Colleen’s spiritual take on Jeevan Jyoti
“The first time i saw Budhwar Peth it was at dusk, hunched over through a rickshaw window. It was my first time in a red light district and I got a bad feeling in my stomach. I could definitely tell there was something evil in the air, in the water, in the juvenile faces painted up for the night to get a customer. I was a little scared that I wasn’t strong enough spiritually to battle the darkness this area was consumed by.
Dr. Ruby had told me I would feel this way but not to be scared because the Holy Spirit truly resided in the Jeevan Jyoti center. To be quite honest I wasn’t sure how to take this comment, I couldn’t imagine being able to literally feel the holy spirit, especially in this place.
But her description was completely spot on. As soon as I walked into the center for the first time and saw the area children sitting on the floor coloring butterflies all the fear and anxious sentiment lifted from my physically. It was impossible to feel scared in a place of such overwhelming love.
Since that day I have continued to feel even more comfortable with where I work. I honestly believe it is a place where God resides, it is a place where you can let your guard down and fully understand what it means to be a child of God.
Apart from the protection of the Holy Spirit so evident like a blanket covering the center there is an incredible spiritual bond between the staff working there as well. We pray together, we worship together, we sing together all in different languages and different ways but it always combines to leave us stronger than when we came, more confident in what we’re doing, and better equipped to handle the next challenge thrown at us.
It is such a beautiful thing to have this spiritual bond with my coworkers. We see each other every day, and we share the same difficulties. I am convinced that part of the magic of the center is due to this mutual faith we are encouraged to share by Dr. Ruby.
One of the coolest things i’ve experienced here is the ability for Muslims, Hindus and Christians to pray together on a regular basis. I really think this is a powerful and amazing display of faith and love and I was so happy to hear Dr. Ruby say, “I never force anyone to stay, I never push anything on them, but they come, they feel the spirit and they come.”
What an amazing statement.. and its true!
Renuka, a woman from the area who works as a teacher for Jeevan Jyoti said yesterday after singing one of our favorite worship songs before leaving the center for the weekend. “I didn’t believe in God when I came here, but now I do. I didn’t believe in Jesus, but now I know he exists.’
I will forever take the lessons I’ve learned at Jeevan Jyoti with me. I have learned the power and importance behind having God at the center of all we do in an obvious way. I will forever strive to have this connection with the people around me, it is one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in my life. Thank you.”