Then I remembered the stories of radiant joy on the faces of Dalit women who join a self-help group and go to the bank to establish an account. There they not only get an account, but an "identity card" that they proudly display. It says "I exist." I AM a person, and I have a name. Part of God's plan for justice is that EVERYONE has a name, a unique identity, a right to be recognized as a valued member of humanity. I love our recent Sunday morning theme on living large and using our voice to speak up for those who not only have no voice, but have no name!
Monday, January 12, 2009
no longer will the poor be nameless...
I was just reading along, catching up, when this line in Psalm 9 (The Message version) made me literally stop breathing for a few seconds. "...No longer will the poor be nameless..." My mind went to the story John told me of the Dalit woman at the registration desk when his medical team was in India. She was asked her name.......but.....she couldn't answer. If she had a name, she didn't know what it was. Her father called her, "girl" or something less appropriate. Her husband called her, "wife" or "woman" if he spoke to her at all. She did not have a name....... She did not have a name!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Wow. I am stunned at not having a name. That's so wrong. Keep on speaking, fellow warrior!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sussy - that is very wrong. I'm so glad God has given people like you a heart for these women, Carla. Keep fighting, don't stop!!
ReplyDeleteThe good thing that we can remember for the poor and suffering who are Believers is that though there may not be "earthly name of value or worth" we have been given names like "my chosen one, of great worth and value, my precious one, the apple of my eye. There are so many names HE has given to his children that bring comfort and healing for this world's pains and sorrows. The more we understand the sweetness of who we are to Him the more it should break our hearts for those women who don't know either the sweetness of an endearing earthly name nor a heavenly one.
ReplyDelete