United We Stand

    I live in a beautiful country in a lovely little village that I just adore. I love the pace of life in Candelaria. I love the sense of community that is so highly valued in this culture. There are so many thinga that my heart loves here, but there is also something that I hate about life here. (And yes, I know it doesn't sound like a good missionary thing to say that there are things that I hate about life here, but it's true nonetheless.)

    I hate the disrespect for women that permeates my community. This frustration has been building in my heart for a few months now. Honestly, I'm just tired of it. I'm tired of the deep sigh I take every time I'm prepping to walk the streets. I'm tired of staring ashamedly at the ground because of the way men look at me. I'm tired of pretending not to hear their sexual comments. I'm tired of seeing wives abused. I'm tired of the constancy of it all- just as assuredly as the sun will rise in the morning men will treat me with disrespect today. And I'm just tired of it.

    I hate that all I can see are either women living with bitterness and anger toward all men OR women who have resigned themselves to the lie that it's just the way things are here. As the Lord places my two beautiful daughters in my life and I'm beginning to think more like a momma, I'm realizing that I don't want to become bitter or resigned because that's not the type of women I want my daughters to become.

    Plus I know my God and this is not His heart. His heart is for transformation, restoration, and love.

    I started talking with other young women, especially my beautiful friend, Kenia. We began to share our stories, to pray for change, and to brainstorm creative solutions. We realized that we needed the men of God standing with us. We cannot make this transformation alone.

    So I asked to speak to the pastors. Our pastors are men of integrity and compassion. They are good men, husbands, and fathers. I wanted to share from the hearts of women how we feel walking the streets and what we need from them as men of God, as our brothers in Christ. It's definitely as area where the Lord is moving and going before me… when I asked Tommy if I could interrupt their pastors' meeting to speak with all of the pastors, he had already planned to address this same issue with the leadership and preach on it Sunday night.

    Tommy is calling the church to RISE UP as a church and together with the authorities of this nation to face this problem in our community.

….then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus… -Philippians 2:2-5

     We are standing together in one love, mind, spirit, and purpose bringing the men to an encounter with the Living God, discipling them to be men of integrity, and standing together with the women in our community saying "enough is enough". This is a huge and complicated problem and the church must rise up against it. Our men are starting this week to go and speak to the men about Jesus and about respect. We are standing together. We are interceding. We are moving in love and strength. We are united. We stand. We will continue to stand.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  -Ephesians 6:13

    And we will see the Lord transform our community.