As I went to bed that night, I couldn’t stop smiling. Natalie had taken her first steps toward freedom. She had encountered the love of Jesus, and what she had known for so long wasn’t enough anymore.
We spent the night searching for Magnum ice cream bars (Natalie’s favorite) and hanging out around Georgetown. My friend Justin and I, walked Natalie back to her hotel where we said goodnight. We made plans for dinner the following night at 6:00pm, and I had no doubt she would show up. She had tasted the goodness of Jesus, and I knew her soul craved even more.
At 6:00pm, Alyssa and I stood outside Natalie’s hotel, just as we had the previous Thursday morning. We stood praying for opportunities to speak truth, praying that her heart would be softened, and praying for sensitive spirits. While the previous night was amazing, communication was a little rough at the beginning, so I also prayed against language barriers. Immediately after I prayed, the Lord reminded me that He laughs at such an obstacle. He had purposes for this evening that nothing could thwart; that truth alone brought me so much peace.
“I think I see her,” Alyssa said.
I turned around and there was my sweet friend. But there was something different about her; she looked…not like a prostitute. Every other encounter I had had with Natalie, she was wearing her “work” clothes. Tight dresses, short skirts, low tops and high heels. But tonight wearing skinny jeans, a modest top, and flats, my friend looked more beautiful than ever before.
“Her Father loves her so much,” I thought.
We exchanged hugs and headed down to Red Garden, an outdoor food court we had yet to try. During dinner we talked about life in America and life in Indonesia, our families back home, and Alyssa’s birthday the night before. As we finished our meal, I could feel my Spirit stirring. I pulled my journal out of my bag and flipped to the page filled with truth written in Malay and English. I pointed to Jeremiah 29:11 in Malay and the Spirit took over. Natalie started reading the words out loud and translating the passage back to English, explaining to me the meaning of the verse, “God is saying to me…have no problems, have future, have hope.”
Immediately she knew this passage was for her. There was no denying this was for someone else, Natalie knew God was saying this to her. With every word, I assured her translation and understanding.
“God is saying these things to me. Oh wow. Yes God is saying this to me.”
We flipped the page and there was a list of 8-10 truth statements written in Malay that she began reciting and translating once again:
“I have value.”
“God created me.”
“God has plans and a purpose for me.”
“Jesus died on the cross for my sins.”
“God wants to have a relationship with me.”
I wanted to explain more of the gospel and the heart of God, so I used a handy drawing thanks to Campus Crusade, to explain our need for Jesus. I told Natalie that the brokenness, pain, and hurt we experience are all affects of sin and sin separates us from God. But Jesus took away sin, so we could be reunited with our Father.
“God sent us all the way from America to tell you that He loves you. You are so important to Him. He wants to be your friend. He wants to talk to you.”
Natalie’s name was written at the top of the page, just as a title for my journal entry, but God used that little detail to show Natalie that every ounce of the truth written on this page was for her. It was a beautiful 30-45 minutes of speaking truth, hearing Natalie speak truth herself, and explain the story of Jesus to my sweet friend.
While Natalie was speaking phrases such as “I am loved”, “God created me”, and “I have value”, I’m confident something was happening in the spiritual realm. When a lost daughter of God, who is in deep, deep darkness, speaks the words “Jesus loves me”, things happen. Chains are broken and light shines in the darknes.
After dinner, we grabbed another Magnum at the 7-Eleven and headed back to her hotel. We dropped her off, exchanged hugs, and I gave her a few tracks in her language that explained the gospel in more detail. Usually I’m not into the whole track thing, but I was so thankful for this resource given the language situation.
Alyssa and I walked away, praising God for the work He had done, the ease of translation, and the truth Natalie had spoken. Our friend had taken a few more steps in the direction of freedom.
It had been three days since I had talked to Natalie and I was hoping to hang out with her the next weekend. My squad leader Alyssa was no longer staying in our city, but had been trying to get in touch with me all day. Finally around 9:00pm, I called her back, not at all expecting what she was about to say:
“Natalie has been calling me all day trying to get a hold of you. She is leaving tonight at 10:45 pm to go back to Indonesia.”
What? Natalie’s leaving? She’s supposed to be here until the 27th.
“Okay, thanks. I will try to get in touch with her.”
I hung up and immediately called Natalie’s number. Within 10 minutes, my friend Ga’nene and I were running down the street to meet Natalie at 7-Eleven for a quick goodbye. As we crossed the street, I could see Natalie waving us down.
She brought her camera, so we took some pictures together and I tried to understand why she was leaving. The only explanation I kind of understood was that she missed her family. I gave her the piece of paper that had all of the Bible verses and truth phrases we had read several nights before. I also put one of my bracelets around her wrist, telling her I loved her and would never forget her. We stood on the side of the road and I prayed for Natalie. I asked our Father to continue pursuing her, to protect her, and to reveal more of Himself to her. I asked for a blessing over her life, for a husband, and a family, and for “no problems, have hope, and have future” as Natalie had spoken just days before.
As I walked away from my friend, my heart was hurting, knowing I would probably never see her again. But if there is anyone I trust with sweet Natalie’s life, it is my Dad.
This past Wednesday, we walked down the street to love on and pray for people one last time. I passed the place where I met Natalie and immediately starting praising God.
The steps were empty. These were the same steps on which I had found Natalie only two weeks ago. Now I still don’t know the full reason of why she left, and I’m not going to jump to conclusions just for the sake of a good story, but I do know this: Natalie tasted love, she heard truth about her Father, and she spoke that truth herself. The last text I got from Natalie, were these words and they speak so much hope into the spiritual realm of what is happening in her life, “I’m going home friend.”
Praise God!
