Where There is Darkness, Light Shines Brightest by Wendy Hamilton

I am writing this with tears in my eyes and a very heavy heart. Which is completely opposite of how I feel about India. India is my home away from home and where my heart lives. The people here are amazing and the most loving people in the world. But like anywhere else, there are horrible people amongst us. I’m sure everyone would like to hear all the amazing things happening here. And trust me, there are miracles and tender mercies happening all around us. I believe there are special angels watching over these precious children we are teaching. YMAD and all the organizations supporting Nishtha and the Day Boarding School are making a difference and saving more lives than one can count. But today, I saw a dark side. I learned of what I can only describe as the most horrible, unsettling situation I think My ears have ever heard. Her name is Songita. She is 10. She is spunky and loving. She loves hugs and to me, looked like any other student at the school. But thats not the case. Everyday after school, Songita hops on the bus and gets dropped off. Not at home because she doesn’t have a home like the other kids. She goes to work where she washes utensils until dark. The she walks home to a village where they give her shelter…….for a price. She must pay to stay there. In fact, she has to pay for all of her expenses. Food, clothing and any expenses she may have. Remember, she is only 10. I wish this is where the story ended. Songitas father is an abusive alcoholic. Her mother could not handle the abuse and covered herself in gasoline and lit her self on fire leaving her child without a mother. Her father remarried and her step mom also could not handle the abuse. She poisoned herself, again leaving Songita motherless. The third marriage also ended. This time she just disappeared. I can’t imagine what this poor child has witnessed and endured in her short life. Fortunately for Songita, she no longer lives with her father. One might say she escaped the bonds of abuse. That she is lucky she no longer lives in fear for her life. This is true, however, no child should be working on the streets to support herself at 10 years old. Who will watch out for her as she grows up and becomes more Inciting for sex traffickers? Who will take care of her when she gets sick from the diseases that run so prevalent through third world countries like India? Who will love her? I don’t have the answers to these questions. Who does? The determined part of me is thinking of ways to smuggle her out of the country or figure out how to adopt her. My heart is telling Me to follow what I’m thinking. The logical part of me is figuring out how soon I can move to India and raise this sweet child. So, either which way I look at it, something has to change. In the meantime, her school teacher who watches out for her is giving me a list of what Songita needs and I will be purchasing the entire list tomorrow afternoon. I don’t tell you this story to make you sad or hate the world, I tell you it because this is real life for her and so many other children. I can’t solve poverty. I can’t adopt 150 beautiful Indian children and give them the life they deserve. But I can make a difference. I can keep coming to India and spreading my light. I can keep bringing teens to India like I am doing right now and give these children some much needed love. If you have any doubts of what YMAD and other organizations do on these expeditions, you should throw them right Out the window. These kids are making a difference!!! I wish you could be here to watch them. The love they have for the people here and the love the people have for them is unconditional and pure. It’s Truly the most Beautiful sight in the world. Lives are being redesigned all around me. Including my own. I will never be the same. I never knew my heart had the capacity to love so deeply and fiercely. I never knew my heart could hurt so badly for someone I just met. I never knew I could feel so much joy with so much darkness around me. Then I realized that as long as I shine My light, I can see past the darkness. As long as I am doing the things in my life that I am called to do, I can continue to shine. As long as the life lenses I look through are my own, I can do anything. I am passionate. I am brave. I am Resilient. Those are my lenses and they will help me conquer the world. We are all having a blast and never want to come home. So, Please send more gluten free food and figure out how to heat the showers and we would love

To have you come visit for Christmas. Oh and send the dog too! I love you all. Thank you for making this trip possible and for all the support you give me

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! Wendy

2 Responses to “Where There is Darkness, Light Shines Brightest by Wendy Hamilton”

1. Melanie Robbins, on November 25th, 2018 at 5:24 am Said:

   Bless you Wendy and thanks to all for inspiring people there but those of us at home who treasure your gifts of love.

2. Courtney Winegar, on November 26th, 2018 at 7:04 pm Said:

   Love you Wendy, such an inspirational post, to hear of the bad but what we do being apart of YMAD helps!