3 girls a month. Rescuing is a long process. James and his staff must do investigations first. They go into the brothels with hidden cameras posing as customers and get the girls and brothel managers on film. They have to have enough evidence to convince the police officials these girls need to be rescued, or the brothel managers need to be arrested. Then once that is good to go, the police, James, and staff go in with the authority of the police and take away the girls who are under-aged and in forced prostitution. James just this past weekend rescued two sixteen year old girls in Pune, India. James said tears filled their eyes as they exclaimed they were ready to go home. There is a great need for after-care facilities like the one Ashraya will be. The Rescue Foundation in Pune holds 70 girls right now. Its capacity is supposed to be 30. The Rescue Foundation is also a Hindu foundation. So there is great need for the hope of Christ to spread to these girls through Christian after-care facilities.
One frequently asked question is “Are there girls living there now with you?” No. Right now, we are making this house look amazing. We have put countless hours in of work—painting, going to the market to buy things for the house, cleaning, and more to make this house look legit. It makes me so excited to make this house awesome for the future girls that will live here. I have a feeling they will take great pride in living here. Katie Beth and I were talking the other day about how we hope that they will feel the deep love of God when they walk through these doors and see how much work has been put into this house. Our house is different for sure. It has an American touch. Not many Indian homes look like it, and the whole town is curious as to what we are doing. But, I think when these girls see what an amazing, cool place is going to be their home, they will feel the love of God and wonder why people cared so much. Its neat thinking about the transition that will take place from a life of abuse, neglect, and absence of love to one where they are loved deeply, cared for, and taught about the one great love in the world, Jesus.
Soon, we will fill out an application for this house to be approved as a home for girls. Then, the next step is hiring Godly people to work here. Those people are few and far between here, so if you would like to join us in asking God to provide, we will greatly appreciate it. That is the plan for now.
Our ministry at Ashraya doesn’t just have to do with the house and the future girls. Six months ago, James rescued two boys from very extreme poverty. They have been living here in this city for the last 6 months. Three years ago their mother who was a prostitute died of AIDS and for two years they were surviving completely by themselves. Ram is 12 now and Shankar is 9. Ram is a very serious boy because he was robbed of his childhood through having to take care of his little bro Shankar for 2 years. Shankar is more silly and goofy as a child should be. These brothers and their caretaker live next door to us. They are over at our house 24/7! We actually had a slumber party last night…or really they just passed out on our floor as it was getting late, so we let them stay. Ram, Shankar, and their caretaker Yaloha make for GREAT neighbors. We love them very very much.
We have about 5-6 weeks left in this city. After that we will return back to New Delhi and spend a little over a week with our friends at Asha Mission. We spent about 2 weeks there in September. That is a wonderful place let me tell ya. Asha Mission is an orphanage to 30 beautiful children…most come from extreme poverty, some come from the leper colony, some from the brothels. I think when Jesus said that the kingdom of God belongs to the children, he was talking about these little ones. I’ve never seen children who love Jesus more than these. It’s amazing. Their worship, their prayers, their sweet smiles, and kind hearts just radiate God’s love. I absolutely love every moment I spend there. The house parents, the Sharmas, are some of the most Godly people I’ve ever met. It’s a joy to be in their presence. I’m excited to return to New Delhi to spend time again with the Sharmas and those wonderful children.
So that is what we have been doing and will be doing. Keep praying for us! Our God is so good.
