Friday, November 16, 2012

From The Lens of the visiting Team


TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Cheryl's Lens - Korat

WOW!
The only word I can think of to describe our time yesterday.
We have such thankfulness in our hearts for the tangible love we experienced yesterday with a small but mighty group of 5 dedicated, Holy Spirit led brothers and sisters at Tamar ministry Korat location.
Our time together sharing vision, intercession and prayer for one another, our AMAZING time of worship in singing together, in different languages (but who would have known!) and the closeness we felt with this group, was such a rich and life changing experience.  It solidified the connection we have in Christ Jesus, thou very different, we are One in God's eyes.  Our few hours with these 5, inspired all of us, challenged all of us and paved the way for what God had in mind as we partnered with them in showing Jesus' love to a group of 60 young women.

We traveled by van to the girls (ask in person for more details), where we were met by smiling pink visions :-)  Several of the young ladies saw the van arriving and came running down the streets with open arms, wearing pink t-shirts (a sort of uniform perhaps).  Several of our group of women embraced these young ladies and an immediate connection was made.

Our group sat or stood around the perimeter of the open concrete pavillion and waited and watched as the group of young ladies (some with obvious mental handicaps, others with visible physical scars and many with hidden emotional ones), came from all directions and made their way to the neatly lined picnic tables under the pavilion.

As they came, several of us began interacting with them.  Eye contact, smiles and the occasional soft touch to the shoulder was our language with these girls.
As the day unfolded, we began to learn a bit about some of the abuse these girls had experienced in their short lives, and so we wanted to respect their personal space, and yet for me, my Mother's heart kicked in very quickly and I so wanted to embrace each of them and touch their faces and tell them how beautiful they were and how valuable they were to God.

What God did yesterday was so beautiful - a true reflection of His Father's heart for these girls, and the demonstration of His expression through each of us - in the way WE understand His love for us, and He blended the two.

Before I begin to share further, I have to share a dream I had the night before.
In my dream, I was on the streets of Bangkok and a woman stopped me and handed me her tiny baby.  No words were exchanged, but I knew she wanted me to take her baby, to give the baby a "better way of life" than what she could provide.  It was out of her love for baby that she handed me the baby.  As she held the baby out, I took him in my arms and the mother disappeared.
The next scene in my dream was me at the Bangkok airport going through customs, with this little bundle in my arms.  The official asked me for the baby's papers and I said "he didn't come with any papers".  the feeling I had was that this baby didn't exist because he had no papers to prove his existence.
The next "scene" of my dream, was me crouched down on the floor against a wall, with a young dark-haired girl leaning against me.  I was mothering her and tucking her hair behind her ear as she leaned into me.  I felt a very strong connection with this faceless girl in my dream, but I could feel the love of Jesus through my touch to her and she could feel it as well.

I wasn't sure what to make of the dream, but I shared it around the breakfast table the morning we were to travel to Korat and visit the shelter for abused women.

So now back to the events of the day at the women's shelter.
After a few minutes at the picnic tables, one of the girls walked up with one of the ladies from Tamar ministries, carrying a very small baby.  In that instant, God took me to the dream from the night before.
They came up to me and I reached for the baby.  The woman from Tamar Ministries handed me the baby with the young mother's permission, and as I cradled that little boy in my arms, it was as though I knew the privilege and "mission" i had been given, to speak life over this little innocent baby.  I began to softly sing "Jesus love me" into little "Isaac's" life.  As he focused on my eyes, he smiled!  WOW!  I heard God say "He understands my love".  Amazing!

Isaac went to sleep several times throughout the day as I held him, sang over him, spoke words Jesus would give me at that moment for him - all the while staying close to his mom.  She would watch me with him and I would meet her eyes and gesture my love for him.  She would smile and I felt God say "she is proud that you love him".I  A feeling of "you accept him".  I know the Holy Spirit was making the connection for her - that SHE is accepted as well.  Later that day, through an interpreter, I was able to tell the young mom that she was a good mom.  Words I felt Jesus would say to her to calm her fears.  Later I learned that in only a few days, this young girl would be released from the shelter with no where to go.  I pray that she received the words of Jesus for her, that she is GOOD and ACCEPTED.  Tamar Ministries is attempting to connect her with an organization that will teach her a trade so she can make a living for her and Isaac.  What a priveledge it was for me.

After a time of group games, some worship together and a Holy Spirit led testimony by Mardell that truely made the connection between these girls and Jesus, one of the leaders from Tamar asked the girls if there would be anyone that would like a hug from one of our female leaders.
Enter......Kai!
I will never forget her.  She was the girl God had showed me in my dream the night before.  No doubt in my mind.
Kai is 13 and such a sweet spirit.
Kai was the only girl who raised her hand to want a hug from one of us.  She turned to me, and I moved in!
The hug between Kai and I was electric and I physically felt Jesus' love for her.  So many emotions - love, protection, care, celebration, delight.  I was mesmerized with Kai.
She melted into my arms and she and I became inseparable.  She would touch my hands, and arms and I would rub her shoulders, put my head against hers, stroke her cheek, put her hair behind her ear, hold her face in my hands, look deeply into her eyes and smile all the while.  My cheeks were actually sore leaving the facility, from all the smiling.
She was so receptive to Jesus' love through me and I was so willing to give her more and more.
Cheryl with a Nari Sawat baby

One of the highlights for me was when I gave Kai one of my rings I was wearing.  Someone very special back home had given it to me and I felt in some way, In giving it to Kai to keep, I was passing on acceptance and unconditional love I received when I was given that gift back home.
When she realized I wanted her to keep it, she smiled even bigger (which was a big deal to begin with).
She told the interpreter to come over to where we were sitting and she took my hand, held it to her heart and said "sister".  AMAZING!
While I felt more motherly than sisterly to her, I know she received Jesus' love exactly as she needed to.

It was hard to let go of Kai to leave when it was time for our group to depart.  She kept hugging me, and I kept hugging her back.  We'd say  "sister" to each other and point to the ring.
I told her through the interpreter that I would never forget her.  She was engraved on my heart.
She said "you come back to see me" and boy, that would be my honor Lord willing.

God is not limited by language, age, race, size, expectation, abuse, or any other "obstacle".  I experienced His deep love for two beautiful creations of His that I had nothing in common with today and He connected hearts in the way only He can.  My God is GREAT!

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