A Million Slumdog Prayers

Photo: Swaminathan.

Last weekend I watched the 8-Oscar winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan. The unique story and intense imagery definitely lived up to the hype, and I was struck with how resilient not only people in general are through the most horrific conditions and experiences, but how resilient children are. Especially orphan children. In India, there are millions. Seeing and filming their plight firsthand a little over a year ago gave me new eyes through which to see this film.

The video in this post includes some of the footage I shot while in India, and churches are using it all over the world to pray for India. I hope as you watch it, you will pray for these beautiful people. They have such a rich culture. And yet, the harsh poverty of sinful humanity does not escape them. None of us can escape this reality. Even those of us who are considered rich compared to the majority of the world are poor.

When I was confronted with the material poverty both in India and in the film’s portrayal of India, I was reminded that any of us could have been born into a slumdog lifestyle. Any of us could lose every material possession we own. What then would we have?

My hope is that you see with fresh eyes the real portrayal of poverty in the film, and how Jamal Malik’s abundance of integrity, character, and love is far more desirable than millions of dollars or rupees. True resilience lives in the intangible heart.

My prayer is that you will grow in true riches.