Welcome to my eclectic journey of my life and delights. This year my theme is surrendering my writing pen to the true author, Jesus Christ, while looking forward to the future, reflecting on the past and dancing through my journey.




Saturday, May 5, 2012

Operation Justice



How easily the Lord can grab your heart and say, "Go".  In my case this e-mail from a friend of 28- years grabbed this mother's heart and she just knew who was to "Go".  Tears rolled down my eyes with compassion while my prayers ascended before the throne for the sons I felt the Lord was leading to this place.   It would take a miracle...as Beth Moore calls it, "an elephant prayer".  I started my "elephant prayer" in January for God to soften, provide and convict my sons to go.  As moms of grown children we walk such a fine line.  We gentle suggest and step back.  I gentle forwarded the e-mail, allowing God to speak through the e-mail to my sons.


In a few days I will be leaving for Cambodia to begin a new relationship with some ministry partners that work with children and adults that have been rescued from sex trafficking. Specifically, I am going there to finalize plans to return there in May, with a team, and build a playground area for over 130 children that have been rescued and are in the process of being healed and restored. The playground will be located at a school founded by Cambodia Hope Organization in Poi pet, Cambodia. My good friend, Mike Lynch of BnF Minneapolis, will be traveling with me to help set up this very challenging project.
We have also been invited to go on a tour with other church and business leaders to see the conditions that the people of Cambodia live in. The extreme poverty makes them very vulnerable to abuse in many forms. One of those forms being that of an ever-growing sex trafficking industry. This billion-dollar business takes children of all ages for purpose of selling them to others. I know that this is a hard thing to imagine, but it is happening all over the world. The region that we are going in is what is called the “Golden Triangle”. It is a place where over 60% of all sex trafficking victims come from. Poi pet is a place where the love and justice of God needs to come.


I waited!  One grabbed it as soon as it came through...but he had conditions.  The other said he would think about it...now we all know that usually means "no" and is said to appease the person so they will back off.

Months started to fly by and I prayed and waited.  Justification started to come...I listened, nodded and returned to my prayerful knees.  "Please God...I know you want them there!"

As we all set at the Easter lunch table one son shared who all was going. He had just spent the weekend around those planning to go.  I held back tears of frustration that they had both decided the cost was too much for them to go.  I just kept saying "oh, oh!" when he listed the names.  Inside I was crying out, "God please...you put it on my heart, can you not soften their hearts?  Can you not let them step out in faith? Lord please."

Text went back and forth...one brother waiting on the other to go in order to justify going.  Business was good this time of year, so it would be a double sacrifice of loss business and the cost of the trip for one son.  The other son trying to meet another job "goal" couldn't justify the time off.  One son and I text back and forth... "it takes faith"... "faith isn't logical"...."it wasn't logical  to be thrown into the fire"..."no, but when they were they saw God and lived to tell about it"...silence from the texting fingers.

Monday after the discussion around the Easter table one son went to re-new his passport.  The other...silence.  They had shared the joy of building a playscape for inter-city children in Atlanta  11 years ago.  One son had also built a playscape in the inter-city San Antonio four years ago.  This would be their second one together.

Text came..."got my passport renewed".  Mine back, "why?"  "Because I am going to Cambodia."  Joy flowed from the other end of the hand held phone...one had said "yes".  The Lord provided jobs that evening after his step of faith to re-new his passport, which would provide money for the trip and the two weeks of missed work.  Isn't God good?

Other mothers joined me in prayer for this trip....one prayed as if the second son would also go.

May 6th our oldest child steps on a plane to Cambodia.  Would you please join us in prayer for the safety of all going,  for the power of God to be seen in this place,  for captives to be set free,  for each person on this trips hearts...for hearts to be forever changed for the kingdom of God.  As they come back, may they touch and bring revival to us back in the States.  May we all learn to say "yes" when God says "GO!"


I guess all my mommy post this week...praying knees...is appropriate as we enter the month of Mother's Day.  It truly is more than just giving birth....it is a life time commitment to seeing God work in and through our children. Praying when we don't understand, yet believing He holds them in His hands.

23 Joining in with more words:

Susan Nowell @ My Place to Yours said...

You know I'm praying!

Farm Girl said...

That is so huge!! I will be praying. I know how torn you must be, Praise God though. :)

Vee said...

You have an incredible mother's heart. Most mothers would be praying in the exact opposite direction. Personally, and just from a fleshy human standpoint, I'd prefer that God deal directly with my children without my being involved by knowing too much. And that is why I say that your prayerful position is amazing. Many blessings to your sons for taking this step and may they be a great blessing to the community in Cambodia. And many blessings to you as you pray them on through.

