Thursday 3 November 2011

Annie's Story


Through a mutual friend, I met a young woman in her mid-twenties that I will call Annie.  Two weeks ago, Annie and her 2-year-old son came to the YWAM base to pick up me and Catherine.  We took the bus to her home.  I was surprised to see that she lived at a spacious house, but when I stepped in the front door, I saw “Lighthouse” written on the wall.  I found out that Annie works at a YWAM slum school for children between the ages of 3 and 6.  YWAM rents that two-story house for around $200/month to hold the classes from Monday to Friday, 8:30-12pm. 

As Annie made chicken curry and chapatti (like naan), she narrated her story.  It broke my heart.  Annie completed her DTS and SBS (School of Biblical Studies) with YWAM at a young age, and at age 20, she went to Hong Kong to volunteer at a children’s home for orphaned infants.  After a year in Hong Kong, she came back to India.  Her parents arranged for her to get married.  Her parents are devout Christians, and they had chosen a pastor and evangelist for her.  She saw a photo of the proposed match and agreed to it—she knew what she said would not make much of a difference to her parents. 

She met her husband for the first time on the day of the wedding.  This still happens nowadays in India, but it’s more common to meet prior to the wedding and have the opportunity to get to know each other after getting engaged at a formal party.  She moved to her husband’s home and lived with her mother-in-law as well as sisters-in-law.  Annie was forced to do a lot of heavy labour and frequently bullied by her sisters-in-law.  Her husband would demand that she massage his legs until 3am every night, and if she was nodding off, he’d kick her. 

Just over a month after the wedding, Annie found out something catastrophic that changed her life forever.  Her husband had another family.  Apparently, he had been living with a woman for over 5 years, and he already had children with her.  He was forced into this marriage by his family.  His family only wanted the dowry Annie would bring.  He told her that his heart will never change.  If she continued living with his family, she’ll be there alone because he didn’t want to live with his mom.  He showed up with divorce papers one day, and she signed them and moved back to her parents’ home. 

Annie soon found out that she was pregnant.  Humiliated, her family tried to pressure her to get an abortion, but Annie adamantly refused.  Her father roughly woke her up one day when she was 5 months pregnant.  He dragged her to the hospital and demanded that she get an abortion.  Annie did not dare to weep aloud, as she knew this would be interpreted as disobedience, but she was crying in her heart.  The doctor said that if Annie got an abortion, her life would be in danger.  Her father stormed home with Annie.
Annie is now working with YWAM, staffing the preschool and kindergarten for children from slums.  Annie and one of her co-workers live at the base and pay staff fees for their food and accommodation.   I really connected with Annie, and we had great fellowship.  Last Saturday, Catherine and I brought the children that live near the base to the Lighthouse, and we bathed the kids.  Afterwards, the kids got to play with the toys at the Lighthouse.  It was so wonderful to see them play with cars and stuffed animals.  The only other time I saw them play like children was ball at the park.  Please pray for Annie’s finances, as she needs $100/month for her staff fees, as well as her son’s education and living expenses.

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