Christmas party

January 3rd we had the Christmas party for the women.  Such a beautiful day!  A gym was rented and all the women who agreed to come, or were allowed to, were picked up from the red light area and brought over. 

We decorated for the festivities before the ladies arrived.  I was one of the ticket collectors at the door.  It was really amazing how these women's appearance and demeanor changed drastically from one day seeing the women working the brothels to the next day looking so beautiful with their appearance and demeanor changed.  As their normal day consists of being taken advantage of, treated like dirt with so much disrespect, always being the one to give, they were finally the ones being served and treated like a beautiful human being.  It was so powerful!   They were served snacks on their arrival by a group of young boys from the local church.

We had a time of worship to start (in Hindi language).  Then one of the local pastors spoke of the Christmas story incorporating the view of a Mothers love toward her child and comparing that to Christ's love for us.  

We did a skit called 'Everything'.  Don't remember the last time I was in a drama...youth group or high school probably.  It was powerful in relating to their life situation.  It demonstrated peace when walking with Christ, what can pull us from our relationship with Him ($, alcohol, relationships, depression/suicide, etc), and how He died and wants to bring us back to a relationship with Him.  

A boys group did a drama, and a girls group from a local childrens home did a dance to a worship song.  Loved it!  After this they had a foot washing ceremony.  What a beautiful time.  Some of you may think...how can foot washing be a beautiful time or a significant thing to do at a Christmas party?  Feet are seen as low and dirty here. Anytime you accidentally touch someone’s feet they always apologize, when you are sitting and have the soles of your feet facing someone this is offensive.  So to have people touching your feet and washing them is seen as such an amazing act…why would anyone want to do this?  It was kind of a struggle to get them to accept this as they didn’t feel worthy of it.  

I was praying that these women would be open to receiving this act of love from Christ through us.  While I was praying after one of the women who had her feet washed pulled me out of my chair and washed my feet.  It was such an amazing blessing and something I will never forget!

After the foot washing ceremony a lunch was served before the ladies headed back of rice, chicken, veggies,  and pop.  It was really neat to see how many madaam's had allowed their women to come to the party, as well as how many madaam's came themselves.  Praying this will continue to have lasting effects in their lives.

The Mumbai Christmas team - local staff and expats. So special to share this time with them!

James 2:25 'Rahab the prostitute is another example.  She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.' (NLT)

Not only is Rahab mentioned in Joshua 2 and 6 of how she was rescued both physically and spiritually, but in the faith chapter Hebrews 11.  I'm looking forward to one day meeting some of these women again in heaven.