Orphans of God

Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged. To be honest, we have been seeing, and doing so much and I've been having so many thoughts that I haven't known what to say on here. The first few days we were here we were waking up 6,7,8 o'clock in the morning ready to go. Lately, there have been a few mornings where it has been so difficult to pull ourselves from bed. We were talking with Bonita and she was saying not to underestimate the emotional toll this is taking on us. To make sure we're listening to our bodies and getting rest. Please pray for all of us to have strength from day to day. Some days I feel like I am just trying to process everything that is happening here; God is revealing new things to me everyday. I am changing. I feel less and less asleep. Made of different stuff than when I began here. I thank Jesus for the lack of distractions here when I do have those quiet times with Him. It's been beautiful, and something I have come to cherish. I am loving the conversations with Him, and His everyday renewal of inner strength, peace, and ever growing love and affection for the girls here.

We began going into the bars last week. The first time I went I was with Bonita, the second with Janette. I had so many thoughts running through my head and was just praying the whole way to the bars. I am not going to go into detail of what we saw while there, because I do not feel it necessary. But going from bar to bar, seeing the girls, all I could think of was Jesus knows all of these girls individually by name. He knows the number of hairs on their heads (Matthew 10:30). He loves them. The girls there are precious. They greet you with a smile and talk to you what little they can. We are able to laugh with them and share joy with them even though it may only be for a short while. Please continue praying that the relationships we are building with the girls in the bars will continue to grow and blossom, through Beginnings, even after we leave here. More often than not, the girls in the bars will tell you that they do not like their job. Some say the men are mean, or that nothing comes from the heart. But they have to make money for their family. Honor to family here is so important that to leave their jobs and not support their family is going completely against everything they have been taught in their culture. It's such an inner struggle and battle for them. "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." - 1 John 4:4.

I miss everyone back home, but am not ready to leave the girls here. It's amazing how in such a short time, you come to care about them so much. They are beautiful, and worthy of so much love. I could say so much more right now, but I'll just leave you with one last thing. Janette shared a song with me the other night called Orphans of God. Being a huge Avalon fan, I don't know how I never heard this before, and now I cannot stop listening to it. But the lyrics are beautiful and speak to the truth of God's grace...

Who here among us has not been broken
Who here among us is without guilt or pain
So oft’ abandoned by our transgressions
If such a thing as grace exists
Then grace was made for lives like this

There are no strangers
There are no outcasts
There are no orphans of God
So many fallen, but hallelujah
There are no orphans of God

Come ye unwanted and find affection
Come all ye weary, come and lay down your head
Come ye unworthy, you are my brother
If such a thing as grace exists
Then grace was made for lives like this

O blessed Father, look down upon us
We are Your children, we need Your love
We run before Your throne of mercy
And seek Your face to rise above 

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." - Revelation 21:4

Praise you Lord.