November 22, 2011

o.... this is denny, i met him last time in indai but havn't seen his since(4 years). then during a concert at the crusade last week, he was on the big stage playing drums for a popular Hindi Christian band... so i asked to go backstage... (so easy here!) and got his number from the stage crew who then brought me to his hotel(sounds horrible I know but its PG) and we surprised him! I felt like a creaper but it was so awesome to see him again!

Where to start?Today I got up and had intercession; realizing that I struggle with having structured prayer steps but maybe it is helpful as no one else seems to be complaining. After intercession we created a formal letter to the superintendent at the women’s Central Jail in Hyderabad, asking for permission to visit their prisoner, Swati who we met last week. We were ushered into the superintendent’s office and enjoyed chai with biscuits before being politely told (after 20 minutes of chatting) that we would have to gain government approval to enter.

However; Swati was still being held at the hospital, only in a different ward. So, after being swayed into buying biscuits made by the inmates(the prison seemed like an amazing place, clean and run with wisdom and kindness and the inmates got the money from the sales of biscuits!), we went to the hospital and quickly encountered a woman who was collapsing in the hall way. We asked her what was wrong and prayed. She began to slink down from the chair to the floor and collapse, obviously in pain. It happened again and again as we continued to intercede. We brought her into admissions and left her with a few friends and doctors (we found out later she was fully dilated and had given birth shortly afterwards) and then hurried off to find Swati.

When Swati realized we had gone all the way to her prison to look for her and then came here just to see her, she began to smile. Swati bowed her head this time as we prayed for her and her guard; 24 year old Ranu, who we have begun to befriend as well. Ranu was also interested that we had returned and shying asked us politely, “Had your lunch?” as all Indians do when being respectful.

Twenty minutes later we finally did go for lunch where I proceeded to have a cute little baby pee a river on my lap to the utter delight of those in the canteen. When we arrived home we stopped to talk to a few neighbours on the street before calling the superintendent to inform her on Swati’s progress.

One more encouraging story! On Sunday I was able to take blood pressures at a rural clinic run by MGMH (the hospital we work at) at a home founded by Ghandi called “Kasturba Ghandi National Memorial Trust” (named after his wife). The home was for rape victims and girls who have been abused by parents or husbands hosting women from age 6-60+. Though it was horribly sad, I was encouraged to see that the home was also caring for patients who had become psychotic after being raped.

Throughout the day, I spoke with a 23 year old woman who was living there with her 2 children after he husband took a second wife. I also met a young mom who was HIV positive and a 14 year old girl who had been there for a few years. She sat by us and chatted excitedly while we worked.

The home was run by people who I sensed were very kind and loving. Later on they showed us photos of a successful psychotic patient who had recently been released back to her parents.

Typical week? No, here no day is typical and each day is an adventure(beginning with bargaining with auto drivers each morning and ending with eating dinner with cockroaches crawling over our table!)

Love you guys,

Stef