O-man, Day 6, Part 1: The Tears of the Saints

Woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head. Found my way downstairs and drank a cup, and looking up, I noticed I was late. Today is Tuesday, and is a big day for us, as we are headed to the Grand Mosque, which aside from Mecca, is one of the largest Mosques in the world. When we got there we were amazed at the sheer size of it all. It really was a thing to behold. It was all so intricate and beautiful, and can leave one in awe. We then walked inside the Mosque, which normally is for the Muslim men, but until noon on certain days, it is open to visitors and tourists. This was one of the most beautiful structures I have ever seen. The decor left me just saying wow. It was hard to take it all in, it was so big, so beautiful, so wow.

After that we went to the room that the women get to go in to pray, and although it was nice, it was probably 5 or 6 times smaller and way less extravegent (albeit nice). Upon entering it, many of our girls started to breakdown. Some cried, and some you can just tell they felt angry and upset. They had just come from this gorgeous room, and then the room that was for them, seemed to be the leftovers. The injustice of it all was very heavy on them. To get them in the Mosque when we arrived, the girls had to wear the head covering, and we had a few who said that upon entering the women's room after leaving the main room reserved for the men, that they found themselves wanting to cover themselves even more. How they felt shamed, embarrassed, and felt like they were second class compared to the men.

It absolutely broke my heart to hear them share the emotions they felt, and to know that for many women, this is their reality that they face. Our girls get to go back home and both understand and receive the freedom that they have because of what was done at Calvary. Yet so many of these women will never feel that freedom (but my hope is they do), but will only feel oppression, only shame, feel unworthy for the best God has in store. It is my prayer that somehow the oppression these women are faced with, that those strongholds will be released. That they can feel valued, feel as worthy and as loved and important as anyone else. To know that what was done at Calvary was to set them and everyone else free from feeling 2nd class, because He is in all, and is all. I write this with an extremely heavy heart, and would ask that you remember these women in your prayers.

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