It was a typical winter day here in Madras- sunny, warm and not a cloud in the sky. Ten of us piled into Rev. Dhas' land-rover. Our voyage was short, taking us to a remote lake on the edge of Madras.
What happened that morning was far from typical. As we made our way to the waters edge, the women who had gathered there to wash their clothes stopped working. Rev Dhas took Dhanalakshmi, then Nirmala, then Lakshmi and finally Vijiya out into the lake and baptized them. The event was a miracle, the women who were baptized had all but lost hope when the Lord placed them into our hands.
On December 15, four of the women who work in our children's home were baptized. Their lives are truly a testimony of God's grace and transforming power.
Our children's home, Mahizhchi Illam, has also become a home for distressed and destitute women. Since this home opened, we've cared for 21 children (two of our HIV positive baby girls have died), and close to 20 destitute and distressed women.
We've taken in widows, women who have grown up as orphans, divorced women who have been thrown to the streets, women with AIDS, and women who have escaped a life of slavery in brothels and houses of prostitution in Bombay.
By taking these women in and giving them jobs, we've seen their self-esteem return and many have come to know the Lord. Of all the staff we've employed, it seems the women with nothing and nowhere to go are more willing to work and pour themselves out for the children, than those workers with professional training.
Currently, we have 5 women who are considered support staff. These five, more or less, run the home. While we are in the office, they feed, bathe, and send the children off to school. They help the children with their homework and put them to bed at night. Their level of commitment and service is inspiring.
I want to share with you the backgrounds of the women here and ask that you keep them in your prayers. They work 24 hours a day with little sleep and almost no vacation time. They do their job with a love and a joy that I've seen in very few people.
Dhanalakshmi. I honestly can say that of the 3 or 4 individuals whom I consider role models in my life, Dhanalaksmi is one of them. Her life is a living testimony of God's grace, of His transforming and redemptive Love.
Her husband was an auto-rickshaw driver earning 35-40 rupees a day (approx. $1.15-1.30) Though the family was not well off financially, they were content until they found out that her husband had tested positive for AIDS.
On December 18, 1994, he died, leaving behind two small children and a 22 year old widow.
Shortly after the death of her husband, Dhanalakshmi tested positive for HIV. For several months she worked as a domestic servant, earning a couple meals a day and a small spot on the floor to sleep at night.
In February of 1995 she admitted Divya (her daughter) into our children's' home. The day she came to drop Divya off at the home, was one I'll never forget. It might have been the saddest thing I've ever seen.
I was sitting in the office when a beautiful young woman entered, holding a sleeping child against her breast. As she filled out the forms and went through all the formalities of the admission process her eyes began filling with tears.
Finally, when everything was completed, she stood up to hand over her daughter to Victoria. Dhanalakshmi began crying. The little girl woke up and began crying, calling out to her mother. Dhanalakshmi looked at Divya, and with reluctance, turned and walked out of the office.
Victoria immediately handed me the child and ran after the mother. When she caught up to her, the young widow was weeping. Victoria told her of the peace and comfort that Jesus can bring, she prayed with the young widow and Dhanalakshmi accepted Christ that afternoon.
In October, we were able to locate Dinesh, her son, and admit him into the home. He had been sent to an orphanage in Madurai, but he's now reunited with his family.
Dhanalaksmi has been with us since May. She demonstrates a deep love and affection for each and every one of the children in the home. If you didn't know which ones were her own children, you wouldn't be able to tell. She loves all without showing any favoritism. She's committed to the children and pours herself out for them.
Though her life has been full of pain and heartbreak, she is our most stable and loving helper. Her courage is inspiring and her devotion is convicting. Please pray for her as she realizes her life will soon come to an end.
Meera. Meera is a 17 year old woman whose life has also been full of pain. She is the youngest of three daughters coming from a good family. When she was 16 years old she fell in love with a young boy. They ran away together and were married.
This boy belonged to a caste much lower than that of Meera's family. The marriage was a social disgrace and extremely shameful. Meera's parents disowned her and told her never to come back home.
Six months after the wedding her husband began beating her. The beatings got worse and worse until it was out of control. He would beat her for more than two hours at a time, throwing her against walls and striking her face. She was scared and didn't know what to do.
