A few things are on my mind today. First, I should follow through with what I had mentioned in my FB post about the testimony of the women in prison. They're literally taking the Lord at His Word (the way God likes it!) and seeing Him come through with His promises. One woman who shows herself to be super tough told me that she had had a molar extracted the day before. And in her signature way of speaking, she said," And you know, I was so afraid of pain, I know I look tough and I'm big but I really don't like the pain, and so I told Jesus that He had to go with me to the dentist, He had to be there to take the pain away because I don't like the pain. And you know, He took our pain and sickness and sin on the cross 2000 years ago, so I knew He would take my pain on Himself. That's why I wanted Him to come with me. And you know what? I could hear them making horrible, horrible sounds in taking out my tooth and pushing and pulling and then it was over. And you know what, (she smiles really wide) there was no pain." Another huge smile. And me, being the doubting Thomas (because I've had all 4 wisdom teeth out and used to work in a dental office) asked, "So what happened after the anaesthetic wore off?" She smiled again. "No pain. There was no pain," she gestured widely with her hands. "There was no pain because Jesus was there and He took my pain from me and onto Himself." Then she looks at me like, so, which part of this didn't you get? No pain means no pain. Doubting Thomas reared up again, "So, what about today?" I asked. "Did it hurt today?" Again there was that look on her face of, so why are you in here teaching us the Word when you don't understand simple English? "There is no pain. The hole is closed up. I'm just taking antibiotics because I have to for 5 days. But there is no pain. No hole." Forgive me Jesus for doubting that You can take our pain upon Your shoulders. This same woman is awaiting amnesty from the President and she is at peace waiting. She was told recently by her embassy that the money for her flight ticket back to her native country is already there, anonymously donated and specifically for her. And her embassy will issue her a 24 hour passport the moment she is pardoned so she can just fly home. She just applied for amnesty last week and doesn't even know if they will grant her that. But God has already taken cared of the rest ahead of time.
The other woman who was with us is reflecting Jesus so much that she is constantly getting prayer requests from the other inmates in her cell and outside of it. Her love for Jesus is so evident
that the other inmates seek her out before they have to go for their hearings and sentencings and after prayer, they go with peace and joy in their hearts and when they get back to the prison, they still have that peace in their hearts and all they say to her is, "I have peace because you prayed for me." She is learning Spanish now so she can better pray and share Jesus with her cell mates. These women truly show faith in the Word of God. They know the Bible is true and so they believe it literally. And God is showing them that He too, holds His Word at its literal value and honors it. I just love going to the prison because these women really encourage me so much.
We are watching God's miracle unfold in the lives of JP's family members. Meanwhile, JP is resentful towards us and won't talk to us because he has the erroneous idea that love means you never discipline or tell someone off when they're making an idiot of themselves. The last time we saw him before he completely took off for the streets and lived there for a week, we drew attention to many things he didn't want to deal with in his life. He has since returned home, told his aunt and brother that he really seriously wants to change and last we heard, is now going to church and cell group meetings with an older brother who is a believer. Meanwhile, his mom is walking strong in the Lord and has risen up, taken on her role as the matriarch of the home and is using her authority along with the Word to get all her kids in line. When we were there last week to disciple her and the 3 youngest sons, we walked into the living room and were faced with 10 family members including JP, all waiting to hear the Word. That night, another one of JP's older brothers broke down weeping and repented of his drug addiction. We started discipling and counseling him and his live in girlfriend the very next day. I spoke to him today and he is clinging onto the Word and fighting to stay on the right track. Meanwhile, JP still won't talk to us. But it's ok as long as he is going to church and hearing the Word because that is what will transform his way of thinking and later, his habits. We will not stop loving him or praying for him, regardless.
We have moved on to new territory in terms of the street women. I believe we were in the old area for a purpose, to reach EM and she continues to be discipled on a weekly basis. She was telling me the last time I saw her that her spouse would like counseling too and would like to speak to my husband, Luchin. That's how God works, with families!!! Anyway, the women we had been bringing the Word to over there have totally closed us out and now we're in a different area with really tough women. Last week, being the first day in the new area was a little scary because I wasn't sure how we were going to even start talking to them. They made the other women we had been talking to before look like the Ingalls girls from Little House on the Prairie. But we prayed. And tonight, we managed to have a conversation with 2 of them. Coarse jokes, vulgarity, all of that. (Not on our part, we just listened politely) However, sprinkled softly in between the exterior of coarseness, toughness and vulgarity, like tiny petals softly floating down in the breeze through heavy smog and pollution were bits of softness, sadness, wistfulness and pain. It was a breakthrough. And so we will keep praying, for their hearts to be softened and yielded to listen to and receive the Word when we start to sow it. And for us to have God's wisdom, strategy and discernment on how to speak, what to speak and when to speak it.
