My Favorite Song right now

Bible Study

My City: Ooty  
Green: My House -Farley
Red - Stephens Church (famous Christian Church)
Orange - My Work: Freedom Firm
Blue:The Train Station
Center: Commercial Road
(Where the marketplace and tourist attraction is)

This week I want to share with you one of my favorite parts of my week:

Bible Study

I have to tell you about the bible study that I attend weekly, it has become such a joy to me, and a great way to get to know people in the community!  One of the coolest things about this bible study is that it is comprised of all kinds of people - Indians & foreigners!  The bible study started 25 years ago from one of the most historical churches in Ooty - Stephen's Church.  There are quite a few people that attend from the international school that resides in Ooty as well.  Hebron School is a primary and secondary school that houses international missionary and business children from all over the world.

Hosted in the Home

Every week the bible study is hosted in one of the church member's houses.  So, I get a taste of Indian culture and what better way to get to know someone than going to their home.  They also serve us dinner afterwards, and always give us their best! :)

Hymns

We always start out by singing hymns!

Discussion

Nigel, and Tom George

One of these two men lead the bible study. 

They are both well versed in the word and trained in theology - I have learned so much from them!

We are studying in the book of Luke right now.

One of my favorite things about this bible study is that it is not taught - it is led.  Nigel and Tom do a phenomenal job of creating a study that get's everyone to participate and helps us to come to our own conclusions.  They ask probing questions and lead us to breakdown, and study the word in ways I would have never thought of on my own. 

This is apart of such a timely season that the Lord had provided for me to study His Word, and soak it in.  I am so thankful!   

A Story

A STORY

The Realities of:

RECOVERING from SEX TRAFFICKING

 & AIDS

Since living in India I have been confronted with the realities that sex victims face even after being rescued.  The rejection they face from their own communities, lack of hope for the future (most girls who have been trafficked come from a poor background which is what makes them vulnerable to being 'taken'), lifetime of health problems (STD's and HIV), the scarlet letter given to them, eliminating much possibility of getting married - ALL WHICH LEAD return to the sex trade.  

This viscous cycle: Vulnerable women are forced into this inhumane trade and it scars their life in such a way that many never exit - sometimes willingly submitting themselves back into it - knowing nothing else - accepting their 'lot.'

  

I had the privilege to sit down with some of our investigators, apart of the Freedom Firm legal team in North India, during our staff retreat in February and hear first hand accounts of what happens in a brothel.

Inside of a Brothel:

·           Most are tricked into the trade by someone who says they have work for them.

·           Girls perform daily and nightly, all but 4hrs, forced to keep 7 minute sessions.

·           Girls are presented in a line to customers to choose.

·           Girls are brainwashed to believe that they will be punished if they confess to the police. Beaten and oppressed.

·           Some, even if rescued, lie to police that they are working willingly because of this fear.

(*These are firsthand accounts from our FF investigators - they are not a consensus of all brothels).  

Today I want to tell you a story of girls who have contracted HIV while they were trafficked:

3 out of 5 of the current girls in our aftercare center have contracted HIV.  As I sat in an informational session with the girls about HIV last week, I realized that this disease is not just a sickness, but a painful and fatal monster that affects them daily - not just physically, but emotionally too.  

  

Two Indian women from a local hospital came to educate the girls on health and cleanliness in order to maintain the virus HIV.  They were very sweet and made it seem as 'normal' as possible.  We talked about health, diet, and cleanliness first which the girls were very encouraged to receive.  The last part was saved to address the specific virus of HIV.  

HIV is not a disease, it a virus in the blood.  It kills the bodies white blood cells, which fight of sickness in the body.  It cannot be cured, only maintained.  

There are 4 stages of HIV - the first which can be medicated, the fourth which nothing can be done but admittance into a care center to be watched. 

To demonstrate what is actually happening the girl's bodies the instructors drew a picture on the white board.  She drew an outline of a body, many dots to represent white blood cells, and one red dot to represent the virus HIV.  She highlighted the red dot until it was bigger and bigger and then drew a line to all the white blood cells and circled them with the red marker (signifying the death of each good cell).  .........The girls stared at the white board, aware that this was not just education but what was happening in their bodies, and tears started to well up in my eyes.  

If you could have seen their faces - One just stared at the instructor - their was anger in her watery eyes.  Burning anger.  "Why did this happen to me?"   Another, looked away - there was hopelessness in her eyes.  She was already progressing into a deeper stage of the virus and had to be temporarily admitted into the hospital last month to start treatment.   She struggles daily with feeling a sense of hopelessness about her future. She doesn't know what her future holds, or how long it will hold.  

I have no idea what these woman face.  I am not in their shoes.  They did not choose to be in their shoes either.  The greatest pain of their situation is that their health was stolen from them.  During one of the most horrific times of their life they contracted a virus that will never let them forget.  

How do we address these kind of tragedies?  What does the gospel offer?  These are questions that I am mulling over.  I am discovering greater understanding of God's plan for humanity and that our ultimate goal is THE KINGDOM.  

More thoughts to come.