Her husband forbade her to speak to anyone. He would lock her in a room whenever he left the house. When he would return, the beatings would resume.
Finally, Meera ran away. She fled her home bleeding with her clothes torn.
She was at the end of herself and didn't see any reason to continue this life. She tried to kill herself by swallowing poison. The poison only made her sick, and her life of misery and rejection continued.
One of her older sisters found her and brought her home. The family took her back, but Meera struggled with severe depression. Again she tried to kill herself and that's when her family threw her out.
She found shelter and care at Madras Christian Counseling Social Services for distressed women. She stayed there 5 months before we took her into our family.
Today her life is full of joy. Though she was physically abused, she is completely gentle- I've never known her to even spank one of the children (and God knows they need it!). Her smile brings peace, and her eyes reflect purity.
Vijiya. Vijiya is a 16 year old woman from Vellore. Her father is in the military, a soldier in North India. He is never home.
Vijiya, her younger sister and her mother all lived in a small room where they ate, slept and worked. Vijiya's mother is a prostitute. Even in front of her two daughters she would bring men into the home and conduct her “business”.
Vijiya couldn't take it any longer and decided to confront her mother. That only led to an outrage and the beginning of terrible physical abuse. Her mother beat her and starved her.
In the middle of the night she ran away, ending up on the streets of Madras. A Christian couple found her and brought her to M.C.C.S.S. for shelter and care. That's where we came to know about this hurting and lost girl.
She's been with us for 5 months now, and demonstrates a boldness in her enthusiasm as she cares for 6 of our children. She's very mature and very sweet, a tender girl full of Love.
Nirmala. Nirmala is only 20 years old, and had been married for a year before we found her. She had fallen in love with a young man and ran away so they could marry.
Her husband took her to his parents' home and the family lived together in harmony. But her mother-in-law- became very discontented about not receiving a dowry. The demands for the dowry began and with those demands, horrible abuse.
Her husband beat her and burned her with cigarettes. After 6 months of a living hell, her mother and father-in-law began making preparations for
a new wife for their son.
While Nirmala lived in the home, her in-laws finalized an engagement, and their son-Nirmala's husband- was married to another woman.
Nirmala, shattered and humiliated, ran away. She came to a Roman Catholic church and slept on the doorstep. That night she prayed that if God would help her she'd give Him her life in service.
She was sent to M.C.C.S.S. and from there she joined our family. She is also a delight and an essential part of our home. Her life models patience and sensitivity.
Lakshmi is the oldest helper we have, yet she is only 25 years old. She grew up with her mother. She was a pretty girl and very happy. Tragedy struck and her mother died.
Lakshmi was forced to move in with her aunt. Her aunt ran a prostitution ring, or a brothel, and forced Lakshmi into a life of literal slavery. Lakshmi got pregnant and tried to flee. Her aunt caught her, and in an attempt to kill Lakshmi, threw acid all over her.
Scarred for life, a majority of Lakshmi's body was badly burned. Even now it looks as though her skin is melted like wax.
Lakshmi came to M.C.C.S.S. and stayed until she had her child. She couldn't stay at the counseling center with her baby, and thus she was forced to put it up for adoption. The adoption agency, corrupt like most are in India, actually sold her baby girl to a family in Malaysia.
Lakshmi suffered from severe depression as she realized she would never be with her daughter again.
She came to our home to care for Revathi, our little 9 month old HIV+ baby girl. Since she's been able to care for a girl very much like her own daughter, she's been restored and her life has started over.
This morning four of these ladies, none of whom had been Christians when they came to us, were baptized. It was a special time for our Word Made Flesh family.
These women are examples to me, examples of broken and hurt children being reconciled to God.
Last week they wrote me a letter. Victoria translated it from Tamil into English, and as she translated, her eyes were filled with tears. I'd like to share a portion of that letter with you.
“…we wanted you to know that in this world we have faced many trials and difficulties. We thought nobody would ever want girls like us. Our own parents hate us and won't take us back. As young girls with broken hearts, we came here. Our God has given us shelter, food, everything we could ever ask for. We are so very happy. God has answered our prayers and now our parents and relatives are beginning to understand us as they take note of the changes in our lives. Great changes since we were born into Christ!.”