Worth it

I was watching a video last night at All Night Prayer. It explained the terrible conditions of the Dalit community in India and one thing struck home. I don’t know who the man was who was speaking but it really pulled at my heart. He was speaking about the mental state of a child raised in a world that sees them as little better than animals and only worthy to be enslaved. His main point was by the time the children are 11-13 or so they have a skewed world view of themselves. 

Then I was on face book and a message from last year popped back up due to the changes in the inbox thing.  Here it is with the names changed to protect the repentant

I heard from XXXX XXXXXX via facebook. She said to tell you how bad she felt about how she was mean to you back in HS. I said I felt bad too about how I sometimes treated you. So apologies from both of us.

This is the 3^rd apology in as many years.  It seems to me every year I get something like this in my inbox from people of that particular town. 

We were challenged last night to understand that we (and I’m paraphrasing here) raised in one of the wealthiest countries in the world could have sympathy but maybe not truly understand how it feels to live in a community that vilifies you.

I think he is right.. even tho I was called “Ugly” every day of my High school career. I was only slightly higher than Pond Scum* in High school hence the apologies I keep receiving. (Sometimes I suspect a 12 step program to be involved.) My mantra as I walked the halls and heard politically incorrect epitaphs tossed at me was “God doesn’t make Junk, God doesn’t make Junk.”  I still had that to hold on too. I had parents that reinforced that belief system. I was Not junk… But a Dalit child, his belief system says you are slightly better than an insect and you are only worthy to do the dirty jobs in this world. (For example you can clean latrines with your bare hands.) *Evenually I was able to raise my level, I started winning races in track and cross country then I was allowed admittance in the Jock clique. Not so for Dalits their position in society is more or less fixed. 

I have experienced a village who decided they didn’t want us to live in their town.  I won’t go into the gross and unkind things a few families in our community did to our family to try to drive us out of town. (gross and unkind things....that is putting it pretty mildly).   But in no way does it compare to the loss of the Christians in Orrisa during 2008 village burnings.  The insurance company here In America paid to repair the damage done to our home and car. Meanwhile many Christians in Orrisa who lost everything are still waiting (3 years later) for relocation and a home.

My family has known the pain and suffering of loss, heart break, rejection, and violence. Our faith pulled us through and helped us overcome the words and actions of others. My Sainted Mother often said to me: “What doesn’t kill you makes you grow stronger.”   

I feel like Paul I see through a glass darkly of the plight of Dalits,
YES My family has been persecuted in America but, the police were willing to protect us. 
YES We suffered loss but we could earn enough money to set things to rights again.
YES I was vilified and told by my peers I was worthless every school day for years (and even if you don’t believe it, it still affects you). But my God did not reinforce that message.  I cannot know their level of pain and suffering but I can sympathize and help.  

It just reinforced my belief that helping those in Asia to be better educated, to learn there is a God who says they are NOT junk, to change the outlook of even one child is worth all the effort being a missionary in Texas.

If you want to watch the video click here http://nolongeraslumdog.org/dalits/

If you feel moved to help click here http://nolongeraslumdog.org/engage/