Living Freely

Some of my faves....

2011-02-08T13:45:00.002-05:00

I know I said I was disappearing, but I just wanted to share some books that the Lord has been using to change my life and my faith. I'd LOVE to know if you read them!

"Breaking the Rules - trading performance for intimacy with God" by Fil Anderson

"Life of the Beloved" by Henri Nouwen

"Turn my Mourning into Dancing" by Henri Nouwen

"Prodigal God" by Tim Keller

and of course lots of time in the word.....I've taken FB and Twitter off my phone so that I can pull up my Bible in all of my downtime. MAN, this has changed the time I spend in the word! I have fallen in love with His word all over again....especially reading the Psalms at the same time as 1 & 2 Samuel so you can read David's life and his heart at the same time. Wow.

I'm starting "Sacred Romance" and "Evolving in Monkey Town" as well as "What Good is God?" and "1000 gifts"....

Taking a break

2011-01-01T02:19:00.002-05:00

I know I said I was going to continue to blog and just go private...but for now, blogging is off. I am taking a break from social media.

Just spending time "in the shelter of His wings".... would love your prayers. Life is beyond words hard and I am in need of so much of Jesus. He is completely faithful and more precious to me than I deserve. So, right now....it's just me and Jesus. I am in need of lots of His truth, instruction and healing and I'm going to spend the next bit curled up in His lap. I hope to come back to blogging, FB and Twitter, but for now it's safest to just sit with my Shield and my Refuge.

Going under cover :-)

2010-11-03T23:00:00.001-04:00

I'd like to go back to blogging...but am going to be making my blog private.

If you want to keep reading my thoughts...as random or annoying as they may be :-)

Email me your address and I'll put you on the list

brandi_mcelheny (at) yahoo (dot) com

I think I may love Henri Nouwen

2010-07-30T16:27:00.003-04:00

Just a few quotes....

"I realized that healing begins with our taking our pain out of its diabolic isolation and seeing that whatever we suffere, we suffer it in communion with all of humanity and yes, all of creation...

...the way through suffereing is not to deny it, but to live fully in the midst of it.

Our efforts to disconnect ourselves from our own suffering end up disconnecting our suffering from God's suffering for us.

Facing our losses also means avoiding a temptation to see life as an exercise in having needs me. We are needy people, of course. We want attention, affection, influence, power. And our needs seem never to be satisfied. Even altruistic actions can get tangled with these needs. Then, wehn people or circumstances do not fulfill all of our needs, we withdraw or lash out. We nurse our wounded spirits. And we become even needier. We crave easy assurances, ignoring anything that would suggest another way.

I am less likely to deny my suffering when I learn how God uses it to mold me and draw me closer to Him. I will be less likely to see my pains as interruptions to my plans and more able to see them as the means for God to make me ready to receive Him. I let Christ live near my hurts and distractions.

Our choice than often revolves around not what has happened or will happen to us, but how we will relate to life's turns and circumstances...will I relate to my life resentfully or gratefully?

For in our suffering, not apart from it, Jesus enters our sadness, takes us by the hand, pulls us gently up to stand and invites us to dance.

It is here (prayer) that we find courage to face our human boundaries and hurts, whether our physical appearance, our being excluded by others, our memories of hurt or abuse, our oppression at the hands of another. As we find freedom to cry out in anguish or protest someone's suffering, we discover ourselves slowly led into a new place. We become conditioned to wait for what we in our own strength cannot create or orchestrate. We realize that joy is not a matter of balloons and parties...It has to do with a deep experience - an experience of Christ. In the quiet listening of prayer, we learn to make out the voice that says, "I love you..."

The gospel calls us continually to make Christ the source, the center, and the purpose of our lives. In Him, we find our home. In the safety of that place, our sadnesses can point us to God, even drive us into God's loving embrace. Here mourning our losses ultimately lets us claim our belovedness. Mourning opens us to a future we could not imagine on our own - one that includes a dance..."

Ok, wow. He's smart, huh? And deep. This is just a FEW of the underlined passages and I'm only on page 38! More to come...

