Two hundred and eleven days in the desert, one thousand five hundred and three miles to travel. Freezing temperatures, ice, and snow to endure. I am exhausted, yet I tell myself, “Just make it home Lauren, just make it home.” One day until arrival…
Well half a year is over and that means half my internship is done. Who would have thought six months would transform my life more than any other time in my twenty-three years of existence? I knew I would face spiritual warfare, but I did not know it would be so deceiving. I knew I would not know a single soul, but I did not expect it to be so lonely at times. I knew money would be scarce, but I did not expect God to provide in countless ways.
I knew God wanted to teach me life lessons, but I had no idea it would mean my life being stripped of everything. I knew I came down here to serve the girls, but I had no idea I would first need to taste true humility by being served by you, the people who pray for me and support me financially. I knew I could not do this on my own, but I had no idea God would break me of my stubborn independence and instruct me to trust and be dependent on others in a God honoring way.
I knew I came down here to love the girls, but I had no idea God was going to tenderly rip all control from me and teach me what it feels like to be loved for who I am and not for what I do. I had no idea… no idea what the FULLNESS of Christ honestly looks like. But today I believe I am well on my way to seeing His fullness come into full fruition in my life.
I can honestly say that I am trusting God and holding on for the ride of a lifetime. The funny thing is that I know it is only the beginning. But no matter how many times I want to surrender, no matter how many times I feel like I am not going to make it, I know this one thing- I am held by my Father. I am right where He wants me and that makes the sacrifice worth it all.
CCV Update:
Every Thursday I am serving at Christ’s Church of the Valley in the mission department. In the next few months I will be helping plan a trip to Cambodia to serve at the Rapha House in March . I am also starting the paperwork to begin ministering at a women’s prison while in Arizona . I will help lead a church service with these ladies 2-4 times a month. God continues to burden my heart for the prison, victims of sex slavery, and for prayer. I continue to strive to be faithful in whatever ways I can. Please continue to pray for me.
StreetLight Update:
Since early November I have been serving as the office manager at StreetLight . I continue to work with our director of human resources along with the director of volunteers, while also teaming up with the director of operations. This partnership with the director of operations is an answer to prayer, as I desire to learn from her since I might open another StreetLight in the future.
God continues to bring the final puzzle pieces together for StreetLight as we hired our last paid staff member, the director of residential services, two weeks ago. We also have our final inspection next week. After passing this inspection we plan to open in January. It has been a difficult journey, but God continues to provide the courage and perseverance needed. We have been hit hard time and time again. Countless times it would appear that we were not going to survive, but this is God’s work and thus we know we will prevail!
Life Update:
The hardest hit happened two weeks ago. As an eighteen-year-old girl stuck in child sex trafficking since she was sixteen died. (Speculations still surround her death.) Her funeral was devastating, yet impelling. Would her future have been different had StreetLight been open? Pain and questions surrounded me as I watched her family grieve; yet I knew her death would not be in vain. Her death would forever change me and would spur me on in my fight. Her life would be an example of the triumphal tragedy that echoed through the life of my Jesus. For this triumph I press on…
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Immanuel. God with us, not me with God. You see I was unable to get to God, but He came to get to me. He came into this dark, sinful world and suffered. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined” (Isaiah 9:2). And the only reason He was triumphant was because He endured tragedy. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18a).
Christ suffered to bring us to God, yet the darkness has not understood. Because I stand as a child of faith in that Great Light, the darkness will not overcome me. This is why I know I will persevere to make it home tomorrow. This is why I know StreetLight will open. This world is full of darkness… but get ready world, StreetLight is about to shine. The darkness better start running.
You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
Merry Christmas! May you remember that triumph comes after tragedy. Hope came into the world on Christmas day, cling to it.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
September Survival...
Life can be hard.
People lose jobs. Trust is broken. Disunity exists. Suicide is desired. Money is scarce. Loved ones die. Friends are lost. Sickness consumes. Hope is shattered.
BUT...
Our God NEVER changes and neither does our position in Him.
September has proven to be Hell for many family members and friends, as all of the above is true in several lives. However, through it all, God is faithful. Although conditions in life change, those conditions do not impact the position we have in Christ.
We are His children (Romans 8:16). We are accepted (Romans 5:16). We are forgiven (1 John 2:12). We are not inadequate, but complete (Colossians 2:10).
"My position in Christ is not dependent upon my condition."
Although the storm rages in life, God is still God. Peace is found in Him and in Him alone. In this peace I choose to live. What about you?
"Sometimes God chooses to calm the storm. At other times God chooses to calm His child as the storm rages on."
CCV Update:
Pastor Don announced, "Outreach Magazine has listed CCV as the 16th largest church in America and the 26th fastest growing church in America for 2010." Praise the Lord, the lost are being found! Go to our website and check out the neighborhood ministry blog to learn more!(www.ccvneighborhoods.typepad.com)
StreetLight Update:
13... That is correct, thirteen is the average age of entry into sex-trafficking (brandedphx.com). Fifteen to seventeen is the average age of a minor held in prostitution (Phoenix Vice). Sickening is it not?
Join us in the fight! Become a modern day abolitionist buy signing up on our website to contribute $13 a month.(www.streetlightphx.com)
Unlike other non-profits, StreetLight exists through the church. The church is our base, supplying workers and finances, and most importantly a safe and supportive community for the girls when they leave StreetLight. Sixty-seven churches have come together to support us as of today and 320 volunteers are in our database! Please continue to pray for God to raise up workers both here and all across our world!
May God bless you and keep you. Love and miss you all!
People lose jobs. Trust is broken. Disunity exists. Suicide is desired. Money is scarce. Loved ones die. Friends are lost. Sickness consumes. Hope is shattered.
BUT...
Our God NEVER changes and neither does our position in Him.
September has proven to be Hell for many family members and friends, as all of the above is true in several lives. However, through it all, God is faithful. Although conditions in life change, those conditions do not impact the position we have in Christ.
We are His children (Romans 8:16). We are accepted (Romans 5:16). We are forgiven (1 John 2:12). We are not inadequate, but complete (Colossians 2:10).
"My position in Christ is not dependent upon my condition."
Although the storm rages in life, God is still God. Peace is found in Him and in Him alone. In this peace I choose to live. What about you?
"Sometimes God chooses to calm the storm. At other times God chooses to calm His child as the storm rages on."
CCV Update:
Pastor Don announced, "Outreach Magazine has listed CCV as the 16th largest church in America and the 26th fastest growing church in America for 2010." Praise the Lord, the lost are being found! Go to our website and check out the neighborhood ministry blog to learn more!(www.ccvneighborhoods.typepad.com)
StreetLight Update:
13... That is correct, thirteen is the average age of entry into sex-trafficking (brandedphx.com). Fifteen to seventeen is the average age of a minor held in prostitution (Phoenix Vice). Sickening is it not?
Join us in the fight! Become a modern day abolitionist buy signing up on our website to contribute $13 a month.(www.streetlightphx.com)
Unlike other non-profits, StreetLight exists through the church. The church is our base, supplying workers and finances, and most importantly a safe and supportive community for the girls when they leave StreetLight. Sixty-seven churches have come together to support us as of today and 320 volunteers are in our database! Please continue to pray for God to raise up workers both here and all across our world!
