Kill Your DaughterAbandonment by a husband is a reality countless women in third world countries across our globe face; beyond the crushing feelings of being alone and the equally humiliating feelings of rejection these women bear the insufferable weight of abject poverty without any help, left with children to raise and no visible means of ongoing support.Most women facing these deafening challenges would grab hold of any man who came along offering companionship and comfort, security and financial hope regardless of the price. Those who never have the offer of male companionship and security grow bitter, emotionally scarred by overwhelming feelings of desertion and rejection, but not Harthi.  Harthi, a kind and gentle woman, lives a life of simplicity in the slums of Mumbai scraping for food and money to continue her daughters’ education and a way out of the slums. Harthi was abandoned by her husband over a bitter dispute; when he left so did the little this family had for food, education for her daughter, and security. Harthi and her daughter now alone, on their own, must find a way to survive the slums of Mumbai, India.
The bitter dispute? Harthi’s husband wanted Harthi’s daughter, from an earlier marriage, driven from their home, she had become to “expensive” to keep. Increasingly pressure was exerted to get rid of her daughter – abandon her onto the streets of Mumbai or simply kill her. As unimaginable as this might sound Crossroads staff members in India admit they fear Harthi’s story is not an isolated incident … these things happen more often than we’d like to admit or imagine. Terror, loneliness, lack of food makes for desperate situations; desperate situations create desperate people. Crossroads became aware of Harthi’s story a few months ago through our staff member, Swaraj (Swaraj is shown in this photo to the left with Harthi holding neighborhood children, her daughter is behind her). During his usual daily routine of walking the “streets” of the slums, conducting intercessory prayer, looking for God’s divine appointments, and asking God for a spiritual breakthrough Swaraj felt something different one particular day. Here’s how he describes what took place – “I was doing my usual intercession praying for the people to get saved. While praying I felt in my spirit that something was going to happen that day. As I was patiently waiting for the Lord and praying I saw a woman walking towards me who introduced herself to me. As we spoke casually for a few minutes I felt the Spirit prompting me to share with her the love of God. She listened intently and I watched as God touched her opening her heart and mind to the gospel of Christ. Feeling energized by the Holy Spirit I told her how God loves her, her children, and her entire family; I told her about sin and the offer of salvation in Christ. The more I talked to her the more deeply God opened her heart and she accepted me as a servant of God. After hearing the 'good news' Harthi instantly invited me to start a house group meeting in her house where she could invite others to hear about God’s love and the gospel of forgiveness. It is wonderful how God opened not only a heart but a door for us. We have started the house group in Harthi’s home where seven people meet together once a week to talk about God and to hear about the gospel of salvation. We are looking forward to see more people getting saved from this house group”. Recently at the house group meeting Harthi opened up about the ongoing abandonment she faces and how pleas for her husband to return are met with the same broken record – “kill your daughter first, then I’ll consider coming back”. Torn between killing her child or watching her die of starvation Harthi struggles on … abandoned but no longer alone; feeling despised but no longer rejected Harthi struggles on. In her struggle she remains confident of God's provision in the face of the impossible, of a God who identifies Himself as a husband to the widow, one who never abandons us, especially in our darkest hour of need. In it all Harthi struggles to make sense out of the conflict between the reality she lives and the faith she’s embraced. Crossroads staff members ask those of you reading this to keep Harthi in your prayers … 1st that Harthi’s state of desperation wouldn’t lead her to do anything evil; 2nd that God will provide all Harthi food and shelter needs as well as providing for women around our globe who face the very same abuses; and 3rd that God will confront Harthi’s husband with his sin and the Gospel of Christ, that this family will be reunited in faith and become a shining example of the ever-reaching grace of our God to redeem and restore. For Christ Alone, Kent  TO HELP SWARAJ REACH PEOPLE LIKE HARTHI SEND YOUR DONATION MARKED "SLUM OUTREACH" TO THE CROSSROADS INTERNATIONAL OFFICE - PO BOX 2387, SPRINGFIELD, MO 65803, USA |
