All the black words are bars. There's even more not listen on this map. Overwhelmed?
So there's a room at SHE ministry called the Prayer Room. In the Prayer Room is a map of Bangla Rd that lists all the side streets and bars. Then on poster boards around it are the names of the side roads, the specific bars on that road and the names of women they've met at those bars. Our first night of intercession prayer we met there so we could visualize who and what we were praying for.
As I prayed over the streets and bars and girls I saw a post-it with the name Melissa on it. There is a girl working in a bar named Melissa. For the past hour I had been staring at names like Cartoon, Po, Star and the like. This was the first American sounding name I had come to and it was my own. It was like being punched in the face. I instantly wanted to find her. I wanted to hear her story, I wanted to tell her there's something better. That she is meant for more.
One of the street boards. All those post-its are girls they've connected with. This is just one street. Overwhelmed yet?
And then I realized how different my life could be right now. My mom got pregnant when she was 16 years old. I have always been thankful that she choose to keep me, that abortion or adoption wasn't an option but all of a sudden I was so much more aware or how lucky I am. How there were more terrible options than those two. I realized how safe my mom has kept me all these years. I know I wasn't always an easy child. And I most definitely wasn't an easy teenager (or young adult for that matter)! My mom was young and alone. Her options and choices were limited. But my mom's a fighter. Giving up wasn't an option. Giving me up (in any capacity) wasn't an option.
My story could be so different. Which is what continues to give me hope and faith that these girls' stories can be so different. They don't have to stay in this life. It pushes me on to love them through the darkness because I know the power one small decision can have in someone's life. Instead of being just another sad statistic I am a success story of God's power (and a mom's love) and these women will be too! My mom was a fighter and so am I!
And in the words of a wise man, Tupac,
"And there's no way I can pay you back. But my plan is to show you that I understand. You are appreciated." Love you mom!
Me and mom on Mother's Day last year, aren't we cute?!?!
