In Which God Sets the Solitary in Families

It was actually the second sentence of scripture I ever learned back in those early days. I was desperate for the love of a family, and God had truly made Himself known to me through one. My three older siblings led me to Christ, and looking back it's surely a miracle that would make even the hardest of hearts want to believe in something or another.

God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. Ps. 68:6

It is simple and hopeful and a promise.

The past few weeks of raising support for this trip have been marked with overwhelming evidence of this simple, hope-filled, promise. From family and friends across the country, near and far, today, we reached our support raising goal of $5,000--and far exceeded it.

But let me back track a moment here. A year ago when I ventured to India for the first time, I ended up not even raising half of my support--in the end, God gave me an income and it got paid off. So I entered into this support raising journey with a little more doubt and a lot less belief. Sure, I'd seen His provision in such miraculous ways these past months, and so I sort of decided this season of my cup overfloweth was running out? As in, it was time He blessed someone else instead of me.

I tell Him I believe and beg Him to help my unbelief, but as we are a week out and in need of nearly half the money, well, do I really believe?

On Sunday morning we needed $1,700 as a team in order to meet our goal. By 4pm on Monday, we exceeded our goal with a good bit of excess too. There were just two events that took place in those few hours. Sunday morning we were commissioned by our church. Sunday night we had a coffee and dessert open house as friends passed by to encourage us.

The church globally of course, are my brothers and sisters forever. And this little body in the rolling hills of NW Arkansas has become my family. It has been a process over these past two years, and seeing them gathered around us, praying for us as we go out, well it was all humbling.

[proof of the whole camping thing for you skeptics]

I have fallen in love with the church this year. In all of her imperfect, sinful, broken glory. And in the refuge of this body, God has restored and wained my ever-decietful heart of past hurts and sin that so easily entangles. There has been a family that took me into their home and taught me trust and grace. There are brothers and sisters in my season of life that have made a safe place to wrestle and grow in understanding of His word together. When they tell me they are praying, I know they are. There are several families that have paid me to work for them, though my only qualification was unemployed lover of Jesus. There are older men and women that pour into my life. A few of them even taught me to love internationals and then modeled how to study scripture with them. I have camped with these people. TWICE. Ya'll, I don't even camp, like ever. But in this community, I would do it again and again and again because it's real and I see Jesus more when I am apart of this body.

There is a legacy here. For a girl with a whole lot of generational garbage, it might just be the sweetest gift aside from Christ Himself. The day my "adopted grandpa" sang cowboy songs over lunch while the kiddos looked up with bug eyes, when he tells me about burying his daughter on the mission field and Polio at age six-teen and he opens his lips with the gospel pouring forth, praising Jesus more today. Well, that is the victory I'm fighting from. That's the leg of this body that's taught me the Groom really is enthralled by His Bride. And He is coming!

I see her preparing it is not without imperfection, but it is glorious.

Simply put, this body has given exceedingly, abundantly more then I believed was even possible and the recieving end is soaking in the glory today. It's all Christ, even this money is His and the testimony of how He has used these people in my life this year, this family--well that is all His praise too. His alone. In the flow of finances from Him to them to us for His namesake, all the way to the middle of the mountains of rural India--may HIS NAME BE PRAISED IN ALL THE EARTH.

May we honor Him in it's usage.

Do you see it yet? The way He places the lonely in a family?

It's a testimony many know too well in my generation, the loneliness that is. We have been hurt and we are hardened to trust. We get anxious at simply the talk of submission to anyone (particularly the church) and yet we so desperately desire loving relationship. But Christ says He is head of the church and it's members are to function like the body, grieving together, rejoicing together, and maintaining accountability.

I came in with a lot of hesitation and lot of doubt. These people have loved me through the fear and the pride and the sinner beneath it all. Relentless pursuit, a pointing back to the gospel. And I know Jesus more because of them. I am thankful for a Pastor that preaches the Bible expositionally and church leadership that aims to glorify God and shepard well. I am so incredibly in awe of the way this body has and continues to love on our international friends.

Before our India going away party!

Members of UBC, Syd and I are so incredibly humbled and grateful for the love you show us and protection and support you lavish on us. We are blessed to share of what God is doing at UBC with our friends and fellow brothers and sisters in India.

I urge you to commit to the local body of Christ, the church and experience this awesome picture of a family for yourself.

