Earlier today I sat in on a friend's class at a local college where she was showing a film. I was horrified by the imagery in this documentary they were watching. It was titled Born into Brothels about the red light district in Calcutta, and the children who are born into prostitution.The documentary followed a photographer who was in Calcutta to teach these children how to take pictures. Over the course of the film, she attempted to help these kids to be placed into schools and find better lives, because in Calcutta prostitution is a generational career. Not to belittle our American struggles, but even what we call poor would have been posh for these children.
It took everything not to vomit as the vile words were hurled at these children. Eventually, this photographer had managed to get the majority of her photography students into boarding schools away from the brothels. However, just before the credits rolled the film gave the “where are they now” kind of information about the children. Sadly, all but one of the children went back to their brothel homes within a short time; most by choice and some by demanding parents. As I went home after watching the documentary, all I could think was what a waste of energy. This photographer had spent so much time, energy, and emotional turmoil to try to improve these lives, but most of them went right back to the brothel life.
I dwelled most of the afternoon on the imagery and just wasted nature of what I saw. Eventually a different thought began to take hold. What about the one? One girl DID manage to get out of the brothels, because of the work of this photographer. Her life is better. In economic terms, it seemed like a poor return on investments. People aren’t stocks though. This photographer used her talent to simply take pictures as a way to help kids escape the horrors of the slums of Calcutta. One life. It is worth it.
Then two quotes came to mind; one I heard twenty years ago, and one just recently. The first I heard from Tyler Grandil, a National FFA officer, during a speech. He asked, “What are you doing with yours?” It was in reference to what are you doing with your talents, gifts, and skills? How do you use what God gave you to touch lives? The second was a quote in reference to football, but it still seems so appropriate here. It was from Russell Wilson, and it was something his dad would ask him, “Why not you?” His dad was asking him it in reference to his goals, and Wilson posed the same question to his teammates about becoming Super Bowl Champions. What about when it comes to changing the lives of people around you. Why not you?
It doesn’t take a million dollars or a big name to change a life.It's part of the Great Commission. It just takes a willing heart and that first step.
It took everything not to vomit as the vile words were hurled at these children. Eventually, this photographer had managed to get the majority of her photography students into boarding schools away from the brothels. However, just before the credits rolled the film gave the “where are they now” kind of information about the children. Sadly, all but one of the children went back to their brothel homes within a short time; most by choice and some by demanding parents. As I went home after watching the documentary, all I could think was what a waste of energy. This photographer had spent so much time, energy, and emotional turmoil to try to improve these lives, but most of them went right back to the brothel life.
I dwelled most of the afternoon on the imagery and just wasted nature of what I saw. Eventually a different thought began to take hold. What about the one? One girl DID manage to get out of the brothels, because of the work of this photographer. Her life is better. In economic terms, it seemed like a poor return on investments. People aren’t stocks though. This photographer used her talent to simply take pictures as a way to help kids escape the horrors of the slums of Calcutta. One life. It is worth it.
Then two quotes came to mind; one I heard twenty years ago, and one just recently. The first I heard from Tyler Grandil, a National FFA officer, during a speech. He asked, “What are you doing with yours?” It was in reference to what are you doing with your talents, gifts, and skills? How do you use what God gave you to touch lives? The second was a quote in reference to football, but it still seems so appropriate here. It was from Russell Wilson, and it was something his dad would ask him, “Why not you?” His dad was asking him it in reference to his goals, and Wilson posed the same question to his teammates about becoming Super Bowl Champions. What about when it comes to changing the lives of people around you. Why not you?
It doesn’t take a million dollars or a big name to change a life.It's part of the Great Commission. It just takes a willing heart and that first step.