May God bless you and keep you. Love and miss you all!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
My Story
HOPELESSNESS. It is EVERYWHERE.
So where can HOPE be found in this fallen, dark world?
The answer: God's people... Christ's Church.
Today I do not want to spend my time talking about me; call me if you want that stuff. Instead, I want to tell you what God is doing here in Phoenix through His people. So here it is, Our Story...
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,
They will raise up the former devastations;
And they will repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
Isaiah 61:1-4
CCV
Christ's Church of the Valley continues to impact the Phoenix Valley for Christ with a united vision to win the ENTIRE valley to Christ Jesus. Big dream huh? And with over 4 million people in the valley, each barricaded into his own home with a wall for a fence, that is quite a daunting task. So just how in the world do we plan to accomplish this goal? Simple... PASSION
CCV staff and volunteers have dedicated themselves to being consistent and passionate in all they say and do. Passion catches the eye and impacts the heart; passion stands out in the crowd. And passion is what people long to feel in life. The spread of the Good News can never be stopped with an army of followers who are passionate about the One they are serving.
So starting this weekend Christ's Church of the Valley will start a new sermon series called Heros. "The Bible mentions dozens of people who thought they were like everyone else...until they realized they had incredible God-given abilities." This 10-week series will examine the lives of ten ordinary people and how they used their extraordinary power for good. Remember, these stories are real; they truly happened. People's stories today can be just as amazing... all they need is PASSION!!
It is also Kickoff time! Neighborhood ministry is kicking off this fall and consists of neighbors meeting together in small groups at different houses throughout the valley to discuss life and reach out to impact their own neighborhoods. Imagine small house churches all over the valley reaching out to be the hands and feet of Christ to their unchurched neighbors and you get the idea of neighborhood ministry. Beautiful huh?
StreetLight
StreetLight... Bringing hope to the hopeless and proclaiming liberty to the captives. The following is a small glimpse at the demographics of the young victims StreetLight will be housing and seeking to restore in the next few months.
No name. No specific skin color. No distinguishing socio-economic status. No choice. Predators target and attack any child whom they can hold captive with mental and physical chains; the one and only thing defining the children- young, vulnerable age.
“Approximately 55% of girls ‘on the street’ engage in formal prostitution and the average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution is 12-14 years old.” Some are even as disgustingly young as ages five or six. These children are expected to serve anywhere between two and thirty clients per week. This devastating number leads to an even more staggering count of anywhere between 100 to 1500 clients per year, per child. Almost too appalling to conceive are the suffering lives of these child victims.
“Living conditions are poor and meals are inadequate and irregular. Many children that fail to earn enough money are punished severely, often through beatings and starvation. Sadly, drug use and suicide are all too common for victims of child sexual exploitation.” Due to this harsh treatment, many victims suffer from tuberculosis, exhaustion, and infections. Medical treatment is rarely received, until seriously or terminally ill, while venereal diseases run rampant. Fear, depression, low self-esteem, and hopelessness claim their little lives.
Immunity to the threat of this injustice exists for no child. Child-prostitution is not a choice, it is a crime. And it is a crime directly hitting the borders of Arizona. Therefore, Arizona now stands at the front lines of this gruesome war, battling for justice. One Vice Officer from the Phoenix Police Department stated, “The Phoenix Vice Squad Department spends as much as 40 percent of its work combating juvenile prostitution.”
Victims of child sex-slavery are seen only as prostitutes on the streets, but this is not the truth. These victims are children. And these children DO have names. And each one deserves to be called by that name…
_____________________________________________
Quotes and information taken from the following:
Smith, Linda A., Vardaman, Samantha H., and Snow, Melissa. The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America’s Prostituted Children. Shared Hope International, 2009. U.S.A., pg 16.
http://www.maricopacountyattorney.org/DOCUMENTS/Annual_Reports/2008.pdf.
http://www.maricopacountyattorney.org/DOCUMENTS/Annual_Reports/2008.pdf.
http://www.crisisaid.org/ICAPDF/Trafficking/traffickstats.pdf.
http://www.justice.gov/criminal/ceos/sextour.html.
http://www.brandedphx.com/learn-more/quotes/.
_____________________________________________
This world is dark, cold, and broken. But God gave us the HOPE of the world- JESUS. What will we do with that hope? Whom will we reach out to help today?
"Greatness is not a matter of circumstance, it is a matter of discipline and choice." - Jim Collins
Let's go do great things!
So where can HOPE be found in this fallen, dark world?
The answer: God's people... Christ's Church.
Today I do not want to spend my time talking about me; call me if you want that stuff. Instead, I want to tell you what God is doing here in Phoenix through His people. So here it is, Our Story...
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,
They will raise up the former devastations;
And they will repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
Isaiah 61:1-4
CCV
Christ's Church of the Valley continues to impact the Phoenix Valley for Christ with a united vision to win the ENTIRE valley to Christ Jesus. Big dream huh? And with over 4 million people in the valley, each barricaded into his own home with a wall for a fence, that is quite a daunting task. So just how in the world do we plan to accomplish this goal? Simple... PASSION
CCV staff and volunteers have dedicated themselves to being consistent and passionate in all they say and do. Passion catches the eye and impacts the heart; passion stands out in the crowd. And passion is what people long to feel in life. The spread of the Good News can never be stopped with an army of followers who are passionate about the One they are serving.
So starting this weekend Christ's Church of the Valley will start a new sermon series called Heros. "The Bible mentions dozens of people who thought they were like everyone else...until they realized they had incredible God-given abilities." This 10-week series will examine the lives of ten ordinary people and how they used their extraordinary power for good. Remember, these stories are real; they truly happened. People's stories today can be just as amazing... all they need is PASSION!!
It is also Kickoff time! Neighborhood ministry is kicking off this fall and consists of neighbors meeting together in small groups at different houses throughout the valley to discuss life and reach out to impact their own neighborhoods. Imagine small house churches all over the valley reaching out to be the hands and feet of Christ to their unchurched neighbors and you get the idea of neighborhood ministry. Beautiful huh?
StreetLight
StreetLight... Bringing hope to the hopeless and proclaiming liberty to the captives. The following is a small glimpse at the demographics of the young victims StreetLight will be housing and seeking to restore in the next few months.
No name. No specific skin color. No distinguishing socio-economic status. No choice. Predators target and attack any child whom they can hold captive with mental and physical chains; the one and only thing defining the children- young, vulnerable age.
“Approximately 55% of girls ‘on the street’ engage in formal prostitution and the average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution is 12-14 years old.” Some are even as disgustingly young as ages five or six. These children are expected to serve anywhere between two and thirty clients per week. This devastating number leads to an even more staggering count of anywhere between 100 to 1500 clients per year, per child. Almost too appalling to conceive are the suffering lives of these child victims.
“Living conditions are poor and meals are inadequate and irregular. Many children that fail to earn enough money are punished severely, often through beatings and starvation. Sadly, drug use and suicide are all too common for victims of child sexual exploitation.” Due to this harsh treatment, many victims suffer from tuberculosis, exhaustion, and infections. Medical treatment is rarely received, until seriously or terminally ill, while venereal diseases run rampant. Fear, depression, low self-esteem, and hopelessness claim their little lives.
