I drove to the short term shelter again today with Elena, our project manager. Today two women were ready to go with us. With little fanfare we met them and they loaded into the car with us to head home. For Elena and me it was an emotional time.
As we drove home we talked. One of the girls speaks only Russian, so Elena translated when they asked me questions. Mostly they talked together with Elena.
We took them to the home, showed them around, welcomed them to our home--their new home.
A song has been in my heart this afternoon and evening. It is a song I sang several times many years ago. It is early Steven Curtis Chapman.
"How do you explain? How do you describe?
A love that goes from east to west and runs as deep as it is wide
You know all our hopes Lord, you know all our fears
And words cannot express the love we feel
But we long for You to hear
So listen to our hearts.
Hear our spirits sing.
A song of praise that flows
from those you have redeemed.
We will use the words we know
to tell you what an awesome God you are,
but words are not enough
to tell you of our love
so listen to our hearts."
This sums up how I feel today and how so many who have prayed, feel. We don't have the words to express, but I'm so grateful to the Lord for leading us in this work. Yes, the work has only begun, but God is leading us.
Please pray for Aliona and her daughter Sabrina and pray for Irina as they settle into the home this week. Pray for Deanna who will join us with her daughters next week. And praise God for the work he has done.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Keep Praying
I'd posted that Monday we'd take our first women into the Home of Hope. So yesterday we went to the other shelter and we met the Social Workers, but the women were not there. The youngest girl had left of Friday and hadn't returned all weekend (she came back while we were there). The others had other reasons.
All of these women were raised in state orphanages. All have been trafficked and all have never learned that they can trust anyone. We are in a battle for the lives and souls of these women. They are scared. Leaving where they are now to come to another place is another breaking in their lives. This is the reality of women we'll take.
We've had many groups in the House of Hope who have just taken time to walk the house and pray. One thing I've heard over and over is that people are praying for God's peace to rest on the home and on the women who come into the home.
Would you pray that God's peace would rest on these three women, even now? We've asked that they could come today (Tuesday) and just share in a meal with us at the Home, then go back to the shelter. Ask for God to calm their hearts and draw them into this place of safety.
As we prayed yesterday God spoke to Sara that this is the first healthy decision they have ever made in their lives. Growing up in government orphanages, they never had the chance to make their own decisions. When they did finally make their first decision, it caused them to be trafficked. Now they have the chance to make a decision that can change their lives for the good of their lives. Please pray as they make this decision this week.
Thanks for your prayers.
All of these women were raised in state orphanages. All have been trafficked and all have never learned that they can trust anyone. We are in a battle for the lives and souls of these women. They are scared. Leaving where they are now to come to another place is another breaking in their lives. This is the reality of women we'll take.
We've had many groups in the House of Hope who have just taken time to walk the house and pray. One thing I've heard over and over is that people are praying for God's peace to rest on the home and on the women who come into the home.
Would you pray that God's peace would rest on these three women, even now? We've asked that they could come today (Tuesday) and just share in a meal with us at the Home, then go back to the shelter. Ask for God to calm their hearts and draw them into this place of safety.
As we prayed yesterday God spoke to Sara that this is the first healthy decision they have ever made in their lives. Growing up in government orphanages, they never had the chance to make their own decisions. When they did finally make their first decision, it caused them to be trafficked. Now they have the chance to make a decision that can change their lives for the good of their lives. Please pray as they make this decision this week.
Thanks for your prayers.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday morning went as a Home of Hope staff to a short term shelter and met with the first women who will come to our home next Monday. We talked first with the social workers who manage these women's cases, then we met with the women. Three women will come to the Home on Monday. We met with two of them. They also have three children that will come with them.
Both of the women we talked with today spoke Russian so I was out of the conversation, but I sat in amazement at the staff God has put together. Rodica is such an amazing woman. She asked them (I was told later) their dreams for life and said that we are here to help them reach their dreams. We are not here as an end in their lives, but to help them move to what their lives can be. Elena told them they could know that we are a family and they will be a part of this family. And Sara told them they are not alone. We will help them learn to raise their children.
We began to dream about games to play and being "Auntie"--"Tante" to some little girls who have had no one to love them. We began to see these women that sat so scared, so lost as women that God has called us to show His love and healing.
After the meeting we talked about how God has so much more ahead. So often we think we are here to do just one thing and God leads us to another. We built a Home for women to find healing from the scares of trafficking and we are also building a bridge to the women who work in the short term shelter. It is not a place that is faith based, but there are lovely women that work there and care about these young women who are trafficked and friendships are forming with these women also.
Pleae pray for the coming week. Pray for a smooth transition for these women. Many who have walked through the home have prayed for the peace of God to be over the home and in the home. Continue to pray for this. Pray for the children who will come. They are 2, 5, & 6 years old. They need to know God's love in their lives too. Pray for God's continued leading and guiding in all that happens in the coming week
Both of the women we talked with today spoke Russian so I was out of the conversation, but I sat in amazement at the staff God has put together. Rodica is such an amazing woman. She asked them (I was told later) their dreams for life and said that we are here to help them reach their dreams. We are not here as an end in their lives, but to help them move to what their lives can be. Elena told them they could know that we are a family and they will be a part of this family. And Sara told them they are not alone. We will help them learn to raise their children.
We began to dream about games to play and being "Auntie"--"Tante" to some little girls who have had no one to love them. We began to see these women that sat so scared, so lost as women that God has called us to show His love and healing.
After the meeting we talked about how God has so much more ahead. So often we think we are here to do just one thing and God leads us to another. We built a Home for women to find healing from the scares of trafficking and we are also building a bridge to the women who work in the short term shelter. It is not a place that is faith based, but there are lovely women that work there and care about these young women who are trafficked and friendships are forming with these women also.
Pleae pray for the coming week. Pray for a smooth transition for these women. Many who have walked through the home have prayed for the peace of God to be over the home and in the home. Continue to pray for this. Pray for the children who will come. They are 2, 5, & 6 years old. They need to know God's love in their lives too. Pray for God's continued leading and guiding in all that happens in the coming week
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Soon
This past Thursday we met as a Home of Hope staff with staff of another group that takes in trafficked women on a short term basis. They had 3 women to refer to us. Next week we'll go to their shelter, meet the women and then arrange for when they will come to the Home of Hope.
The first women is 27, a twin and has one daughter and also is the caretaker for her niece, daughter of her twin. She was trafficked with her twin sister, who is still abroad.
The second woman is 22 and has a two year old. She is one of several in her family who was trafficked.
The third is 17 and was trafficked within Moldova.
Please pray for us as we begin to work in the next week with these women and children. The need is so great and we need God to lead us in a mighty way. We need His hand upon us and we need to show these women His hope.
As I've been in the home I've been praying that the peace of God would envelope those who enter and live there. I pray that they would see who He is. The work won't be easy, but we do want to see lives changed and we believe we will.
Thanks for praying with us in this time.
The first women is 27, a twin and has one daughter and also is the caretaker for her niece, daughter of her twin. She was trafficked with her twin sister, who is still abroad.
The second woman is 22 and has a two year old. She is one of several in her family who was trafficked.
The third is 17 and was trafficked within Moldova.
Please pray for us as we begin to work in the next week with these women and children. The need is so great and we need God to lead us in a mighty way. We need His hand upon us and we need to show these women His hope.
As I've been in the home I've been praying that the peace of God would envelope those who enter and live there. I pray that they would see who He is. The work won't be easy, but we do want to see lives changed and we believe we will.
Thanks for praying with us in this time.
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