It is a hard life to be a woman. Not just a woman but an Indian woman. This month I was on a team with all girls and we had it pretty easy or at least I think we did simply because we lived with a family who directed our every move outside of the house. But we still faced some hardships based on our skin color and sex.
The Indian woman have an exceptionally hard life. Traditions rule their life! Traditions dictate that a woman must be up by 4 a.m. to start cleaning the house and getting breakfast ready. (Breakfast is not something you just throw together. If you have chapatti and live in the village, you have to go milk the cow but in order to get the milk you have to feed the cow, then you have to make flour from the wheat grains that you picked. To say the least it is a long process.) Then the woman cannot go to bed until 11 p.m. with no napping during the day. When her husband gets home and dinner is not ready, he would typically beat her. The married woman must always wear a sari even during the cold winter and there are no long sleeves to the top of the saris. Your hair must always be put up unless you are home and even then you cannot fix or do your hair after 6 p.m. You must always wear earrings because tradition says you must never have naked ears. When you get married you are given a necklace, that is also referred to as your husband, that you are to wear all the time. There are many other traditions but these are some of the strict ones.
Women are also expected to be silent. If your husband tells you to do something or declares that something will be done then you follow silently. You do not argue, you do not give another opinion, you simply go. The submissive wife that you read about in the Bible is taken to the extreme in India. To say the least Indian women are oppressed.
However, this past month, I stood in front of several women's prayer meetings and watched the strength of these women radiate. These Christian women follow traditions and are silent at home but these are some of the strongest women I have ever met! They came to the prayer meetings because they believe so deeply in God and have such a strong relationship with Him. They pray without ceasing for their husband's to know God and come to salvation. They know the Bible front to back. They are just like the strong Christian women in America that I know but they are required to be silent in the world with men. I wish I could describe it better but I think it is something that you have to see and experience for yourself.
April 13th, I was sitting in a women' s fasting and prayer meeting watching these women exhibit their faith when I wrote this prayer:
As I sit in this room full of strong and beautiful Christian women, Lord I pray that You create a revolution in India. That You, Oh God, raise up these women. That they will be the start of the revolution. That they will bring their husband to know You. That they raise their children in Your way. That the power and light You give, radiate off them and spread beyond their household to their family and friends, their neighbors, their city, India, and the world. I pray You give them all the strength, courage, encouragement, and everything else they need. Do not allow them to stay content with the way things are but give them Your heart and desire. That You give them a burning flame to change things for You and You alone. And that they cast out any other gods or idols from their life. I pray they cling ever so tightly to You in the good times and even more so in the hard times.
I pray You give them the Fruit of the Spirit. Give them more love for their husband, children, family, and even strangers and most of all give them more love for You. Give them love that never fails. Give them joy. Not just the joy of knowing that they are going to spend eternal life with You but that they are joyful in their daily life. Give them the peace of You and patience to handle anything. Give them tender hearts for kindness in every aspect. Give them goodness to do things that require the extra length. Give them the faithfulness to continue fighting for their husband, children, family, and friends. Give them gentleness and self-control beyond possible imagination.
I pray that you give them humbleness and forcefulness when necessary. I pray as they continually pour out, that You are overflowing their cup constantly. Do not allow them to run dry. Oh Father, I pray You bless these women in ways they never thought You would or could. I pray You allow them to receive Your blessings with open arms and hearts.
Lord, I thank You so much for these women and the shining examples they are to me. I thank You for where they are and who You have created them to be. I thank You for what You are going to do in their life. Lord I praise You for being You. Thank You!
These women have taught me how to be strong in a very silent world. To me, it is rather remarkable.
