My heart is full. It's funny how even if you change where you live and the people you work with, your heart remains the same. And today was yet another reminder of that. We just got back from visiting an amazing ministry in this city called "Project Purpose". It focuses on reaching out to women in prostitution, their children, preventing prostition, and the area of human trafficking. And yet their main focus is Jesus. The fact that He brings freedom and restoration and that lives truly can be transformed, and they are.
It was heart-breaking to hear the reality of the women on the streets in this place. Heart-breaking to hear a little bit of the horrors some of them go through. Heart-breaking to hear of how young children sell their bodies for a can of coke and some bread. Hearing only a tiny fragment of this reality is more than enough to make anyone loose hope in there ever being change. The web of prostitution and human trafficking is so great and seemingly impossible to tear down.
BUT GOD.
God is so much greater, and our time with the founder of the project was spent mostly talking about what God does. How He heals the broken hearted and abused, how He restores families and innocence, how He will rescue those who are trapped in darkness. He is mighty and powerful and bringing life is what He does! I was so moved by the story of one girl who was able to forgive her abuser, and when asked about feelings of anger and hatred, her response was simply "I have forgiven him." Despite probing and rephrasing the question, the answer remained the same. Forgiveness has truly set her free. I wonder what the world would look like if we all really alked in forgiveness as part of life, and truly chose to not let people who have wounded us contintue to have a hold on us.
The project is so healthy, focusing not only on rescuing women and children and meeting them on the streets, but also looking further. Looking at how to prevent the children of those in prostitution from ending up the same place, and helping family units together, and ultimately having children re-integrated back into their families and communities. And yet at the same time providing holistic care for the street children coming off the streets by tackling all their needs; physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. And a really encouraging part was hearing about the large team of righteous Mozambican men who are part of the team and who are taking a stand to see justice come in this area.
It was a true privilege to get to visit this project and my heart is so stirred. Stirred up with the passion God has given me to see broken women restored and encounter the love and freedom in Jesus. And also stirred to pray for all those who have not yet found freedom, while thanking God for projects and people like the ones I got to know today, who are giving their lives that each one of these women might encounter the God who is hope.
In the evening at the Iris ministry base it was "children's church"; a church service aimed at being appropriate for the children to also participate. Being there and seeing the children laugh and dance and sing, and sitting together with a sweet girl who shares my name, was very very good. It reaffirmed and reminded me yet again, that even those who have been found in the deepest, darkest pit have hope and future.