Okay, so I declared something: Let’s be our sister’s keeper – and then that’s totally what my family became for this woman I described in the post “Am I my sister’s keeper?” (https://sanvest.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/am-i-my-sisters-keeper-2/) Here is the story continued.
I met with this woman again! She is free from her trafficker but still caught in the environment around prostitution because she has not known much else the last 10 years. She had sex with one man here in Denmark who gave her 2500 kroner for a night. She spent 2000 kroner to pay her rent and 500 kroner on food. I met her the day where the money had slipped up. In three days time, she would be thrown on the street if she did not prostitute herself to earn money for her rent. But she had decided it was not an option for her anymore!
She was so desperate & the only thing we could offer her in the moment was two bags of rice & 20 kroner I had in my pocket. Before she left our appointment, I looked her in the eyes while she cried & said: “It’s okay, we’ll find a solution. Don’t worry. We’ll not forget you.”
After saying this, I had to calm my own heart & tell it: “Trust, dear heart, trust. God will finish what He has started with this woman.” Inwardly, I felt so helpless. Especially because her situation was so acute!
Then, I went home to celebrate my dad’s birthday. When I told my family about this woman, I tried to be rational & list up the different options we had to help her quickly. It was all a cover-up, a desperate way of not really showing how powerless & overwhelmed I actually felt. Sometimes it can seem easier for me to plan or act when something’s hard than just to wait! Wait on the Lord.
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While I tried to plan & figure things out, I heard the Holy Spirit gently whisper, “Just tell them what’s on your heart. You heart is broken for this woman. You don’t know what to do. Tell your family that.” So I got real & began speaking from my heart while bursting into tears.
I have the most understanding family! My mum’s immediate response was to invite her home for an unlimited time to live with them on their farm. Even though the house was filled with birthday guests the whole weekend, she wanted to provide shelter & food for this woman. Doing what she could with what she had. My mum exemplifies this verse:
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”, when you already have it with you.” (Proverbs 3,27 NIV)
So, the next day, my little sister & I drove to Istedgade to pick this woman up.
My 15-year-old sister is so cool. She prayed passionately & declared this scripture from Jeremiah over this woman in the car.
“And then I’ll enter the darkness. I’ll break the yoke from their necks, Cut them loose from the harness. No more slave labor to foreigners! They’ll serve their God” (Jeremiah 30,8 MSG)
This verse seemed so timely to proclaim over her. How cool is God?
We had some great farm days with her. We went for a walk on the fields in the mud and talked differences in cultures & sang a worship song in the fresh air. It was beautiful to see the healing effect it had on her to be outside the city; no noise, just peace & rest, & with someone taking care of her needs. I would find her reading the Bible I had given her when I woke up in the mornings in the room we shared! It moved my heart.
Sunday, as we went to church with her, she was handed a gift. My dad decided to pay her apartment rent. This means her body has not been sold to any man this month of March! It is so touching that my dad bought her free! My mum gave her stacks of clothes too & my grandparents gave her money for food.
In the midst of worrying & trying to figure out the future for this woman, I almost missed God’s extreme goodness in the middle of the situation, & this gracious encouragement from her:
“You have a lovely family. They are so happy. It is my dream to have a family like this. My problems have become your problems. You have brought my problems and sufferings into your own family.
You were not busy like the other ones I have met that tried to help. My life has changed since I met you. I will never forget you.”
Tears! How often have I been the one too busy to respond to a need that could have been a divine invitation from God? Often, for sure! It’s totally God’s grace that He opened my eyes this time.
This was truly a Heaven-kissed weekend.
As we gave, we received so much more. We experienced a beautiful unity in my family around a cause, around helping the one. Priceless.
Thank you Jesus for choosing to partner with us, broken people! It’s all for Your glory.
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