Immunity to the threat of this injustice exists for no child. Child-prostitution is not a choice, it is a crime. And it is a crime directly hitting the borders of Arizona. Therefore, Arizona now stands at the front lines of this gruesome war, battling for justice. One Vice Officer from the Phoenix Police Department stated, “The Phoenix Vice Squad Department spends as much as 40 percent of its work combating juvenile prostitution.”
Victims of child sex-slavery are seen only as prostitutes on the streets, but this is not the truth. These victims are children. And these children DO have names. And each one deserves to be called by that name…
_____________________________________________
Quotes and information taken from the following:
Smith, Linda A., Vardaman, Samantha H., and Snow, Melissa. The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America’s Prostituted Children. Shared Hope International, 2009. U.S.A., pg 16.
http://www.maricopacountyattorney.org/DOCUMENTS/Annual_Reports/2008.pdf.
http://www.maricopacountyattorney.org/DOCUMENTS/Annual_Reports/2008.pdf.
http://www.crisisaid.org/ICAPDF/Trafficking/traffickstats.pdf.
http://www.justice.gov/criminal/ceos/sextour.html.
http://www.brandedphx.com/learn-more/quotes/.
_____________________________________________
This world is dark, cold, and broken. But God gave us the HOPE of the world- JESUS. What will we do with that hope? Whom will we reach out to help today?
"Greatness is not a matter of circumstance, it is a matter of discipline and choice." - Jim Collins
Let's go do great things!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Oh Costa Rica...
Okay... maybe I don't want you all to hold me accountable to writing each week. ;) Just kidding, sorry about the wait! Here is a nice, long update.
Day 1- Sunday
- My lovely friends Lisa and Dane dropped me off at the Phoenix airport around 4:00.
- Met a young lady at the airport, named Jill, who was having a rough day. I was blessed to have good conversation with her, hopefully she was encouraged. I won't go into detail but please pray for her.
- Flight to Denver was delayed and I got to experience some wonderful turbulence.
- Met up with my wonderful gang- Tammy, Laurie, Chelsea, Kirstyn, Alicia, Becca, and Laura. It was such a blessing to see people that I know and love!!
- We prayed and then loaded the plane a little after midnight which would take us straight to Costa Rica. Let's just say we were all tired upon arrival, non of us are expert plane sleepers!
Day 2- Monday
- We arrived safely in Costa Rica and survived customs!
- Sunshine, the missionary we would stay with for the week, picked us up at the airport and away we went!
- We traveled to CFCI (Christ for the City International) and unloaded. Some took naps while others cleaned up. Laura and I went with Sunshine to fetch breakfast.
- Things I learned while fetching breakfast:
1.) Pedestrians do NOT ever have the right of way...
2.) Traffic does whatever it wants to whenever it wants to.
3.) Stealing is a way of life in Costa Rica, thus all homes have fences and
gates with barbed wire.
4.) You should not carry a purse, but if you do make sure you clutch it in
front of you.
5.) You walk everywhere in Costa Rica... and if we couldn't walk we would take
a bus or cab.
6.) Costa Rica is a machismo society (not sure if I spelled that correctly).
Men are able to have more than one woman but women are expected to stay
faithful to one man.
7.) You do not make eye contact with men nor do you say hello to everyone on
the streets. (This one was hard for me because I love meeting strangers,
thus I just felt like I was rude the whole time.)
- We ate breakfast and began orientation. Praise God for yummy fruit!
- For lunch we walked to a restaurant and introduced ourselves to Sunshine. To learn more about her, be sure to check out her blog which is called Beauty for Ashes.
- That night we ate supper with Sunshine's Tica mom. It was wonderful! (By the way, Costa Ricans are called Ticas and us Whities are called Gringos.) We ate great food and had some fantastic mora juice!
- Came back for one more orientation meeting before heading off to bed.
Day 3- Tuesday
- Another yummy breakfast
- Started up the mountain to Renacer.
- Unloaded all of our stuff at the house we would stay in for the week. Then we went to meet with some of the staff.
- At lunch we got to see the girls but were unable to sit with them because we showed up late from our meeting.
- After lunch we did introductions and then had our first two activities.
- Activities 1&2- I lead the activities with Sunshine doing the translating. We played a get-to-know you game with Starbursts and another one with clothespins. The girls had a great time laughing and running around.
- Cafe time! Costa Ricans always have a mid-afternoon snack, and we Gringos never complained. :)
- Back to cabin to plan for the evening and next day.
- Evening session. I spoke during this first session on the Grace and Calling of God. Our week was built upon 1 Peter 5:10 (go ahead, look it up!) After I was done, Kirstyn and Alicia spoke a little about cutting and after that we wrote in permanent marker "La Gracia" on the girls' arms and upon our own. ("La Gracia" means "Grace" in Spanish.)
- Then we gave hugs and started our short hike back to the house.
- We had our nightly group meeting and then headed off to bed. However this is when things started to get tricky...
- We were awakened a little after 3:00 AM to Alicia having a diabetic seizure. Praise God, Chelsea is a paramedic and was able to stabilize her.
Day 4- Wednesday
- Early wake up for me! (I was the only one with a working phone to tell time, after Sunshine's alarm clock met the floor one too many times, thus I usually got up first to wake the others.)
- Becca lead morning devotions with the girls.
- Breakfast!
- We then had a break (while the girls had group therapy) and did our quiet times, napped, or planned.
- Activity 1- We then gathered back together to teach the girls a new song- Jesus Loves Me, upbeat style! (I absolutely loved watching and listening to the girls as they would sing this out the entire week!!)
- Activity 2- Laura and Becca then lead us in a Spanish to English game.
- Lunch
- Activity 3- Chelsea taught us all how to watercolor paint for the next activity- she is stinkin' awesome!
- Activity 4- I believe Laurie then lead us in making bookmarks. The girls did an amazing job on these, such intricate detail and cool designs!
- Cafe! Tantalizing coffee for all of you ;)
- Free time (same as before)
- Dinner (Food usually consisted of rice and beans in some form...)
- Evening session. Kirstyn and Alicia spoke about Suffering and Restoration. They told their own testimonies and made it all to hit home for the girls. Powerful night. Re-wrote La Gracia.
- 3 of the team members had upset stomachs that day and sadly Laurie ended up not being able to go to the evening session because she felt sick.
- After the evening session we came back, had our group meeting, and went off to bed.
- That night we were awakened at 3:00 AM yet again, this time to Laura getting sick...
Day 5- Thursday
- Early wake up (usually 5:00 or 5:30)
- Chelsea did the morning Devotion
- Breakfast
- Quiet time/nap time/planning time
- Activity times 1&2- Talent Show Prep (dancin' time baby!)
- Lunch
- Activity 3- Laura, Becca, Alicia, and Kirstyn then lead the girls in learning Father Abraham. lol. We tried to learn it in Spanish too... oh buddy, watch out!
- Activity 4- I lead the group in making fun beaded bracelets.
- Cafe
- Free time (actually planning time)
- Dinner (P.S. Meal time was the BEST TIME with the girls! Hooray for food and fellowship!)
- Evening session- Laurie spoke about being made Strong, Firm, and Steadfast. She used the great example of an oak tree. Each girl was given a small acorn and reminded what they would become (a beautiful, strong oak) after the let God establish them.
- Group meeting... sleep.
