My First Pooja

She had to face east. It had to be on an "auspicious day" in her 7th month of pregnancy. The priests had to be called, the family invited, the calendar searched. The "lap filling" ceremony could then commence. And I was invited.

The bundle of goods...a filled lap.

My friend and neighbor, Anshula is pregnant. We joke there must be something in the water for our building! She came to my door a few weeks ago to invite me to a pooja. Now, a pooja is a Hindu worship ceremony. "Will I have to sacrifice a goat?" I [almost] jokingly asked. "No, no," she smiled. "It's just going to be a little blessing and appeasing for the baby's good fortune. Then we'll have cake and games."

So I went. I watched and asked lots of questions. Her family members filled her lap with dried fruits and money and blessed her with oil. They lit incense. They took lots of pictures. Her mother-in-law danced. And then...we were done. Off to "baby word boggle" and samosas and chai.

I won the game (English is my only fluent language...so I kinda have an advantage). I got a Buddha idol as a prize...which, sorry, Anshula...went in the trash.

Truly I was nervous, but also very curious. I am glad I went. It some ways it seemed like nothing more than a cultural tradition. Yet, I know it's more than that. And despite my "modern" friend's attempts to discount it ("It's just to appease the in-laws") there is serious spiritual warfare happening next door. For Anshula, for Sumit and for their little baby.

I pray my eyes are open and my heart keeps breaking for baby showers that start with a worship ceremony to a false god, for jewelry and markings that say something about what you give praise to, for money given to "sacred" cows, gurus or temples. I pray I do not get immune. I pray I throw every idol in the trash (literally and metaphorically) and trust God that it's not "god" but it's more than a blob of porcelain...and I am weak. He is strong. And He fills more than our laps. He fills our hearts, our souls, our lives. Oh, let Him fill this building!