Social justice
Kaldet til din næste
Dette er en artikel udgivet på "Docks". Det er Haven Networks ressourceplatform, som tilbyder artikler og videoer, til at styrke, udfordre og inspirere dig på din vandring i den kristne tro – om du er skeptisk eller allerede troende. De er tilknyttet kirken Haven i Aarhus, som er en evangelisk frikirke.
Diakoni er en vigtig del af mit liv på syvende år. Det har haft indflydelse på min egen åndelige udvikling og hjulpet med at sætte mine egne kampe i perspektiv og bringe indre helbredelse, hvor jeg behøvede det. At sidde med åbenlyst brudte og forkastede mennesker har givet mig vokseværk på mange planer.
Selvom diakoni udleves af kristne i mange lokalsamfund rundt omkring i Danmark, er ordet ikke længere en fast del af de flestes ordforråd. Men det er endnu mere relevant i dag, hvor kirkens rolle i socialt arbejde kan underspilles på grund af de omsorgsopgaver, der er uddelegeret til staten. Bureaukrati i det offentlige sundhedssystem kan spænde ben for nærværet og udlevelsen af et kristent menneskesyn, og derfor har diakoni – gjort i Jesu navn og eksempel – stadig sin berettigelse.
Derfor vil vi sammen kigge nærmere på, hvad diakoni er, og hvorfor det er en vigtig del af at være Jesus-efterfølger.
Må det være til opmuntring og motivation for dig, der allerede er i gang med diakoni, og til inspiration for dig, der endnu ikke er det.
Hvad er diakoni?
Det græske ord diakonia betyder tjeneste og er brugt over 100 gange i Det Nye Testamente. Historisk set har diakoni været det centrale ord til at beskrive kirkens sociale ansvar og arbejde; hvordan evangeliet udleves i handling igennem omsorg for fattige, nødlidende og udstødte. Og at være Jesu hænder, fødder og stemme deles typisk op i to former – karitativ og profetisk diakoni.
Karitativ diakoni handler om barmhjertighedsgerninger, der afhjælper og lindrer et medmenneskes nutidige, presserende behov, som eksempelvis at tilbyde et måltid mad eller et bad til en hjemløs. Udover de utallige eksempler i evangelierne på Jesu spontane barmhjertighedsgerninger, opfordrer blandt andet Ordsprogenes Bog til spontan tjeneste for vores medmennesker: »Afslå ikke at hjælpe nogen, hvis du er i stand til det« Ordsprogenes bog 3:27.
Hvor karitativ diakoni handler om her og nu-indgriben over for et medmenneske, er den profetiske diakoni rettet mod at tale de svages sag, og stå op for retfærdighed, for at skabe en ny fremtid for dem, der ikke kan forsvare sig selv. Det kan være en politisk handling, eller andre måder hvor vores stemme bruges til at protestere, demonstrere og adressere strukturer, der skaber ulighed og fattigdom. Fx er et kendt eksempel på profetisk diakoni Martin Luther Kings borgerrettighedsbevægelse. Når Esajas profeterer om Jesus som Isajs rodskud, Davids søn, i Esajas’ bog, er det bare et af mange steder, hvor Jesus forsvarer de svage: »Han forsvarer fattiges rettigheder og dømmer de svage retfærdigt« Esajas 11:4.
Hvorfor kalder Jesus hver af sine efterfølgere til at udleve de her former for diakoni over for vores medmennesker? Her kommer fire grunde.
1) Troværdighed
Som Jesus-efterfølgere ønsker vi, at vores ord og handling går hånd i hånd – både det, vi siger, vi står for individuelt, og hvad vi bekender, vi sammen tror på som kirke. Derfor kan diakoni ikke bare uddelegeres som statens opgave, for troværdigheden af vores budskab vises gennem det levede liv hos hver enkelt troende: »I viser med jeres liv, at I er et anbefalingsbrev fra Kristus« 2 Korintherbrev 3:3.
Apostlenes Gerningers sjette kapitel beskriver den parring af ordets forkyndelse og diakoniens udrakte hænder til samfundet, der giver troværdighed til evangeliet og skinner et lys i mørket for udenforstående:
Efterhånden som flere og flere kom til tro, begyndte de græsktalende jødekristne i menigheden at beklage sig overfor de hebraisktalende, fordi de mente, at deres enker blev tilsidesat ved den daglige maduddeling. Derfor indkaldte de 12 apostle alle lederne til et møde og sagde: »Det er ikke godt, at vi forsømmer forkyndelsen af Guds ord for at tage vare på maduddelingen. Derfor skal I finde syv erfarne og åndsfyldte mænd iblandt jer, som har et godt ry. Dem vil vi give ansvaret for maduddelingen, så vi selv kan koncentrere os om bønnen og tjenesten med at forkynde ordet.«
De syntes alle, at det var et godt forslag, og de valgte derfor syv mænd: Stefanus (en mand, som var fuld af tro og Helligåndens kraft), Filip, Prokoros, Nikanor, Timon, Parmenas og Nikolaos fra Antiokia (en græker, der tidligere havde sluttet sig til jødedommen). De syv blev så fremstillet for apostlene, som bad for dem og indsatte dem til tjeneste ved at lægge hænderne på dem og velsigne dem.