- I woke up at 3:00 AM to Sunshine freaking out... it was a rat. Yep, the rat was in the house. However, we were glad he was the only intruder and that it was not someone trying to break into the house. After several minutes of me running around with a pan and Sunshine pushing things around to see if we could scare him out of hiding so I could capture him, we finally decided to call it quits. As we were doing so, we heard a beeping sound. It was Alicia's pump. She was low again. Thank goodness the rat woke us up this time...
Day 6- Friday
- Same old, same old... rise and shine!
- Laura lead devotions today
- Breakfast
- Meeting with Cindy (one of the directors) for Saturday's plans
- Activities 1&2- Chelsea taught about spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental health. Most entertaining health class I had ever taken!
- Lunch
- Activity 3- Kirstyn lead in making fun, braided key chains
- Activity 4- Becca taught stained glass and then a scratch-off-paint board
- Cafe
- Free time for the Renacer girls but we set up for the art gallery. This consisted of all of the girls' beautiful watercolor paintings.
- Dinner
- Talent Show (amazing and hilarious!) The girls did their dances, but they also did skits, shared art, sang, and danced on their own.
- Group meeting
- Sleep
- 3:00 AM... Sunshine woke up to our little friend. I ignored him.
Day 7- Saturday
- Slept in!!
- The team decided to do breakfast together at our little house and just have some team time. Time spent together was fantastic!
- Free time for the Renacer girls, we set up for Rec and Rally Time- boo yeah!
- Activities 1&2 for the day- Rec and Rally
1.) Game 1: Soccer
2.) Game 2: Water and Frisbee Relay
3.) Game 3: Tag
4.) Game 4: Drawing Chalk Pictures in Shapes (while blindfolded)
5.) Game 5: Teamwork Drill
- Lunch
- Spa Time!!
1.) Foot washing and pedicure- Tammy, Kirstyn, and me
2.) Relaxation- Laura (girls placed a warm cloth over the faces while lying down and listening to Laura read a Bible passage in Spanish)
3.) Manicure- Laurie, Alicia, and Chelsea
4.) "Relaxation Exercises"- Becca (pretty much yoga but without the negative spiritual connotations)
- Dinner
- No evening session
- Group meeting. Electricity went out... Say goodbye to lights and to warm showers.
- Sleep... One person woke up again with a sense of dread around 3:00 AM; I think I had trouble falling asleep. However, God continued to be faithful in protecting us!
Day 8- Sunday
- Breakfast with the girls... cereal and milk...no electricity yet. (Yuck, none of us had showered except Sunshine before we lost electricity.)
- We then went back to our little house and had a small church service together and communion.
- Lunch
- We then hung out with the girls whose families did not come to visit them that day. We played games and watched the World Cup (super entertaining in Costa Rica). :)
- Cafe
- Free time. We actually went back down to the house for the evening to just hang out and have team time. We played in the pouring rain and even washed our hair in it!! :) Then Laurie cooked us super, just like she cooked us breakfast before. (She is amazing.)
- Group meeting and then slept
- I woke up around 4:00 and jumped out of my bed afraid I had slept in... oh, the pressures of bearing the only clock! lol.
Day 9- Monday
- Back to the early wake up
- Devotions lead by one of the house moms
- Breakfast
- Free time (We led a devotion for the leaders of Renacer during this time.)
- Activity 1- Alicia demonstrated how to make picture frames (we took a picture of our team for Sunshine to give to each girl after we left.)
- Activity 2- Tammy led the girls in writing thank you notes to all of their staff at Renacer
- Lunch
- Surprise from the girls! Some of the girls put together a dance and danced for us. It has to have been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen... it was all about their spiritual fight in this world. Love overcomes. Then another group danced and after that they sang a worship song to us in English. I cried... a lot.
- Activity 3- We presented each girl with a scroll. Written on each scroll was a love letter from our King. Laura then read it aloud in Spanish for those who could not read.
- Activity 4- Are you ready for this? The Ring Ceremony. We called each girl up individually and presented her with a ring, signifying her new purity found only through God's redeeming GRACE. We hugged, cried, and prayed over them. Never have I been a part of something so beautiful.
-Before we ever did the ring ceremony I had a whole table of girls at lunch ask me about my purity ring and for one of the first times in my life I found myself embarrassed over my own purity. For as I looked around the table I knew that for the most part none of those girls still had theirs, and some of them were 8 years younger than me! But God gave me the words to speak and I explained that what happened in their past no longer had claim over their future. God gives a second purity to all of us. Therefore, it was truly beautiful to watch them show me their rings after they received them. Some even put them on their thumbs like me; and one absolutely beautiful girl told me in broken English that she would never have sex again until she was married. Oh God, you are SO GOOD!
- Cafe
- Free Time
- Dinner
- Inside Bonfire (it rained all of the time)
1.) Worship songs one last time (we did these before every evening session)
2.) Smores from the oven! (The girls loved them!)
3.) Said our goodbyes one at a time while Sunshine translated
4.)Every girl from Renacer was then given a chance to speak also
5.) Prayer and hugs... and more hugs
- Group meeting
- Clean and pack
- Sleep
Day 10- Tuesday
- Wake up a little later
- Finish cleaning and load up the bus
- Final goodbyes
- Girls sang Jesus Loves Me as we drove away...
- We went zip-lining through a cloud forest (absolutely AMAZING)
* No sign of a sloth or monkey... sad day.
- Unpacked again at CFCI (Christ for the City International)
- Supper- went out for pizza (enjoyed our first international cab experience) ;)
- Debrief
- Sleep
Day 11- Wednesday
- Late wake up
- Breakfast
- First international bus ride
- Fed pigeons... fairly entertaining I will admit
- Shopping in San Jose
- Lunch at a cozy restaurant
- Relaxed for a bit at CFCI (except Sunshine worked her tail off translating notes which had been written to us)
- Supper at a fancy Mediterranean restaurant (experienced another wonderful taxi ride...oh the joys of not knowing Spanish!)
- Debrief
- Pack
- No sleep
Day 12- Thursday
- Load the bus at 4:00 AM
- Fly out at 6:30 AM
- I met an interesting lady while flying who could also use some prayers. She is definitely playing with some spiritual/demonic stuff...
- I then read Redeeming Love the entire flight
- Arrived in Denver at 12:00 PM
- I said goodbye to my lovely teammates and tried to book it through customs to my next flight
- Made it just in time to load the plane which took off at 1:30
- Read Redeeming Love the entire way home spoke a little with the lady who sat next to me
- Arrived at 1:30ish? in Arizona
- Talked to my family a little and dropped my car off to get the brakes fixed... $230 later... slept for 14 hours straight :)
- Welcome home to the land where toilet paper can be flushed, towels dry when you hang them out, and where bugs are not always in my bed... but boy do I miss those beautiful girls.
Concluding Thoughts
Sorry the blog was so long, but I hope you enjoyed hearing about my trip. God is good. Overall, I came back feeling affirmed in what I am doing here in Phoenix and filled with HOPE for the good work God has in store for the girls who will soon walk onto the StreetLight campus and straight into my heart.
Love you all. Thanks so much for your prayers and support!
Day 1- Sunday
- My lovely friends Lisa and Dane dropped me off at the Phoenix airport around 4:00.
