At a Bridge of Hope center we visited while we (School of Discipleship Students) were in Asia for our Asia tour, we had a special surprise waiting for us. After watching the kids perform some Bible songs for us (and doing a dance for them :P), the area leader introduced a brother and sister to us. As he spoke about how Bridge of Hope impacted their lives and shared about their mom’s hardships, I knew who these children were: They were Geeta’s children.
Geeta is a single mother. Her husband, an alcoholic, beat her—sometimes with a cricket bat (like a flat baseball bat). One day he left, and Geeta and their two children haven’t seen him since. Although Geeta found work, her earnings were meager. What’s more, she felt very anxious about their living condition. They lived in a shanty near the jungle, and she was afraid that tigers would attack them. A neighbor gave Geeta a Gospel tract, and she experienced the love of Jesus in her life. She got involved with a local Gospel For Asia-supported church, and she enrolled her children in the Bridge of Hope center. Having her children at the Bridge of Hope center was a great blessing to Geeta because they received both tutoring and meals there, and she didn’t have to worry about them being at home alone while she was working. But her troubles didn’t totally leave. Her landlord had been pressuring her for sexual favors and threatened to kick her out because she refused. Thankfully, her pastor was able to arrange some help for her.
When Geeta appeared at the Bridge of Hope center, with her hair braided tightly and her sari neatly folded, I kind of felt like we were meeting a long-lost friend and a celebrity at the same time. It’s amazing how the Lord gives Geeta such dignity and grace in the midst of some awful circumstances. The pastors took us to the church, where we talked with Geeta and took pictures with her. Best of all, we had the chance to pray for her. Geeta is just an ordinary woman—one of many, many single women in similar circumstances—yet she had a group of 12 people from across the ocean who were excited to meet her. It’s so wonderful that in the Body of Christ, we can have compassion for and feel a bond with each other even before meeting face-to-face. I’m so glad that God has adopted us all into His family!
You can watch a video of Geeta’s Story
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