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

There is nothing like it! Our mother heart is so overflowing when one of our own goes and sees a deeper sense of what it means to serve. My prayers will be with this team. It's always amazing that even though they will go and bring new hope and ministry to so many, the joy and change and thrill of serving and seeing with new eyes will be to this team. Awesome!!

Thoughts for the day said...

So are you going to? or just them?
wow that is a huge decision because of the country and the unstable environment, prayers will be said for safety and protection and hearts to be changed deep within your sons.

Debbie said...

Oh Janette this is soo big. I am sure your heart is all over the place. I will join you in prayer over all of this for sure. I love how God used you to pray for your son. My son will be going to Israel in June. It is also an amazing story of how this came about and we are still waiting on the Lord for His full purposes here. It is humbling to be a part of it all as my place has only be to pray. With all that it is going on over there it is unsettling at best. But I do believe God is moving in a mighty way. Your son will be forever changed by this opportunity to do soo much for others, and will be soo blessed. Looking forward to hearing all the details about this. Praise God!

Sue said...

God has only loaned them to us for short time, how encouraging to see a mother that is willing to push them out of the nest, and say "Soar my darlings, for God is waiting to use you, to rescue the perishing for His Glory and upbuilding of His kingdom." I am sitting here thinking about what I have just read, and thinking of how blessed I am to have met you and of how many times you have and continue to touch my life. A woman who truly has a heart for God.
Janette, I will be praying for all of them, and for their families. I look forward to you sharing of what God did and will continue to do.
Much love,
Sue
I

Debbie said...

I will be covering this starting this very day! I think that God puts certain ministries in our hearts, and for some reason the rescue of victims from the sex slave trade is a huge one on my heart. It matters to this mom, and she will be praying.

Cecilia Marie Pulliam said...

I'll add my prayers, Janette. What a beautiful way to be His servant. What a lesson they will learn and pass on to everyone they know. Bless you for your planting the seed, and patience in letting Him nurture it.

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

Well, I cannot wait to read your report when he returns from this life changing trip. What a mighty God we serve and I'm so glad that you were His faithful servant in your prayers for your sons.

Thanks for sharing this beautiful story with us.

Have a joy filled Lord's Day!

Tanna said...

Some of our dearest tenants formed a non-profit, For the Silent, to help with the children in Cambodia. There is great need. I will pray for your sons, Janette. blessings ~ tanna

Marsha Young said...

Janette,
What a testimony of answered prayer to a mother's faith.

God bless you and your sons.

corners of my life said...

My daughter and her family live in Cambodia. If you would like their contact information for your sons let me know (mary.hastings{at}gmail.com)
Here is their blog
http://amandaniel.blogspot.com/

Christine said...

Praise God!
Hallelujah!

amanda + daniel said...

The beginning of a beautiful story & they haven't even gotten on the plane yet. I'll look forward to hearing how it all goes!

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

Ah ... those lovely knees of praying moms.

Just returned from 10 days in Seattle. Trying to catch up.

Maryann said...

This is huge Janette...I know your moms heart is rejoicing right now. Wonderful testimony and encouragement to us other praying moms out there

Petra said...

Praise God for giving you the will and persistence to keep praying, and for answering your prayers for His glory. I will pray alongside for their safety on this side of life. This post is a real encouragement because prayer has been so strongly on my heart and mind lately.

Hope you did get my email in response to your answer. Thank you again.

Blessings!

Jackie said...

I have friends that are going to Cambodia in July! There is a huge multi-church effort in Phoenix praying over the child abduction sex trafficing there! And yes....there must be justice for the innocent victims of such deplorable crimes against children....that's the Father's heart!!

I am praying for your son and the team.....That His mighty hand of protection cover them and that they fulfill all that He is calling them to do....captives set free and God be glorified!!

HE IS FAITHFUL!
Blessings!
Jackie
Jackie

Lisa said...

Janette!
How wonderful! What a blessing they will be. It's so exciting to see God ordering our children's steps. Blessings on your beautiful family.;)

myletterstoemily said...

will you please tell me your son's name, so
i can pray for him by name? this is a great
testimony of God's goodness and a mother's
prayers.

Rebecca said...

Sure, I'll pray! (Our daughter just returned from 2 weeks in the Philippines with a team ministering in a camp for young ladies in a program that took them off the streets....I was a little afraid since she was 7 months pregnant - but all is well & baby is healthy...)

Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

What a beautiful family you've built with God's love. THANK YOU for sharing them with the world. I will pray for all those on the trip!
xoxo
Leslie

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