- Met a young lady at the airport, named Jill, who was having a rough day. I was blessed to have good conversation with her, hopefully she was encouraged. I won't go into detail but please pray for her.
- Flight to Denver was delayed and I got to experience some wonderful turbulence.
- Met up with my wonderful gang- Tammy, Laurie, Chelsea, Kirstyn, Alicia, Becca, and Laura. It was such a blessing to see people that I know and love!!
- We prayed and then loaded the plane a little after midnight which would take us straight to Costa Rica. Let's just say we were all tired upon arrival, non of us are expert plane sleepers!
Day 2- Monday
- We arrived safely in Costa Rica and survived customs!
- Sunshine, the missionary we would stay with for the week, picked us up at the airport and away we went!
- We traveled to CFCI (Christ for the City International) and unloaded. Some took naps while others cleaned up. Laura and I went with Sunshine to fetch breakfast.
- Things I learned while fetching breakfast:
1.) Pedestrians do NOT ever have the right of way...
2.) Traffic does whatever it wants to whenever it wants to.
3.) Stealing is a way of life in Costa Rica, thus all homes have fences and
gates with barbed wire.
4.) You should not carry a purse, but if you do make sure you clutch it in
front of you.
5.) You walk everywhere in Costa Rica... and if we couldn't walk we would take
a bus or cab.
6.) Costa Rica is a machismo society (not sure if I spelled that correctly).
Men are able to have more than one woman but women are expected to stay
faithful to one man.
7.) You do not make eye contact with men nor do you say hello to everyone on
the streets. (This one was hard for me because I love meeting strangers,
thus I just felt like I was rude the whole time.)
- We ate breakfast and began orientation. Praise God for yummy fruit!
- For lunch we walked to a restaurant and introduced ourselves to Sunshine. To learn more about her, be sure to check out her blog which is called Beauty for Ashes.
- That night we ate supper with Sunshine's Tica mom. It was wonderful! (By the way, Costa Ricans are called Ticas and us Whities are called Gringos.) We ate great food and had some fantastic mora juice!
- Came back for one more orientation meeting before heading off to bed.
Day 3- Tuesday
- Another yummy breakfast
- Started up the mountain to Renacer.
- Unloaded all of our stuff at the house we would stay in for the week. Then we went to meet with some of the staff.
- At lunch we got to see the girls but were unable to sit with them because we showed up late from our meeting.
- After lunch we did introductions and then had our first two activities.
- Activities 1&2- I lead the activities with Sunshine doing the translating. We played a get-to-know you game with Starbursts and another one with clothespins. The girls had a great time laughing and running around.
- Cafe time! Costa Ricans always have a mid-afternoon snack, and we Gringos never complained. :)
- Back to cabin to plan for the evening and next day.
- Evening session. I spoke during this first session on the Grace and Calling of God. Our week was built upon 1 Peter 5:10 (go ahead, look it up!) After I was done, Kirstyn and Alicia spoke a little about cutting and after that we wrote in permanent marker "La Gracia" on the girls' arms and upon our own. ("La Gracia" means "Grace" in Spanish.)
- Then we gave hugs and started our short hike back to the house.
- We had our nightly group meeting and then headed off to bed. However this is when things started to get tricky...
- We were awakened a little after 3:00 AM to Alicia having a diabetic seizure. Praise God, Chelsea is a paramedic and was able to stabilize her.
Day 4- Wednesday
- Early wake up for me! (I was the only one with a working phone to tell time, after Sunshine's alarm clock met the floor one too many times, thus I usually got up first to wake the others.)
- Becca lead morning devotions with the girls.
- Breakfast!
- We then had a break (while the girls had group therapy) and did our quiet times, napped, or planned.
- Activity 1- We then gathered back together to teach the girls a new song- Jesus Loves Me, upbeat style! (I absolutely loved watching and listening to the girls as they would sing this out the entire week!!)
- Activity 2- Laura and Becca then lead us in a Spanish to English game.
- Lunch
- Activity 3- Chelsea taught us all how to watercolor paint for the next activity- she is stinkin' awesome!
- Activity 4- I believe Laurie then lead us in making bookmarks. The girls did an amazing job on these, such intricate detail and cool designs!
- Cafe! Tantalizing coffee for all of you ;)
- Free time (same as before)
- Dinner (Food usually consisted of rice and beans in some form...)
- Evening session. Kirstyn and Alicia spoke about Suffering and Restoration. They told their own testimonies and made it all to hit home for the girls. Powerful night. Re-wrote La Gracia.
- 3 of the team members had upset stomachs that day and sadly Laurie ended up not being able to go to the evening session because she felt sick.
- After the evening session we came back, had our group meeting, and went off to bed.
- That night we were awakened at 3:00 AM yet again, this time to Laura getting sick...
Day 5- Thursday
- Early wake up (usually 5:00 or 5:30)
- Chelsea did the morning Devotion
- Breakfast
- Quiet time/nap time/planning time
- Activity times 1&2- Talent Show Prep (dancin' time baby!)
- Lunch
- Activity 3- Laura, Becca, Alicia, and Kirstyn then lead the girls in learning Father Abraham. lol. We tried to learn it in Spanish too... oh buddy, watch out!
- Activity 4- I lead the group in making fun beaded bracelets.
- Cafe
- Free time (actually planning time)
- Dinner (P.S. Meal time was the BEST TIME with the girls! Hooray for food and fellowship!)
- Evening session- Laurie spoke about being made Strong, Firm, and Steadfast. She used the great example of an oak tree. Each girl was given a small acorn and reminded what they would become (a beautiful, strong oak) after the let God establish them.
- Group meeting... sleep.
- I woke up at 3:00 AM to Sunshine freaking out... it was a rat. Yep, the rat was in the house. However, we were glad he was the only intruder and that it was not someone trying to break into the house. After several minutes of me running around with a pan and Sunshine pushing things around to see if we could scare him out of hiding so I could capture him, we finally decided to call it quits. As we were doing so, we heard a beeping sound. It was Alicia's pump. She was low again. Thank goodness the rat woke us up this time...
Day 6- Friday
- Same old, same old... rise and shine!
- Laura lead devotions today
- Breakfast
- Meeting with Cindy (one of the directors) for Saturday's plans
- Activities 1&2- Chelsea taught about spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental health. Most entertaining health class I had ever taken!
- Lunch
- Activity 3- Kirstyn lead in making fun, braided key chains
- Activity 4- Becca taught stained glass and then a scratch-off-paint board
- Cafe
- Free time for the Renacer girls but we set up for the art gallery. This consisted of all of the girls' beautiful watercolor paintings.
- Dinner
- Talent Show (amazing and hilarious!) The girls did their dances, but they also did skits, shared art, sang, and danced on their own.
- Group meeting
- Sleep
- 3:00 AM... Sunshine woke up to our little friend. I ignored him.
Day 7- Saturday
- Slept in!!
- The team decided to do breakfast together at our little house and just have some team time. Time spent together was fantastic!
- Free time for the Renacer girls, we set up for Rec and Rally Time- boo yeah!
- Activities 1&2 for the day- Rec and Rally
1.) Game 1: Soccer
2.) Game 2: Water and Frisbee Relay
3.) Game 3: Tag
4.) Game 4: Drawing Chalk Pictures in Shapes (while blindfolded)
5.) Game 5: Teamwork Drill
- Lunch
- Spa Time!!