Guds ord nåede ud i stadig videre kredse, og antallet af disciple voksede stærkt i Jerusalem. Også en del af de jødiske præster kom til tro" Apostlenes Gerninger 6:1-7.
Her i den første kirke begynder en diakonal afdeling, hvor næstekærligheden bliver systematiseret, for at kunne afhjælpe behovet om enkernes tilsidesættelse ved den daglige maduddeling. Den første kirke forstår vigtigheden af, at den praktiske tjeneste ikke går ud over ordets forkyndelse. Derfor udpeges nye ledere til at stå for maduddelingen. Hvad der skete efter denne beslutning, er fantastisk; frugten er ikke til at tage fejl af. Antallet af disciple voksede stærkt og flere jødiske præster kom til tro.
Det er den effekt, vi kan have tro for, når vi skaber muligheder for medkristnes næste skridt i deres vandring med Gud. For mange vil næste skridt være at blive involveret i diakonalt arbejde, og bruge deres gaver der, hvad end deres gaver er at lede, tro, opmuntre, administrere, helbrede, hjælpe praktisk, udøve barmhjertighed, trøste, give af sit eget eller andet (Romerne 12:6). Ved at udleve evangeliet i handling og aktivt bruge egne gaver, går vi fra kun at være forbrugere til også at være bidragere, og det skaber modenhed og troværdighed: »Hvis troen står alene uden at give sig udtryk i handling, er den død« Jakobs brev 2:14.
Når vi står sammen som kirke i at elske vores næste, og i vores udadrettede arbejde også giver udtryk for vores indbyrdes kærlighed til hinanden, er det et fantastisk, troværdigt vidnesbyrd for dem, der følger med i vores liv fra sidelinjen. Og dem er der flere af end du tror – også andre end dem, der følger dig på sociale medier.
2) For din egen sundheds skyld
»Den, der giver til andre, får mere igen, den, der afhjælper nød, bliver selv hjulpet« Ordsprogenes Bog 11:25. Der er noget forfriskende i at tjene andre. Når vi får øjnene væk fra os selv og tjener en anden, der har det svært, er det fantastisk, hvordan det hjælper vores egen situation og hjerte. Min egen oplevelse med at blive involveret i diakonalt arbejde for 7 år siden var, at jeg gik fra at være selvoptaget til at blive selvbevidst. Før var jeg selvabsorberet og det satte mig i fangeskab at fokusere på alt, der var forkert med mig. Gennem diakonalt arbejde blev jeg i stedet selvbevidst og opmærksom på, hvordan jeg kunne bruge mine styrker og min frihed til at tjene andre i kærlighed (Galaterbrevet 5:13).
Det var en vigtig lektie at lære for mig, at jeg kunne bruges her og nu i et andet menneskes liv. Det kræver ikke perfektion at afhjælpe andres nød. Gud bruger os i vores svaghed. Paulus udfordrer os med, at det er i vores svaghed at Guds styrke fremhæves (2 Korinterbrev 12:10). Derfor er vores egen brudthed ikke en hindring for at blive involveret. Når vi er i kontakt med vores egen brudthed, får vi et mod til at træde ind i andres lidelser og bære deres byrder, fordi vi kan relatere til dem. Hvis vi ikke er bekendt med vores egen brudthed og hvordan Jesus møder os og lyser vores mørke op, er det svært at have håb for, at det kan ske midt i andres (ved første øjekast) håbløse historier.
Vær opmuntret! Diskvalificér ikke dig selv. Alt det kræver at lede et andet menneske (til Jesus, til håb, til liv, til visdom) er at være et enkelt skridt foran – hvad end det så er at være rigere på en oplevelse, rigere i modenhed, erfaring, ressourcer, venskaber, økonomi eller noget helt andet.
Ved at fortsætte på rejsen med at blive sat fri fra vores eget mørke, og vandre i det lys vi er blevet givet af Jesus, kan vi lyse vejen op for andre. Han er en lygte for vores fod og et lys på vores sti (Salme 119:105). Vi får privilegiet af at opfylde kærlighedsbuddet om at elske vores næste som os selv – i Helligåndens kraft – og proklamere over mennesker, “Bliv fri fra dit mørke”.
