Today I'm flying to Southern California for a 2 day conference on Sexual Trafficking at Vanguard University (a Christian University). It is a heart of the leaders of the Center for Women's Studies at the University, to mobilize women to reach broken women. The speakers and workshops they have put together look absolutely fantastic.
Will you pray for this conference that young women will be called "to the least of these"?
Will you pray that I can gain more practical knowledge to do the work in Moldova?
Will you pray that I will make the contacts needed to further the work in Moldova and even in the rest of the Former Soviet Union?
Will you pray that God would open the doors, even at this last minute, for more people to attend the conference?
Will you pray that God's will be done this weekend?
Thanks for your faithful prayers.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Zinnias
Each night before my kids go to bed, we read stories, read from the Bible and pray. Occasionally we read a few poems too. The other night we read from a book of poems by Valerie Worth and I'd like to share a poem from there with you called "Zinnias" (which are one of my favorite garden flowers).
Zinnias, stout and stiff,
Stand no nonsense: their colors
Stare, their leaves
Grow straight out, their petals
Jut like clipped cardboard,
Round, in neat flat rings.
Even cut and bunched,
Arranged to please us
In the house, in water, they
Will hardly wilt--I know
Someone like zinnias; I wish
I were like zinnias.
As I read this, I thought that I have a beautiful bouquet of zinnias in my home--my 3 daughters, small missionaries that they are. They are so like zinnias with stiffness and straightness. They have been cut from the soil of Moldova and brought to America where they are a beautiful bouquet when we visit churches or they brighten their classroom in their school, just like flowers do.
And through all the cutting and change, they have not wilted, but they have become more beautiful. They have participated in school musicals, taken swimming lesson and loved children's church and Pastor Corey. But they never forget the garden that they call home--Moldova.
Will you continue to pray for our children, Elissa, Natalie and Lauren? Pray for constant change and adjustment. Pray for final good-byes in the next months with their new friends here. Pray that they'd continue to grow and become all God wants them to be.
Zinnias, stout and stiff,
Stand no nonsense: their colors
Stare, their leaves
Grow straight out, their petals
Jut like clipped cardboard,
Round, in neat flat rings.
Even cut and bunched,
Arranged to please us
In the house, in water, they
Will hardly wilt--I know
Someone like zinnias; I wish
I were like zinnias.
As I read this, I thought that I have a beautiful bouquet of zinnias in my home--my 3 daughters, small missionaries that they are. They are so like zinnias with stiffness and straightness. They have been cut from the soil of Moldova and brought to America where they are a beautiful bouquet when we visit churches or they brighten their classroom in their school, just like flowers do.
And through all the cutting and change, they have not wilted, but they have become more beautiful. They have participated in school musicals, taken swimming lesson and loved children's church and Pastor Corey. But they never forget the garden that they call home--Moldova.
Will you continue to pray for our children, Elissa, Natalie and Lauren? Pray for constant change and adjustment. Pray for final good-byes in the next months with their new friends here. Pray that they'd continue to grow and become all God wants them to be.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
A Reason to Pray
The other day I saw an ad for the movie, "Amazing Grace", which opens in theaters on February 23. I can't wait for the movie because it is the story of William Wilberforce, the abolitionist who brought the end of slavery in England 200 years ago. I love his story.
But more than his story, which is a great part of history, the movie is bringing awareness to slavery today. The movie's website (www.amazinggracemovie.com) has many links to groups and individuals that are working to stop slavery today. Trafficking in persons is modern day slavery.
As I clicked to different links last night, I read the story of Nadia, a real woman from Moldova, who was trafficked to Serbia. The story left me somber. The story once again made me realize that we have such a work to do. So many woman need to know that once again they can have hope for the rest of their life and that this hope comes through Jesus Christ.
So below is the link to the page where you can read Nadia's story. Please read it and remember to pray for us as we begin this critical ministry to women in Moldova.
Click here.
But more than his story, which is a great part of history, the movie is bringing awareness to slavery today. The movie's website (www.amazinggracemovie.com) has many links to groups and individuals that are working to stop slavery today. Trafficking in persons is modern day slavery.
As I clicked to different links last night, I read the story of Nadia, a real woman from Moldova, who was trafficked to Serbia. The story left me somber. The story once again made me realize that we have such a work to do. So many woman need to know that once again they can have hope for the rest of their life and that this hope comes through Jesus Christ.
So below is the link to the page where you can read Nadia's story. Please read it and remember to pray for us as we begin this critical ministry to women in Moldova.
Click here.
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