[India-bound in just a week and waiting to pack for another six days!]

Courtney 

Another Point of View

Hello to the blog world! I feel like I should introduce myself: I’m Sydney, the other teammate who has been joyfully placed on the same path with Courtney for the past semester or so. I’m new to the whole blog thing, as you will probably see, although I’m really excited to be a part of the way blogs are being used all over the world to speak about God’s glory and redemptive work. 

So in this post I’m going to delve into how I’m feeling as we prepare to embark on this journey to India. There’s so much to say on several different topics, so just a WARNING this will be pretty scatterbrained...

First off... We are really doing it! This time next week we will be on our way to India, most likely perusing through an airport in Germany. I'm constantly amazed by God. I've been so fortunate to be involved in a few mission trips over the past four years, and each one is so unique and special. Even though I know that God created the world, and loved the world in such a way as to send his ONLY son, His precious offspring... it is amazing to really see, smell, and hear the different cultures, and be in relationships with His children who live in areas completely different from the American society I’ve grown up in. HE LOVES people all over the world... unconditionally. I'm trying to prepare my heart for it to break and mend all over again, as God allows His love to flow through my sinful heart onto His children in India. That in itself is something worth singing about! 

I can't help but compare myself to my teammate Courtney, who is clearly (although she may not admit it) more prepared for this trip than I would even think of being. It seems as if the only thing I'm prepared to do is be surprised and blown away by what God has planned for us to do in the month of July. I think she and I could hardly be more opposite when it comes to organization, planning, time management, love languages, food choices... etc. But honestly, I am so thankful for the way God has chosen us to be on a team together! The closer we get to leaving for Happy Valley, the more I can see God's sovereignty in pairing up a planner with a dreamer. We have been given different gifts and have different ways of doing service, but we serve the same God and proclaim that Jesus is Lord together, united in the same Spirit - that’s what matters (1 Cor. 12:4-6). No matter what we disagree on, we have to agree that we have been redeemed by the sacrifice made by Jesus for our sins, and everything we do is driven by our love for our Savior Jesus and our love for people. If we don’t have love, we will be nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3). 

Did I say I’m excited already? What a great sister to link arms with and labor in fields that are white for harvest!

Also, as we get closer to our launch date, the gravity of the situation has come over both of us. This is reality. This isn't just a fun trip to get out of our American comfort zones. Our short trip has the potential to catapult us into being a part of God's redemptive work in the lives of the exploited and enslaved in India, and even in our communities in the states. This is reality. People - mainly vulnerable women and children - are being used for extreme labor and/or sexual services, without any relief or escape. Through all of this, though, we have to remember that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). And there is hope. We know the ending, we know that Jesus triumphs over Satan and injustice in the end. While we are here in this temporary home we can choose to learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause (Isaiah 1:17). Or we can sit back and relax. After hearing stories and statistics from organizations like As Our Own, A21, and IJM (just to name a few), relaxing isn't an option for me, or Courtney, or so many others. This shouldn’t be the latest "fad-cause" for us to jump on, but Jesus followers should be driven to fight against injustice. “Seek justice, correct oppression.” Plain and clear. And the one, Jesus Christ, who has ALL the authority in heaven and on earth is with us to the end of time. Resting in His truth is different than relaxing in ignorance. 

   Well, this seems to be the rambling part of the blog... But before I go I want to say that I’m extremely thankful for our church family at UBC for coming behind our mission on which God is sending us. We needed over $1,700 this past Sunday, and by Monday afternoon our Father used the local body to provide all of that and more, our financial support is overflowing! What an affirmation that God is laying out the path in front of us to go to India! It means so much that body of Christ is sending us out with their prayers and their finances. We are so blessed! I know Courtney will speak more to this in her blog, so I will stop now. :)

Thanks for sticking with me! Please continue to pray for us as we prepare to leave next Wednesday. So grateful for you!

Sydney

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

In Which 82 Girls are Trafficked Daily & My Thesis [all while in India]

We were walking down the narrow dirt road, in the dust of the rest of the group up ahead. This faithful servant and I were taking our time as her English grew in confidence and the words shared were teaching me. I had been watching around me the whole week at this point, looking for any signs of women enslaved. With a list of the red flags continually strumming deep within, I knew this overpopulated, underprivileged, idol-worshipping area would support the statistics like no other.