Sweet Layla

2010-07-27T17:32:00.003-04:00

My sweet friend, Layla, posted this on our "I am a WarriorGirl" yahoogroup. I just had to share

:-)

Dear Warrior Girls,

Thanks a lot. Thanks for taking my cozy, easy, half-convicted life, and turning it upside down. Thank you for allowing God to work through your lives in a way that has switched me from reading decorating blogs (and dreaming of billowy curtains, and glorious white dishes), and choking me with grim reality blogs. I really appreciate the way you took my shopping trips (*SIGH*) and made them seem so darn petty. Today I came home with a little pink bag of my favorite undies, and now all I can think of is how many bellies that price tag would have filled. Yeah, thanks for that. I would also like to thank you for introducing me to your children. Children that could have remained a mystery…unknown… Now my heart has been touched in places that I didn’t know existed. I sob over photos of these little ones, and the ones that peep through bars…waiting for their forever family. Yeah, thanks for that heartache. Now I cannot throw anything out without wondering how I EVER became so wasteful. I look at my stuff and wonder what my problem is. REALLY? Do I REALLY need another one of those? Great. Now I have more conviction…thanks. This is what I get for having a band of friends that care more than I knew was even possible. This is what I get for knowing a God that is SO BIG and AMAZING, that I have been smacked-down, face flat on the concrete. I have tripped on my own indifference. And you know what? I TRULY AM THANKFUL! I love you all so much. I wonder why God allows me to be in this group? I am SO stinking far behind where I should be! I don’t pray enough, care enough, give enough, try hard enough. I am so selfish that is nauseates me. Why on earth would God show me such mercy? There is so much mercy in pain and correction. My Father is so good. Yes, this letter started sarcastic and silly, but here is the cold hard truth: I want to know more. I want to hurt more, feel more, give more, break more. I need all of you to hold me accountable. I am not even close to making the cut. Thank you, Jesus, for your mercy and grace! I am nothing without the blood of Jesus covering my every sin. I needed (NEED) the reality and support that He has brought through all of you. I am forever grateful…even though I really liked billowy curtains and PINK undies.

Your Warrior Sister,
Layla

***don't you just love her already?

Dress for a Cause!

2010-07-25T00:10:00.004-04:00

I read this tonight and for me - it's a no brainer!! Wow! What a great idea. In fact, so great I totally want to use it. If you guys LOVE this giftbasket idea, let me know. We have some crazy cool shirts around HopeChest, plus necklaces and coffee and such plus we are making some crazy cool shirts for the WarriorGirls (may have an entire line...just sayin') and we could do something like this to fund, i don't know, rescues?! :-)

But for now...read what my sweet friend Kim has written and about this amazing way to not only help Korah but enter to win an amazing prize pack of 13 shirts plus a hat and tote! wow!! *PS this is possibly the longest post ever - but worth it to see all these cute shirts)

For those of you that don't know, much like myself a few months ago, "Korah" in Amharic means "cursed". Around 75 years ago, the Ethiopian government moved everyone with leporsy to this area of Addis Ababa . There are now approximately 100,000 people that live in the slums of Korah and are considered the "outcasts" The other thing that is located in Korah is the city dump. I have had friends say they could see parts of the dump moving and then realized it was people moving. People searching for food to eat and scrap metal to sell.

There is something else, or rather, Someone else, moving in Korah.

God.

He is stirring in the hearts of His people and people like pastor Sammy Liben and Project 61. There is now an education sponsorship program for the children of Korah. If you have not read this post this last week, I really encourage you to take the time to read it...it is a long post and yet leaves me speechless. Also, visit the Hoffman's blog as Laura just returned from there as well with Visiting Orphans.

Jody at Talk is Sheep has just visited, loved, served and is changed by Korah.

So...while we have a bit of time to fundraise, the kids at Korah do not. They have a child sponsorship program that has a deadline of July 31. Yep...one week left. And it is $700 to sponsor a child in Korah for an entire year. They get to go to boarding school, have meals and and education. You can read what all that entails in Jody's post. Pretty amazing stuff. Made me realize my pitiful little TV was just fine-and-dandy-thank-you-very-much. (okay..I already realized that but just thought I would throw that in there...)

When we shared as a fundraising family a few months ago at a Show Hope event, we said we never want to be the endpoint of a gift...any gift. We believed it when we said it and we believe it even more today. We want to share the benefits of this fundrasier with Korah in whatever way God chooses.

SO.....

How does this "Dress for a Cause" the Sequel work?
Easy.

