Keeping Up With the Koenigers

For this post, we look at another section of the world...India.

During my time at home, I was able to see some friends.  Ryan and Dannah are a married couple and are serving in India.  Ryan is an architect and Dannah is a civil engineer.  They work with Engineering Missions International (EMI, www.emiusa.org).  I am lucky that we were both in the US this July.   I was able to go to their open house, and listen to some of their stories from India.

You may have heard some news in December that an woman was raped in India by a group of men, and later died.  I guess it's not unusual women get attacked in India.  But, there were two things unusual in this case...1) it was pretty brutal and 2) it was an unlikely situation a rape would have occurred.  The woman was raped on a bus, traveling around 9pm (not too late), with a companion and with six other men on the bus.  This happened one or two miles from where Ryan and Dannah live in Delhi.

In India, a woman may be raped but may never come forward about the incident.  In fact, in India, a woman may be imprisoned for revealing her identity.  Women not coming forward about these incidents can happen in other countries, even in America.  But, it's disturbing the frequency it happens in India.  If the woman is single, making the rape public may discourage someone from marrying the woman.  If the woman is married, her husband may divorce her.  Since the men involved often aren't prosecuted, rape isn't discouraged by the justice system like it should be.

A tragic story to say the least, but I liked hearing about what happened after the incident.  Some men gathered in a public place.  They held signs written in different languages apologizing to women for actions of men.  The group was led by a man from Ryan and Dannah's church.  The protests and media attention have pressed the government to make changes.

Dannah is pregnant with the couple’s first child.  They are expecting...a girl.  :)  Dannah and Ryan are returning to India in a couple of weeks.  They are planning on delivering the baby in India.  Things could get interesting...Dannah is due during a holiday weekend where celebrations may include fireworks, alcohol and some marijuana. 

The Koenigers return to India in a couple of weeks.  If you would like to see some of their stories, go to:
www.worldedge.net/koeniger
Heads up...you will need to enter your e-mail address and create a password.

Please pray for the Koenigers and their work in India.

Some resources:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/11/world/asia/india-males-violence/index.html?hpt=wo_bn4 Keeping chivalry alive in India
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Delhi_gang_rape_case
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-22999478 Why an India rape victim disclosed her identity
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20907755 The rapes that India forgot
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13264301 India’s unwanted girls
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20863860 How India treats its women