Bind Up the Broken Hearted

Rakhi, Kunal(8)  Karan(4)

Rakhi  fell  madly  in  love  with  rich  and  successful Dr Praveen who  promised  her  the  world. Her  Christian family  advised  her  against  being  unequally  yoked  with  a  man who  was  not  a  Christian , but  she  paid  no  heed  to that. All  she  wanted  was the  love of  a handsome,  rich  and  successful  man and  she  got  it. Her  husband  loved  her  deeply  and  they  lived  an  affluent  life . For  Rakhi  and  her  two small  boys  aged   , the world was  their  oyster.

Their  rainbow hued  sky  suddenly  turned  black when  Dr Praveen  fell  ill and  it  was discovered  that  he  was   battling   the  last  stages  of  cancer.
Treatment  and  chemo  therapy  could  not  help  him. . But  the  doctors  told him  it  was  too  late  and he  had  only  a  short time  left.
Dr  Praveen  followed  another religion and  to  please  him Rakhi  had  given   up her  Christian  faith,  in  fact  she  became  an  atheist. Her  in-laws  had  never  accepted  her because  she  did  not belong  to their  religion.With  the  last  traces  of   hope   gone,  Praveen  refused  all  medical  help  and  treatment  in  order  to  save some  precious  money  to  leave  for  his  beloved  wife and  sons,  he  knew  that  after  his demise they  would be  rejected  by  his family.

After  Praveen  breathed  his  last, his  family,  specially his  father and  mother  unleashed  their  pent  up  anger  and hatred  against  Rakhi  and  her  sons. Daily  they  were physically  and  verbally  abused. Extreme  pressure   was  applied  on  them to  leave  the  large  ancestral house  which  they  legally inherited  from  Praveen.

Going  from  riches to  rags  Rakhi  was  left  a  destitute ,  penniless widow with  a  little  support  from  her  husband 's   savings which  they  manged  to  salvage.The  cruelty  and brutality  of  her  father  and  mother in law  made  life  unbearable  for  them. Kunal, the elder  son  who  was then  5  years  old  called the  police  3  times  to  save his  mother  who  was  being  violently beaten. He  told  me    he  has  nightmares that his  grandparents  are  killing  his  mother.

In the  midst  of  this  domestic  holocaust, Rakhi 's  family  came  to  her  rescue. Her  mother  and  2  sisters  gave  her  moral  and  financial  support (and still  do). Friends  advised her  not  to  leave  her  husband 's  house but to  fight  against  injustice.

Fearing  for  their  lives,  Rakni  has  appealed to  the  law seeking protection  from  the  courts. Since then the physical  abuse has stopped  although  the  parent 's in-laws are  malignantly cruel  to   the  three  of them. The  two  boys now  8 and  4  have  suffered  unimaginable trauma which  has  made  deep  furrows  in  her  impressionable childhood.

With  help from  her  family and  against  all odds  Rakhi  managed  to  do  her  teacher 's  training (B Ed  and  M Ed) Now  she  is  seeking  a job to  support  herself and  her  boys.

Two  Sundays  ago  Rakhi  and her  boys  came  to  our  evening  Gospel  meeting   with  her  younger sister Renu who  introduced her to us.   Renu   is  a  friend  of  my  sister Sonia,  who  is  visiting   me  this  month. She  is  very  eager that  Rakhi  should   have  fellowship  with  God 's  people.
After  the  meeting  Rakhi  stepped  forward  requesting  prayer for  healing  and  restoration. We  asked   them to  stay  for  dinner.

Last  week  Sonia  and  I  visited  Rahki  who  lives  in  the  old  part  of  the city. We  immediately  sensed  the  oppression  and  gloom in  that  place. The boys  were  overjoyed  to  have  visitors  and  played  with  Abner  (Sonia' s  son).

They  shared  their  story  of  suffering  and   terror  with  us. We  prayed a  prayer  of blessing and  release  for  them.

They live  in the  crowded  old  city, commuting  there  is    very  difficult  through  narrow  sometimes  unpaved  streets.  But the  Good  Shepherd  is  with us.

Rakhi  wants  to  sell  some  old  gym equipment which  belonged  to  her husband we  are  trying  to  find  a  buyer.

Please  remember  Rakhi and  her  two  sons  Kunal  (8)  and  Karan (4)  in  your  prayers. Pray  for  release from the  evil  designs  of  Satan, that  their   faith  may  grow  and they  may  seek  God   and  his  righteousness, for  their  protection  (  their  sympathetic   neighbours  are  alert and  have  said  if  they  don 't  see  them  around  for  a  certain period  of  time   they  will  inform  the  police).Pray  that Rakhi  may  find  a  job.

Isaiah 61 (BIBLE)
 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.