As we approach
Mother’s Day, we wanted to share one mom’s journey to India to see first hand
the work being done there by one of our partner ministries, Freedom Firm. Becky
Morris is a “soccer mom” who also works part time at Freedom Firm. She
graciously agreed to allow us to post excerpts from her own journaling about
the trip, which we will share over the next 3 weeks. This week she shares about
her arrival and visit to one of the Freedom Firm workshops:
ARRIVING in COONOOR
It’s Friday and I’m still very jet-lagged. I enter through the back of the meeting room
to find about 30 people turning to see who caused this disruption. Our co-founder, Mala, waves me to sit next to
her in the front row. The men and women
in this room are the ones making our mission of Rescue, Restoration and Justice
a reality here in India. I can’t keep
all of their names straight, but I want to meet them, know them and learn from
them. Why do you do this work? What is the hardest part of your job? What is the best part? These are questions I will be able to ask
over the next 7 days as I travel to Ooty, Pune, Nagpur and Kolkata to visit our
offices and workshops. For now, I’m
going to listen and soak it all in.
Later, after my first good night sleep in 4 days, I’m back
in that same meeting room, surrounded by Freedom Firm staff singing worship
songs in Hindi. It’s a beautiful thing to be reminded that God’s people are His
people no matter where we are or what language we sing in.
We share communion together and then to outside in the beautiful weather before everyone begins their travels back to their respective cities and offices. We have one more thing to do - a visit to the Ooty office.
OOTY
I find myself traveling down the mountain in a mini-bus
with 18 men and women who work for Freedom Firm in some capacity: social workers, admin, undercover
investigators, lawyers. If I’m honest, I feel like I’m in a movie. How did I get here? I’m a mom with 2 young kids living in the
suburbs of Chicago. My day consists of
laundry, play dates, refereeing sibling squabbles, baths, homework, soccer
games and bedtimes. The days I work in
my role as the U.S. rep for Freedom Firm breaks up the monotony and challenges
me in an exciting way. But, I’m a
suburban soccer mom. And yet, here I am,
driving down a mountain in a mini-bus in Southern India listening to a group of
people sing along in Hindi. I smile to
myself and wonder at what other surprises God will have for me on this trip.
We arrive at the Freedom Firm office in Ooty and take a look
around at where our staff comes to work every day. Upstairs is the Ruhamah workshop and I love
being able to see where our rescued girls work to create the stunning jewelry I
promote over in the U.S. as part of my job.
Two of the Ruhamah employees walk in and my heart leaps as I finally get
to meet the girls on the other side of the world that God has broken my heart
for. They show me a bulletin board full
of sample earrings they make in this workshop and their faces light up as I
touch certain ones and tell them what American women think of them. “This one is my favorite,”, I say. “This one is my best seller,” I say about
another pair. On and on we go. I touch a
pair and compliment them on the quality of their work. And I can see the pride in their eyes as I
share. Two girls, who have been abused, broken and deemed worthless by many,
stand before me feeling proud of
themselves - proud of their work. Proud
to have a job and make their own way in the world.
The workshop, the girls – this is what I tell people in
America about during presentations and jewelry parties. To see
the work, to put my arm around the girls and watch the staff love on them. The only word to describe my heart is full.
⌘⌘⌘
Becky's story
will continue next week as she shares her experience of visiting an aftercare home in
India.
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Get Connected:
Contact Cheryl Csiky at: ccsiky@willowcreek.org
Upcoming Events:
New Name Call Center – Pray for women as we offer resources
and outreach over the phone to women posted on online ads. Wednesday, May 6th, 7:30-8:15 pm at Willow Creek Community Church in the Link (F Lot Parking)
Book Discussion Group: We will be discussing God in a Brothel: An Undercover Journey Into Sex Trafficking and Rescue, by Daniel Walker. Join us on Saturday, June 13th, 9:30-11:30 at Willow Creek Community Church (room to be determined). Please contact Holly at: hkoehler@ameritech.net for further details.
Scarves for Outreach: Do you knit or crochet? Help us meet our goal of 200 hand-made scarves by August
for our out-reach teams to distribute in the fall. We have had 44 scarves donated so far! Please contact Holly at
hkoehler@ameritech.net for more information.
Save the Date:
June 17th Forum at Willow Creek Community Church –
Guest speaker Tom Dart will be speaking on victim rights.
June 27th “Guts and Glory” Dash: Awareness to End
Slavery
Click on the Calendar of Events tab for the full year
calendar!