1.) Foot washing and pedicure- Tammy, Kirstyn, and me
2.) Relaxation- Laura (girls placed a warm cloth over the faces while lying down and listening to Laura read a Bible passage in Spanish)
3.) Manicure- Laurie, Alicia, and Chelsea
4.) "Relaxation Exercises"- Becca (pretty much yoga but without the negative spiritual connotations)
- Dinner
- No evening session
- Group meeting. Electricity went out... Say goodbye to lights and to warm showers.
- Sleep... One person woke up again with a sense of dread around 3:00 AM; I think I had trouble falling asleep. However, God continued to be faithful in protecting us!
Day 8- Sunday
- Breakfast with the girls... cereal and milk...no electricity yet. (Yuck, none of us had showered except Sunshine before we lost electricity.)
- We then went back to our little house and had a small church service together and communion.
- Lunch
- We then hung out with the girls whose families did not come to visit them that day. We played games and watched the World Cup (super entertaining in Costa Rica). :)
- Cafe
- Free time. We actually went back down to the house for the evening to just hang out and have team time. We played in the pouring rain and even washed our hair in it!! :) Then Laurie cooked us super, just like she cooked us breakfast before. (She is amazing.)
- Group meeting and then slept
- I woke up around 4:00 and jumped out of my bed afraid I had slept in... oh, the pressures of bearing the only clock! lol.
Day 9- Monday
- Back to the early wake up
- Devotions lead by one of the house moms
- Breakfast
- Free time (We led a devotion for the leaders of Renacer during this time.)
- Activity 1- Alicia demonstrated how to make picture frames (we took a picture of our team for Sunshine to give to each girl after we left.)
- Activity 2- Tammy led the girls in writing thank you notes to all of their staff at Renacer
- Lunch
- Surprise from the girls! Some of the girls put together a dance and danced for us. It has to have been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen... it was all about their spiritual fight in this world. Love overcomes. Then another group danced and after that they sang a worship song to us in English. I cried... a lot.
- Activity 3- We presented each girl with a scroll. Written on each scroll was a love letter from our King. Laura then read it aloud in Spanish for those who could not read.
- Activity 4- Are you ready for this? The Ring Ceremony. We called each girl up individually and presented her with a ring, signifying her new purity found only through God's redeeming GRACE. We hugged, cried, and prayed over them. Never have I been a part of something so beautiful.
-Before we ever did the ring ceremony I had a whole table of girls at lunch ask me about my purity ring and for one of the first times in my life I found myself embarrassed over my own purity. For as I looked around the table I knew that for the most part none of those girls still had theirs, and some of them were 8 years younger than me! But God gave me the words to speak and I explained that what happened in their past no longer had claim over their future. God gives a second purity to all of us. Therefore, it was truly beautiful to watch them show me their rings after they received them. Some even put them on their thumbs like me; and one absolutely beautiful girl told me in broken English that she would never have sex again until she was married. Oh God, you are SO GOOD!
- Cafe
- Free Time
- Dinner
- Inside Bonfire (it rained all of the time)
1.) Worship songs one last time (we did these before every evening session)
2.) Smores from the oven! (The girls loved them!)
3.) Said our goodbyes one at a time while Sunshine translated
4.)Every girl from Renacer was then given a chance to speak also
5.) Prayer and hugs... and more hugs
- Group meeting
- Clean and pack
- Sleep
Day 10- Tuesday
- Wake up a little later
- Finish cleaning and load up the bus
- Final goodbyes
- Girls sang Jesus Loves Me as we drove away...
- We went zip-lining through a cloud forest (absolutely AMAZING)
* No sign of a sloth or monkey... sad day.
- Unpacked again at CFCI (Christ for the City International)
- Supper- went out for pizza (enjoyed our first international cab experience) ;)
- Debrief
- Sleep
Day 11- Wednesday
- Late wake up
- Breakfast
- First international bus ride
- Fed pigeons... fairly entertaining I will admit
- Shopping in San Jose
- Lunch at a cozy restaurant
- Relaxed for a bit at CFCI (except Sunshine worked her tail off translating notes which had been written to us)
- Supper at a fancy Mediterranean restaurant (experienced another wonderful taxi ride...oh the joys of not knowing Spanish!)
- Debrief
- Pack
- No sleep
Day 12- Thursday
- Load the bus at 4:00 AM
- Fly out at 6:30 AM
- I met an interesting lady while flying who could also use some prayers. She is definitely playing with some spiritual/demonic stuff...
- I then read Redeeming Love the entire flight
- Arrived in Denver at 12:00 PM
- I said goodbye to my lovely teammates and tried to book it through customs to my next flight
- Made it just in time to load the plane which took off at 1:30
- Read Redeeming Love the entire way home spoke a little with the lady who sat next to me
- Arrived at 1:30ish? in Arizona
- Talked to my family a little and dropped my car off to get the brakes fixed... $230 later... slept for 14 hours straight :)
- Welcome home to the land where toilet paper can be flushed, towels dry when you hang them out, and where bugs are not always in my bed... but boy do I miss those beautiful girls.
Concluding Thoughts
Sorry the blog was so long, but I hope you enjoyed hearing about my trip. God is good. Overall, I came back feeling affirmed in what I am doing here in Phoenix and filled with HOPE for the good work God has in store for the girls who will soon walk onto the StreetLight campus and straight into my heart.
Love you all. Thanks so much for your prayers and support!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Amazing Week!
Actually, I believe it has been two weeks since my last update... so make that two amazing weeks! Sorry, you can plan on me updating this blog every Thursday. So hold me accountable! :)
The SAD news...
I missed my mother's 50th birthday and Father's day, I am also going to miss my nephew's 1st birthday. It is hard to be away from family, especially on such big occasions, but I know and trust that I am in the right place. And praise God, He has given my family a peace in my being here also. So Happy Birthday Mom and Alex! Know that I love you very much.
The GOOD news...
1.)Quarter Life (college ministry) has been going great and I have been blessed to meet several young women and men whom I can love on and encourage.
2.)The Food Drive for the AZ Hunger Campaign was amazing! It was such a blessing to watch as people drove trucks and trailers full of food to the semis to be loaded! Here are some of our statistics:
-470 CCV volunteers participated in the collection
-204 pallets were filled equaling just under 200,000 lbs of food
-10 semi loads were delivered to 2 local Food Banks
3.)Praise God!! Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, signed House Bill 2238 on the StreetLight campus June 23rd. The enactment of this bill puts a stop to John's being able to use the excuse, "I didn't know she was under age eighteen." To see news coverage and short articles on this historic day in Arizona, see the following links:
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/arizona-governor-signs-child-prostitution-bill-to-close-loophole
http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Governor-signs-child-prostitution-bill-96990919.html
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/politics/state_politics/apx_ariz_gov_sign_child_prostitution_bill_06232010
http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/06/23/20100623arizona-child-prostitution-bill.html
http://hosted2.ap.org/AZMES/d6ea61883f0240b3a9d3c63d6d43d3a0/Article_2010-06-23-Child%20Prostitution%20Law/id-3d4426e7465b4ecdb7494790d55c1963
http://azdailysun.com/news/state-and-regional/article_bff7130a-acc8-5203-b465-cbeb0d0a7ee3.html
4.)Missions Weekend! This past Saturday and Sunday all of the missionaries and missionary organizations CCV supports were flown here to remind us of the impact they are having in the world and also to be encouraged by their CCV family. It was an amazing weekend and I was blessed to have several great conversations!
