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Building a Sanctuary for Prostitutes & Children
by Matt Sommer
It is so unsafe in the brothel area of Mumbai, India, that even the police are afraid to enter the area. Yet, P. Christopher and his team go anyway to bring light to one of the darkest corners of the world.
“Oh, yes, the pimps get really angry,” says Christopher. “They tear our clothes off. Last month they beat me up.” Strangely, Christopher says this with a confident smile. But the truth is, his mission here in Mumbai is no smiling matter. In fact, what he sees every day is tragic.
You see, through the support of Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions, he rescues women from prostitution and provides sanctuary and restoration for them and their children.
“Aren’t you afraid?” I ask. “You are taking away the pimps’ livelihood.” Again comes that smile. “The Bible says we will suffer in this life for the Gospel,” he says. “But God will use our efforts.”
Christopher tells more about the plight of these women and their children as we bump our way down a dusty road 70 kilometers outside of the city. The women are often purchased at a young age—sometimes as young as eleven or twelve years old. The pimps promise the girls’ families that they’ll provide them with work in the city. That “job” turns out to be enslavement in the sex trade.
“The brothels pay as much as two to three thousand dollars, depending on the girls’ beauty and potential ‘value’ on the market,” says Christopher. “The girls are not only forced to reimburse this money, but also pay exorbitant rent. This requires turning countless tricks every night. If they miss a rent payment, then they must pay heavy interest—as much as 200 to 300 percent.”
Illegitimate children eventually come, and these young ones suffer an equally cruel fate. They have to get the house ready for their mothers’ visitors, then leave every evening while they entertain. They stumble around most of the night on their own. School isn’t even an option and they have little food. Some are completely abandoned altogether. They become “throw-away” children who must fend for themselves out on the street.
Yet, with the help of Joyce Meyer Ministries, there is now new hope.
All Things Have Become New
With a little creek running nearby in the shadow of scenic sandstone mountains, a herd of dairy cows greets us as we step off of the bus. In this quaint, rural setting, four sparkling whitewashed buildings with red tile roofs gleam in the noonday sun. This is Joyce Meyer Ministries’ brand-new Prem Kiran Transformation Center. It will be the refuge and home for thirty former prostitutes and 100 children.
Prem Kiran is a Hindi word that means “Rays of Love.” We see the living embodiment of these words when we are surrounded by dozens of laughing, vibrant children and their smiling mothers. These are some who have already come for a short stay, awaiting the grand opening in a matter of weeks.
They live in fresh, new dormitories and sleep on clean bunk beds. In addition to being fed and clothed, they also learn Bible stories, Bible verses and praise songs. “We intentionally built this 70 kilometers outside of the city to get them far away from their former life,” says Christopher. “Here we will teach the mothers a trade, how to cook and how to live again. Most importantly, we want the mothers and the children to know they are God’s creatures.”
Laxmi, a former prostitute, has been rescued along with her daughter, Veena. “I wanted to get away from that place,” Laxmi says. Her downcast eyes reveal the horror of her former life. She came to the city to escape from an abusive husband. With no means to support herself or her child, she became a prostitute. Her face brightens when she talks about Prem Kiran. “Now my daughter gets to study. My room is very good. We have food.”
Christopher listens to Laxmi’s story and that radiant smile of his returns. “Old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new,” he says, reciting the passage from Corinthians. “Here they can feel that they are not facing their old problems. They know that change is coming.”
“You can feel the goodness happening.”
In their dormitory, the children are quick to show us their morning routine: making their beds…organizing their backpacks. In ordinary circumstances this would seem...well...ordinary. But for these children who have lived on the extreme edge, these simple tasks are a soothing tonic. It’s a first step toward a productive future.
After their chores, they come together in small groups and go over their Bible memory verses. And they pray...with incredible passion and fervor. “We love to pray and sing,” says Amjath, one of the rescued boys.
The children sing praise songs for several partners, who have accompanied our team on this trip.
“I’m just grateful that the money we gave will just go on and on,” notes Eric, an Iowa banker who has come to India to see his “investment” firsthand. Bill, a contractor from California, adds, “These buildings are well constructed. But we’re not just making a house; we’re changing a life...we’re building a sanctuary.”
As the children continue to laugh and play in the background, a tear comes to Bill’s eye. He and his wife are cancer survivors. Out of his own pain, he can relate to the people Joyce Meyer Ministries is helping. “Joyce is giving these people a new life,” says Bill. “It pleases me to see it. We will not stop giving. You can feel the goodness happening.”
Friends and partners, because of you, so many are being rescued from unthinkable situations and are being given the chance to have a future that is full of promise and full of hope…something that at one time seemed like an impossible dream. Thank you for giving your best to literally save “the least.” Thank you for your kindness and sacrifice that have provided this refuge, this sanctuary, for those in need. 
While in India, Dave and Joyce also visited some of the other incredible humanitarian outreaches that you are making possible. Be sure to check out our June issue of Enjoying Everyday Life for these amazing stories of hope!
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