Today is India's Independence Day. We are celebrating 67 years of freedom from British rule. Many lives were lost in our struggle for independence. In fact, the area we live in is called Freedom Fighters because there are graves here for those who gave their lives for freedom.
Yesterday the girls at the home I work at had a celebration for Independence Day. They sang songs, did skits, danced, and read poems. It was a very touching celebration. They weren't just celebrating the freedom of India, but they were celebrating another kind of freedom. The freedom they experienced being rescued out of sex trafficking. And it was beautiful!
One of the skits they performed had a girl that was illiterate crying on the street for someone to help her. Then someone came along to give her freedom by teaching her to read. Another example was a 12 year old girl whose mother wanted to marry her off. But someone came and told the mother that she should let her daughter grow up and get education before she gets married. And there was the child domestic servant who was beaten in the home and not paid, and someone came and rescued her out of that. And finally there was the girl who went off with a guy who treated her nicely and then he sold her into prostitution. She was despairing of her life. Then someone came and offered her freedom. For a minute she didn't accept the freedom because she didn't feel worthy of the freedom, but finally she grabbed the rope of freedom and was rescued. As the girls performed the skit it was hard to keep from crying. These girls experienced personally what they were acting out. They know what freedom is. They know that they needed someone to help them to be free.
I was reminded how there are many people who contribute to the freedom of these girls. From the police, the CBI, the NGO's that rescue the girls, the homes that protect them, the people who work with them, the people who give money for the girls, and the prayers for them from people that they will never meet. So many people are sacrificing for the lives of these precious girls. Just like India's Independence took the sacrifice of those fighting, it takes many people sacrificing for these girls.
The girls ended the performance with a dance to this song:
"Who Am I"
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours, I am Yours.
Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours.
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours.
Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am Yours, I am Yours.
As they danced to this song they were mouthing the words and they were worshiping God. For He is the one who rescued them. He has given them new life. He has seen them. The words of the song have totally taken on new meaning to me as I look at it from their perspective. It is so beautiful!
Yesterday the girls at the home I work at had a celebration for Independence Day. They sang songs, did skits, danced, and read poems. It was a very touching celebration. They weren't just celebrating the freedom of India, but they were celebrating another kind of freedom. The freedom they experienced being rescued out of sex trafficking. And it was beautiful!
One of the skits they performed had a girl that was illiterate crying on the street for someone to help her. Then someone came along to give her freedom by teaching her to read. Another example was a 12 year old girl whose mother wanted to marry her off. But someone came and told the mother that she should let her daughter grow up and get education before she gets married. And there was the child domestic servant who was beaten in the home and not paid, and someone came and rescued her out of that. And finally there was the girl who went off with a guy who treated her nicely and then he sold her into prostitution. She was despairing of her life. Then someone came and offered her freedom. For a minute she didn't accept the freedom because she didn't feel worthy of the freedom, but finally she grabbed the rope of freedom and was rescued. As the girls performed the skit it was hard to keep from crying. These girls experienced personally what they were acting out. They know what freedom is. They know that they needed someone to help them to be free.
I was reminded how there are many people who contribute to the freedom of these girls. From the police, the CBI, the NGO's that rescue the girls, the homes that protect them, the people who work with them, the people who give money for the girls, and the prayers for them from people that they will never meet. So many people are sacrificing for the lives of these precious girls. Just like India's Independence took the sacrifice of those fighting, it takes many people sacrificing for these girls.
The girls ended the performance with a dance to this song:
"Who Am I"
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours, I am Yours.
Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours.
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done.
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are.
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean.
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling.
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling.
And You've told me who I am.
I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours.
Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am Yours, I am Yours.
As they danced to this song they were mouthing the words and they were worshiping God. For He is the one who rescued them. He has given them new life. He has seen them. The words of the song have totally taken on new meaning to me as I look at it from their perspective. It is so beautiful!
2 comments:
Wonderful, Leslie.
I agree, wonderful.
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