SUMMER PART 1

From May 11 to June 22, I will be living in Bangalore, India and Vasco de Gama, Goa, working for an organization called RR to serve and empower victims of sex-trafficking. During the six weeks, I will be teaching baking classes as well as administering lessons on health and nutrition, hoping to provide a loving space for learning, healing, and preparation for these women and their futures.

SUMMER PART 2

From June 30 to July 19, I will be serving at a mission hospital in Kapsowar, Kenya,with my family. For the three weeks we are there, I will be spending most of my time working in the hospital, but also making several visits to Kapchesewes orphanage to spend time with the 35 children who live there.

The Hydrangea

The Hydrangea
The hydrangea flower is a symbol of friendship, devotion, and understanding...and some say it represents all heartfelt and sincere emotions. My hope is to authentically love and sincerely serve the women in Bangalore, that friendships grounded in comfort and consolation would flourish over the six weeks. My hope is that the women I am serving in India would be filled with an abundance of hope...that despite the pain and brokenness and suffering of their past, that each one would know that they are absolutely beautiful and pure in God's sight, that they have worth and value that is beyond their wildest dreams, that they have the power to live new lives and be freed from the horror of their pasts. My heart longs to serve these women in a way that will empower them to bloom from roots of compassion and stems of courage, flourishing with hope for their futures.

Monday, May 10, 2010

"Let your heart take courage."

"I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD...Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage." Psalm 27: 13-14

My heart has been trembling for the past 24 hours: I am going tomorrow. To India. For 6 weeks. Fear has been trying to seep into my spirit, and I've been trying desperately to bolt the doors of my heart, praying against despair. I keep coming back to the Mercy Me Song, "Where you lead me, I will follow, forever and a day" and I'm trying to make this lyric my own, but my eyes keep welling up with tears. The beautiful thing about Psalm 27 is that it doesn't say anything about me doing anything courageous or digging inside my weak self to find some sort of boldness- No. Instead, my heart takes courage in waiting--- in resting, following His command in Psalm 46:10 to "Be still and know that I am God." While I am weak, He is strong. When I am scared, He is standing beside me with His arms open wide, waiting for me to run under His wing and rest. When I cannot (which is pretty much always), He can.

ELW
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)