Skip to main content

My heart is full. | Hope for the broken.

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.

Popular posts from this blog

Small moments that mean a lot

Walking home on the crunchy snow that lights up a December evening,  I felt so thankful. The revelation that fellowship and being together is the best gift you can give someone, and realising that although it might seem small, it can turn into something big when a person feels seen and valued.  Yesterday I helped out with a crafts workshop for a group of lovely women volunteering for Crux where I worked before (well, in all honesty: they were making angels while I ate Christmas cookies, Quality Street chocolate, and chatted). I love walking alongside people in conversation, and realise sharing life for 2 hours can last so much longer in value and experience.  This evening we had our Christmas dinner for volunteers and people who are part of my current job. It was a delightful evening with many nations gathered around the same table…. eating the same food… and for a few hours creating a small fellowship moment that will become a good memory for the future. Often in my job ...

Tired.

Today I've been really really tired all day. I guess it's part of life and also part of getting ready to leave. Today I dragged myself out of bed, and had a cup of tea to get going. And when the mum we were taking to see her son in prison wasn't in, the morning went doing bits and pieces. This afternoon we were at the bussterminal to see the streetkids. It was a good time I guess, but the group of kids there at the moment are really just so lost. Totally drugged, dirty, and don't really care about anything. It's like they've lost all innocence. When I got back I looked through a few past reports getting them ready to do the monthly overview of the kids we've met this month. I felt really sad. One kid said her dream was that her mum would stop drinking, another girl told of a stepfather who molested her and her sisters, and another boy told of how his dad would hit his sister. And I am left with the question of: where is the hope and future for these kids? So...

What moves a person’s heart?

As we started to sing the Norwegian Christmas song “Mitt hjerte alltid vanker i Jesu føderom” (translation: My heart it always wanders in Jesus’ birthplace”), they took the initiative to stand up and take each others hands. It’s was a powerful moment, and I think that at that point there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Singing of finding home and the blessed Christmas night , a place of such hope and peace and freedom, moved us all. It caught me off guard and I hadn’t expected such vulnerability from these women. Many of them live with a wall built around their hearts as protection from a life which they have experienced as far from safe and kind. Now they find themselves literally behind bars, and yet behind the tough exteriors, are hearts that are still capable of being moved. Moved by being literally overwhelmed by presents and love and the message of value and hope. Moved to maybe, just maybe, believe that they are worth more than what life has communicated to them so far. ...