All you have to do to have your name on a piece of paper in our bowl of wonders is purchase a piece of this picture of Korah Kids. Your piece, or pieces, will build upon other's pieces and together we will all have a part in God's work in Korah. As pieces are purchased, I will uncover more and more of the picture. Pretty neat, huh!

A picture tile of Korah costs 10.00.

2 pictures tiles of Korah cost 15.00.

You can enter by reposting the Dress for a Cause, the seqel on your blog , tweeting about it and of course, posting it on your facebook.

That is 5 ways to end up in our bowl of wonders and have your closet filled with adoption themed shirts. Can I participate? No. Can my daughter? No...much to her dismay. (She was counting her pennies.)

So, let's take a look at who is generously participating in the Sequel...

Show Hope. SH had actually wanted to participate in the first Dress for a Cause but I received their communication as it was ending, so I told them I would take a rain check. SH goes above and beyond in partnering with families with resources and adoption grants. That is just a small part of what they do. Show Hope would like to partner with your in your fundraising efforts with their merchandise affiliate program. Contact Lindsey at SH. She is your go-to girl. Oh...and how generous is this. They are giving a shirt, hat AND tote bag (I am so jealous...)

Heart to Home. The Dixon's are a fundraising family that has generously donated an Adopt. Pray. Support. shirt. They are a family of 10 currently on the wait for siblings from Ethiopia. Tricia is always full of support and encouragement so you will want to visit their site and bookmark this family. Take a look around their site for other items they are selling to bring their little one's home.

Holding God's Hand in the Journey. Okay...I'm gonna be quiet and let you read the anonymous quote on Debbie and Jeff's shirts and water bottle.

"We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life, but those who make their journey home across time and miles, growing within the hearts of those who love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands."
Oh, guys....this one is SPECIAL!! They are taking shirt orders right now and if I were you I would not wait to see if I won this ginormous prize, I would go ahead and bless this family with a shirt order...or two...and a water bottle...like the one I just ordered (Merry Christmas, Isabelle...shhhhhh)

The Walser Adoption Adventures . Let me tell you about this family. They are on the other side of Florida from me. I get the sunrises and they get the sunsets. Rachel is a busy homeschool mom with a side business and a pastors wife. She is always full of encouragement and has had quite a year getting to the waitlist...but guess what just happened, they made it! She is out of town at a convention and she only had a few minutes to update her blog but I thought she put it perfectly. Here is what she said: "For a year it's been a paper chase. I have known a child waits at the end of it but most days I have been lost in a cloud of notaries and background checks and references and authentications. Paper. But today, I feel the tangible love and longing for my child. I hear a heartbeat, I feel a kick. I feel a life growing and I sense our meeting is just around the corner" That is just a glimpse into the heart of the Mama of this family. Their shirts say, Love with Abandon..Love an Orphan.

Oh...they already do.

Ordinary Hero. Change the World for One. That says it all. Here we have the lovely Kristi Johnson aka Mama to many but especially one very cute Lucy Lane. Her sister, Kelly, has Ordinary Hero and if you have not been following along with their recent trip (very recent, like I think their flight is due in while I type this...) to Africa, then head over and see what they have been up to. The work they did recently with the flooding in Nashville was inspiring and reminded me there are opportunities everywhere and everywhere to change the world for one.

147 Million Orphans. Gwen and Suzanne need no introduction but I will brag on them still the same. These ladies and 147 Million are a pivitol part of the adoption fundraising community and orphan care awareness. The impact and influence their hearts and efforts will have with Amazima Ministries will not be known this side of heaven but I can pretty much say with certainty they will hear the words "Well Done." I had the privilege of hanging out at the pool with them a few weeks ago in Orlando. When they asked if we would adopt after "Hope" I replied I am getting "old" . "Better an old mama than NO mama" Gwen chimed in. These ladies know the realities of the orphan crisis. Aging parents and lack of funds are no excuse.

They are donating a 147 Million shirt (may not be the one pictured below, depending on availablity because these ladies sell A LOT !) and one of the wonderful magazine bead necklaces made by the women in Uganda.

Because we are led. This sweet family had adopted from China and and doing it again. This time they are adopting an 11 year old boy with mild cerebral palsy. You can read his story on their blog but in a nutshell his birth mother took him to the hospital when he was 6 years old and abandoned him there. They are a fundraising family as well and I would invite you to check out their blog. They have some sweet dresses up for auction to go towards their adoption expenses and they are selling tote bags as well.

