To the End of the Earth.

Last night JD made me watch the movie, "Taken". Made me, I tell ya. Pinned me down and said "watch". Ugh, I hate when he does that. :) Anyway, we stayed up way too late watching a super-intense movie and now I can't stop thinking about it. If you've not seen it, maybe you should. Maybe it will shake you like it did me. Maybe the shear thought of the plot will drive you into a spin. Or maybe not. Maybe if you're comfortable living your joyful, peaceful, hopeful , seemingly hell-free life, then you don't want to be brought down by this tragic {story}. After all, it is just a story. I'm sorry to be so blunk folks, but this stuff really gets to me.

The gist of the movie is that this dude's daughter is kidnapped by foreigners and then sold into sex trafficking. He spends the entire movie trying to find her - and save her. I know, I know- uplifting, right? That's not what grabbed my attention. What struck a chord with me is that it's something that could happen- does happen- is probably happening as I type this out and it breaks.my.heart.

I like to live in {my world} where yes, bad things happen but we grow- we get stronger- we move forward all the while praising God. I don't want to live in {that world} - that world that seems as though it's too far from me to have to worry about. The world that I sometimes think is none of my business. The one that seems like it's at the end of the earth- or possibly closer to hell than I ever care to touch.

When I think about the ends of the earth, I picture the scenes from that movie. Scenes where women are drugged and forced to 'service' men - sometimes 30 per day! Women live that life. I know this particular movie is Hollywood. I know that. But I also know that sex trafficking is REAL and it happens every day. Trust me, I've done my homework (and yeah, OPB counts). These enslaved women live a life of no hope. No joy. No peace. They live that life every.single.day and it breaks.my.soul. Can you even imagine a life like that? Can you even imagine living at the end of earth? In hell?




How can I reach the ends of the Earth? How can I help? What can I do? How can I help women who are enslaved by a hopeless, joyless, peaceless life? How can I help them find YOU? What can I do to help one- just one woman avoid a life without peace, love, and joy?

And then it occurred to me. I may not be able to fly over to Rwanda (or Paris, like in the movie) and bust open these camps. I may not be able to go on a Compassions Ministry tour and make a face-to-face difference. But when I look into the eyes of this little girl...this little girl who is almost the same age as Olivia would be...when I look into her eyes, I see hope. I see peace. I see a joy that is waiting to spill out of her sweet smile. I see a young woman who can escape hell. Can you see it? Can you see the hope???

I'd like you to meet the newest member of our {family}. I found her at the ends of the earth and I'm delighted to see what the Lord has in store for her. You too, can go to the ends of the earth to Sponsor a child and make a difference. Sometime soon, we'll be learning her name and what she does with her free time. We will find out how she feels about her faith- and her future. She'll write letters and together, with my family, we look forward to reading and seeing how God will work in and through her sweet life.

And just so you know, if you're thinking, "Lisa...how do you really know you're making a difference? How do you really know where your money is going?", the answer is:

I trust that God will take care of that part. Leap and the net will appear. I'm leaping, here. And after what I've read on many Compassion Ministry blogs, I just can't sit back any longer and think that someone else will make a difference. I just can't. So I'm leaping.

Oh, and here is some of what the bible says about the 'ends of the earth':

Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:4

Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. Psalm 48:10

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him. Psalm 22:27

He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. Psalm 46:9

You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. Psalm 65:5

God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him. Psalm 67:7

He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily! Isaiah 5:26

It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 49:6