Ems Hancock

News

'Coming Home' goes to Mumbai

Tabitha Webb, who plays the lead role of 'Christine' in the West End's Phantom of the Opera, recently travelled to Mumbai as an ambassador for Interserve. She went to film the Aruna project in the centre of the red light district and lead a singing workshop for the prostitutes there. One of the tracks she chose to teach was 'Mary's Song', from Coming Home. (Go to Media section to hear the song!)

Tabitha writes:

"God loves the prostitutes, and I suspect He particularly loves those who have been trafficked into the sex trade from an early age. I went to meet some of these women at a 'Drop-In' centre run by local Christians. This was a huge step out of my comfort zone. But the language and social barriers were soon broken down by the music.

These women, many of whom have become Christians as a result of their visits to this project, came alive when we sang worship songs in Hindi, praising God for His love for them. So many of them had never known any kind of real love before.

As I taught the ladies 'Mary's Song' from Ems' album - played on my little travel speakers - I sensed the story of the words really ringing true for the lives of the women there. Broken lives, shattered into a million pieces and seemingly trampled into the rancid mud of Mumbai. Who could piece them together? Who else but Jesus? The one who calls them to leave what little they have left at His feet so He can swap their ashes for a crown, their rags for a gown, to make them holy - to restore!!!!

Oh how I cried out for those women! How I felt just a little of their pain in that room and how overwhelmed I was at Jesus' simple call "come" - "aiye" as we sang it in Hindi, complete with beckoning hand gesture.

They sang with their eyes closed... "aiye"

I felt real compassion for these women, who are women, just like me. Their faces showed their pain. I am English, and they are South Asian, but Jesus loves us and saves us just the same.

After the workshop the women went back to their places of work nearby. My day was over, but their nights' labour was just beginning."

Interserve is an Inter-Denominational Missions charity whose 850 workers serve people in over 30 countries across Asia and the Arab World.

For further information visit www.interserve.org.uk