“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” Ezek. 22:30
Let me begin by asking you this simple question, in America when you have an emergency who do you call? The police, EMT or Fire Dept., or maybe close friends or family right? In the US we have this expectancy that someone will respond to our time of need because that is all we have ever known. We know that someone will come, someone will respond, and the response will be in a timely manner. Now, close your eyes and imagine this, you are a woman living in Honduras and you have just been brutally beaten by your husband, left for dead. You would call the police, but the few officers in your town are off for the day and don’t have their phone. There is no local police station phone and you don’t know the officer’s cell number. Your neighbors disappeared and refuse to help you in fear for their own life, and the closest town is an hour away. Even if you did call the police, the chances of them coming at all are slim, and if they do it will be at least an hour before help arrives. Could you imagine the outrage this would cause if that situation happened in America?
Every 14 hours in Honduras a woman is a victim of domestic violence, and few people are working to decrease that statistic. It is not uncommon for women to be raped, beaten, and abused. Children are economically exploited, abused, starved, sold for sex, and not cared for. The problem is no one cares. The police and government are very corrupt, and men are clearly very dominate over women and children. In addition, Honduras is known for having many men involved in gangs, and all the businesses have to pay a war tax to these gang members. This tax is usually at least half of a family’s income, and the gang will make an example out of anyone who refuses to pay this tax. The education level for the average person in Honduras is third grade.
In my time here, I have been able to meet several people who have lived this hell and by the hand of God are here to tell their story. I have been working with Heart of Christ ministry, run by Mami Gracie and Papi Lee and the Lord has used them in incredible ways. Gracie has at least 15 years of Criminal Justice experience, and since moving here she has been able to make a huge impact on these people. She has been able to work with and train police officers, and help people receive justice. Although she is not able to work as heavily in law enforcement right now, due to some life threatening circumstances, she is still able to work on some asylum cases in the US. However, GJI and IJM are partnering with her to open their first international justice center sometime next year.
These cases broke my heart for these people, one case involved a girl whose boyfriend joined a gang. He viewed her as his property and he consistently raped, and abused her, he also forbid her to leave the house for months at a time. When she finally escaped the boyfriend murdered one of her family members, and will torture or murder her if she ever returns to Honduras.
In another case, a woman witnessed a gang murder two of her family members because they could not afford to pay the war tax the gang demanded. If she were to ever return, her life would be in imminent danger.
Most of the kids that live here at this ministry have been either victim to or a product of rape or incest. If they were not a victim of those, then they were beaten, economically exploited, starved or abandoned. One mother gave birth to her child in the street, left the child for dead, and it was 6 hours before anyone found the child. The baby was barely alive and was dropped off at this ministry, and by the grace of God is healthy today.
These people turn to this ministry for help because they know that they are the only ones who will respond to their cry for help. Since I’ve been here, women have come to the door crying for help because their husbands abandoned them and their children. They have nowhere to go, and no source of income. So who can they turn to? Who will help them?
A gap, by definition, represents a place of weakness, vulnerability, and danger. It is a defenseless location of exposure and limitation, a point where people face real threats. Gaps exist in our countries, communities, and at home with our families. This isn’t a black or white problem, or a socio-economic problem. This problem isn’t affecting some of us, but all of us. It affects our deepest hopes and fears. The gap looks like:
-a prodigal child
-an unfaithful spouse
-an abusive family member or friend
-an addict who is out of control
-lying, stealing, and cheating
-sexual promiscuity
-parents who have lost hope for their kids
-neighbors (even church members) who hate each other and poison their communities
-gangs, violence, and other crimes
-the elderly who are forgotten and overlooked
-children who grow up unable to read
-poverty from lack of training and skills
-social breakdown, including human trafficking, attacks on the sanctity of marriage, racism, immigrants, lost in the system, prostitutes, and others who have made terrible choices and feel cut off from the goodness of God.
These things are happening all around you, even in America. Huge gaps have opened in our world but do we even notice? Do we care? The Lord is asking, “Will you stand in the gap for these people? Will you stand in the gap for My sake and My glory?” As a Christian you are called and required to stand in the gap. What that looks like for you is between you and the Lord, it can be as simple as giving to those you see in need. Give your time, give your money, give your belongings, and make a sacrifice. God will honor the sacrifices that you make for Him, and I can promise you that it will be worth your time, energy, effort, money, and belongings. The words of a pastor named Rob Reimer have resonated with me regarding sacrifice, “Pursuing God is costly; it is worth the price, but it is costly. The King and His Kingdom are the pearl of great price. They are worth all you have.”
So, what will you choose? How will you stand in the gap for someone you see in need? How will you give your time, energy, money, or talents? Romans 10:15 says, “And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” So if you aren’t going out into the world, that’s okay, I get that not everyone is called to be a missionary. However, ask the Lord how He has called you to stand in the gap. It will not be comfortable or easy, but if it was then we would never grow and faith would not be necessary. So step out in faith, move, act, and do something to further the Kingdom!
P.S.- Many of these thoughts and ideas were taken from a book I’m reading called In The Gap by Pastor Wilfredo De Jesus, and I strongly recommend it!
