What a day

I've been procrastinating blogging tonight. It's just been such a long and intense day, I'm not really sure that I can find the words.

I'll start with a quick recap of the last couple days, since I've been a bit absent. My absence is due, at least in part, to a special Indian intiation I received, which has been coined "Delhi belly." I was the first (but not the last) person in my group to get sick (lucky me!) I have thoroughly enjoyed the authentic Indian cuisine, but apparently my stomach was a little annoyed that I didn't ease into it at all. I had to take about a day and a half break from any Indian food, and keep food in general at a minimum. Thankfully, I'm feeling pretty much 100% here about 48 hours after it initially hit.

On day 2 in India, we spent more time with the kids at school, visiting classrooms and interacting with the children. We also had a chance to meet with smaller groups (of the older kids, whose English is relatively good), which was a lot of fun. I had a group of 9th grade girls, who were gracious enough to teach me a few of their dance moves. If I'd had some bangles to jingle, I would have been very impressive, I'm sure.

Day 3, we headed to another site for the school and had a chance to spend more time with sweet kiddos there. We had some very artsy ones in the standard (grade) 3. This other site was quite different from the huge, beautiful main school. This building was much smaller and with not as many accomodations. The kids didn't seem to care, though. They were so eager to meet us and spend time with us. Smart little things, too. Oh! and I almost forgot to share that when we arrived, they had flower neclaces made for us as well as personalized cards for every member of our group, colored and signed by students. Sooooo sweet. I have been truly humbled by the gracious hospitality we have received here. The teachers and administrators, the students, the families in the slums, the staff helping us with meals and our accomodations...everyone has been so incredibly kind and welcoming. I hope I will not quickly forget this hospitality the next time I have guests in my home or church. It really makes all the difference.

So today, day 4, had a bit of a different tone. And this is the thing that has been causing my procrastination. I just don't know how to really begin to describe what I saw and felt today. A group of us went to the red light district today. We visited a brothel. We talked to and prayed with the landlady and some of the women who work in the brothel. This situation was unlike anything I've ever seen, heard of, or imagined. The system in this particular area is very different from what you might imagine when you think of a brothel. The landlady we spoke with doesn't actully own these women in the sense you would normally think. She simply owns the flat where they work. They essentially rent space from her (giving her a cut of what they earn.) The woman actually told us she is a Christian. And we sat and prayed with her and learned about her family and her arthritis. I don't think I have to tell you how much this interaction confused me. A Christian woman running a brothel? Sort of? But not really? In theory, these women are actually free to walk out of this place any time they want. I say, "in theory," because despite the fact that these women are, for lack of a better term, independent contractors, they are in just as much bondage as any woman who is indentured to a pimp. Many of them, after years (some of which were spent indentured to a pimp) of working in this industry are so broken down in their spirits and self-worth that they truly believe it's all they can do. They've resigned themselves to this life. They actually don't even desire to leave. Some of them do have the desire to leave, but simply have no place to go. They feel that they have no other options (and they don't seem to be all together wrong). I just kept thinking, "There has to be a way." I don't know what it is. There just has to be, though.

I keep thinking about a comment that one of my teammates made about Jesus' visiting the homes of prostitutes. He was commenting about the looks we were getting when we emmerged onto the street, a co-ed group of white people, having obviously come from this brothel. We drew quite a crowd. People were completely disoriented (and no less than irritated) with Jesus for the company he kept. I can't help but wonder what his demeanor was when he visited with those women. I have to head into tomorrow (when we will return for a 2nd day in another part of the red light district) praying for His heart. I am humbled by the fact that until I actually set foot in this place today, I really just had no context whatsoever for relating to Jesus in this way. Theories are out the window. We're on the ground, in the homes of prostitutes, desiring to love them and to know them in a way that is right and pure and so very different from what they've known for most of their lives. God give us strength.