Et sundt legeme ånder både ind og ud. Det samme gælder for Jesu legeme; det både modtager og giver.
3) Fordi Jesus viste vejen
Korset viser os Jesu ubetingede kærlighed. Jesus viser os at ægte kærlighed er at ofre sig for og frivilligt forpligte sig til andre mennesker, som han gjorde for os på korset: »Jesus gav jo sit liv for vores skyld, så han kunne løskøbe os fra al ondskab og umoralitet og gøre os til sit ejendomsfolk, et folk, der ivrigt søger efter at gøre det gode« Titus 2:14.
På korset elskede Jesus os tilbage til livet, og når den kærlighedsgerning modtages på et personligt plan og bliver gjort levende, er det naturlige biprodukt at vi ønsker at omfavne folk midt i deres brudthed, ligesom Jesus fortsætter med at omfavne os. Denne usædvanlige kærlighed driver og opfordrer os til at ydmyge os selv og følge i vores Frelsers fodspor. Vi lever ikke længere for os selv. Vi lever for ham, og vores hjerter bevæges af, hvad Guds hjerte bevæger sig af – en brudt menneskehed.
Kristus udfordrer vores menneskelige natur, når han viser os at tjeneste ikke er en vej til storhed. Tjeneste er storhed. Det er en fantastisk byttehandel Gud tilbyder os. Som vi giver til andre, modtager vi. Når vi tjener, bliver vi kaldt mægtige. Når vi dør til vores egne ambitioner, bliver vi levende i Ham. Vi udøver diakoni, fordi Jesus viste os vejen.
Må hvad Jesus gjorde for dig blive levende (på ny), og må dit nye liv, der udspringer af Guds nåde og Helligåndens virke, vise andre vejen til Jesus.
4) Mission
»Prædik evangeliet. Om nødvendigt brug ord«. Sådan skulle Frans af Assisi efter sigende have sagt. Ord er nødvendige, men hvis der ikke er nogen handling bag, bliver de hule skaller. En del af befalingen om at “gå ud i alverden” er også befalingen om at gå til de brudte, de oversete og de forkastede. Gud kalder os med et “GÅ”, der trækker det ud af os som vi bærer på, så vi kan uddele det til andre.
Hvis du ikke ved, hvad din særlige mission er, er mission gennem kærlige, strategiske handlinger til velsignelse for andre mennesker et godt sted at starte. Gennem dem er vi jordens salt og verdens lys (Matthæusevangeliet 5:13-14): »På samme måde skal I lade det lys, I har fået, skinne for folk, så de kan se, at det, I gør, er prisværdigt, og så de kan give jeres Far i Himlen ære« Matthæusevangeliet 5:16.
Karitativ og profetisk diakoni koblet med sjælesorg er kraftfuldt, fordi det giver ære til Gud ved at fokusere både på menneskers fysiske, sjælelige, åndelige og fremtidige behov.
Esajas’ bog beskriver Jesu mandat herunder, og dét mandat er også dit. Jeg vil opmuntre dig til at læse det højt og minde dig selv om, hvordan du er kaldet til at følge i Jesu fodspor:
" Herrens Ånd er over dig, fordi han har udvalgt dig. Han har sendt dig for at bringe godt nyt til de afmægtige og genoprette dem, hvis hjerte er knust. Du skal forkynde frihed for de fangne og løse de bundnes bånd. Det bliver en tid, hvor Herren tager imod alle, som kommer til ham, men han vil også straffe de ulydige. Han vil trøste dem, der sørger. Ja alle, som sørger i Zion, vil han give festdragt i stedet for sæk og aske, glæde i stedet for sorg, lovsang i stedet for tungsind. De skal kaldes de retfærdige egetræer, og de skal stå som vidnesbyrd om Herrens herlighed" Esajas 61:1.
Må vi som kirker i Danmark bevæges til handling for vores næste ved intelligent og strategisk at kigge på behovene i vores lokalområde, og respondere hvor vi kan.
Gud velsigne dig.
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Encountering our own backyard
This Saturday was the day we had anticipated, prayed about and sowed into over Easter as a church! Our desire with the day was to show the cross equals love message in action in our own backyard! Items to cover some basic needs for a homeless person was collected and put in care packs with encouraging notes in each one of them. And off we went – as one team we gathered to then scatter to three different strategic locations in Copenhagen.
