Abril 11, 2009

Dear friends, 

I am afraid of saying too much in fear of overwhelming you with the HUGE sense of debt, joy, and wonder that is filling my heart as I write. I just came back a few minutes ago from our 7th visit to our new friends.  My friends-- Carmen, Vivian and Rita-- and I are continually amazed at how God has been directing our steps. Each week something new happens to affirm His blessing, His care, His smile. As children of God we are called to image Him. And the only explanation I can give to the joy and love that fills our hearts in reaching out to our new friends is that we are imaging HIM. There is a deep joy that comes from knowing we are doing what HE designed us to do. And friends, please know, we are only doing this because of His grace. So often over the last two weeks we have felt discouraged, totally unmotivated and unwilling to ever return and see these girls. I have struggled with feelings of repulsion when I drive by and see them so drunk, so drugged, and seemingly so happy in their misery.  Unless God Himself pours HIS love in our hearts, we can not love these girls; unless we are reminded that we are as needy of HIS grace as these girls are, we won't have any desire to embrace them, meet their needs and most especially to tell them of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Brothers and sisters, there is so much I could share with you. First, THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!!! It has been incredible to see how God has moved SO many of you to pray. I believe the Lord is building a wall of protection around these girls, even when they are totally unaware of it. Two Wednesdays ago I know of at least 3 churches that prayed for this ministry. The next day, one of the girls (Jaime) found herself with a guy threatening her life with a gun because he claimed she'd stolen his iPhone; but the Lord protected her and no harm came her way. Then, the day after, on Friday, the Lord protected my friend Vivian when one of the ladies (whom we had never met before), being quite drugged, tried to steal from Vivian and got quite aggressive. Even tonight as Vivian told me again what happened she said, "I really believe that woman may have even been possessed. She had unusual strength, she talked about a deal with the devil; it was all very strange..." We are not sure exactly why the Lord moved so many to pray that Wednesday night, but we can testify to His power delivering us and protecting us. 

Tonight we met two new ladies and prayed with/for them. And one of the regular girls, Laurie, actually invited us to come to her home Sunday afternoon (at around 4:30 PM) so we can meet her family and pray with her partner, Jeffrey. (!!!!) She lives in a very poor and dark part of town. We're already praying about this visit: for protection but most especially for deliverance. There were not too many out there today. Since we live in a Catholic country, this week is truly a holiday week and today is "holiest" of all days. So many of them were not there. Still, we went and prayed in each corner for the girls. We saw the Lord answering at least one of our prayers right there. When we first arrived to the first corner one of the girls, Yamil, got on someone's car and left to go to work. Immediately we prayed for her protection from this man that she had just left with. She's expecting a baby also and we had taken some prenatal vitamins for her. So we asked the Lord that before the night was over, He would bring her back safe and on time for us to see her. Well, we prayed, went to other corner and prayed with Laurie; then we took sometime to pray just the three of us for the rest of our dear friends who were not there working tonight. As we were leaving (maybe 45 mins to an hour later), we noticed Yamil was back!! She'd *just*returned!! She was safe and we were able to give her the vitamins and pray for her and her partner and son. Yamil is 19 years old, friends... just 19 and already has one child and another one on the way. 

With every visit God allows to see more of all that is part of these girls' reality. And we are realizing more and more just how we really need to be on guard. These girls will steal if it is necessary, they could plan an evil plot if they wanted to harm us, because that is part of their day to day. There are also seriously angry people that are seeking to harm them. Some of those people have already done things while we're there to threaten them or even hurt them. These girls have serious problems between each other, and stabbing other girls they are angry with. You know all of the works of the flesh mentioned in Galatians 5? Well, these are these girls' daily bread: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies. ALL of these, friends, is what they practice. And according to that same verse they will not inherit the kingdom of God if they continue in these practices. And yet, praise God for Galatians 3!! Christ became a curse for us to redeem us. So there's  "power, wonder working power in the blood of the Lamb!" 

I will finish here. Let me direct you to this link to a video on youtube by Matt Chandler, with a very powerful illustration about Christ's grace. We are all beaten and broken roses (you'll understand after you watch it) who are reaching out to other such beaten and broken roses. Oh that we would never cease to be astonished at his grace. 

Thank you again for praying. We are immensely indebted to the Lord for you. 

SO glad Jesus wants the rose!! 

Aylín