"seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:17 NRSV)
This past weekend I was privileged to participate in the International Justice Mission's Global Prayer Gathering in the Washington, D.C. area. Here is a brief story of how I became connected with this wonderful human rights organization...
In 2007, we began our adoption journey out of a response to God's command to care for orphans as well as our desire to grow our family. We wrestled in prayer over where and how many. For a multitude of reasons, we felt affirmed in the call to adopt from the country of Ukraine. The statistics are heartbreaking. Some estimate that 60% of Ukrainian orphaned girls end up in prostitution, often targeted by sex trafficking rings... the promise of a good job or better life. Approximately 70% of Ukrainian orphaned boys end up in a life of crime, die young from a violent lifestyle and/or spend time in prison where cases of TB are rampant. This seemingly distant reality of human trafficking began to get a little more personal....
The work of IJM was introduced to me by a friend the beginning of 2008. Although, at the time, it still seemed distant... other comings and goings of life were more tangible... if you will. Later in 2008, I came face to face with that seemingly distant reality. I was invited by a dear friend to travel as her research partner to SE Asia. The goal was to develop curriculum that would equip national church leaders with a biblical worldview of self for vulnerable children... being created in the image of God... While in Cambodia, we were able to meet with several NGO's about their work in the trenches against sex trafficking. We met with some IJM staff and were greatly encouraged by their efforts, as well as strategy... a model that works. They focus on four areas: victim relief, perpetrator accountability, structural prevention and victim aftercare. (Please visit their website to learn more and discover ways to get involved: www.ijm.org)
In 2009, I was able to attend IJM's Global Prayer Gathering. Wow. It was intense. Glory to God. It is a beautiful thing to gather with the body of believers to do battle on your knees. God's presence was thick in our midst as we offered praise for the work He had done and petitioned God for the rescue of those who are being oppressed around the world. I left the weekend broken, yet filled up.... full of hope in the One who is mighty to save. Five days later we received our call to get to Ukraine as soon as possible (ha ha... typically you get a month's warning, but we had only a couple days!).
One year later this past weekend, I was back for the 2010 Global Prayer Gathering. This time with the faces of my children to further personalize it. The thought of my five year old daughter (or any of my children) being victimized by the 3rd largest criminal enterprise in the world is absolutely devastating...
For some, including myself, the extent of feeling 'trauma' was being the recipient of a heated lecture by a worn out and stressed police officer over the failure to yield to a no u-turn sign because it had been knocked over or was hidden from your sight by a large SUV! That happened to me over a decade ago and I'm still bothered by it. But, I don't know trauma! Trauma is having your mother sell you as a 5 year old to a man who believes sex with a virgin will cure his HIV status and afford your family the karaoke machine they've always wanted... then return home the morning after as if nothing happened... a week later, undergoing a surgery to reverse the effects in order to be sold again as with virgin status.... Our God wants injustice to stop. God's desire for justice is not a new idea, it is a biblical mandate that God's people have always been expected to follow (Isaiah 1:17; 58; Matthew 23:23...). Help me, Lord, to follow you...
I began the weekend confessing great need. Here is some of what I wrote in my journal: "Heavenly Father, You know my deepest need... I need You to fill me up... I've run on low and even feel about down to empty here recently... I need You, Lord, to speak truth, clearly, grant discernment... Lord, I want to walk in Your ways, ever close to You in Your Word and amidst the lost and hurting and dying... Speak to me this weekend."
The primary text for the weekend's plenary sessions was Psalm 23. Verse 3 particularly resonated with me friday evening:
"He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."
God's presence was evident in our midst... I wish I could share all the ways in which God moved this weekend, clarified some personal things, or take time to compose a call to action but this would no longer bear the title "brief reflections" (probably too late for that anyways:)... not to mention, the fact there isn't enough time in my day at present to write a book. :) So, with that being said, just one more confession... Here is the theme passage that God led me to for the weekend (and I continue to wrestle with today)...
"if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." (Isaiah 58:10-11 ESV)
May God's light rise in the darkness as we pour ourselves out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted for HIS Name's sake!
There will be more reflections to come. Please join me in praying for God's guidance to know Him and make Him known with urgency...
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