Firstly, I want to say that in the beginning of July, I made a goal to write a blog post at least once per month. Then, I wrote a July blog post and forgot about it for 2 1/2 months. :-) Forgive me! I really do want to be more consistent, so if you're interested in something about our lives here, let me know and I'll try to do a blog about it! I think all the time, "I should write about that..." but then forget by the time I get home!
So, here in the land of super-"holy" Hinduism, we see festivals and partakers of festivals A LOT. And, during festival season (August-December), every week we have at least 1 festival of some kind. Because we live in the "holiest" place in Hinduism, we see people celebrate festivals from all over the country. Meaning, different parts of the country have different holy days/festivals, but most of them involve pilgrims coming to our city for it's holiness. One that I want to write about happened last week.
I was on my way to do a women's training, focused on abortion, as well as other good news topics, when I came upon a HUGE traffic jam. I realized that the thousands of people walking on the streets were walking to a large temple close to our house. After reaching my destination, I asked my local friend what everyone was doing going to that temple. She told me that there are 2 places in our city that you can go for this holiday, and one of them was the large temple we live close to.
Here's the kicker: the holiday/festival is for people who have sicknesses, diseases, or medical issues (including infertility or lack of having a boy baby). People go to the pond that is inside of the temple grounds and "bathe their sickness" off of them. They then shed their old, diseased clothing, put new clothing on, and believe they are made well. This also goes for those who can't get pregnant, or haven't been successful having a "prized" baby boy. They bathe their inability away, put on new clothing, and believe that the gods are going to give them what they prayed for in the water.
As I sat, about to teach about how girl babies are just as special as boy babies, about abortion, and about how there are many families that would love a child through adoption if the birth parents can't/don't want to care for the baby, my heart was so sad. Why is the general thought of this country so... I don't even know the right word for it. Broken? Sexist? Selfish? I know there are lots of people here that love their daughters, and I proudly applaud that. I have a boy and a girl and I love them both more than I could have ever imagined. But most people don't even celebrate the birth of their daughters, because they are seen as a burden from the moment they are born. WHY!!!!!!!!!!! (<--frustration)
Please pray for these people- that they would love their children, daughters and sons alike, that they would be healed from their diseases in HIS name, that they would know truth, and that they would be free!
So, here in the land of super-"holy" Hinduism, we see festivals and partakers of festivals A LOT. And, during festival season (August-December), every week we have at least 1 festival of some kind. Because we live in the "holiest" place in Hinduism, we see people celebrate festivals from all over the country. Meaning, different parts of the country have different holy days/festivals, but most of them involve pilgrims coming to our city for it's holiness. One that I want to write about happened last week.
I was on my way to do a women's training, focused on abortion, as well as other good news topics, when I came upon a HUGE traffic jam. I realized that the thousands of people walking on the streets were walking to a large temple close to our house. After reaching my destination, I asked my local friend what everyone was doing going to that temple. She told me that there are 2 places in our city that you can go for this holiday, and one of them was the large temple we live close to.
Here's the kicker: the holiday/festival is for people who have sicknesses, diseases, or medical issues (including infertility or lack of having a boy baby). People go to the pond that is inside of the temple grounds and "bathe their sickness" off of them. They then shed their old, diseased clothing, put new clothing on, and believe they are made well. This also goes for those who can't get pregnant, or haven't been successful having a "prized" baby boy. They bathe their inability away, put on new clothing, and believe that the gods are going to give them what they prayed for in the water.
As I sat, about to teach about how girl babies are just as special as boy babies, about abortion, and about how there are many families that would love a child through adoption if the birth parents can't/don't want to care for the baby, my heart was so sad. Why is the general thought of this country so... I don't even know the right word for it. Broken? Sexist? Selfish? I know there are lots of people here that love their daughters, and I proudly applaud that. I have a boy and a girl and I love them both more than I could have ever imagined. But most people don't even celebrate the birth of their daughters, because they are seen as a burden from the moment they are born. WHY!!!!!!!!!!! (<--frustration)
Please pray for these people- that they would love their children, daughters and sons alike, that they would be healed from their diseases in HIS name, that they would know truth, and that they would be free!
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