Yesterday night we celebrated a birthday party of a special little girl. We will call her Pinky.
This little girl's mother Mrs. Maninder is part of our church group. Six years ago she gave birth to little Pinky in a situation that can hardly be imagined
Mrs. Maninder had come back to Thane after her husband had died of HIV. Her brother died previously - also of HIV. Mrs. Maninder completed the trio - she came back to us and told us she was HIV positive too.
In the mean time her first daughter was born. With a massive cleft palate. She could not breast feed her but had been told by the doctor in Pune that her daugther was HIV positive. Mrs. Maninder was pregant with Pinky when she returned.
She returned hoping to occupy her girlhood home - only to find that it was occupied by friends of her late brother. They told her that her brother had left debts and so they were using the house as repayment. Mrs. Maninder was alone, very pregnant, living in a shack next to an overflowing garbage heap.
Then Pinky was born. After a 2 days in the govt. hospital, Mrs. Maninder was discharged to go back to the shack beside the garbage with her 2 day old child and her cleft palate elder daughter.
It seemed so hopeless.
It seems so far away. So unimaginable now.
Last night we were celebrating not only 6 years of Pinky's life, but the amazing way Mrs. Maninder and her elder daughter had survived. We were inaugurating the new room she has just moved to - and praying that many would be blessed in that new home.
The church squeezed into the small room - and so did some neighbours. Neighbours with HIV who Mrs. Maninder knows through JSK. One family lives just 4 doors away. Another lady just a stone's throw further. We read about Isaac and Rebecca coming to Rehoboth and saying 'here we have space, here will we prosper.' We sang songs. We prayed. We celebrated Pinky's life. We celebrated hope that has sprung out of a time of apparent hopelessness.
In the room we had marketing executives, a self-made businessman, home-makers, JSK staff, children. It was an amazing sight to see so many in that little room - rejoicing together.
The cake came out and a rousing 'happy birthday' was sung to Pinky. She just gazed around, looking pretty as a picture in her sparkly pink dress. Her older sister in her new blue dress mirrored the freshly washed sky blue walls of Mrs. Maninder's room.
These are the days of miracle and wonder. In the tumult that crashes around us, in the seas of selfishness and self-seeking, small seeds are sprouting. What a hope there is for Pinky. Who knows where this girl will end up?
This little girl's mother Mrs. Maninder is part of our church group. Six years ago she gave birth to little Pinky in a situation that can hardly be imagined
Mrs. Maninder had come back to Thane after her husband had died of HIV. Her brother died previously - also of HIV. Mrs. Maninder completed the trio - she came back to us and told us she was HIV positive too.
In the mean time her first daughter was born. With a massive cleft palate. She could not breast feed her but had been told by the doctor in Pune that her daugther was HIV positive. Mrs. Maninder was pregant with Pinky when she returned.
She returned hoping to occupy her girlhood home - only to find that it was occupied by friends of her late brother. They told her that her brother had left debts and so they were using the house as repayment. Mrs. Maninder was alone, very pregnant, living in a shack next to an overflowing garbage heap.
Then Pinky was born. After a 2 days in the govt. hospital, Mrs. Maninder was discharged to go back to the shack beside the garbage with her 2 day old child and her cleft palate elder daughter.
It seemed so hopeless.
It seems so far away. So unimaginable now.
Last night we were celebrating not only 6 years of Pinky's life, but the amazing way Mrs. Maninder and her elder daughter had survived. We were inaugurating the new room she has just moved to - and praying that many would be blessed in that new home.
The church squeezed into the small room - and so did some neighbours. Neighbours with HIV who Mrs. Maninder knows through JSK. One family lives just 4 doors away. Another lady just a stone's throw further. We read about Isaac and Rebecca coming to Rehoboth and saying 'here we have space, here will we prosper.' We sang songs. We prayed. We celebrated Pinky's life. We celebrated hope that has sprung out of a time of apparent hopelessness.
In the room we had marketing executives, a self-made businessman, home-makers, JSK staff, children. It was an amazing sight to see so many in that little room - rejoicing together.
The cake came out and a rousing 'happy birthday' was sung to Pinky. She just gazed around, looking pretty as a picture in her sparkly pink dress. Her older sister in her new blue dress mirrored the freshly washed sky blue walls of Mrs. Maninder's room.
These are the days of miracle and wonder. In the tumult that crashes around us, in the seas of selfishness and self-seeking, small seeds are sprouting. What a hope there is for Pinky. Who knows where this girl will end up?
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