When I first walked into Breaking Chains ministry and heard the founder, Steven Cass, talk about his life changing vision and solid faith, the Spirit of God within me leapt at every idea he shared. Passions instilled within me started happy dancing by being around this ministry and these people.
This ministry was started by Steven in Central America to help women and children trapped in prostitution, sex trafficking, and sexual abuse. Breaking Chains rescues and provides a refuge for women and children to provide counseling, training, bible teaching, and work skills. They work in Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Honduras. This month we are living in a beautiful home with Steven, his wife Kenia, and Joan. The women come on MWThF from 8-3 for discipleship, bible teaching, games, worship, and crafts. One of my projects this month will be helping to develop a program to teach the women English. Kenia leads healing sessions with the women and a couple of us at a time will sit in to pray as they seek healing and dig into the deep wounds in their lives.
I love the women here. We don’t speak each other's languages but by the creativity of God we have already been able to connect on a different level. It’s been fun to sit with the women in the morning before they begin their teaching and connect the few words we do know into full conversations.
One of the highlights of this past week was watching these women play silly games and laugh hysterically as they popped one another’s balloons or carried limes in between their knees to drop into a cup. A life of laughter and silly games is something many of these women have never been able to experience. It’s going to be joy this month to laugh with these women and be silly…that’s something I can do.
Another thing that we get to do this month is go out at night with Steven to spots where prostitutes wait for work and tell them about opportunities for freedom. I went out this past week and it was heartbreaking and eye opening. One of the spots we went to the girls, as young as 12, were standing around waiting for work. Several of them were holding jars and sniffing glue for a cheap high. My Nicaraguan friend Maria, told a 13 year old girl that she is beautiful and worth more than what she is doing. Huge tears welled up in her eyes because she works to support her little baby. Maria tenderly hugged and prayed for her as she expressed the other options she has for her life.
This week, Erik and Betsi were visiting from Steven’s church in Mexico and Maria, who does ministry about 45 minutes from Managua. It was a blessing having them all here. Also Erik and Betsi grew up in Young Life so it was refreshing to be around people who share that passion! One afternoon Betsi taught us how to make homemade cinnamon rolls and monkey bread. They showered us in love with good conversation and quality time, it was much needed!
(Group picture by Jessa Grindell)
Cheers to breaking chains, ignited passions, homemade monkey bread, and silly games,
Jen
Check out their website at www.breakingchains.org and like their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/breakingchainsmissions?ref=ts&fref=ts
