The Change of Coming to Mukti

Each resident of the Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission is unique and special in God’s eyes. The stories may sound similar but each is individual – except when the story is doubled as in Usha* and Neela’s* stories.

Usha and Neela came to Mukti as toddlers. Their grandmother had been caring for them since the death of their parents but with her advancing age she could no longer care for them properly. She had heard of the Mission but resisted the decision to send her granddaughters away – until she could no longer manage.

The sisters were inseparable often hugging each other tightly. They were from another state of India and therefore spoke a different language than most girls at Mukti. Their sisters in the Frangipani Flower Family helped and were patient with Usha and Neela as they learned Marathi. At school, they also had to adjust to the language and new surroundings.

Usha and Neela also learned to adjust to daily life at Mukti. They had not given spiritual matters much thought, as many children don’t, but they soon heard stories and songs they had never heard. The sisters listened and observed, wondering what all of this meant. Their housemother and the other staff at Mukti never forced them to sing along or pray, so the two girls had the space to watch and see what it all meant.

The changes come in a wave as new children come to Mukti Mission. For some, it is easy, while for others, the process is slow and painful. For all of the children, new hope creeps into their lives. Mukti has a way of breaking down the hopelessness and pain. Thank you for supporting Mukti and girls like Usha and Neela.

*Names changed for privacy and security. Images representative.