India Update - Church in the Slums

With some of our sisters.

Last night, we went to Pastor Steven's church. We left after dark so that our presence to the surrounding area would be less obvious. Even though it isn't required for women to cover their heads here, the girls on our team did to draw less attention to our white-selves being in the area. You see, Pastor Steven's church is located in a structured slum.

Our taxi driver dropped us off where the road ended. We walked via flashlight across the railroad tracks. Through brush. Over refuse. Past a child defecating freely in the open (because there are no bathrooms anywhere). We walked to a small one-room building the church rents out. There is no a/c - just two slowly oscillating fans. The ceiling is made of sticks and something like burlap. Mats are laid across the floor to give a place to sit. 

All of the attendees at the church are women, except for two blind man, and one other. 

And they are each so beautiful. 

Jeeze, we are so spoiled in America. We have everything, light shows, and bands, money and possessions. Yet we bore easily. We don't seek God in most things. And our faces too often show disdain.

During the service time.

These sisters had NOTHING and yet, they had EVERYTHING.

I've never seen such passion. Their faces were beautiful, but truly their countenance is what was shinning. These sisters in Christ were fervent in their worship and their prayers. 

Kristen sharing.

Crystal sharing.

Kristen, Crystal, Eb, and Pastor all shared a word. Then the church prayed for us! What an honor!!!! I couldn't understand a word they were saying (this slum was comprised of a South Indian population and they all spoke Tamal), but it was powerful. We then broke into groups and prayed for them... I didn't know how to ask for prayer requests, so I just went for it, but thank goodness our God can pass language barriers. 

Baby Lerika wearing her Dora shirt.
Mama is on the left.

After service, we provided a snack and just hung-out a bit. There was a sweet little baby, maybe 10 months old. She had on a Dora the Explorer shirt and reminded me of my baby. Her name was Lerika. A set of sisters spoke some English and chatted as best possible with us. They couldn't believe how OLD we were (ha! They were 16 and 17). They all pulled out their cell phones (hilarious) and took photos with us. Sweet spirited sisters.

Fellowshipping after service

I felt very privileged to be there last night. And came across this passage which dawned whole new meaning having seen real poverty in that moment:

"You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9

This morning my heart tugged in a new direction. I was reading Hannah's prayer in I Samuel 2. Here are verses 7-9 which are my prayer for these sisters: 

"The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor for all the earth is the Lord's and He has set the world in order. He will protect his faithful ones..."

My heart was screaming this morning trying to figure out how to help them. Could we visit again and take more food? What could we do. But the tragic truth is that so often here helping actually hurts. To give too much would cause them harassment by others. So I am left with the resolve that even if I can't given them anything tangible at this point, I can remember to pray for them and know that inside they are already truly rich.