It is almost month 6. We are getting ready to head to our 3rd continent, AFRICA!!
I have had the passion and desire to go to Africa since I was little and I cannot believe that the time has finally come in my life for me to be going there! It is so surreal to me. This whole trip is really.
The entire squad (all 8 teams) are heading to Mozambique. We will be split between 2 different ministries. 4 teams will be working together in one ministry while the other 4 work together at a different ministry. My team will be working with Team Manna, Luminous and Tikvah. We will be working at Iris ministry (Heidi and Roland Baker’s ministry). We are beyond blessed to be working at this ministry and cannot wait for the month to begin!
As I sit in my hotel room here in Bangkok, Thailand I look out the balcony and see nothing but buildings, skyscrapers and city lights. This city is huge. My mind races as the realization sets in – the realization that we have just finished our 3 months of ministry and travel in Asia. I will be on a plane heading to Africa in less than 48 hours. It is so surreal to me. I want to just run up and down the halls of the hotel praising God in excitement and an overwhelming amount of joy!
As I sit here, trying to sort out my thoughts, I cannot help but reflect on this last month of prostitute ministry. I sit here thinking of all the women I met in the bars. The words FREEDOM and REDEMPTION still reign in my mind.
FREEDOM
1. The state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint.
2. Exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
3. The power to determine action without restraint.
4. Personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery.
5. Exemption from the presence of anything specified.
6. The absence of or release from ties, obligations, etc.
7. The power to exercise choice and make decisions without constraint from within or without; autonomy; self-determination.
REDEMPTION
1. An act of redeeming or the state of being redeemed.
2. Deliverance; rescue.
3. Deliverance from sin; salvation.
4. Atonement for guilt.
5. Repurchase, as of something sold.
I truly believe that God does reign in these dark places. He does bring freedom and redemption. His presence and His light was most definitely felt this month. Amidst all of the darkness, He was there. Even though it doesn’t always feel like it, there is hope for these women. I am so blessed and honored that God chose little ole’ me to be a part of this darkness…to be a light to His people. It wasn’t easy and I didn’t expect it to be. However, He was guiding and shepherding me every step of the way. He taught me so much. He taught me how much control He has over His people and just how much He truly loves them – way more than I ever could even imagine. My heart broke for these men and women and I can’t even fathom how much more God’s heart breaks for them. I learned that I don’t have to be the one to fix things. I am going to see and experience things on this race and for the rest of my life that I will not be able to control or fix. God has not called me to fix the sin and evil in this world. He has called me to be a vessel. And I have to be okay with that. He has allowed me to see with His eyes and experience things that not everyone gets to experience. I have to take all of this in only to release it all back to Him, laying it down at His feet..where it all belongs. Praise HIM for being in CONTROL!
