What if you woke up one morning and felt like your life turned upside down?
You knew you needed to do something about it – but you weren’t sure what.
Then you made a choice: a hard choice.
What if you lived a double-life to provide for your family?
This month I’ve met a vast array of women – and the thing that has surprised me most is discovering who they really are. These women are mothers. They are sisters. They are daughters. Granddaughters.
They leave home when work is scarce to sell themselves, their time, etc, to provide for their families.
Most of them don’t enjoy it – and would much rather be home with their family.
They all claim however, that the need of their family is worth the sacrifice. It trumphs their desires.
A majority of the women I’ve met on Bangla Road range in age from 20-40…
Some of these women are the same age as my mother.
Others are in their early-mid-thirties, and still raising young children.
Imagine this…
You have two twin boys.
They’re five and you absolutely adore them.
They like to dance.
They are extremely smart in school.
When you think about them you cannot help but make silly faces.
They are your sons.
You love them. You want what is best for them.
They are your babies.
Then there’s your daughter.
She’s nine and absolutely gorgeous.
She too loves to dance – and dresses like a big girl.
She’s growing up so fast…
They call you every night and say “Mommy we miss you. When are you coming home?”
You can’t answer them straight.
You don’t know for sure.
You have to make money – even if it’s not the most preferable way.
When you get enough money – then you’ll go home.
When you pay off your debt then you’ll go home.
When you get tired of the late nights and not seeing your kids, then you’ll go home.
When you…then you’ll…
You work hard – and try your best.
For your babies you’d do nothing less.
It’s not where your heart is though…
You’re stuck, you feel like there’s no place to go.
You don’t like to drink – and you know you’re out of place.
You wish that something could just fix this big mess.
You’re a good worker – a hard worker.
You’ll do your best – for your babies you’d do nothing less.
That’s the story of my friend Max.
She’s been working for just a couple days now.
I met her on her first night of work.
She sticks out like a sore thumb.
She carries a purity, joy, and light-heartedness that is a rarety amongst the clanging music + drinks.
She radiates with a mother’s love. Her smile is contagious – and she doesn’t want to be there.
It’s all she knows though…
I told her she should go back to her kiddos – they love her – and she is an amazing mom.
I told her I was praying that God would give her a different job at home – and that he will provide just what she and her family need. She has to stay here a couple months to earn money to go and ‘visit’ home.
It breaks my heart. This lady is amazing. She doesn’t fit here.
None of these women do…
