It has been a couple of months since my last blog and yes I could say I have
been too busy to write, but the reality is that I was tired of writing about
sadness, brokenness and despair.
I had no stories of joy to share. I had become overwhelmed by the darkness I saw, so much so that I could not see through it to the light.
But last weekend I caught a glimpse of light. It was more than a glimpse it was a shining ray of hope.
Last weekend I had the privilege of interviewing a potential new girl. We interview not to determine if they get a job but more to better understand their circumstances so we can holistically work towards their freedom.
Lets call this new girl Asha.
Asha has an Aunty who works in the red light area but Asha was from Murshidabad, the village where we are hoping to start a prevention unit.
Asha and her family are poor and could not afford the day to day needs so were sending Asha to work in the red light area. Asha was going to be sacrificed so the rest of the family could survive. This is an all to common story.
But Asha's story doesn't end here.
She met two of the people I work with before she began her life in the sex trade. She was offered a job with us instead of having to sell her body.
As the realisation of what was happening hit Asha's mother she cried.
She cried with joy in the knowledge that her daughter was going to have a chance at life.
Asha never has to know the horrors of what happens in the red light area.
She has been offered her freedom before her dignity has been stripped away.
These are the stories of light and hope that burst through the darkness and despair.
This is what we are about
There will be more of my friends who suffer, there will be more heartache, there will be moments where I cry out asking where is God, there will be moments when I cannot see the goodness of God; but in this moment I see it.
I see God at work in our community, I see His intervention, and so I will hold on to this when all I see is darkness. I will look into the faces of our nearly 200 girls and hold on to that hope.
Yesterday Asha had her first day at work.
Oh what joy and hope she represents
I had no stories of joy to share. I had become overwhelmed by the darkness I saw, so much so that I could not see through it to the light.
But last weekend I caught a glimpse of light. It was more than a glimpse it was a shining ray of hope.
Last weekend I had the privilege of interviewing a potential new girl. We interview not to determine if they get a job but more to better understand their circumstances so we can holistically work towards their freedom.
Lets call this new girl Asha.
Asha has an Aunty who works in the red light area but Asha was from Murshidabad, the village where we are hoping to start a prevention unit.
Asha and her family are poor and could not afford the day to day needs so were sending Asha to work in the red light area. Asha was going to be sacrificed so the rest of the family could survive. This is an all to common story.
But Asha's story doesn't end here.
She met two of the people I work with before she began her life in the sex trade. She was offered a job with us instead of having to sell her body.
As the realisation of what was happening hit Asha's mother she cried.
She cried with joy in the knowledge that her daughter was going to have a chance at life.
Asha never has to know the horrors of what happens in the red light area.
She has been offered her freedom before her dignity has been stripped away.
These are the stories of light and hope that burst through the darkness and despair.
This is what we are about
There will be more of my friends who suffer, there will be more heartache, there will be moments where I cry out asking where is God, there will be moments when I cannot see the goodness of God; but in this moment I see it.
I see God at work in our community, I see His intervention, and so I will hold on to this when all I see is darkness. I will look into the faces of our nearly 200 girls and hold on to that hope.
Yesterday Asha had her first day at work.
Oh what joy and hope she represents
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