Children At Risk-The Biggest Little Mission Field

After an extensive trip of traveling in the U.S.A, I returned to Costa Rica at the end of June and in true fashion,  hit the ground running! We were blessed to have several girls from the States join us for the month of July. It has been a great, busy and challenging month for us. We have also experienced a favor that has been unbelievable and has opened doors for us we were not expecting! We have also experienced a new level of spiritual battles and attacks. I am going to tell you a little bit more of our updates through photos! 

 

We launched A Children/Youth At Risk Program this month! We are so excited for the doors God is opening through this program. In working with Children At Risk, it is our hope to break the cycle of prostitution and hopelessness that trickles through their families.

 

 

God has blessed us with materials to help a pastor here that is reaching out to an "At Risk" community. He and his family have faithfully served in a very poor community by loving them, feeding them and working hard to keep youth off the streets and away from drugs. He asked us to partner with him and help keep young girls out of prostitution. We wholeheartedly accepted the opportunity to work with him and his wife and train the young girls in this community in the Passion For Purity material. This coming Saturday will be our first event where we will work with the young girls in this community every week. Please pray for us and the young girls who have committed to fight for their own generation in this country and reach out to the girls in their city!

There is more to come and I promise to be better about updating! Thank you to all of you who pray for us and support us! You help make this all possible.

A Beautiful Disaster

Pray for these sweet faces.

I want to just be raw and real before everyone who reads this blog.
It is has been a great time and also a very difficult time for our ministry. We are being stretched and challenged in our hearts to trust God. I have never been so desperate before God in prayer as I have in this past week. There is much that I am not allowed to share but what I can tell you; our team needs prayer. Today was the first time in a very long time that I wanted to give up. I have been so discouraged but have had to put on a brave face for my team and those around me. I buckled today under that pressure and began to just cry out to the Lord. I was Iso broken over some of our obstacles, set backs, failures and the lack of resources to help some girls we knew were trafficked and sitting in a brothel waiting for help. I felt as if everything was crumbling around me and I was at a loss as to how I should even pray. No words would even form. I sat so still and silent and glanced down at my bible and it just happened to be turned to Romans 8. This is what I my eyes found:

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

I can't tell you how my soul needed to read that passage. There was my answer! I love me some Romans 8!
I think sometimes I forget how God sees my prayer. I know the truth that I can come to him broken and hurting but many times I think opposite and try to put a brave front on for Him. Yet, my tears and broken state I think He sees as beautiful. I feel like a disaster and I know He sees that disaster but He sees it as a beautiful disaster. I am the least qualified person for this job, but He uses me. I make mistakes but He continues to give me responsibility. I am scattered and forgetful but He smiles and organizes my mess. He brings beauty to the table and I bring disaster and somehow it comes out looking so much better than I could have dreamed.

Two years ago when I purposed in my heart to fight against sexual exploitation in this generation, God wrecked my life beautifully. It has been crazy, difficult, exhilarating, challenging, rewarding, teaching and just plain fun. Even the times that I have wanted to quit, I have never regretted that decision. However, I always come back to the same decision. I will fight, I won't give up.
Faith is not ignorant of it's reality but chooses to defy that reality.

Fighting Losing Battles

 The intense heat and lack of water for the third day in a row has tested my flexibility! Throw in financial strains, heart breaking moments with the children and the inconsistency in attendance from the women on red street all taking place in a week's time and you've got an intense battling of the flesh! Everyone on the team has been such good sports though and I am grateful. Simply put, it's not easy. 

 I have been studying a battle story in Judges 20 for months. The tribes of Israel are about to fight their fellow tribes of Benjamin because of sin and crimes committed by the men in Gibeah and Benjamin's refusal to address the crimes. I have learned so much from this passage and taken comfort in the lesson's the Holy Spirit has revealed. Here is that passage:

Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen, all of them fit for battle.  ¹⁸ The Israelites went up to Bethel^[b] and inquired of God. They said, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Benjamites?”
   The LORD replied, “Judah shall go first.”
 ¹⁹ The next morning the Israelites got up and pitched camp near Gibeah. ²⁰ The Israelites went out to fight the Benjamites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah. ²¹ The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day. ²² But the Israelites encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day. ²³ The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and they inquired of the LORD. They said, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites?”
   The LORD answered, “Go up against them.”
 ²⁴ Then the Israelites drew near to Benjamin the second day. ²⁵ This time, when the Benjamites came out from Gibeah to oppose them, they cut down another eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them armed with swords.
 ²⁶ Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the LORD. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD. ²⁷ And the Israelites inquired of the LORD. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, ²⁸ with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministering before it.) They asked, “Shall we go up again to fight against the Benjamites, our fellow Israelites, or not?”
   The LORD responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.”
 ²⁹ Then Israel set an ambush around Gibeah.

This type of ministry is hard, very hard. One day you are making progress, the type of progress you didn't dream possible and then, the next day, you are starting back at square one. I was hurting and angry over the situations that I was unable to stop and the injustice all around me. In frustration and desperation, I  texted my Dad the following:

"Pray for Olga today, I think someone beat her and she looks a little rough and so I just feel so angry...." 

Dad: " This is something you will continue to see, not trying to be insensitive, guard your heart always. Love you honey." 

Me: "No, I understand so maybe it's me who needs the prayer today. Love you too.

Dad: "Well I don't know that we ever get use to it but in your ministry it's going to come at you so what I meant was, learn from God on how to channel the anger the way He would want you to." 

I sat for a long time in prayer, reflecting on what my Dad had said.  I was so angry over the injustice I was seeing and my inability to do anything about it in that moment. His reply was so needed but hard to swallow. You see, Olga had started smiling and hugging and laughing. Progress! Then she retreated and wasn't reporting to me or Ana with her homework. We were winning a battle and now it felt like losing. Could God ask me to fight losing battles at times to teach me how to win the war? That question pounded away in my brain. After all, my prayer everyday for the last few months has been, "Lord, teach me how to fight sexual exploitation your way."  

I have learned so far in fighting losing battles, that every defeat is temporary; every victory is permanent. Discouragement will cloud our ability to hear God. While engaged in battle, our focus is refined and something profound happens to God's people when their focus is refined.

For example, Olga may have Appendicitis, Meybi is pregnant and we just found out she might loose the baby, Barbarita has a serious heart condition and she is only 8 years old, and the list goes on.......

We don't have a ton of money and many days I am saddened and overwhelmed by the reports of problems we face. These women and children have enough in the fact that they have been exploited, abused, starved, beat and then add the medical. When no one is looking I cry. Jesus, help please. Then I am reminded he loves these precious people around me more than I ever could. My focus get's refined and I know that only Jesus can save and restore, not me. What I can do though is love, and pray and tackle the problems one at time. Whether we win or lose a battle, I know we will win the war here and it is through that confidence in God that I am learning not to fear losing sometimes.

Our Little House of Love, The Lighthouse.

When someone has only known prostitution and sexual exploitation their whole life, basic needs suffer. Reading, writing, and essential life skills are just a few of the areas that victim’s of exploitation need in order to find the confidence to walk in freedom.
LightForce’s Lighthouses are a place of hope and resource. At these houses, victims of sexual exploitation, women and men, have the opportunity to learn how to read and write while learning necessary life skills to further their pursuit of freedom, hope and future dreams. Two to three days a week tutors and volunteers teach basic reading and writing, while one day is set aside for cooking and other trade classes.
In addition to teaching, Lighthouses function as a safe place for children to come and receive a good meal, get necessary tutoring, play and just be a kid for one day a week. In many rural, impoverished areas, young children are at risk of forced prostitution. Our vision is to give children the opportunity to receive the love they may be missing out on. 

We have been so so blessed to begin this project with our house in Nicaragua. This house is the first of many that we hope to open. We are slowly getting some furniture and we hope to be able to purchase the table and chairs next week for the children to sit at during tutoring.

My heart melts at all the little faces that fill this house. At times it can be so loud and chaotic but somehow this chaos is beautiful. Many of the women and children have stories that break your heart and often I will choose not to share their stories with you. I can tell you though that this house has become a sweet place for many children to come and play inside. If the walls could speak, they would tell you about all of the laughter, hugs, games and even at times tears that transpire here in, Lighthouse.

