Friday – Created for Beauty

Arriving at the ministry center this morning was again joyous.  Greeted with warm smiles and hugs, we began the process of collecting the personal background of the women currently in the training program.  We want to be able to communicate more about their individual lives and how God is working in them, so we began an interview process one by one, one team member guiding the interview with one of the women with Peace to translate.  The pouring out of these life stories begins – heart breaking stories of pain, abuse, abandonment, struggle for survival.  Then how life has changed since coming to the center – the “but” stories as I like to call it, and these are what we are here for, the “but stories,”  not only knowing the life before the center but the “but then God brought me here….” Story of His transforming love.  We hope to collect as many of these as we can in the time we are here.  But it is more than just recording a story; it is engaged listening; affirmation of their value and worth as we listen. Then a time of prayer and encouragement following.  Intensely personal time just for them, something most of them have never experienced. While this is going on, several of the team members are out with the women in the sewing room, singing, sharing, laughing, connecting with the ministry helpers as well as participants.  In the afternoon we began the most intense times of our trip, the sessions on inner healing from trauma and abuse, led by Robyn.  Robyn began with creation, God’s perfect creation of the world and all that is in it, culminating with the crown of His creative work – man, from whom He created woman, His last creation of such great beauty!  He created woman with and for beauty; that was always His design.  But sin entered in and from that time, woman’s beauty has been under attack.  The enemy targeted, and still does target, women to rob them of God’s intended beauty.  These attacks come in numerous forms – abandonment, abuse, in any number of ways, anything that would seek to destroy her beauty.  But God, in His mercy, can restore this beauty, and through Jesus, He has made it possible to have a healed, restored life.  This was the groundwork laid during this first session, which will be followed up next week as we go deeper into the nature of woundedness and the path to healing.  So please do pray for these important, intensely personal sessions.

Later we attended the Friday night service at New Life Church.  We could hear voices of praise long before we entered their pavilion-styled church, which seats over 1,000.  Such praise and worship!  With full hearts and passion, vibrant worship flowed.  Anna, Lindsey, Carrie and Micki also took part in the worship, much to the congregations delight.  Our team was greeted warmly, and it was such a joy to be a part of their body.  Judy Mbugua, our leader from Kenya who led the dedication yesterday, was asked to share the message, and she encouraged and challenged us from God’s Word.

An amazing day – connecting with the dear women God has brought to the center, already feeling a special bond, anxious to spend more time with them and the believers here.