REDEMPTION

Most of the time, we don't get to see the fruits of our labor. Often times we are given the chance to plant the seed but never see it come to fruition.

Being on the mission field is often that way too. Many times when we pour ourselves into a person sharing the love of Christ, feeding them spiritually and physically, holding their hands, sharing His word-and yet never know what happens in the end. And that is okay.

Yet sometimes there are the precious glimpses that God does allow us to see~

And it completely blows you away...

(Rose being read a letter that someone on a team wrote to her)

Many of you have followed Rosa's story and many of you have told me time and time again how much you have been praying for her. I cannot tell you how much that means to us- and to her. To know that a complete stranger is going to the Lord on your behalf is priceless. To know that someone out there cares, someone who you may never meet on this side of heaven cares enough about you to bring it to the Lord is a beautiful thing.

(Rose outside her home)

While there are parts of Rosas story will never be shared on this blog there are some things that she is comfortable with me sharing.  While I believe with all of my heart that our partners deserve to be informed of the work that is being done here through their partnership- our main priority is to protect those we serve-and not exploit them. That is a very fine line we walk and I pray that we do it well.

 (Rose eating a meal at Village of Hope)

What I can tell you though is that in Rosa's story I see many of us. I see humans who are starving-for the love of Christ. Humans who are hurting, desperate, running, scared, alone, abused, seeking, sick, lost and hopeless.

Humans who are just waiting for someone to stop and care, to stop judging, to stop looking down on them and to try to just understand.

They are waiting- for someone to stop and BE Jesus.

 

And yet often times we are too busy with our own life, our own fears, our own hurt, our own desires, our own wants... that we miss the opportunity to be Jesus to another.

I praise God that He allowed us and our partners to be a part of her story. And even in the times when I confess I didn't always feel like I had the extra time, the extra resources- He still made a way.

I thank God for allowing us to plant the seed, to hold the hand, to feed her spiritually and physically. I thank God He allowed us to simply love.

I thank God for those of you who prayed. For those of you who gave, those of you who came and served, for those of you who cared.

I thank God for children's home like Village of Hope and Casa Shalom who came together for HIS glory to do the work He calls us to do.

(Rosa being baptized at church)

What I want you to know is that this isn't just another Cinderella story.

This is a GOD STORY.

These pictures are not just about cleaning someone up and putting them in a pretty dress. And they are not necessarily about happily ever after... because often times we will carry our scars for the rest of our lives here on earth.

They are about HEART, they are about HOPE and they are about HIM.

THIS is REDEMPTION.

(Rosa before being rescued and Rosa at her quincieñera)