What met the street team was deep amazement all over. It’s amazing what a toothbrush can mean for someone who has not had his or her teeth brushed for 10 days. Wet wipes were immediately taken to use and body lotion applied on dry, cold hands. A woman was commenting how she saw this pack as her Christmas present as she did not receive one last year.
From Copenhagen over the bridge to Malmö, we visited a women’s homeless shelter, and a volunteer, Anett, describes her experience of sitting with a girl high on drugs. She was hard to reach with a distant look on her face, not looking Anett straight in the eyes, but as Anett started to pack up the pack and show her the items one by one, something happened. The girl started loosening up, looking Anett in the eyes and she even wanted to try the face cream. Anett says: “My heart cried when I looked at her. Somewhere did something go wrong where no one has been there to help her. I was so glad I could be “the one” to her that day as we held hands and gave each other a hug.”
Not only were the homeless people uplifted. We were too.
“Being able to stand in the park and chat and experience our shared humanity and how laughter connects us was eye-opening,” Lauren says.
We truly experienced that those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed, and enjoyed the opportunity to practice living out God’s heart for the poor:
“It’s criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor – what a blessing!”(Proverbs 14:20 MSG)
Our heart is to build relationships and love people to the point of them asking: ”Why do you want to do this for me… a stranger?”From that point on we have the invitation to share our story and the hope we have in Jesus!
For those friendships to be built, consistency is key! That’s why this Easter initiative is just the starting point of a regular homeless street team we are launching in May – simply because we care and because we can.
You can sign up here to be part of it: citycare.hillsong.dk
Thank you church for your amazing willingness to be part of the answer – it all matters!
Sandra Hultén
CityCare Coordinator
Published on www.hillsong.dk's blog, April 2017.
How we waged peace this Christmas
Christmas is a time to celebrate that God initiated the world’s ultimate peace project by sending the Prince of Heaven to earth for the purpose of bringing salvation and reconciliation between God and mankind! It’s definitely the time to declare joy to the world!
As a church, this past Christmas, we arranged various initiatives and events where our purpose was exactly that: to declare joy to the world. To be agents of peace in the most practical of ways for individuals, who we’ve built relationships with throughout the year through our amazing CityCare teams.
Angel tree
We waged peace by putting on the beloved Angel Tree again in the foyers across all our locations – Copenhagen, Malmö and Aarhus, and it served as the link between all we did. Through the Angel Tree, we enable the church to bring in gifts for vulnerable members of the community. As you all so generously participated by returning gifts under the tree – 300 gifts in total were donated – we were empowered to be part of hosting four Christmas Dinners across Copenhagen where we got to hand out the gifts in a personal way that gave dignity to the individual and communicated “we care” and “we see you”.
The Aarhus Angel Tree supported the needs in Copenhagen this year, which added great strength! Next year we can’t wait to bless local people in Aarhus through the Angel Tree over there.
Christmas dinners
At the Christmas dinner for the refugee fellowship, we gathered 70 people all in all and it felt like one big family as we in layers danced around the Christmas tree, ate ‘ris a’ la mande’ and the kids and teenagers each had their own program including a fun treasure hunt. The highlight was seeing the kids receive the Angel Tree gifts and literally scream with excitement when seeing what they’d received. We were blessed with some extra gifts that we drove to Sandholmlejren with to gift to the kids celebrating Christmas at the asylum center. Another favourite was hearing the good news that a father and son that have been separated from their mum/wife and sister/daughter for two years because of war would be reunited this January! 20 refugees also came for our Christmas Family Show!
At the nursing home, we hosted 20 elderly people and loved honouring the staff at the nursing home with gifts as well as celebrating a resident’s birthday and honouring the CityCare volunteers for their service this year with honour certificates. When we announced we would throw the residents a Christmas dinner, a woman broke into tears as she was so touched that we would do that for her!
In the Night Light Café on Vesterbro, we had 45 trafficked women inside to enjoy Nigerian Christmas food and abeautiful sing along led by X-factor winner and gospel singer, Laura Kjærgaard. All Angel Tree gifts were given and received with joy!
At our Christmas dinner for the homeless, we gathered 25 people. It felt like a tribe because it was people we’ve been meeting with regularly through our street team since our Easter initiative. We certainly do not despise the days of small beginnings of our reach, as we know the Lord rejoices in seeing the work begin! This was a win for a first Christmas dinner filled with fellowship, fun and food, and the Mobile pay donations towards gifts consisting of winter clothes were very useful for our friends.
The reason for the season
At all our gatherings, we took the opportunity to share the reason for the season – Jesus – and for the homeless it was no exception. We had one homeless man show up at our Christmas Family Show, which was exciting. He wanted to go show all the pictures from the show to his friends on the street!
