An Empty stage

Masha* came back last week. Masha ran away last week. Masha came back last week.

That is how some weeks go. This week is an emotional roller coaster. Every time I promise that if she runs away again, we won't take her back. But we do. She's desperate for help and doesn't know what to do.

Today another girl disappeared. We know where she is. She is with a friend. We spent about half hour at dusk trying to find her, visiting with neighbors of the friend, hoping to find her. She did not want to be found. We'll find her in the morning.

Rebecca G had been in Moldova working with the girls when Masha returned. When I wrote her that Masha had run away, this is what she wrote to me:

"I'm not surprised, but saddened over Masha. What a beautiful,
potential-filled young woman...but a fragmented result of her abuse. I
probably mentioned to you that during art time she painted the past so
graphically, but she could not picture the present or the future. In fact,
her future painting was like a mini-stage with grass on the bottom and a sun
in the corner and nothing on the stage. Like she knew it could/should be
good, but she could not even imagine what life might look like. The fact
that her brain could not fathom present or future, only what she knew that
had been imposed upon her".

This is where most of our girls are at, and this is why our days are filled with so many ups and downs. Most of them can picture the past so vividly, but cannot dream of a bright and beautiful future.

We often hear it said that "you can take the girl from the brothel, but you can't take the brothel from the girl". That is something only Jesus can do. Pray that God will deliver them from the bondage they still live in. Pray that they can see hope for a new future.

Will you please pray for our girls at the Home of Hope? We feel that right now we are in an intense battle for them. We know they are changing, but we need to see them truly be delivered and changed by God.

Please pray that God would take their brokenness and give them a hope for a bright new future. Please pray that they can see that God is making all things new.