Feeding the Orphans. Meet Sydney. She is 10 years old. Don't let her age fool you. She has a heart and spiritual maturity well beyond those 10 years. She becamed burdened at the thought of how we could live like queens and kings when there are others, especially in Africa, who have nothing. So, little miss Sydney started a blog, designed a t-shirt, and advocates for the orphan. Two of which will be orphaned no more. Her family is growing by way of Ghana! She is raising money for a well in her siblings village that was affected by a fire. When I asked Sydney to participate in this I told her I did not want her to donate a shirt, I wanted to purchase one to put in the giveaway. She said she wanted to donate it. Can you say "servant's heart"? (Oh...and Syd...I'm older than you and I say I am buying one..)

The Road Less Travelled . The Shubin Clan is another one of my Florida families. They have been so encouraging to me and we have had the opportunity to meet half way in Orlando a couple times to visit. They are currently getting their Dossier submitted and will soon be on the wait for their little girl...who will join their little Silas and their home grown kiddos. Erica has a fabulous blog that she updates regularly and is in a "humble attack mode" when it comes to fundraising. She knows how to get it done and if you need pointers don't hesitate to ask her. She is full of ideas. She has recently posted about the life journey they were going through as a family when they were adopting Silas. Pretty real stuff. Head over to their blog and become a follower if you are not already. They have some amazing new shirts and I love their design. One of my favorites is the Where you Live shirt. Check it out. And...in the spirit of guy talk and "manning up" their Pie hole shirt gets to the point. (The color of the prize shirt may not be the color Erica is wearing below)

And then there is us. No link...you are already here. The first shirt is what we call the "Lilah" shirt. Well...because the first one I made and sold was for Lilah. And she is beautiful and she is the same age as our little "Hope" will most likely be and if I lived close I would totally need a sweet hug from Lilah...but instead, we have named a shirt after her and have sold many. If you would like an adult Lilah shirt of a different color we can accomodate that!

And then we have the one that started it all for us. We designed this shirt a year ago. I can't believe it has been that long and I am humbled that I still get orders for them a year later. We have loved them and have loved seeing others wearing them on their return trips from Africa with their babies. That is fun.

Finally, (whew...I'm tired..and old Gwen.;) is our Love is Not a Color shirt. The video
was great fun to make and I have once again been humbled by the number of orders that continue to come in for this shirt. You never know when you do a design but you know it was placed on your heart and you just go with it.

We will run this through the week and dig into our name-filled bowl on Friday. I will update our picture of Korah throughout the week as your pictures are purchased. Please comment on this blog or facebook me or skywrite above my house and let me know how reposted. You can purchase your Korah picture with the button on the sidebar. Please feel free ask questions

Go to KIM'S BLOG to donate!!! Yes, GO NOW!

Treasure Hunting

2010-07-22T17:06:00.002-04:00

So often when I put out fund raising requests I get overwhelmed....what if no one gives? What if they are tired of me talking about it? What if I've asked, one too many times? This was the case this week. I mean, come on, $8,000 is a lot of money. a LOT of money. Truth is, I was worried. But I kept reminding myself and others that "God scattered abroad His gifts to the Poor" (Psalm 112:9)

I'm not fundraising. I'm not begging and pleading and scraping money together. I'm just looking. Treasure Hunting if you will... for where HE has placed HIS gifts to these girls. And then, giving these people the privilege and opportunity to give. You know - I've never regretted giving. I certainly don't miss the bday presents or anniversary presents I gave up this year. I know my Brayden doesn't miss the gifts he gave up on his birthday so that kids in Africa could eat. I have, however, regretted NOT giving. I saw a need, meant to give, but just got busy. I missed out on an opportunity to be a part of a miracle. I truly believe this is the greatest gift He gives us. The opportunity to be a part of HIS love letter to those He finds precious.

Well guess what? I got a call this afternoon from a precious friend. She's a blog friend who I've never actually met in person but have spent hours with on the phone. She actually left me a message that went something like this: "I just read your blog and my husband and I would like to give. Call me back and let me know if paypal or a check would work best. Looks like you need $7300 - so we'd like to give that amount." I dropped the phone and jumped around screaming. You should see me do my happy dance...It's quite lovely. (ok, maybe not). I called her back and told her our need right now is actually only $6500 and she said she'd send the check right now. And you know what? She was THRILLED. We were both practically in tears on the phone, so very thankful that the Lord allows us to be a part of this. She was SO excited to give and be a part of the rescue of these girls.

