Bobbi Kumari, inset, took the gospel message to London's strip clubs.,,,
A fashion designer who took the love of God to the sex industry has launched a new scheme exploring what the Almighty says about gender and intimacy.
Bobbi Kumari has used her own colourful background to help create the Living in Light podcast and online Sacred Sexuality course looking at male and female identities and enjoying intimacy with God and other people.
The author, speaker, fashion designer and religious studies teacher has devised a 10-week course. She says: “We explore what God says about sexuality and what true intimacy looks like.
“It’s a safe space where no one is told what to believe, but where people can be real, ask questions and be equipped to live in the culture we’re in.”
It has run four times since May, including two courses for men and women recovering from drug and alcohol addictions.
Bobbi has previously worked with sex industry workers after taking the gospel to London’s strip clubs.
“We’re bringing the love of God into the sex industry,” she said at the time. “Some of the girls are blown away that women would come into their clubs just to love them.
“I get this beautiful joy from going into clubs and speaking to sex workers and being able to encourage them that they can have a life of light no matter how dark their world may seem.
“There are so many places I can access because of my earlier experiences.”
Bobbi turned her back on a strict, traditional Indian upbringing and violent alcoholic father to fully embrace a London nightlife of drugs, drink, sex and clubbing. She’d found faith previously but “felt guilty and didn’t want Jesus to spoil my fun”.
“I went clubbing every night. What began as looking for fun exploded into ten years of seeking love in all the wrong places, taking Class A drugs and having no value or purpose.”
God stepped in when her mum, who had recently become a Christian, invited her to a prayer meeting.
“I had a real encounter with God, and he got completely under my skin.”
She now runs fashion label Living in Light, which is responsible for vibrant bespoke clothing designs, fashion workshops and an image consultancy.
“The vision for Living in Light centres on three things – intimacy, identity and image. I equip and help girls with these through creativity and teaching.”
She authored a book, Sacred Sexuality, to teach girls about healthy relationships, and is also a religious studies teacher in a Christian school in south-west London.
“We follow government guidelines, but approach sexuality from the perspective that everyone is so precious that God sent his son to die for them – therefore humans are innately valuable.
“This current generation is in some ways the most equipped, creative and intellectual, but at the same time the most fractured and confused.
“They don’t realise the truth about who they are and how precious their sexuality is.”