Malmö
In Malmö we loved being able to bless a meeting place for unaccompanied refugee children and teenagers with 80 of your gifts. We also gave out gifts to 20 women at a women’s homeless shelter.
A handful of internationals were hosted in personal homes for Christmas Eve too. This was truly a Christmas to remember where we once more made our tables longer, our hearts wider and extended the reach of our hands reach.
Thank you for being a part of making a difference – let’s do it all again next year and impact even more lives!
Happy New Year!
Sandra Hultén
CityCare Leader
Cross Equals Love: The Gospel In Action
(Posted on Hillsong Copenhagen's blog, 2 May 2017)
A few weeks ago, the day arrived that we had waited for, prayed about and sowed into as a church over Easter! Our desire for the day was to put the Cross Equals Love message into action in our own backyard! Items to cover some basic needs for homeless people were collected and packed into care packs together with encouraging notes in each one of the packs. And off we went – as one team we gathered to then scatter into three different strategic areas of Copenhagen.
What greeted the street team was deep amazement all round. It’s incredible what a toothbrush can mean to someone who has not brushed his or her teeth in 10 days. Wet wipes were immediately taken into use and body lotion applied on dry, cold hands. A woman commented how she saw this care pack as the Christmas present she did not receive last year.
From Copenhagen across the bridge to Malmö, we visited a shelter for homeless women. Our volunteer, Anett, describes her experience of sitting with a girl who was high on drugs. The girl, who had a distant look on her face, was hard to reach and wouldn’t look Anett in the eyes. But as Anett started to unpack the care packs and show the girl the items one by one, something happened. The girl lightened up and looked Anett in the eyes for the first time and said that she wanted to try the face cream. Anett’s own words from the experience were: “My heart cried out when I looked at her. Somewhere, something had gone wrong and no one had been there to help her. As we held hands and gave each other a hug, I was thinking to myself that I was so glad to be “the one” to her that day”.
Not only were the homeless people uplifted. We were too.
We truly experienced that ‘those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed’ and we enjoyed the opportunity to live out God’s heart for the poor:
“It’s criminal to ignore a neighbour in need, but compassion for the poor – what a blessing!” (Proverbs 14,20 MSG)
“As we stood in the park chatting, I realised that we’re all one in humanity and that it is laughter that connects us”.
Our heart in CityCare is to build relationships and love people to the point where people ask: ”Why would you want to do this for me… a stranger?” From that point on, we have the invitation to share our story and the hope we have in Jesus Christ!
For those friendships to be built, consistency is key! That is why, the Easter initiative is just the starting point of the new, regular street team for homeless that we are launching in May – simply because we care and because we can.
You can sign up here to be part of it: citycare.hillsong.dk
Thank you church for your amazing willingness to be part of the answer – it all matters!
– Sandra Hultén
CityCare Coordinator
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Our backyard, our belonging
Have you ever had the feeling, 'I do not belong'?
I definitely have. I think we all have the desire to belong to someone and to somewhere; to people and to a place. There is power in belonging.
Ernest Hemingway said: "Don't belong to no city, don't belong to no man."
I think that our belonging is evident in our actions. We have a sense of loyalty to those we belong to; where we do not remain silent when offences are said about them. I know that I will always defend my husband if anything is ill-spoken about him. That’s what we do for our people, simply because they are precious to us.
The same should go for our city, I reckon. I hope we will be people who jump to the defense of the places we belong to. When the darkness comes out, we will be the people seeing hope on the horizon.
Belonging is shown not only in loyalty, but also in sacrifice. The fastest way to change a feeling of not belonging must be to lay our life down for that place we do not feel like we belong to. Sacrifice is a fragrant offering, the way of love.
I believe God has strategically planted us in our cities and neighborhoods for such a time as this! Our backyard is truly where we belong! As we get a deeper revelation of this, I believe we to a greater extent will lay our lives down for the citizens in our backyard too.
We cannot pick and choose the citizens that reside in our city just as we can’t pick and choose our own family. There will always be the crazy uncle that takes extra energy to be with :) It is the same with our backyard. I do not know who the “crazy uncles” are in your city. Maybe it is ‘those homeless people’ or the drug dealers?
Maybe God is asking us to pray for & embrace the “crazy uncles” in the same way God asked the Israelites in the following verse to pray for the “crazy uncles” that held them in exile in Babylon?
"Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7 NIV)
As we pray for our city to prosper, let's never forget to have the poor with us, not just around us, showing them they belong with as much right to be here! Not discounting the little we can do for the one, the power of love in action. They are our homeless people, not just ‘those hopeless people.’