I hung up the phone and did a LOT more dancing and jumping and screaming. HE DID IT!!! AGAIN!!! Blew me away one more time. Not only do we have the funds needed to pull off a rescue, but we have the funds to provide a Christian counselor for these girls for a whole YEAR!

AND, the money is still coming in. People across the country have said - "we want to give. These girls are worth more than our comfort, our stuff." Girls in Kansas are having a huge garage sale. (Details on Tom's blog) Lindsey is selling her coach purse (go HERE to win a chance!). I'd LOVE to sell anything you want of mine...leave me a comment :-) We are over $500 PAST our goal and will be funding the NEXT rescue! KEEP giving!!! Our goal is to match our sweet friends' $6500 and have 2 rescues funded by Monday night! Will you join us? Will you give up some of your comfort so a little girl can be rescued? Will you give up lunch out on Sunday afternoon? Will you sell something? Offer to trade babysitting with a friend and send the money instead? I PROMISE you won't regret it. I can not fully explain the joy it is to be a part of HIS rescue of the oppressed.

Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/redletters/#ixzz0uRtfeG7n

Parading Around....

2010-07-21T17:26:00.002-04:00

If you read the story below - you might be steaming.

I am.

A woman who is the head of a women's organization - a woman who should be defending women's rights.... and yet, what does she do? She runs a brothel. Not only a regular brothel....right? because that wouldn't be bad enough. No, she runs a brothel that SPECIALIZES in selling virgins to VIPs, politicians and police officers. Oh wait, it doesn't stop there....not only does she hold what appears to be 4-5 minor girls as sex slaves in her brothel. She ALSO has a lovely photo book of the girls available for purchase from the local boarding school. If a client wants one of those girls she can simply go to the boarding school, pick them up for their "appointment" and then bring them back to school.

What a hypocrite. Does this just make you steaming mad? It makes me want to SHUT HER DOWN. Oh the EVIL.

And just as I rage over the injustice of it all. The situation itself and the hypocrisy of parading around as a good upstanding citizen.... and then I remember.

Isaiah 58 again...For day after day they seek me out;

they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God."

I wonder if we, the church, are any better than this brothel owner??? Parading around as a people who care about justice and turning to look the other way when a situation like this comes out. It's been a full day - we have $700.

It's one thing to talk about it. To look like a person who cares about justice. It's a whole other thing to "loose the chains" of injustice with my actions, with my sacrificial giving.

What will you choose?

Let's Loose the Chains of Injustice

2010-07-21T12:33:00.001-04:00

How to make a profit selling virgins for sex

It's apparently very simple.

First, you establish yourself as a respected community leader who heads up a women's rights group in India. This will solidify your reputation as someone who protects and defends young girls.

Next, you need to really specialize in something to keep the customers coming back for more. You need, as the marketers call it, a "unique value proposition." You decide to focus on virgin girls. Highly prized and more expensive than girls with experience.

For clientele, you cater to corrupt police officials, local authorities, and the occasional visiting VIP or dignitary. That way, you'll always remain safe from raids and prosecutions.

Last, and most importantly, you need a good supply of virgins. For that you have an arrangement with the local boarding school for girls. Potential customers browse through your photo book of potential child sex victims. Once they make their choice, you bring the girls to your brothel to be raped for profit.

Sadly, this true story is unfolding right now in India.

A well-respected women's leader and her husband run a trafficking and prostitution ring specializing in virgins and young girls. The description above is true in its details, documented by our partners in India.

A rescue operation is in the works, and I am raising funds through this blog to free as many girls as we can. Will you help us?

They have documented at least five minors--all girls--being held as slaves. The rescue plan involves using the local television station to expose the operation, and thereby force the police to conduct the raid.

Will you join me in supporting this rescue operation? Here are the details:

Rescue Operation: $1,250 - ($125 per girl we plan to rescue)
If we successfully rescue 10 girls, that's just $125 per child saved. This involves setting up the rescue operation, getting the investigative team in place, coordinating with the media and police, and conducting the raid itself. Even if $1,250 rescued only one girl, it would be far worth the investment.

