I go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning hearing
barking stray dogs, the eerie sound of Hindu prayers, honking vehicles and
blaring communist party messages.
There is no denying where I am.
I am in Calcutta, India, a place of evident spiritual darkness
and brokenness.
I am reminded of what an honour it is that God chose us to
come here and do His work, His will.
Yesterday, our team went on a prayer walk through the slums.
We saw so much hurt and pain in people’s faces as we passed by. But even more
evident was the heaviness we all felt as we were walking.
The people are living in darkness. And we are coming with
the bright light and life that is found in Jesus. And that is so much stronger
than any other evil force that has been living here for so long.
11 college aged girls, we are chosen warriors for Christ. We
have seen the battlefield. And we are coming proclaiming the victor. What a
gift it is to be chosen for this task!
As we turn on to the small road where Asha home and our home
is located, there is a stark contrast of spiritual presence. There is an
overwhelming peace, a lightness in the air.
As we slip off our sandals and enter in to Asha home, we are
greeted by beautiful smiles, hopeful eyes and shrieks of joy.
16 boys and 8 girls live at Asha home, all beautiful
children who have been abandoned by their earthly parents. Yet every night we
sit together for evening prayer and the children shout and clap praises to
their heavenly Father. They sit and listen to us, the Aunties, read from the
Bible and they soak up every word. How amazing that these children are so
willing to accept their heavenly Father when they know nothing of a good
earthly father.
The 8 girls arrived only 5 weeks ago, abused, frightened and
probably very untrusting of people. Yet the girls that I know today are full of
joy and love.
Sibani, Carpona, Cupita, Beronica, Hemoti, Baby, Tuttily and
Emily.
God has performed wonders in their hearts.
It would be enough for me if the only ministry we had was to
love these girls. But God has a lot in store for us ministry wise. The girls
are home all day long, because they do not go to school. The boys leave for
school at 5 am and after they come home from school we tutor them from 2:30 to
4:30, helping them in their English and math skills. During this time, Abigail
and I teach the girls English on a small chalk board. This is a hard task, when
the girls had only memorized the alphabet and numbers. But it makes my heart so
happy when I see them so excited to learn.
Things I am looking forward to are going to a hospital and
praying for patients, and going down to the railroad to hand out food for the
poor.
God is going to amazing things through us, we have been
given all authority to bring about change in this place in Jesus’s name. Our
goal is God’s will, and it WILL be done, and how blessed are we to be witnesses to it!
