Tight hugs, whole face smiles, fluffy clouds, hippo dances, loads of popcorn, and a whole lot of Jesus. That’s my time in the village in a nutshell.
This month has been all over the place. Literally. I’ve been traveling all over northern Thailand. And because of that I have been feeling a bit scattered and disconnected. As much as I love Chiang Mai, this city isn’t an easy one to live in. It’s loud, busy, and spiritually dark. There is a heaviness here that leaves me feeling drained and my mind feeling foggy.
Even in the chaos, God is still good and He knows what I need. He knew I needed Sending Hope. After a slightly wet bus ride to a town I can’t pronounce, I was greeted by the smiling faces of three girls with a sign that said “Welcome to Sending Hope!” This was just the beginning.
When we pulled up the driveway I was overwhelmed with smiles, welcome notes, and the sweetest bouquet of wildflowers. It felt like being welcomed home. I could breath. I could rest. The weight of everything began to melt away.
My time at Sending Hope was short, but it felt like time stood still. I immediately fell in love with the girls and the wonderful people who have brought this ministry to life. They provide a safe place for girls who are at risk of being used for the unthinkable. But they don’t stop there. They are raising up women of God who are going to change the world for the sake of the Gospel. It is impossible to step foot on this property and not feel God’s presence. These girls serve like Jesus—with humility and grace. They pray like Jesus—with power and authority. They love like Jesus—fiercely and unconditionally. And they walk with Jesus in overwhelming joy.
Together we laughed, worshipped, danced, played in the rain, and communicated profound truth without speaking the same language.
Life was simple. Life was sweet. I was able to reconnect with the Father. I was able to hear Him clearly and feel His presence. I could breathe deeply and rest easy.
I walked away from there with a broken heart in the best possible way. My heart is broken for the girls plucked from their innocence and forced into bondage. My heart is broken that a place like Sending Hope even needs to exist. But, I am so grateful that it does. I am grateful for those willing to stand up to oppression and fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. I am grateful for the girls who are walking examples of God’s grace and powerful testimonies of His goodness. But most of all I am grateful that God is not far from those who did not have anyone to fight for them.
The weight of the knowledge I now carry is enough to crush even the strongest person, and it has forced me to my knees—which is exactly where I need to be. It is here that I can fight for these girls. It is here that I can surrender them to the Father who knows them each by name and His heart is grieved by the wickedness of this world. I am grateful His goodness is unchanging. I am grateful that He carries the weight of this broken world and promises to use what the enemy intends for evil for good.
So tonight I am choosing to cling to what is good. I am clinging to the goodness of the Father and remembering His faithfulness. And it is here that I will breathe deep as I rest in His unrelenting love.
