Ok, so it is 7:42 on Thursday morning and I just got back from our 7 am workouts which we have every morning. For those that know me well, are probably thinking that God is already doing miracles in my life for me to actually be working out which he is and so much more.
Arriving at camp, I did not really know what to expect, but I have enjoyed every second so far. I am apart of a 36-member squad called R SQUAD! It is amazing how close we have already gotten and how much closer we will get over the next year. Today we should find out who are teams of 6 will be and I am so excited!
I feel God at work already in our squad and especially in my life. Preparing for this trip, I desired to have a burden for the nations and peoples I would encounter. I fully believe that with out something to lose it is hard to have a passion. But seeing as I really have never been overseas and the brokenness it was hard to make it all real in my head. But, last night (Wednesday, for those who are keeping track) that all changed. A man named Tom Davis from Children’s Hope Chest in Texas came and shared his story and passion for the weak – orphans and those involved in sex trafficking. I listened intently as he told us horrific stories of women and girls who got sucked into such an evil trade and the number of orphans that was continually growing. He even showed a video of young women in Russia who shared their horrible life stories of abuse. But nothing, I was fine. I mean it was sad, but I was fine. Then, it was worship time and the leader began to that song that says “Break my heart for what break yours” and God spoke to me saying, “These are my children, Chelsea, and they are being tortured, abused, and ignored. Every night I weep for them uncontrollably.” And honestly, at this point, I lost it. It was like God in that moment took just some of the burden and sorrow he felt for his children and placed them on my shoulders and the heaviness of the situation finally hit me. I have never cried/wailed for that long of a period of time in my life and never have I felt more in tune with my Abba and the Spirit.
At that moment, with tears literally gushing out of my eyes and soaking the front of my dress, I prayed for God’s children. For the girls that at age 6 who had experienced more pain and seen more things then I have at age 23. For the children at the orphanage that had lost both parents to AIDS and there was really no hope for them. But, I not only prayed for them, but for you my supporters. That God would also allow you to look through his eyes and feel the pain that he has for his children. Not so you would also be weeping uncontrollably but that we would stop being a world of apathetic believers and start becoming knowledgeable of what is going on in the world around us. We need to be willing to rise up and change what is going on.
When Tom was speaking he asked us a few questions. He first asked how many of us would save a child if you saw them drowning? We, as I know all of you would, quickly raised our hands. Then, he asked if we knew we could save a child that was 30 min away from drowning would we? Again without hesitation we all raised our hands. Finally, he challenged us by asking, “how about the children in Russia and India – will you save them?”
So now, as my friends and supporters, reading this blog and hearing this story you have a choice: sit back apathetically or carry the burden and rise for change!
Below is a video from Children’s Hope Chest:
