A note from a fellow missionary...

So I am generally quite bad with using my words to describe life as a missionary...however my friend who ministers in the war zones writes a great blog! I recommend checking it out...

http://pursuingnormal.com/blogposts/687

Blessings!

Joy...

Each morning I wake up, put the kettle on and make my morning coffee. My coffee pot is blue with a bird on top; musical notes are near its mouth like it’s the happiest singing bird of them all. However it just reminds me of each morning my mum would come wake us kids up by singing ‘morning has broken,’ purposefully out of tune and very loudly until we got out of bed. Makes me shudder at the thought. I am not a morning person, which makes my coffee all the more important. I like my slow steady mornings to wake up and for the peace to last as long as possible.

Peace and quiet isn’t something we get here. Although I’m not complaining. Last time I was back in England it was so quiet my ears hurt and I couldn’t sleep without my white noise, aka the base line that comes from the club music blaring from the brothel and bars outside. It’s odd what becomes the new normal.

Once coffee and bread roll are consumed time is ticking for me to get ready and out the door, normally having no idea of what the day will look like. It’s a ten-minuet walk to the other base where the children live and most programs run. The mission’s school is about to start so there are lots of extra faces and a sense of busyness in the air trying to get things ready. I go to the baby house, which has been named Casa Shalom. I store my bag there and do most admin, organising from there. I love this house, mostly because it is a home. I say hello to my babies that are happily playing by this point. Breakfast consumed and showers taken. I am once again reminded of God’s goodness and kindness as I look into the faces of little ones that might not be here if it wasn’t for God. I talk to the educators who work four days on, four days off. Ladies who give up so much to work in our children’s home. Ladies, who have so much going on at home that they hardly talk about, yet live daily in His joy. Laughing and chatting away, not letting anything get them down. Wonderful examples.

In Psalm 91 it begins with praising Him for His goodness, saying ‘I will sing for Joy at what your hands have done’. I watch these ladies who work with the children and the ones who work on the street. I watch as they learn more about God and grasp the revelation of His love and amazingly I watch how the first big change in them is His joy. They don’t rely on their own feelings or how their day has gone. But they rely on God and the revelation that He is bigger than all things and loves them more than anyone ever could. What a challenge when you get grumpy in the mornings if you don’t get your peace and quiet. Sitting in the dirt with the poor simply is the best way to learn. It is such an honor to be here, serving under a beautiful ministry.

So how do we keep the joy and keep our eyes fixed on Him. Well I have discovered that the best way is to remember it is not about me. It is not about how my day has gone or how I am feeling. It is all about Him and keeping my eyes fixed on the One who is all together lovely. Keeping my identity in Him and resting in His love. Trusting Him with all things.

Yesterday I was doing bible study with two of my girls. A beautiful hearted missionary who is in the Rahab team was doing it and at the end she asked if they had any questions. One spoke up and said she was delighted to have read 1 John 3V1 ‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!’ She then goes on to talk about her brother’s funeral that had happened on the weekend. He had been in a car accident and she had lots to sort out with the family. Part of that was meeting the people that hit her brother with their car and caused his death. She was saying most of her family were crying and were angry with them. She however spoke out and told them not to be angry with them, that God has a plan for everyone and it was time for her brother to go to heaven. She forgave these people and talked about Gods destiny for each person. So she was happy to learn that it talks about us being His children in the bible because she had basically preached that to her family; and these strangers who had caused her brothers death.

Not much could be said after that apart from ‘wow’. I have a brother and I love him dearly, so if someone caused his death I don’t think forgiveness would be on my mind. I am just being honest here, it takes Jesus. However once again it’s not about me, it’s about Him and His love. Living in His joy is such a pure and wise thing. Yes we need help to do this, we are human! However He is so worth it! 

In love with this place...

Here is a little glimpse into my last month here...

In love with this place... from ruth Alexander on Vimeo.

Love looks like something...

Family...

Wow what a wonderful 31 hours….God is just so good...Nothing huge but it's all in the little things. To start with there is a wonderful osteopath visiting here that is being so kind and working on our kids and some missionaries. She worked on me yesterday and found that part of my lung wasn’t functioning as it should. Those who know me know I have had discomfort with breathing so this totally explained it and now I feel the difference! She worked on some other things as well. Found the whole thing truly fascinating! God was so creative when he made us!

Had a relaxing evening in with me myself and I, where I made homemade soup. The kitchen is my happy place where it’s just me and God creating together. Introvert at heart. Love my alone times with God.

Then today I had a day of doing admin and getting lots done…spoke with some friends and my lovely ‘Tia’ who is part of my little family. Heard about my friend Ana who I work with at the baby and toddler house, chased a robber through the village today. They got lots of stuff back but not all…but the police are on it! She then gave me some Chinese noodles she had made, which due to timing resulted in me eating two lunches. :) Love the community I am part of. Love my home.

