Galatians 6 1:3
1BRETHREN, IF any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also.
2Bear (endure, carry) one another's burdens and [a]troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete [b]what is lacking [in your obedience to it].
3For if any person thinks himself to be somebody [too important to condescend to shoulder another's load] when he is nobody [of superiority except in his own estimation], he deceives and deludes and cheats himself.
Today was good. but I had to have myself a good cry. I was feeling homesick and then frustrated with ASIA culture clash has to happen to everyone at some point. grrr.
But the cry was because I heard a girl's story today. and She is dyslexic, she is now 27 or so... She failed 1st grade 2 times and her father took her head and slammed it in the table repeatedly and saying "You are so stupid, you are so so stupid. You are so stupid." And he pulled her out of school. She had a abusive family and was told "go get money to bring in to the family, do whatever you have to do" implying prostitution. That is the beginning of her story ... I think more abuse was to fallow.. she ended up in prostitution... but present day she is at the Project where she is tryign to leave that life and working and learning about the Lord. I am leaving out tons. but... anyways. It just hit me so hard. That poor girl... and how I struggled in school, how it felt. But I had a mom that was my advocate and helped me. How it feels to struggle... and feel like you can't do it. For her to grow up and think she is unloved. It just hit me in such a personal space today. I can't convey the words. The missionaries at the center said they banned the words "I can't".
We all have those moments where it clicks.... a piece of the pain someone is in or has walked through. I think God allows that, as a gift. I have to assume God does this on purpose. The verse in Galatians came to mind. To bear one anothers' burdens.
I have been helping get some graphics together for the Ministry. One of the lines in their brochure is - "Little girls don't dream of growing up and becoming a prostitute. Many are abused and desperate looking for work." I don't' know that I consciously thought about the path one might take to arrive in such a life before this trip. But I know Streams in the Desert are working amongst hard situations, restoration of broken lives is no fast process.
The amazing part is that these women are seeing their lives changed by Christ. I have heard over and over "Her life is completely different now!" They tell me their testimonies, and one was saying I was searching for peace, my life was awful. NOW I have peace. They are still learning, as we all are... but you can see when they speak of their new found peace, it is tangible. It is so yummy. The goodness of OUR God. In land of Buddhism. Yet peace is found in the saving grace of Christ. It is an amazing thing to see, hear and feel. Good night to all.
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