Rescue Kits for Each Girl: $450 - ($45 per girl up to 10 girls)
These kits are the first step in restoring a girl's dignity. They contain clothing and personal hygiene supplies. The girls are taken immediately to a government after-care facility, and these kits provide each girl with needed supplies for the long journey ahead.

Professional Social Worker: $6,000 - Salary for 12 months
Once in the government after-care home, our partners will send a Christian social worker to meet with each of the girls and begin to counsel them toward long-term recovery. Until the girls are allowed to leave that facility, our partners will provide consistent biblical counseling from a licensed and educated social worker. Providing this victims' advocate is critical because in many cases girls are returned to the parents or relatives who sold them to the brothel in the first place.

Our goal is to rescue up to ten girls. Although in a similar attempt a few weeks ago, only one girl was freed from her captors. I will keep you posted, and encourage you to continue to pray, to spread the word, and to give as you are able.

Here are two ways you can be involved:

Join our Prayer Conference Call Today
Our prayer team, iFast58, will pray for this operation on their weekly sex trafficking prayer call. Please join them today (July 21) at 1:30pm Eastern Time. Call 760-569-9000 ID: 968101. If you can't make the call, please commit to pray for this rescue.

Make a Gift to the India Rescue Operation
Click the donate button at the top of this post to make a gift toward this rescue operation. A gift of any size will make a difference. Give even $5 to stop this horror. A $45 gift buys one girl a rescue kit. A $125 donation helps rescue one girl (if we are successful in freeing 10 children). A $500 gift pays for after-care social work for the girls. Make a gift today. All donations are processed by PayPal and received by Children's HopeChest, a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation. We are members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability also. For more information about our ministry, please visit http://hopechest.org .

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You in????

I am - Will you? iFast email written by Vince Giordano

2010-07-21T00:22:00.001-04:00

Those of us who spend our time focusing on the poor, the oppressed and those who serve them are sometimes confronted with grim realities.

The fact is that there are too many problems out there...there are too many children that need help...there are too many women and children who are stuck in sex-trafficking and too many people starving. So, you read a book or you adopted a child or you went on a trip and you were overwhelmed with poverty and injustice. You never imagined that things were so bad. You couldn't believe how cheap it was to solve individual problems - medicines for less than $10, mosquito nets for $5, school fee that are less than your monthly starbucks budget. You thought to yourself - I have to do something - I am GOING to do something.

You return to America or you finish your book and your mission begins. You start telling your spouse or your best friends. This is unbelievable - we have to do something now. We have to act. Some of them seem interested but most of them try to wait it out hoping you will get over this latest obsession. But you know in your heart this is not an obsession - it's a calling. It is a new awareness that the kingdom of God has to extend out from you and reach the least of these. You keep going.

Your friends initially tolerate you and then some just quietly phase you out but you are undeterred initially. You press on KNOWING people will want to make a difference. You start reading the bible with fresh eyes and asking yourself why you had never seen that or read that before? Why did I not hear this in church? You listen to sermons with fresh ears and you hear the repetitive beating of a drum that seems to resound with a self-centered rhythm. It isn't supposed to be all about me is it God? Why are we only focused on making our great lives even better when kids are starving, when young children are being prepared for sexual exploitation every two minutes? I guess that will all just go away if I can truly develop the purpose driven life right? Or if I just keeping doing more bible studies with my accountability group?

For some of us, the hard reality is that we simply need to move on from some of our old ways and old friends into the fullness of the gospel. The true religion that we know He is calling us too. You won't be popular but quite frankly neither was Jesus among the religious crown. You may find yourself test the patience of some of your closest friends who would just rather plan their next big vacation and not hear about the sexual exploitation of children or starving kids or children who are alone and with love or hope. That stuff is just too hard and depressing and doesn't fit with the trajectory of my life that God is making so pleasant and easy.

I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that everything we do will have an eternal impact in the lives of individuals and it matters. Your small choices can make a big difference in the lives of the hurting. The bad news is that you will not be popular, it will not be easy, you will lose friends, people will tire of you constantly beating the drum for the cause of justice. People will avoid you and criticize you and tell you to lighten up. But, I want to challenge you. I want to challenge you to be a louder voice than you have ever been. I want to challenge you to scream for those who have no voice. I want to challenge you to ask God to use you in places and in ways that others don't want to. I want to challenge you to fight agains the apathy that plagues our churches and society. I challenge you to be His hands and feet to the least of these. I challenge you to allow your life to be a seed - which falls to ground and dies and in so doing it produces much fruit. I challenge you to swim against the current of our church culture that seeks to find comfort in a personal gospel and personal salvation and passionately pursue God with a reckless abandon for those that are helpless.

