India(Mission Network News)— Sumani, a 16-year-old girl in India, is being pressured by her mother to become a devadasi—essentially a religious prostitute who is dedicated in “marriage” to a Hindu deity. Once dedicated, devadasis are not allowed to marry any man and are taken advantage of in the temples.
Sumani participates in a Children’s Bible Club through Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India, and the ministry is asking believers to pray for her.
Unfortunately, Sumani’s situation isn’t uncommon for young girls in more rural or impoverished areas in India. Erik* with Mission India says, “There’s an estimated 50,000 [devadasis] in South India alone.”
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