Friday is our grand opening to a particular community where there is extreme poverty and many children at risk. One of our kids we work with, Olga, is from this community. Up until now, we have been selective in allowing people from this community into the program. However, Anita has worked hard to screen and decide how many other people we will allow to come and learn. Many times I wish I had all the money in the world to let every kid in, however, we have narrowed it down to 30 something children to feed and work with one on one.  We are trusting God.

Olga was our trial and I hope to one day share her entire story. I will say that Olga needs your prayers. Sexual exploitation is a degrading weapon used to rob children of a childhood. She is twelve years old but only in the second grade. When we first met Olga, she never smiled and was not even attending school. Her eyes haunted me, more so than any other little girl I have ever met. I remember not sleeping well after I first met her and Anita took me first thing the next morning to see Olga. I asked her if she was interested in going to school and what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her reply was an emphatic yes and that she wanted to be a lawyer. She smiled. Finally, a smile!
We placed her in a good school and she reports to us everyday before and after school. It is my favorite time of the day, helping her with her homework and loving on her. We all do. Olga is part of our family and on Saturday, we will add many others like her to our home.

Please continue to pray for our safety, the women and children, and our ability to sustain the Saturday feeding programs.

 Olga, ready for school with her new supplies!

Olga.

Laura, helping Olga with her homework.

United We Stand......

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Phil. 2:1-4 

 

 

  There is a unique beauty to unity in the body of Christ. Unity is also a very powerful weapon. It is amazing all the you can accomplish when you put the above passages to action. Working together, we can more effectively love on people.

All of us here in LightForce have really come to love and appreciate the importance of team work and partnerships with other organizations. While I was working and partnering alongside Jesus Said Love-Dallas and Village Church, our Costa Rica team was working with A Street Named Freedom and Rahab Foundation. We have met, prayed and served with so many amazing people this year and it's only February!

I have returned to Costa Rica just this week after much travel and it feels amazing to be "home"!

 

I will tell our updates through photos! 

 

Lori Warren and I survived the planning of the outreaches in Dallas, leading up to the Superbowl. I spent a total of three weeks there and it was great! I made a lot of new friends. I feel beyond blessed to have been there and look forward to going back.

 

Unfortunately we are unable to post any of the Dallas photos! However, our Costa Rican team had a very successful outreach for Valentine's Day and here are the photos of the preparation that went into the event! 

 

A Bucket Full of Hope

Flowers were given to all the women who work the streets at night in prostitution along with a verse.

Laura writing out verses

 

The guys taking a break to eat!

 

Some of our awesome outreach team members hard at work!

We are gearing up for a big weekend of outreach and then heading to Nicaragua for our grand opening of the Rivas House followed by our launching of a feeding program for children at risk. I am so excited at all God has made possible. We will keep you updated! Please keep our team in your prayers these coming weeks.

REUNITED!!!

 

Faith and Sacrifice

Although I have been tremendously blessed by all the amazing people God has brought across my path this past week in Texas, I am homesick for my Latin home and the team that have become my family.  The season has shifted for me and I find that I will travel more this year to raise awareness of trafficking and to raise funds. My heart hurts a little at the thought of being separated from my team, the women and children there and missing out on some of the amazing things God is doing in Central America. David says in Psalms, "teach me your way, Lord that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart...." This passage brought so much comfort, I need an undivided heart as I focus on the tasks ahead rather than what I am missing. Faith and sacrifice are the anthems for a life lived poured out for Jesus and the evidence of both should be seen in our lives daily.  I have to continually challenge my heart to check that I am willing to do the hard things God asks of me even when I don't understand the reasons. He is so faithful, my God never fails me. 1 John 4:16 tells us we know and rely on the love God has for us. Do I do truly know and believe this truth? I find today as I pray and spend time with Jesus that this principle John was laying out was optionless. I have but only to know and rely on His love. This is how I survive weeks of unknown. Thank you to all of you who pray for us.