I pray that we would fast today with the spirit of a warrior that has counted the cost and said with boldness - Lord I give you my life today - ALL of me - spend me extravagantly on the poor and the oppressed.

Needs:

HopeChest Pray for Indian Rescue Mission and the fundraiser Tom is starting on his blog tomorrow morning for them. We will be raising $8k for an upcoming rescue. The rescue is for a brothel owned and operated by the head of a women's organization. There are at least 5 minors being held there. This brothel "specializes" in selling young virgins to politicians, VIPs and Policeofficers. She also has a book of photos of the girls in the local boarding school and runs a prostitution ring using those girls.

Please pray that the money will be raised to rescue these girls as well as to provide a social worker to meet with them each week and work to provide their healing over the next year.

We also have a trip going to Haiti in August and several of our leadership will be traveling over the next several weeks.

Please pray for the following organizations:

The River in Kalamazoo is sending a team into Uganda for a month

Pete and Andrea Kidd's court date

Remember the Poor

Lemonade International

HELP

Indian Rescue Mission

Vince Giordano

Girls Night Out

2010-07-20T21:11:00.003-04:00

I've updated you a lot about all our sweet new children friends...but I haven't talked a lot about my new girlfriends. Last week I got to spend a good bit of time with my new girls :-)

Wendi (moved here in January), Amy (moving here very soon!) and Jody (moved here last week).

What a fun time to just be. These girls know and live my motto "go deep or go home" :-)

I just about died laughing when we were shopping in this little store in downtown Monument and Wendi picked up a shawl to see that it said "made in China" and commented "probably by slave children" and roller her eyes. I just started giggling and couldn't stop. I told her we were some of the only girls who would ever celebrate that as an appropriate comment on a girls night out! It was a great night of laughing, talking and raging about injustice :-) Yes, my favorite kind of night!

The thin line between faith and doubt

2010-07-15T18:36:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a tough day....truly, a deep and dark day. We wrestled. We battled. We approached the throne feeling battle worn, bloodied and bruised. And in as far as we can see - this battle was lost. We prayed for the rescue of 2 specific girls (ages 14-15) from a brothel and begging for the 6 others we knew of....and yet, there was a tip off. No rescue. I literally laid my head on my desk and wept. I felt the oppression, frustration, enormity of this broken world all over again. I felt hopeless - or maybe felt their hopelessness. I was truthfully mad at God...You say you are the rescuer of the oppressed ----so RESCUE!!!

There is a whole other post in this journey - a raw post about what it has done to me to walk the halls of injustice. It's shaken my faith and brought me to new depths of intimacy. A friend recently said that through the past year - she is at a point of more reckless faith than ever before. More depth of intimacy. More of Jesus plain and simple - and yet - it's also the point of greatest doubt. The greatest test of her faith. I thought it was such an amazing point. Kind of like the thin line between love and hate....the thin line between faith and doubt. So often we are afraid to tread into these dark places b/c the faith of our childhood can't handle it. So, instead of walking with fear, trembling, tears and lots of wrestling - we hide. Because when you walk out far enough - when you tread into places where great, great faith is required it makes you stop and think - is this real? Because there is no safety net here.

In the midst of this dark day - my friend Wendi posted this - I thought it was worth simply reposting for you to read all of it.

my heart is full

…but I’m not sure what it’s full of today…madness, confusion, frustration, anger, skepticism, expectation, hope, faith….

There is so much pain, so much injustice, so much persecution and oppression, not just today, but everyday…and we’re left in a difficult place – the tension between these two worlds: good and evil.

Ecclesiastes 7: 7 Surely oppression drives the wise into madness,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.

I am reminded like it says in Proverbs 13: 23 “The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice.”

and we ask you Lord, to intervene – to keep the ground fallow and to produce fruit for your glory – keep injustice at bay.

When I think about verses like 1 Timothy 6:10 “ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” I think, how true that is in the world of trafficking humans – where even children are bought and sold for someone to stuff their pockets with evil gain.

And I read, Proverbs 16: 8 “Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.” God, I want them to know this!!! Show this to those who make money by oppressing others.

