The Power of Hope

    Our mission with Master Plan Ministries is to prepare others to reach and influence the world for Christ. Austin and I normally take students on a 6-10 week summer project/missions trip. These trips really help us walk out our mission of seeing students hearts grow for the world and being a part of what God is doing. Having 3 kids 3 and under (2 of which are extremely active, curious boys) is moving us to think about seperate missions trips. Austin taking a guys trip and me taking a girls trip. 
    It is obvious that God is at work in the hearts of the college girls on our campus giving them a desire to help girls in sex trafficking. Around the world in places like Thailand, India, Cambodia, Philippians and others, girls are sold by thier parents to get money for food or to pay debts. Or parents are tricked into giving up thier daughters being told she is going to have a great job in another country, offering all of them a better life. Then these young girls are taken to a brothel and are tortured many times a day until they agree to "serve" 10-50 clients a day. 
    As I am researching organizations and possible partnerships, the videos and stories I come across are absolutely horrific. Reading these stories overwhelmes my emotions making me not want to think about it any longer, wishing I had never read them, wishing I could stay ignorant to what is going on around the world. But my mind keeps going there, thinking about these girls and asking God how He fits in and what He thinks and what to do about it. Through the immense sadness, anger  and discouragement, God met me and opened my eyes again to where I am putting my hope. There are a million girls chained to beds of horror who desperately need rescuing.  And of the few that are rescued if they are not taught some life skill to support themself, 99% will again be trapped into the trafficking industry (the fastest growing crime in the world). 
    Where is the hope? What is the hope? We need to step in and care for these girls for God's glory. Caring about and acting toward what He cares about... rescuing the oppressed, setting the captives free. But as we do what we each uniquely can, we need to have our hope not in them having better circumstances but have our hope in Christ. Jesus is the healer, the hope-giver, the redeemer, the Savior. Jesus can meet them in their horrific circumstances and His Word can comfort them in thier affliction (ps 119:50).
     Recently I heard a story of a young Christian girl who was tricked and sold to a brothel. She was brutally tortured until she agree to "work" (though paid nothing). For 3 months she persevered through the torture but finally couldnt bear it any longer. For 2 years she "served clients" and on the wall in her room she etched Psalm 27:1-3 "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear, though war break out against me, even then I will be confident." The Lord used international justice mission to rescue this girl and as a result a team went in and raided the brothel, rescuing 20 other girls. Now this girl clings to Psalm 10:17-18 "You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them and you listen to their cry defendign the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
    "Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow." (Isa.1:17) Do for the defenseless what they can not do themselves. This goes for defending the unborn who have no voice and for rescuing the girls in chains. Perhaps right now you can pray and ask God what He would have you do. Not if, He already said He wants you to act. I find it interesting that this verse in Isaiah starts with "learn to do good...". We truly have to learn how to good dont we. 
    It seems obvious the Lord is leading the girls trip to help these girls in some way. Please pray that God would clearly and specifically lead us in what and how.