I wanted to update everyone on our teams that are scattered. I am posting a few paragraphs I received from two of our short-term team members who are currently serving in Costa Rica. Here are their thoughts:

"As I entered Costa Rica, I felt a familiar presence—much like an old friend.  I have been to Costa Rica twice before and I’ve been looking forward to this trip for a while.  And God must have been too because His grace definitely comes down here with us.  The pace of life here is much slower compared to normal life in the States, but it is a good change.  It gives us the time needed to reexamine greater things and priorities, but also allows for us to further press into the Kingdom of God through prayer, fasting, and intercession—something that is much needed on the mission field.  Since I arrived one week ago, I have gone on several events put on by YWAM that outreach to the local prostitute population, and I have been rocked by seeing the love in the eyes of my fellow Christians in YWAM and the need of love in the eyes of those in bondage on the streets—God is doing big things down here with these people and with Lightforce.  This is the greatest time of our lives, and how could it not be?"
 

-Matt

"One week? I feel as though I have been in Costa Rica for twice if not three times as long, which in this case is a great thing. I am here to soak up every aspect that Lightforce is involved in as well as the beauty of Costa Rica. The first week has included busy time as well as time to just sit back and think; which as an American I can say doesn’t happen very often. I have really enjoyed immersing myself in the Latin American culture and their ability to enjoy the day for every minute given to them. Twice this week as a group in addition to YWAM(youth with a mission) we have gone into downtown San Jose and ministered to the prostitutes and transvestites. Feeling the darkness in the streets and realizing that the light inside of us is greater than that darkness has been the driving force behind my compassion for these people. God is greater than the darkness here. Ultimately I have enjoyed learning about God, Costa Rica, and myself but know there is much more to learn."


-Chris

For updates from Laura go here and find out what God is doing on the streets of Costa Rica!

Driven by Love

I recently had the incredible, challenging privilege to educate a couple of classes at a local high school on human trafficking and its effect on the Superbowl. I loved every second of the day! They asked such great questions and had a desire to help find solutions. As we discussed real problems and possible solutions, I could tell they were all still trying to process the hard truth about what goes on during famous events such as the Superbowl. For many, the Superbowl will never look the same. 

LightForce is teaming up with the Dallas chapter of Jesus Said Love run by Lori Warren to raise awareness of the sexual exploitation that will take place around the Superbowl. I have the sweet honor of representing LightForce at a big event this coming weekend.

I am looking forward to all God has in store and I will keep everyone posted as the next few weeks progress.

Laura is heading up our side of ministry and outreach on the streets of San Jose's red light districts in my absence. There are many exciting plans in the works for the opening of a coffee house. We are praying for God's direction and provision.

Anita is back and getting the newly owned house called, "Lighthouse" in Nicaragua ready for our grand opening. 

I sit in a hotel typing this and catching up on much needed rest and prayer in preparation for the next few weeks in Dallas. One of my friends teased me that she would like to switch places because my life was so much more fascinating than hers. I looked around my hotel room and thought of how things must look through her perspective. While she thinks her life is too boring and quiet, I at times envy that life. I think how crazy I must seem to the average person I meet.

 Bayard Taylor wrote, "The bravest are the most tender; the loving are the daring."

I think people often think I am really brave and live my life as Tomb Raider's, Laura Croft. I smile at the thought of how in a very tiny way, there are similarities to Laura Croft's missions and mine. However the similarities may be, one thing for sure is not, my life and look is definitely nothing close to as glamorous as Croft's!

Bayard Taylor's statement rang so true to my heart.
I have watched the pattern in my own life; as I derive my bravery from loving God, my heart becomes more tender. As my heart becomes more tender, I feel my compassion for others increase. As the cycle spins over and over the choices we dare to make become seemingly "crazy".

The world's standard would tell me my life is abnormal, adventurous, extreme and cutting edge. Jesus takes me to the foot of the cross where the stage was set for life lived by abnormal, adventurous, extreme and cutting edge. Jesus was and always has been CUTTING EDGE. What the world calls abnormal, God calls normal. My life and what I do in LightForce is totally and completely normal! Yep, life is like a movie when Jesus is Lord. Read enough stories of life for the disciples through the scope of normality and you will agree.