I asked her point blank eventually, if she'd ever heard of human sex-trafficking. She shook her head and smiled a bit, anxious for a new topic. I  I eased up and changed the conversation and she relaxed. Later in the night, I was finally allowed to enter beyond the curtain that usually separated us from the fabulous scents that lingered for miles.

No, no sister, you don't need to stay back here, she prompted. It is too hot for you! You are our guest!  I laughed and begged and pleaded for the chance to learn something. She couldn't very well turn down a teaching opportunity, as I know it is her heart. It worked, of course. For the next several hours these women had me plastered to a chair with a large fan encircling me. I was limited to that spot, but I'd made it beyond the veil, that little box that consumes hours of their day cutting and frying and rinsing, all to serve us.

One asked me about my degree and my future. I prayed and felt the Spirit prompting as I shared. I explained in more detail this concept of human sex-trafficking, the gravity of the issue, and the girls in need of help, a future I felt called to pursue at the time. I will never forget the sweat dropping down my cheeks or the butterflies swarming inside. This same woman, the one I'd made uncomfortable earlier in the day, she paused at her cutting board and turned to face me.

You know sister, she hesitated, there are women, many girls and women, they grow up in these villages. And one day, well, they're just gone. We don't really know where they end up, but we don't see them anymore. I think this is what you are talking about?

I never knew it was possible to feel chill bumps flood my entire body at 110 degrees Fahrenheit until that moment. I was thankful though, as the truth is painful but freeing in long-term.

In 2005, India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) estimated that 44,000 children go missing in the country every year. Of these,11,000 are never traced. A 1998 report noted that children constituted more than 40% of those trafficked into sexual exploitation in the country.

The overwhelming majority of girls pushed into exploitative sex work come from rural pockets of India hit by extreme poverty. Social structures and deep-rooted gender bias mean they are the poorest, most disadvantaged people even within their own communities. The traffickers prey on vulnerable young girls from impoverished households and pushing them into sex work and slavery across the country. Promises of marriage, employment and even food are used to lure girls from their homes, only for them to find themselves forced into the sex trade.

And that was when the ugly reality of twenty-seven million being bought and sold in our world today swept down and shook my own little world. I tend to react in these moments, with big dreams and little follow through. This time, I chose silence as I knew the paralyzing feelings of helplessness as one single Western white girl thinking she could change the world would prove far more detrimental then life-giving in the end.

I processed a lot this past year, and have sought Jesus more. He has redeemed much of my own brokenness and in the process lessened the desire to fully immerse myself once again into the darkness of the world of human sex-trafficking and many agree there is wisdom here. He is however, sending me back to India for this month and my love for her beautiful people has only grown.

I still see God's heart to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound and feel that I have a responsibility in that as well. Part of that in the flesh is addressing the issue of these women disappearing from these villages. We intend to do so in a manner that might not yield as instantaneous results as we'd all like, but lasting ones. We hope to equip LifeChange International with some resources and education in the area as well, further promoting long-lasting change. God has opened up an incredible opportunity for me to complete my college degree through twelve weeks worth of research, writing and application through a thesis I have begun working on.

A thesis that I already see the hand of God completely penning out before my eyes. Though this wasn't exactly [at all] my plan, I will be working on my thesis while in India. As it turns out, the timing of it all is quite perfect. I will be investigating the cultural causation and preventative application of human sex-trafficking in the rural villages of Orissa. I am thankful for this trip coming so soon, to see God use this silly college degree [which I really haven't wanted to complete] to impact lives, lives of women and children with real faces and names. If this was His purpose in these four years, then I say it was worth it and may His name be lifted high.

Up until departure, I continue to research the causation of these women's increased vulnerability. The lasting results will most deepen by pinpointing the root short-comings and then addressing them. This could flesh out in increased education and employment opportunities for women, a long-term hope. I also tend to ask lots of questions and just examine the way these tribals' specific culture plays into the vulnerabilities of their own women and children.

I also believe there should be a very practical portion offered during our short time there, which is where the preventative and awareness seminars come in. As God allows and leads, we hope to offer handouts and teaching on the red flags to look out for which could indicate a potential trafficker and emphasizing the importance of leaning into the community.

With 82 NEW girls being trafficked in India every single day, please continue to pray for God to provide supernatural resources in these weeks before leaving and wisdom in the unique and complex dichotomy of this culture. Pray for these men, women, children to hear and respond favorably, and for His glory to be manifested among them because seminars and causation better understood aside, only Christ can offer lasting hope and eternal security.

