Today was a special day for one of the girls. She completed her 18 months in the Freedom Firm program, and today was a commemoration/graduation service for her. Her name is Mala (as to not be confused with Mala Malstead, one of the founder's of FF). For this reason I call her "Smala"on occasion. :)
We had school with the girls this morning, but the focus of the day was really about Mala. Everything else seemed to fade in comparison. I found it funny that they celebrate such events with purchasing a meat instead of a cake. We all sat in a circle and she had the "hot seat" and we each went around and had a time of encouragement for her. She also shared what a blessing FF had been to her. The girls gave her their handmade cards they had created earlier that day (thanks to Katherine for her homemade cards and idea!) and it was beautiful to see what they told her (in Hindi and was then translated into English). I think she felt more honored and recognized than possibly she ever has. Many were moved to tears. Mala was.
Now, you have to know, however, that none of us wanted Mala to go. Just because she had finished the program did not mean she was ready to be "on her own". She is not a fast learner and either has some learning disabilities or trauma blocks, and so FF made it abundantly clear she could stay longer if she wanted to. (The girls have the freedom to come and go as they wish; no one is going to be "held" at FF against their wishes.) However, where Mala was going home to is no "home" to her. The conditions of her village are the worst the staff has encountered yet. Her very brother forced her into prostitution, and although she said she wanted to go home to "continue her education," girls in her village are not allowed to go to school. If she wanted to make money, she would have to either dig mud ditches or be thrown into the vicious cycle of prostitution again. . . Even some of the ladies (upon visiting last year) told her to go back to Ooty, and that this village had nothing for her. Obviously, there is NO future for her here, and yet she is foolishly strong-willed and insisted on going home.
Yet, I felt like there was such a balance of truth and love. The situation was fragile, and yet we had to lovingly encourage her while also pointing out the "holes" in her thought process, while altogether praying we would not push her away. I have seriously never witnessed such an equal balance, so Holy Spirit, thank you for being in our midst. Jesus, Mala is out of our hands, but she is in Yours. May we fully entrust her to You, and I pray she would be willing to hear your voice and follow it.
Thursday:
Even more so today, after so many toilsome and grueling conversations and prayers, Mala now says that she wants/is willing to back to Ooty and live at another government home! (I found out another reason why she wanted to leave is because she is often the girls who gets picked on/bossed around by the other girls and has a strong victim mentality because of it. She has yet to learn to stand up for herself and is thus easily controlled. . . Anyway, the girl who picks on her the most lives at the same govn't home she would be moving to. . . )
However, this is TRULY MIRACULOUS! The situation has gone from her being totally obstinate to her being willing and wanting to come back!! Prayer changes things!!!!! This is one phrase that I will say and I don't care how overused it is, because it's true! Jesus, you are understatedly good. . . Mala is leaving tomorrow to go see her family (though they travel for "business" so she doesn't actually know where they are) but wants to return. If you pray for me for anything, please pray she comes home sooner than later and that she is protected while she is there and while she is traveling. She is so gullible and vulnerable, and if her own family is willing to sell her into prostitution, then she has no home there.
...On a lighter note, I jazzercized with the girls last night and ate a delicious grilled cheese sandwich number two (christianna made it because my attempts were...sad at best) with a hot bowl of soup. I spent the rest of the evening chatting with her and her dad who is a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals (insert drool here)!
No comments:
Post a Comment