"For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'" (Deuteronomy 15,11 NIV)
It talks about freely opening our hand to our brother, and to our needy and poor in our land. There is a sense of ownership and responsibility that comes with belonging. We know this from the family we belong to. We enjoy the relationships and blessings of being part of our family and at the same time there is a sense of ownership in looking after each other's well-being as well.
So maybe a great & noble city is not a city with a lack of poor and needy people, but a city with citizens who have compassion for the ones who do not have ressources or mental health to take care of themselves! This is beautiful. This is kingdom come. Faith with feet. Jesus with skin on.
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3) With a written statement
In Isaiah 62 MSG, it speaks about the eternal, heavenly future of Jerusalem and its perfect peace & joy. Verses full op hope; God's plan of redemption.
We can declare, as it is in heaven, let it be in our cities on earth too! So as it is in heaven, let it be in Copenhagen & Denmark!
"Look, Your Savior Comes!
"Regarding Zion, I can’t keep my mouth shut, regarding Jerusalem, I can’t hold my tongue, Until her righteousness blazes down like the sun and her salvation flames up like a torch.
Foreign countries will see your righteousness, and world leaders your glory. You’ll get a brand-new name straight from the mouth of God.
You’ll be a stunning crown in the palm of God’s hand, a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God. No more will anyone call you Rejected, and your country will no more be called Ruined.
You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight), and your land Beulah (Married), Because God delights in you and your land will be like a wedding celebration. For as a young man marries his virgin bride, so your builder marries you, And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride, so your God is happy with you. I’ve posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. Day and night they keep at it, praying, calling out, reminding God to remember. They are to give him no peace until he does what he said, until he makes Jerusalem famous as the City of Praise...
“Tell daughter Zion, ‘Look! Your Savior comes, Ready to do what he said he’d do, prepared to complete what he promised.’”Zion will be called new names: Holy People, God Redeemed, Sought-Out, City-Not-Forsaken."
Stunning truth. Like our heavenly home one day, we can believe for Copenhagen & Denmark to be called a city and nation of holy people, God redeemed, sought-out, a city and nation not forsaken!!
What about your belonging? Who and where are you loyal to?
One thing is sure. YOU are loved & YOU belong.
“But you belong. The Holy One anointed you, and you all know it. I haven’t been writing this to tell you something you don’t know, but to confirm the truth you do know, and to remind you that the truth doesn’t breed lies.”
Listen to more at: "The power of belonging." Podcast by Kris Vallotton.
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I love the word victory. 'Cause who really loves defeat and struggle? I think everyone enjoys winning!
The dictionary defines victory among other things as the overcoming of an enemy, the achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties.
When passion arose
People have asked me how I got this passion to reach out to sex trafficked women in Copenhagen. So here goes; a tiny glimpse into my thoughts on passion and purpose...
Theologian Frederich Buechner describes the place God calls us to as a place where our deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. In this fusion, passion arises. At least that's my experience.
In 2012, I was exposed to a place in the world aching for truth and light to prevail over the darkness reigning there. Red Light District in Phuket, Thailand is a dark, ugly place. Filled with prostitutes, pimps, abuse, lust, perversion and manipulation. It is literally the devil's playground. A playground that makes sin look fun, satisfying and glamorous. It's so distorted.
Strangely, it was a joyful place for me because I came alive. Alive to the love and redemption of Jesus. Alive to how God could use a broken woman like me. Alive to the lost and the broken around me. Alive to my gifts and talents. Alive to my calling. I found something I could do forever. Serve and love and shine my light where it was really needed. All for the cause of Christ.
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By the grace of God, I didn't forget what I had experienced when I returned to Denmark. I knew I could never again say I didn’t’ know sex trafficking happened in my lifetime. Suddenly I knew prostitutes by name. I was their friend in whom they trusted. I was changed forever.
So back home, I actively waited and committed my future to Jesus. I built up my faith in the Word, worship, community and prayer. I prayed that doors would open for me to serve prostitutes in Copenhagen but I was willing to serve wherever.
10 months later, Night Light Café was launched (April 2013) and I committed myself to serve from the outset. Such a prayer answer! Now, I am leading the place together with two other amazing women. (Night Light Café is a place that seeks to place value upon womanhood. We meet sex trafficked women at Istedgade with dignity and spiritual care three nights a week.)
Passion is so important. Lack of passion is actually fatal. Passion spurs us onward. Passion makes us want to go the extra mile. Passion makes people want to follow. Many of us can do great things without having the right reasons behind why we are doing so. A person doing heroic things out of duty does not inspire. It shines through at one point what is fuelling us. Is our right doing producing good or bitter fruit?
