Last weekend a little less than half of our group went to Mumbai. While there, we visited two organizations specifically for children of prostitutes. The first was run by The Salvation Army and was a home specifically for daughters of prostitutes. There were abotu 30 girls whose ages ranged from 3 to 12 or 13. Walking into the home, I immediately realized the harsh blandness. Grey concrete walls-an entrance that leads into the main room (where we played and had our story time) and three rooms branchin goff of the main room. The girls’ bedroom is the most joyful room-about 12 metal beds, a few single beds and murals of flowers and words painted all over the concrete walls. These girls were so beautiful and joyful in the midst of such plainly raw surroundings- both physically and emotionally. After sitting down and hearing a 5 minute story, a little girl looked up at me and said, “Are you leaving now?” This question just tugged at my heart. We had just gotten there. However, we did leave after about an hour of singing and playing, and selfishly it wasn’t enough.
As we went into the Major’s (the director of the girl’s home) home after leaving the girls, we came to understand the lack of constants in the lives of the girls: the mothers can come once a weeks but I doubt all do, and those who come can only stay for one hour ; we were informed that groups (like us) visit just about once a week to play with the kids (sadly explaining the question of the little girl), and the Major can leave after one to three years if she chooses. These girls are fortunate to have such support, but it must be confusing and difficult to always have people coming and going. I just cannot help but think that these girls must feel some form of rejection through the lack of stability.
After visiting the home, we went to a drop-off center in a red light district, and the center was basically in a brothel. This center allowed prostitutes to drop their children off in the afternoon so the children didn’t have to be around while they worked. While we were there we were able to sing and tell stories to the children which brought great encouragement to me. These children, even though not immersed in the most innocent of situations, still held a great joy. It just broke my heart to think of what they had been, were currently, and would later be exposed to.
Although both experiences were extremely heart-wrenching, they also just ignited my passion for this work that I had yet to be fully exposed to. I am now so read and able to go home and either join or start an organization that fights for the innocence and joy of these beautiful children.
In The Shin’s “Young Pilgrims” it says, “I know there is this side of me that wants to grab the yoke from the pilot and just fly the whole mess into the sea.” I totally feel that for this situation. The injustice towards the women, children, and even men of this country just makes me want to puke. However, even though I want to just “grab the joke from the Pilot,” I know this situation can and will be used to bring glory to Him. But I have to surrender my control and trust. As these boys and men learn the true love of JC and no longer want to go to prosiitutes, and women and girls are freed from the slavery and oppression of this trade because of JC’s love, oh man, you say you want a revolution? Because it’s coming and I CANNOT wait for the redemption and joy and glory to God on that day!
