Hold Nothing Back

Eleven year-old Erica arrived to the girls program Thursday afternoon with her little brother, not knowing what to expect.  I informed her no one came last week to the afternoon program in Zion, but we could go together to invite more girls.  She told me there were tons of girls in lower Zion where she lives, so we set out to find them.

Erica at our first program with her drawing of what she 

wants to be when she grows up, a nurse.

Just as we were leaving, three other girls from the area joined us.  We walked down the hill to lower Zion, and Erica, with a quiet confidence, approached the houses of families she knew had young girls.  I saw two girls down by the street in Enmanuel and asked her, "quieres invitarles?" (do you want to invite them?).  There was no hesitation in her as she followed me down the hill.  Though the girls acted cold and wanted nothing to do with us, I walked away like a proud mother.

We climbed back up the hill with one more girl, now making us a team of six.  We hung a left at the main road towards Villa Botania as we left Zion and a few of the girls began complaining that they'd have to walk longer.

Hanging a left at Upper Zion (Sion Arriba)

They told me they would just wait for us at the entrance of Zion... where the boys just so happened to be playing basketball.  To their surprise, I wasn't born yesterday, so they reluctantly came along and found out it wasn't that bad after all.  Oh the joys of raising tweens...

The boys in their basketball outreach program

There were girls along the way that we invited... some followed and some stayed behind.  I can't help thinking of Jesus' invitation to "leave your nets and follow Me" and how scary that call is for His followers.  There is no doubt in my heart that Jesus was calling girls to come and follow Him that day and He gave courage to those who stepped out into the unknown with us.

You may have thought it strange that I've shared how I was filled with the pride of a mother or that I'm "raising" tweens, but God has carved out a place in my heart and is filling it with a mother's love for these girls.

Now, the Lord revealed Himself to me as my Husband last year through Isaiah 54:4-6 , and as I was sharing this revelation with someone earlier this summer and inviting her to read the passage, she shared with me the NIV title of this chapter... "The Future Glory of Zion."  Ever since then, the Lord has kept me there... and His pull is stronger everyday.

When I first came here, I thought I'd just be teaching a couple classes in Zion... not 5 classes in 3 different villages (just added one more this week). I had my moments of despair and panic, but when the Lord released His Words from Isaiah 54 once more, there was no turning back...

" 'Sing, o barren one, who did not bear; 

break forth into singing and cry aloud,

you who have not been in labor! 

For the children of the desolate one will be more

than the children of her who is married,' says the Lord. 

'Enlarge the place of your tent, 

and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out, 

do not hold back; lengthen your cords, 

and strengthen your stakes. 

For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left; 

and your offspring will possess nations and will people the desolate cities...'"

Isaiah 54:1-4 

In a season of life where everyone (and their mother) around me seem to be marrying off and having babies, the Lord declares His plans over me.  He has wooed me as His beloved and is now giving me more children than I could ever possibly bear!

The girls in Villa Enmanuel trying out the human-knot

We had 13 new girls Thursday as a result of walking down the hill to lower Zion and up the way to Villa Botania.  Word has broken loose and we had 10 new girls in Villa Enmanuel on Tuesday and 1 new girl in Villa Liberacion on Wednesday... that's 24 new girls this week alone and 72 girls in total... so far.

Praying with the girls in Villa Liberacion 

Talita Cum is bigger than me and it's bigger than any mission organization. Talita Cum are Jesus' Words and He's speaking them into the hearts of His daughters... The part I haven't figured out yet is if He's crazy or extremely trusting as He's given His precious daughters into my hands to discipline and love with the love He's shown me.

Motherhood includes the little ones in Zion, too... I've lost count!

Instead of allowing anxiety and fear engulf me as the numbers rise and the classrooms get tighter, I'm just going to stretch out the curtains of my tent, lengthen my cords, strengthen my stakes in Him, and hold nothing back...

God certainly hasn't held anything back from me.