Those are the words that I heard yesterday while talking to a woman in her window in the red light district of a city near me. I have heard those words several times in the past year, and every time I feel so helpless and without concrete answers. Of course I say that God will give them strength, that He will direct their steps and that He loves them very much, but I have nothing to offer them that will give them rent money or food on their tables. We teach them how to make and sell jewelry, but it’s hard to make enough jewelry to pay your rent. It is such a conflicted feeling. My heart soars with the fact that “L” wants out. She is 50+ years old and has worked in prostitution for 33 years. She knows no other life. It’s the quickest way to get cash. She doesn’t want her children and grandchildren following in her footsteps, and she feels so much shame. She keeps saying, “Next week I’m leaving.” And next week never comes.
Although I’m thrilled that she wants out, I am clueless as to how to counsel her to do it. She was quick to show me her laptop and Psychology book for a college course she is taking. The laptop was opened on her chair in the window. I loved seeing the light in her eyes as she talked about this course. The book is written in Dutch, and she was having to use Google translator for the harder words. (She is from Dominican Republic and Spanish is her main language.) It makes her feel more like a normal person to be studying this. I’m happy for her.
If only we had a safe place nearby where we could take them to be cared for until they get established in a legitimate profession. A place that would put as much emphasis on their internal life before God as their outward, practical life. I desire to see these women come alive with the revelation of God’s fiery, intense love for them. To see life in their eyes and smiles on their faces. They need someone to constantly hold their hands for at least a few months, to continually say, “You can DO this!” They need someone to say every day, “Hey, let’s pray together. God has the answer.” They need someone to help them get visas and work permits, etc.. There is SO much need! (more…)
Posted in Family on 16. Sep, 2010
I guess no matter how old they get, I’ll still be amazed at the age of my children. I remember when Destiny turned eight years old, and then six weeks later Courtney turned ten. I was truly amazed that my kids were getting so old. They look REALLY old here, huh?! All three of us look so sophisticated and beautiful.
Well, two days ago Destiny turned twenty-seven. My second-born baby is 27 years old?! It can’t be! Just yesterday she was hopping backward down the hallway with the end of the roll of toilet paper in her hand. Just yesterday she was sitting at the dinner table for two hours with a mouthful of vegetables that she refused to eat. Just yesterday she was telling everyone on the stage what to do during her ballet recital. Just yesterday she was telling me that she had committed her entire life and future to a God who loved her with a Love that she would never fully comprehend.
Yes. Des is twenty-seven years old and pouring her life out for this generation here in Brussels, Belgium. I love her more than I could begin to express. She’s the exclamation point in my life.
Also in case you haven’t heard, she is carrying our 8th grandchild! I went with her and Jon to her first doctor appointment which happened to be on her birthday. I had never had the privilege of seeing a sonogram of a twelve-week baby before, and I have to tell you, I was fascinated. I’ve seen quite a few sonograms in my life, but this one was pretty special. At twelve weeks the baby is only 2-3 inches long, so its image fits entirely on the screen. The baby was kicking and moving his/her little arms around. At one point he put his hand to his mouth then all of the sudden flipped over! It was the coolest thing to see! I immediately bonded with that little bundle of preciousness and can’t wait till she is here! (You notice I used “he” AND “she”, cause I don’t have a clue.)
Just think. This baby is at the prime age for abortions. In Europe 50% of all pregnancies end in abortion. This hit me hard while I was watching this baby in that examining room. (more…)
Posted in Family on 28. Jul, 2010
After today I will call my Wednesday posts “Wordless Wednesday”, but today I’m going to explain it a little. Destiny said I should call it “Wordy Wednesday” just for today, and I totally agree. I would hate to mislead anyone. 
I’ve been wanting to do Wordless Wednesdays for a long time but always seem to forget until late on Wednesday Thursday Friday night. I really love pictures that speak for themselves, so now I will (hopefully) be looking for a photo all week to use.
The whole idea of Wordless Wednesday is not to use words. I totally get that, but I do want to say one more thing that might seem unrelated but really isn’t: I am so very very grateful that my laptop is back in my hands after being in the repair shop for a week. I have a Macbook Air (which I LOVE) and the hinge has been gradually breaking over the last several months. Well, my wonderful husband researched it and found out that I’m not the only one with hinge problems on my version of Air. Therefore, they fixed it better than ever and totally free of charge even though it was past the one-year warranty period! I LOVE Apple!
Ok…..now for my Wordless Wednesday….
American Fourth of July in Belgium
Posted in Family on 25. Jun, 2010
This week we celebrated our thirtieth wedding anniversary, and I must say, my husband knows how to make it romantic! He started it off with presenting me with a video that he made that makes me cry EVERY time I watch it! Then he took me to an amazing restaurant outside of Namur, a small city sixty kilometers southeast of Brussels. Pictures definitely don’t do it justice, but here goes:
Our view from the restaurant
Another view from the restaurant
After an unbelievably amazing dinner we strolled along the banks of the river:
This doorway was just standing in the middle of a big open space. The year carved above the door says “1676″.
What beauty. What a gift. This was only forty-five minutes from our house. We are blessed. Thank you, Lord, for thirty amazing years.