Passion is not something we muster up but something we receive by walking closely with God. As we do walk with Him, He is transforming our hearts to be passionate about what He is passionate about. And God is passionate about people!
Godly passions come naturally when we truly see how passionate He is about us. He is FOR us! He is jealous for us to belong to Him and to make us into His beautiful likeness. His passion involves strong emotions too.
"How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?" (Psalm 79:5 ESV)
God is jealous to take everything away that is hindering us from intimacy with Him.
We are not saved to live numb lives enslaved to fleshly passions. We are saved to immerse ourselves in an even greater passion than our fleshly passions, namely a passion for the name of Jesus to be made famous in the earth.
We can never become too passionate about Jesus. I'm so happy that Jesus was passionate enough about me that He would go to the cross!
Evangelist John Wesley's famous quote is too good not to post: "Light yourself on fire with passion and people will come from miles to watch you burn."
Feelings only will not sustain passion. Ongoing obedience will.
I pray we will experience how passionate God is about us. And I pray for God's refining fire in our lives that will make us more like Him and replace old, fleshly passions with brand new, godly passions.
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A Light in the Deepest Darkness
I’m so excited to celebrate the incredible season of Easter!
One of the ways, I am going to celebrate (besides being in church and by eating lots of Easter eggs of course!) is by spending time with my friends caught up in human trafficking here in Copenhagen.
I, along with two other amazing women, head up the Night Light Café at Vesterbro. The café was established two years ago with the goal of reaching foreign women in trafficking with the love of Christ. The name ‘Night Light Café’ is inspired by John 1:5 that says:
“And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
On the 1st of April, we expect around 80 trafficked women to attend an Easter event we are hosting where there will be food, songs and handmade gifts for all the ladies. We want to declare the message of Easter loud and clear: † = ♡. We want to declare it so clearly that it overshadows the pain and shame ruling in these precious women’s hearts!
The café is a place of spiritual nourishment and rest for the women in the midst of endless demands from their traffickers and customers. We are currently open two nights a week and have a volunteer group of 40 women from different church backgrounds. We love the unity and support we receive from churches for this Kingdom cause and how we can stand together to spread light and hope in a place that is literally the devil’s playground.
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The cross truly equals unconditional love. On the cross, Jesus loved us back to life, and therefore we have a desire to embrace people in the midst of their brokenness, just as Christ continuously does for us.
This unusual love compels us to humble ourselves and follow in the footsteps of our Saviour. We no longer live for ourselves, we live for Him and our hearts are moved by what God’s heart is moved by - broken humanity.
Life with Jesus is not always glamorous outwardly but it is glorious inwardly. It is not always glamorous to spend my Saturday nights with people, who are considered outcasts by society. But the sweet presence of God is gloriously manifested in the deepest darkness. The women I meet are absolute treasures. They teach me so much by their strong faith and perseverance in the midst of their tragic situation.
I am reminded this Easter, how service is not a path to greatness. Service is greatness. That’s truly what our beautiful Jesus displayed to us on the cross.
Christ challenges our human nature. As we give, we receive. As we serve, we are called great. As we die to ourselves, we come alive in Him.
May we get a deeper revelation of Christ’s love for us this Easter and may His perfect love compel us to lay down our lives by standing up for someone else’s. In doing this we declare the message of Easter loud and clear:
† = ♡.
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Bought free
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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Am I my sister's keeper?
Saturday night we were open in Night Light Café & welcomed around 40 precious women working in the sex industry at Vesterbro. Some of them work as prostitutes voluntarily but most of them are forced to serve the customers there.
98 % of the street prostitutes in Copenhagen are from Nigeria. They live in a very tough environment with lots of competition about the customers. Competition seems necessary for them to be able to earn the money they need for themselves, their families & their traffickers!
These Nigerian women come from a religious background where it’s not a taboo to talk about God. They believe in a spiritual reality, have an awareness of God & most of them see themselves as believers in Christ.
So, in the middle of the night, we normally have a short devotional & prayer time with the women who want to join which is usually them all.
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I decided to share about the importance of being our sister’s keeper. I heard my pastor, Thomas Hansen, teach this brilliant thought lately to a volunteer training night in my church. Immediately I thought about how ideal it would be to bring this message to my friends caught in the sex trade.
In Genesis 4 (Message Bible), we hear about how Cain kills his brother Abel. The Lord confronts Him with his action in verse 9:
“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know”, he replied. “Am I my brother’s (sister’s) keeper?”
God’s question imposes that Cain certainly is supposed to be his brother’s keeper. He is supposed to defend, support & encourage his brother.
This is still true today. We are supposed to fight FOR each other, not AGAINST each other! The bible is clear about that God commands a blessing where there is unity.