Working with street women in Lima is not easy. Mostly being that the majority of the women standing at street corners all chose to be there. I haven't met a single woman who hasn't chosen to be there and I'm learning that the reason is not about them not being able to get a real job. It's because this profession is easy, with minimal work and most of them don't like the discipline and rules of a regular job. A few do it to support a drug habit. And also, for some of them, it has become an addiction in itself. Many of them have been at it for years and years and not one of them have any savings to show for it. They will say that they make oodles of money so it seems like that's why they're there but when you start talking with them, the truth starts to show and the truth is, they really don't make that much. EM earns more as a housekeeper now than when she worked at the streets. But it's hard for her to adjust to it because she doesn't like the discipline of working a real job with defined hours and having a boss. Granted, if the women let you dig deep enough, the psychological aspect of why they're there on the streets start to show. And I believe that for a majority of them, the psychological aspect is that they don't believe that they are capable of doing anything else. That is why they need the Word of God as it is the only thing that can transform lives.
It renews the mind and way of thinking so that we start to see ourselves the way God sees us. And when we do, it frees us from the lies we believe of ourselves so that we actually realize that we have value, a purpose and that we are absolutely adored. And when someone realizes how much they are valued and loved, they can reach limits and heights they never thought was possible before.
The other woman who was with us is reflecting Jesus so much that she is constantly getting prayer requests from the other inmates in her cell and outside of it. Her love for Jesus is so evident
that the other inmates seek her out before they have to go for their hearings and sentencings and after prayer, they go with peace and joy in their hearts and when they get back to the prison, they still have that peace in their hearts and all they say to her is, "I have peace because you prayed for me." She is learning Spanish now so she can better pray and share Jesus with her cell mates. These women truly show faith in the Word of God. They know the Bible is true and so they believe it literally. And God is showing them that He too, holds His Word at its literal value and honors it. I just love going to the prison because these women really encourage me so much.
We are watching God's miracle unfold in the lives of JP's family members. Meanwhile, JP is resentful towards us and won't talk to us because he has the erroneous idea that love means you never discipline or tell someone off when they're making an idiot of themselves. The last time we saw him before he completely took off for the streets and lived there for a week, we drew attention to many things he didn't want to deal with in his life. He has since returned home, told his aunt and brother that he really seriously wants to change and last we heard, is now going to church and cell group meetings with an older brother who is a believer. Meanwhile, his mom is walking strong in the Lord and has risen up, taken on her role as the matriarch of the home and is using her authority along with the Word to get all her kids in line. When we were there last week to disciple her and the 3 youngest sons, we walked into the living room and were faced with 10 family members including JP, all waiting to hear the Word. That night, another one of JP's older brothers broke down weeping and repented of his drug addiction. We started discipling and counseling him and his live in girlfriend the very next day. I spoke to him today and he is clinging onto the Word and fighting to stay on the right track. Meanwhile, JP still won't talk to us. But it's ok as long as he is going to church and hearing the Word because that is what will transform his way of thinking and later, his habits. We will not stop loving him or praying for him, regardless.
We have moved on to new territory in terms of the street women. I believe we were in the old area for a purpose, to reach EM and she continues to be discipled on a weekly basis. She was telling me the last time I saw her that her spouse would like counseling too and would like to speak to my husband, Luchin. That's how God works, with families!!! Anyway, the women we had been bringing the Word to over there have totally closed us out and now we're in a different area with really tough women. Last week, being the first day in the new area was a little scary because I wasn't sure how we were going to even start talking to them. They made the other women we had been talking to before look like the Ingalls girls from Little House on the Prairie. But we prayed. And tonight, we managed to have a conversation with 2 of them. Coarse jokes, vulgarity, all of that. (Not on our part, we just listened politely) However, sprinkled softly in between the exterior of coarseness, toughness and vulgarity, like tiny petals softly floating down in the breeze through heavy smog and pollution were bits of softness, sadness, wistfulness and pain. It was a breakthrough. And so we will keep praying, for their hearts to be softened and yielded to listen to and receive the Word when we start to sow it. And for us to have God's wisdom, strategy and discernment on how to speak, what to speak and when to speak it.
Working with street women in Lima is not easy. Mostly being that the majority of the women standing at street corners all chose to be there. I haven't met a single woman who hasn't chosen to be there and I'm learning that the reason is not about them not being able to get a real job. It's because this profession is easy, with minimal work and most of them don't like the discipline and rules of a regular job. A few do it to support a drug habit. And also, for some of them, it has become an addiction in itself. Many of them have been at it for years and years and not one of them have any savings to show for it. They will say that they make oodles of money so it seems like that's why they're there but when you start talking with them, the truth starts to show and the truth is, they really don't make that much. EM earns more as a housekeeper now than when she worked at the streets. But it's hard for her to adjust to it because she doesn't like the discipline of working a real job with defined hours and having a boss. Granted, if the women let you dig deep enough, the psychological aspect of why they're there on the streets start to show. And I believe that for a majority of them, the psychological aspect is that they don't believe that they are capable of doing anything else. That is why they need the Word of God as it is the only thing that can transform lives.
It renews the mind and way of thinking so that we start to see ourselves the way God sees us. And when we do, it frees us from the lies we believe of ourselves so that we actually realize that we have value, a purpose and that we are absolutely adored. And when someone realizes how much they are valued and loved, they can reach limits and heights they never thought was possible before.
