As I got ready for the day I was expecting to sit here at the end of it feeling heavy and overwhelmed by the reality of Human Trafficking here in Moldova. Instead I find myself processing the day and realizing that the main thing I come away with is a deep sense of hope.
We visited two projects today that work with people at risk of or rescued from human trafficking. I was so impacted by what God is doing in this nation in this area. Talking to the leaders of these projects and hearing the vision and what they are doing, and even more what God is doing, I was so encouraged.
At “Beginning of Life” we spent some hours just meeting and sharing with Vladimir, the director of the project. He shared some of the reality of human trafficking in his nation, but more about how the doors are wide open to do prevention work in the schools of the nation, and how teenagers come and do a year-long weekly project where they are “prepared for success”. And he shared how in their restoration home for trafficked women, the girls have been encountering Jesus and share with each other that even if they can’t say where God was when the abuse happened, they know where He is now. There was so much more we discussed and talked about in our time meeting, but I am still processing and dwelling on hope!
At the other project we met with a committed group of staff who are pouring out their lives to see girls restored and have become like family to them. It was another ray of hope in this country with so much hopelessness, and again we left feeling encouraged at what God is doing and how His people have chosen to partner with His heart for those who have been forgotten by so many.
And so I sit here with hope! Seeing that God hasn’t lost hope for this nation. Hope, because there are amazing people here who aren’t just passionate about justice and seeing injustice end, but who are passionate that Jesus be made known in the midst of their projects which carry such amazing excellence and professionalism.
And I find I’m still processing. Processing the new things I learnt and the heart of God that I’ve connected with through seeing His heart in these workers. And processing how I turn this day into more than just an “experience”, but asking how I can be putting what I learnt into practice in my sphere of influence and authority.
Tomorrow morning we travel 3 hours by bus to a village to get more insight into what Moldova is. I am excited and realize that processing this trip is going to take more than a few evenings of blogging.