5.)StreetLight also had a booth at the Missions Weekend, and we were blessed with over 500 people wanting more information through our new newsletter. Please let me know if you would like to be put on our online mailing list also!
6.)Costa Rica! This Sunday I will be celebrating our Nation's Independence Day by flying to Costa Rica to love on those whose independence has been ripped from them... I have been blessed with the opportunity to join seven other lovely, young women from my old church in Omaha to speak truth to girls who have been trafficked, abused, and/or caught in addictions in Costa Rica. Please pray freedom and victory over these 40-45 girls that we will be loving on and please pray for our hearts to be forever changed as well. We desire to make an impact in whatever way God has in store for us! I will be sure to update you on this trip after I return on July 15th.
Thanks so much for your love and support! You ALL mean so much to me!
The SAD news...
I missed my mother's 50th birthday and Father's day, I am also going to miss my nephew's 1st birthday. It is hard to be away from family, especially on such big occasions, but I know and trust that I am in the right place. And praise God, He has given my family a peace in my being here also. So Happy Birthday Mom and Alex! Know that I love you very much.
The GOOD news...
1.)Quarter Life (college ministry) has been going great and I have been blessed to meet several young women and men whom I can love on and encourage.
2.)The Food Drive for the AZ Hunger Campaign was amazing! It was such a blessing to watch as people drove trucks and trailers full of food to the semis to be loaded! Here are some of our statistics:
-470 CCV volunteers participated in the collection
-204 pallets were filled equaling just under 200,000 lbs of food
-10 semi loads were delivered to 2 local Food Banks
3.)Praise God!! Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, signed House Bill 2238 on the StreetLight campus June 23rd. The enactment of this bill puts a stop to John's being able to use the excuse, "I didn't know she was under age eighteen." To see news coverage and short articles on this historic day in Arizona, see the following links:
http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/arizona-governor-signs-child-prostitution-bill-to-close-loophole
http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/Governor-signs-child-prostitution-bill-96990919.html
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/politics/state_politics/apx_ariz_gov_sign_child_prostitution_bill_06232010
http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/06/23/20100623arizona-child-prostitution-bill.html
http://hosted2.ap.org/AZMES/d6ea61883f0240b3a9d3c63d6d43d3a0/Article_2010-06-23-Child%20Prostitution%20Law/id-3d4426e7465b4ecdb7494790d55c1963
http://azdailysun.com/news/state-and-regional/article_bff7130a-acc8-5203-b465-cbeb0d0a7ee3.html
4.)Missions Weekend! This past Saturday and Sunday all of the missionaries and missionary organizations CCV supports were flown here to remind us of the impact they are having in the world and also to be encouraged by their CCV family. It was an amazing weekend and I was blessed to have several great conversations!
5.)StreetLight also had a booth at the Missions Weekend, and we were blessed with over 500 people wanting more information through our new newsletter. Please let me know if you would like to be put on our online mailing list also!
6.)Costa Rica! This Sunday I will be celebrating our Nation's Independence Day by flying to Costa Rica to love on those whose independence has been ripped from them... I have been blessed with the opportunity to join seven other lovely, young women from my old church in Omaha to speak truth to girls who have been trafficked, abused, and/or caught in addictions in Costa Rica. Please pray freedom and victory over these 40-45 girls that we will be loving on and please pray for our hearts to be forever changed as well. We desire to make an impact in whatever way God has in store for us! I will be sure to update you on this trip after I return on July 15th.
Thanks so much for your love and support! You ALL mean so much to me!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
I'm Alive and in Phoenix!
Hello Family and Friends!
Sorry it has been SO LONG since my last blog. Boy have things been crazy around here...
So I have officially graduated and moved to Phoenix, Arizona. I made the road trip in two days at the beginning of June. (Parents weren't too happy about me driving 16 hours in one day...oops!) Since then I have been trying to figure out how to balance everything, especially with all the new relationships, but I finally feel like I'm beginning to regain some control over life. I still have no idea what God has prepared to teach me, but I am along for the ride!
I have my office set up at Christ's Church of the Valley and work there on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Right now we are in the process of doing a huge food drive for the Arizona Hunger Campaign. Each person has been challenged to bring 25 pounds of food this Saturday or Sunday to church (and with a church of 15,000 people, that is a whole lot of food!) This will definitely be the biggest food drive I have ever participated in and I cannot wait to see how it all pans out!
On Tuesday nights I help with our college ministry, QuarterLife. Later this fall, I will be helping to plug all of these awesome college students into our neighborhood groups. So right now I am getting to know everyone and building lots of relationships. Every Tuesday night includes us coming together to fellowship by worshiping through music, listening to a speaker, and then going out to eat. I am looking forward to really getting to know these students and their hearts. I hope and pray God does some awesome things with this ministry in the next few months!
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I serve at StreetLight. StreetLight is definitely the reason why I am in Phoenix. We do not have girls on the campus yet, but hopefully we will be ready to open our doors this November and December. As of right now I am helping lay the groundwork for everything. It is such a humbling and beautiful experience to be a part of this ministry... I still have no idea why God brought me here and what He has in store for me, but I know this is the place!
So far I have been in the office slaving away over a computer working on a new volunteer application intake process, reading a bunch of stuff about fingerprinting policies and procedures, and writing our own procedures to follow and instructions for volunteers. It blows me away to think about all of the small, intricate details, along with the big ones, that need to be taken care of before the girls can begin to move into the homes. I am so excited to see the girls on our safe campus, and I think about them often.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to donate to me or StreetLight. You can log onto the Target gift registry and enter StreetLight to help furnish the six homes. Or let me know if you would like to serve in some other fashion. Please continue to pray as nothing quite like this exists in the U.S. today. God is definitely paving the way!
May God bless you! Thanks for your prayers and support... I could not do this without you.
Love,
Lauren
laurenbarr@ccvonline.com
623-298-2856
(Check out the this website streetlightphx.com and these webisodes sexandmoneyfilm.com)
PRAYERS:
Please continue to pray for me as I struggle. This experience has not been easy, but I know it is worth it! Please pray for God's direction in my life and for me to be bold for Him in both the way I love Him and serve Him.
PRAISE:
I got to go home last weekend and see my immediate family, boyfriend, two of my best friends from college (not to mention watch one get married!), and see one of my best friends who has been a missionary in China the last year. Hooray God!!
Sorry it has been SO LONG since my last blog. Boy have things been crazy around here...
So I have officially graduated and moved to Phoenix, Arizona. I made the road trip in two days at the beginning of June. (Parents weren't too happy about me driving 16 hours in one day...oops!) Since then I have been trying to figure out how to balance everything, especially with all the new relationships, but I finally feel like I'm beginning to regain some control over life. I still have no idea what God has prepared to teach me, but I am along for the ride!
I have my office set up at Christ's Church of the Valley and work there on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Right now we are in the process of doing a huge food drive for the Arizona Hunger Campaign. Each person has been challenged to bring 25 pounds of food this Saturday or Sunday to church (and with a church of 15,000 people, that is a whole lot of food!) This will definitely be the biggest food drive I have ever participated in and I cannot wait to see how it all pans out!