If you know of any awesome organizations already on the ground fighting for these enslaved men, women, and children let us know as the more resources, the more efficient we can be.

In His Grace,
Courtney

And a Quick Support Update:

We are nearing the two week out mark and my support is about $400 away from the full amount! Praise God. It has been one of the most humbling few weeks of my life to watch the body around me give so generously, both financially and prayerfully. Syd is still needing a good amount of support, so any of you who are waiting until the end to give, please do so as she will also be so blessed by your gift. 

And The Letter Goes Out [from Courtney]

Hey Ya’ll!                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

It is hard to believe a whole year has already passed since I returned from India, and it has been a grace-filled one, to say the least. As many of you know, God led me to withdraw from classes and take a job in the business world just over a year ago. That was undoubtedly one of the biggest ways I’ve seen His provision, as this plan made no sense to me at the time. Around the same time, I moved out into the rolling hills of these Ozark Mountains with an incredible family from whom I have learned so much.

The move and job change have so flawlessly testified to God’s faithfulness in my life this year, as He has used this adopted family to show me such a tangible picture of His own love for me. Looking back, God has used this year to restore a lot of brokenness and solidify my own dependency in Him above all else. I am thankful it is a process, and certainly have not arrived, but I see a spirit of steadfastness growing.

Another year of International ministry has really allowed me to see the body of believers here in NW Arkansas catching a vision to reach out to these students in noticeable ways. It has been incredibly humbling to be apart of.  Most of my time has been spent studying the bible with a group of girls from Korea, Japan, and Indonesia. This past fall, a new program was launched, birthed from vision God gave me last year to further connect American University of Arkansas college students with internationals. The “Friendship Cousins” program has been a huge success this year and God continues to use relationships built for His glory, even through a secular program.

In just a couple weeks, I will be moving into a house with two other believers who also share in this desire to see internationals reached with the gospel. We look forward to hosting plenty of events and bible studies in this awesome house God provided! I recently accepted a new job as a nanny here in Arkansas as I continue paying off school debt. I am just several classes away from graduation this August! I have watched God provide in such miraculous ways this year. Just recently, He has presented an opportunity for me to return to India this summer!

As the year has progressed, I have kept in close contact with the Pastor I got to serve in India last summer. India has remained constant in thought and prayer as I have tried to remain faithful to what God has called me to here as I wait for His timing and confirmation of returning. Now it’s time!!!  

The Lord has graciously provided a dear friend and sister in Christ with the desire [and the guts!] to adventure into the mountainous villages of India alongside me! God has so meshed our hearts and lives together this year and it is a privilege to embark on this journey with her.

From July 3^rd to July 30^th we will be teaching English at a school in the middle of many small, impoverished villages. Just having us there to teach & share the gospel through English classes in that schoolhouse will bring much credibility to the school and the ministry work it funds. We also hope to offer several classes on sex-trafficking prevention, as many of these village women are prime targets of this awful crime. In addition, we hope to be an encouragement to the local church & persecuted believers who call these rural mountains home.

The school we will be teaching at.

While in India, we plan to keep a blog! This is such an awesome opportunity for YOU to be involved through our whole journey! We hope to articulate with more clarity the needs of this Pastor and his ministry as well as stories of what God is doing. As we are going into a primarily Hindi culture with some deeply rooted resistance to the gospel, please pray that hearts would be softened while we share and do life on life with these beautiful people. Also, pray for the Pastor and his family who continue to serve so faithfully day in and day out, despite persecution. Pray for God to show us how we can best serve them through our time as well.

As I am going into this trip with the specific intention of prayerfully considering returning to the same location to teach the children and minister to the Hindi women long-term within about a year, please pray for God to provide direction in this as well.

As God has so graciously drawn me to Himself through the way the local church has encircled, provided discipleship, and loved on me this year, it is humbling and exciting to actually be sent out by my own church on this trip! We need to raise $2,500 for this trip by June 28^th, 2013. If you feel led to support us on this journey, please make checks payable to University Baptist Church. All donations are tax-deductable. Please don’t put my name on the check.

Thank you for continuing to walk with me in this journey, trusting God as He leads me back to India for this season! Your continual prayers and support are always so appreciated! 

In His Glorious Grace,

Courtney