The Lord stole my heart a long time ago…but He is still transforming it. We all have defining moments that we can look back on and we know that we were never the same after that. Little by little the Lord transforms our hearts through them.
The race has been one of those moments for me. There are so many conversations that I have had and so many faces and things that I have seen that have left a permanent impact on my life.
One night in Vietnam was one of those moments.
Month 6 on the race and we are finally able to be a part of bar ministry.
We order a coffee and sit down. Two of the girls that work there and the lady boy all come sit with us and begin to talk with us. Small talk under these circumstances seems weird, but we push ahead and try to find a way to show love to these 3 people. As I sit there talking to these 3 precious but wounded people, my hearts breaks inside at the thought that if a man comes up and orders a drink that they will have to leave our conversation to sit with him and "entertain" him.
I am thankful for a "slow" night. They sit and talk with us for a long time. One of them offers to braid my hair. I let her. As she braids my hair I stare across the street at the women also working there, doing the same thing. Again, I wonder how I can show love to these people. I feel completely helpless under the circumstances.
I didn't find any profound words to share with them that would change their circumstances. All I could do was love them. The talk to them, hug them, look them in the eyes and let them know that they are important and worth more than the world tells them they are.
Over the month we continued to visit our 3 friends and develop a relationship with them. We even managed to have one them take the night off on Christmas and spend it with us walking around town. It was one of my favorite nights on the entire race. Three of us meet her that night and walk around Vietnam with this precious woman. As we all hold hands and walk through the busy street, we break out into a chorus of Joy to the World. I couldn't help but smile.
I am blown away by how the Lord brought me here. How he allows me to love on His precious children and show them hope, even when I am inadequate and broken myself. He does things inside of me that I can't explain. If it wasn't for His life pouring out of me, I wouldn't even have anything to give, yet He chooses me anyway.
I am humbled by His infinte love and grace. And after every encounter with it, I walk away knowing that I can never be the same.
They didn't decide to leave their job before we left. I don't know for sure when and if they will. But I know God is working and I hold on to the hope that one day they will. That they will understand the overwhelming love the Father has for them, and that they too will never be the same.