I then got the barraca ready for tonight with one of the boys who works for Rahab each Friday. He cleans each Friday afternoon and guards, translates and looks after the male visitors in the evening. I put up two pictures that some artists did for us in the last mission’s school. Made the barraca look more homely. I then had a chat with our worker as he has some real struggles in his life and at home. I so wished I could help further but thankfully we are in an amazing body of Christ. I sent him to the right people to connect with knowing God will do something and all will be fine. While I was chatting with him one of the girls I met on the street last Sunday came over. In her school uniform and a Christmas tie, she had bought me a present. A necklace and some earrings. So precious of her. We ended up talking about her dreams. She wants to become a pediatrician and then get a passport to go help the poor in Haiti. Her compassion shocked me and once again I was stretched and learnt more at the feet of the poor than I do anywhere else. She is 16, smart and I know she can do it with God’s help.

I showered with running water…first time in months. Felt clean.

Ate leftovers from my first lunch and got ready for Rahab.

From the first moment we started Rahab this evening it was pure peace. Jesus was in that room and joy and laughter could only be seen. As we washed dirty, worn-out feet we chatted about God, how their weeks had been and asked God for help in the difficult things. Working jobs were organised at the relief of a newly made widow. Aching stomachs and colds where prayed for, wounds where bandaged up and all nails in that room looked beautiful. The ipod speakers stopped working so we sang. We discovered new songs and sang known ones. We were family relaxing in His house. God told me to make that place like a sitting room on purpose.

I returned home with a huge smile on my face knowing He is good…in the little and the big. He is good.

Showered again with running water. I will never take it for granted again. Got ready for bed.

Praying for His peace that we experienced in that barraca tonight to happen on the streets. Praying for my kids that I didn’t get to see today and truly miss. Praying for tomorrow in excitement of what my heavenly Daddy will have for me. Goodnight all. 

Aprender a amar...

Rahab:

Those moments when you can't put into words how you feel...one of my girls from the street phones me to say her malaria has gone and she will see me tonight...all excited...opening herself up to be vulnerable. Someone who finds it hard to trust is phoning to say she will see me tonight. It's all baby steps but I cheer with that just as I would when one of our babies makes their first steps. God is so kind, gracious and caring.

Some nights I get discouraged as I witness such foul play. My little 13 year olds telling me she was forced to have an abortion, as her client was white, as she takes off her long trousers to reveal her short shorts. She is ready in her work uniform. She starts walking the streets, well known to many it doesn’t take long until she finds someone claiming to own her for the night. It breaks me every time.

What is this huge thing before me? Just as Moses felt overwhelmed, so do I. But I have been called to set His people free. I have been called to Love. Come what May.

I am learning.

I am learning to give each thing to God.  

I am leaning on the baby steps. I am leaning on the fact that girls are coming off the street and finding jobs. I am leaning on the fact that they are getting their dignity back. I am leaning on the fact that God saves. I am leaning on His promises. I am leaning in His love.

Please join me in prayer for each one of these precious girls. We know about 60-70 girls now and we won’t stop until they are set free. Please pray for the men caught up in this. Please pray for this nation that it won’t be used for its state of poverty. Please pray.

Baby/toddler house:

Our children are just fantastic and God is showing His miracles through them every day. They know how to party and how to rest in His joy. They know how to fight off the orphan spirit and to praise Him in all things. They know His goodness and His salvation. May our ceiling be their floor from the word go. Please pray they are encouraged every day, that they are lead only by the HS in all things and that even when they are sleeping, they are pioneering. We believe in great things for our kids. :) 

May I never get used to it...

I don’t think I will ever get used to this place. Get used to seeing children go through trash to see if there is anything they can use for toys. Seeing skinny malnourished women trying to feed their hungry child. Mud and bamboo houses that are falling apart, next door to a cement house with a gate. Ladies selling themselves on the street to men that claim they ‘own’ the girls, letting them know that’s their only identity. Skinny babies coming to live in our children’s centre that have to deal with being rejected or their parents dying at such a young age.

However I don’t want to. I don’t want to get used to anything that is unjust! May God never let me get used to this.

I also don’t want to get used to the miracles I see each day. Every time I walk into that baby or toddler house I look into the eyes of a miracle. We have children that would not have been alive if it wasn’t for God running around and teaching us about joy. When I am doing street ministry and I bump into a lady who has thrown away her old way of life and has started working for a sewing business that we set up just for them. They have a new way of earning an income and a new way of life with Jesus! If God hadn’t have stepped in who knows what would have happened.

I don’t want to ever take Him for granted. May I always be in a place of thankfulness. May I always be in a place or worship. May I always be in a place of hope. I lay down my life to stop for the one. To serve the one. 

They shine in His land like jewels upon His crown... from ruth Alexander on Vimeo.