Despite these women’s horrible circumstances, I wanted to urge them this Saturday night to trust God with their circumstance & live from a kingdom perspective.
Kingdom perspective is not about competition & winners & losers. The kingdom is about completion - bringing the best out in one another. In a beautiful kingdom fellowship, we lend our strengths in areas where our brother or sister is weak, & we lean upon their strengths in areas where we are weak ourselves.
This life is not an independent race but a race where I am responsible to help others cross the line into eternity. While competition destroys trust and creates single thinking, completion is thinking - if you win - I win.
As I shared some of these thoughts with the ladies, I sensed the exact opposite happening in the room. There was a spirit of division among them rather than unity. And it made me realise, once again, the importance of speaking biblical truth & principles over their lives.
Ten minutes before we were closing down for the night, I casually asked a women sitting alone how she was doing. Immediately she began telling me of the sadness of her soul & how lonely she was. She truly needed a ‘sister’s keeper’.
“I come alone to the street. I leave the street alone. I am always alone. I was always alone in Italy too. When you have many friends, you have many problems, that’s life, you know. I don’t trust the other women. They slander me. They don’t help me.”
What she told me showed me that she was truly one of the women who needed this message of fellowship & unity. She needed desperately that the sisters around her would be there for her!
She began telling me how tired she was & how much she wished to have another life.
As I prayed over her, she cried & ended with saying: "I think the solution for me is to go to church with you & get a bible!"
I couldn’t agree with her more & she left the café uplifted and excited for church the following day.
So this Sunday, she went to church with me. Afterwards we drank coffee together where she graciously allowed me to record our conversation so I could remember all the details of her story.
I share some details from the conversation on her permission. It is both her desire and my desire that it will stir you to pray for her! In advance - thank you so much!
This is simply a tiny glimpse into one story in an ocean of similar stories. Stories real people carry. People who are selling their bodies daily at Istedgade.
"I have been in Denmark for one month and two weeks now. When I was in church with you and when I drink coffee with you now, my spirit is happy because I have chosen to be here. But I find it difficult to go with men because I did not choose it to begin with. Since I have been in Denmark I have only been with one customer because I don't like myself when I am on the street.
I can’t lie to you. I don’t pay my trafficker anymore. When I was kidnapped to work as a prostitute, it took me 6 years to pay off the 40.000 euro they demanded me to pay back. I have paid it now. I don’t know how to go back to Nigeria because I am still in slavery in my mind. It was very terrible to be trafficked. Here are my scars. "
Then she lifted up her sleeves for me to see the violence that had been done to her.
"I don’t want to remember the past. If I remember, I start crying. Last year was a hell."
When I asked her about the other women on the street, she said:
"I don’t have any girlfriends...and I can’t do it anymore. I don’t know what to do… The other women working on the street have problems. I don’t want anyone close so they can spoil my dreams, you know.”
When I asked her if she had been involved in voodoo, she answered this:
(Voodoo is a religion that involves black magic & casting spells on people. It is often used to manipulate girls spiritually before they are trafficked to Europe. Voodoo doctors cast spells over a girl so she believes terrible things will happen if she tries to escape her trafficker - for example that her family will be killed.)
"Yes, they tried to cast a spell over me before they trafficked me. I had to obey at that time. But I don’t believe in it. It’s a dirty thing. It does not work. The voodoo doctors are blind to the truth. But I believe the voodoo men and women are created by God. They don’t have the power. God has. When God touches them, they will repent."
When I asked her how her customers have treated her, she told me:
"They have broken me. They have hit me. They have stolen my money. One time I was cast right in front of a car that was speeding. If it was not for the protection of God, I would have been dead many times.”
When I asked her of her dreams for the future, she explained:
“It’s my dream to buy beautiful stuff from Italy and sell it in Nigeria… and I would like to serve the Lord. I would like to tell people about the goodness of God and the truth of the Bible as you do to me…"
We ended our conversation by talking about how God is a master in turning our stories around for His glory.
I am in close contact with this woman and tomorrow, I am meeting up with her together with my two colleagues to continue ministering to her & help her take the next step towards freedom.
Please pray that these words from Psalm 40 will become this woman's experience! God is well able.
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me & heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”
God so loves this woman. What He has already done by creating this opportunity for me to meet her is amazing.
Her story is still being written.
Let’s be people who never lose hope for other’s stories…and let’s be people who are being our sister’s and brother’s keeper.
The definition of a keeper is among other things to be:
- A person who guards or watches.
- A person charged with responsibility for something or someone valuable.
Yes. Let’s be those kind of people. <3
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