I saw a glimpse of heaven this week. We're in India, looking at the power that a school run by Christians can have in impacting the problem of human trafficking.
In a nutshell, India's Dalit caste—the lowest of the low–represents the vast majority of sex slaves in India. Because the Dalits are so poor, they are often unable to afford schooling for their young. Lacking the social network (safety) a school experience provides, these girls, whose parents are out working, become easy prey for the traffickers.
Enter the Good Shepherd Schools—a growing network of English Medium Schools.
Operated by Christians, these affordable schools make possible an education for children who would otherwise not have access. With an education, girls learn valuable business skills. They are much less prone to be caught up in the ugly web of human trafficking.
So we were visiting one of these schools that Friends Church of Yorba Linda, California has helped sponsor. Getting out of the van, we were met by a drum corps and small band. Our team walked a corridor flanked by girls in festive dresses, showering us with orange and yellow flower petals. There was applause, confetti—even fireworks–in this tribute of thanks recognizing what Friends Church has done.
The thought struck me almost immediately in the hot sun of a Bangalore morning. This is a picture of heaven! This is a small taste of what it will be like to join the crowd of witnesses we read about in Scripture. The music, the pageantry the colors….surely this is a preview image of the heaven we will someday enjoy.
The only dark cloud in this otherwise sunny picture? The sobering question: Exactly how much am I investing my life now in causes that heaven will celebrate?
The Bible tells us, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him—“
So…how much do I love Him? How much do you love Him? How much of a celebration will be yours and mine in heaven?