On Tuesday nights I help with our college ministry, QuarterLife. Later this fall, I will be helping to plug all of these awesome college students into our neighborhood groups. So right now I am getting to know everyone and building lots of relationships. Every Tuesday night includes us coming together to fellowship by worshiping through music, listening to a speaker, and then going out to eat. I am looking forward to really getting to know these students and their hearts. I hope and pray God does some awesome things with this ministry in the next few months!
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I serve at StreetLight. StreetLight is definitely the reason why I am in Phoenix. We do not have girls on the campus yet, but hopefully we will be ready to open our doors this November and December. As of right now I am helping lay the groundwork for everything. It is such a humbling and beautiful experience to be a part of this ministry... I still have no idea why God brought me here and what He has in store for me, but I know this is the place!
So far I have been in the office slaving away over a computer working on a new volunteer application intake process, reading a bunch of stuff about fingerprinting policies and procedures, and writing our own procedures to follow and instructions for volunteers. It blows me away to think about all of the small, intricate details, along with the big ones, that need to be taken care of before the girls can begin to move into the homes. I am so excited to see the girls on our safe campus, and I think about them often.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to donate to me or StreetLight. You can log onto the Target gift registry and enter StreetLight to help furnish the six homes. Or let me know if you would like to serve in some other fashion. Please continue to pray as nothing quite like this exists in the U.S. today. God is definitely paving the way!
May God bless you! Thanks for your prayers and support... I could not do this without you.
Love,
Lauren
laurenbarr@ccvonline.com
623-298-2856
(Check out the this website streetlightphx.com and these webisodes sexandmoneyfilm.com)
PRAYERS:
Please continue to pray for me as I struggle. This experience has not been easy, but I know it is worth it! Please pray for God's direction in my life and for me to be bold for Him in both the way I love Him and serve Him.
PRAISE:
I got to go home last weekend and see my immediate family, boyfriend, two of my best friends from college (not to mention watch one get married!), and see one of my best friends who has been a missionary in China the last year. Hooray God!!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Faith Journey
Hello Family and Friends!
First of all, thanks for taking the time to read and catch up on my life! I pray this note finds you and your families doing well. Please be sure to let me know how I can be praying for you all!
As you all know, I will be graduating from Nebraska Christian College in May with a BA in Student Ministry. However, my plan is not to pursue a job in that field but rather do a support-based, one-year internship in Phoenix, Arizona. Starting in late May, I will be interning at Christ's Church of the Valley with a focus in the Streetlight Ministry.
"Streetlight is a nonprofit organization that exists to rescue and restore the victims of child sex slavery. Streetlight has created and leads a highly resourced network of churches, businesses, and other nonprofit organizations that stand together to end the raping of our children for profit."
"Child rape for profit is a rapidly growing problem which affects more than 300 girls in Phoenix alone. These young girls are on average thirteen years of age and are being deceitfully taken from shopping malls, lured away from parties and public events to be drugged, branded and forcibly prostituted against their will. Their hearts and innocence are void of any hope of ever breaking free from this plight."
By supporting me you will be reaching out to support these beautiful, young, broken girls. Streetlight will be opening its doors to these young women in June of 2010 and I will be one serving as one of the first interns at Streetlight. As an intern I will help with office work and serve in other business aspects. I will also serve as a caretaker. This means I will get to love on the girls by doing different activities, having conversations, and just hanging out with them while the "mothers" get a break.
For more information on Christ's Church of the Valley, visit www.ccvonline.com.
For more information on Streetlight, visit www.streetlightphx.com.
July 4th - 15th I will also be going on a mission trip to Costa Rica with a small group of girls from the church I interned at in Nebraska. We will be ministering at a rehabilitation center called Renacer. This house is home to girls who have been rescued from prostitution and drug and sex trafficking. This is a great opportunity for me to serve and learn.
The group plans to love on the girls through songs, playing, painting nails, hanging out, doing service projects around the mission, and serving the staff in whatever way possible. What I reap from Renacer I will be able to bring back to the states and incorporate in the Streetlight ministry.
For more information on Renacer, visit www.renacer.org.
This is a very exciting time in my life, but even more so, it is very intimidating. I'm not afraid, but my future is uncertain. I am reliant upon others to provide for me financially- this is humbling. I will be doing battle with the evil one face-to-face. I also feel very inadequate for all that I will be doing.
All I can do is trust God and follow in His footsteps. I know I will be stretched to extremes in this next year. Thank you for partnering with me in your prayers and finances. Know that I cannot do this alone. May God bless you as you bless me!
To donate to me online either one time or monthly please go to: www.ccvonline.com/interns. Thank you!
First of all, thanks for taking the time to read and catch up on my life! I pray this note finds you and your families doing well. Please be sure to let me know how I can be praying for you all!
As you all know, I will be graduating from Nebraska Christian College in May with a BA in Student Ministry. However, my plan is not to pursue a job in that field but rather do a support-based, one-year internship in Phoenix, Arizona. Starting in late May, I will be interning at Christ's Church of the Valley with a focus in the Streetlight Ministry.
"Streetlight is a nonprofit organization that exists to rescue and restore the victims of child sex slavery. Streetlight has created and leads a highly resourced network of churches, businesses, and other nonprofit organizations that stand together to end the raping of our children for profit."
"Child rape for profit is a rapidly growing problem which affects more than 300 girls in Phoenix alone. These young girls are on average thirteen years of age and are being deceitfully taken from shopping malls, lured away from parties and public events to be drugged, branded and forcibly prostituted against their will. Their hearts and innocence are void of any hope of ever breaking free from this plight."
By supporting me you will be reaching out to support these beautiful, young, broken girls. Streetlight will be opening its doors to these young women in June of 2010 and I will be one serving as one of the first interns at Streetlight. As an intern I will help with office work and serve in other business aspects. I will also serve as a caretaker. This means I will get to love on the girls by doing different activities, having conversations, and just hanging out with them while the "mothers" get a break.
For more information on Christ's Church of the Valley, visit www.ccvonline.com.
For more information on Streetlight, visit www.streetlightphx.com.
July 4th - 15th I will also be going on a mission trip to Costa Rica with a small group of girls from the church I interned at in Nebraska. We will be ministering at a rehabilitation center called Renacer. This house is home to girls who have been rescued from prostitution and drug and sex trafficking. This is a great opportunity for me to serve and learn.
The group plans to love on the girls through songs, playing, painting nails, hanging out, doing service projects around the mission, and serving the staff in whatever way possible. What I reap from Renacer I will be able to bring back to the states and incorporate in the Streetlight ministry.
For more information on Renacer, visit www.renacer.org.
This is a very exciting time in my life, but even more so, it is very intimidating. I'm not afraid, but my future is uncertain. I am reliant upon others to provide for me financially- this is humbling. I will be doing battle with the evil one face-to-face. I also feel very inadequate for all that I will be doing.
All I can do is trust God and follow in His footsteps. I know I will be stretched to extremes in this next year. Thank you for partnering with me in your prayers and finances. Know that I cannot do this alone. May God bless you as you bless me!
To donate to me online either one time or monthly please go to: www.ccvonline.com/interns. Thank you!
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