I recently attended an SCTNow (Stop Child Trafficking Now) event…

as a side note, I love this organization because their premise is that “until we look for the people doing wrong, we aren’t going to stop this train,” because a victim rescued can be replaced within a few hours….so with their military, law enforcement, CIA, and special ops backgrounds, they hunt down the perpetrators.

…at this event, I learned things like:

the second largest enterprise in the US next to drugs but quickly approaching equal is human trafficking
that the US spends more in 1 day on the war against drugs than they do in an entire year of spending to fight trafficking
that the street value of a woman or child’s life in places like Nicaragua or El Salvador is between $5 and $10 US. And that value increases with each border they cross until they are worth between $8,000 to $10,000 by the time they cross our US border (yeah, “the land of the free, home of the brave” border). these lives are reusable resources that can be sold over and over again.

sheer evil…and I’m left saying what? doing what? When God doesn’t make sense, I have to cling to what I have and know of Him:

Job 5: 15 But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts her mouth.
Psalm 94: 16 Who rises up for me against the wicked?
Who stands up for me against evildoers?
17 If the Lord had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
18 When I thought, “My foot slips,”
your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.
19 When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.
20 Can wicked rulers be allied with you,
those who frame injustice by statute?
21 They band together against the life of the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord has become my stronghold,
and my God the rock of my refuge.
23 He will bring back on them their iniquity
and wipe them out for their wickedness;
the Lord our God will wipe them out.

And I think, maybe instead of praying for you to feed and save and rescue, I should be asking for your justice to fall on those who are mongering injustice and oppression. Maybe, like David and others in the Bible who cried for you to strike down their enemies, that I need to ask the same. God, I want these evildoers to know you and for you to be glorified in their lives. I want them to know the truth that “better is a little with righteousness…" (Proverbs 16:8) and to act accordingly. But honestly, God, if they will not yield their heart to yours…If they will not acknowledge you and turn, then I pray that you would wipe them out. I claim your promises in verses like theses where they reap calamity, and woes and are found out.

Proverbs 22:8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of his fury will fail.
Jeremiah 22:(the whole chapter is good) 13 “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,
and his upper rooms by injustice,
who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing
and does not give him his wages,
Proverbs 10: 9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

And then, I rest in the comfort that You are God and I am not and that it does not depend on me. You are changing me through these pangs and showing your power that YOUR NAME (not mine) will be proclaimed and made great.

Romans 9: 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

You are warring in the heavenly places constantly on our behalf. Help me not to get wrapped up in all the things I do not see happening and complain, which I really wanted to do today when two girls were not rescued from their brothel due to a tip-off…grrr…

And thank you for the girl that was rescued even before she could be sold! Your purpose and plan for her is immeasurable. Let her feel and know you today – Abba.

And help me to hold fast to your word of life….

Philippians 2:14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

iFast Requests

2010-07-14T02:31:00.001-04:00

Remember the Poor:

John 14:13-14 "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." I am continuing to ask for the $326,000 necessary to care for the 1500 children in Gulu, Uganda--the school, the clothes, the borehole, the food, the medicine. I know He loves them more than I do. And I know He has opened my eyes to their plight. So, I am asking in His name.

HopeChest:

Pray for the many upcoming trips! Pray that the Lord will bring exactly who He wants to be involved. Pray that our leadership will have wisdom about where to reach out, who to invite and when and where to plan trips.

Pray for the new country launches and all of the details that go into planning these.

Pray for communities to step forward for the following sites: June Amagara in Uganda, the 5 sites in South Africa, The Friends of the Good Samaritan in India, the 2 safe houses in Moldova and the grad programs in Russia.

Pray for communities that have carepoints where not all of the children are sponsored - pray that a fire will be lit in these churches and they will rise up to meet the needs of their orphanage/carepoint.

Indian Rescue Mission -

As I write, they are approaching the police to request a rescue. They have found 8 minor girls (ages 14-15) in brothels throughout the red light district of Pune. The police are considering a rescue for 2 of the girls. Pray for this rescue happening hopefully next few hours. Also pray for mercy and release for the other 6 girls. Pray that the police will shock everyone and desire to rescue all of the girls.

Gold Coast Orphan Alliance

Gold Coast Orphan Alliance. We are doing a We Heart Orphans party in an outlying town tomorrow night and there will be people there from various churches in that area. Please pray that God will move in the churches represented on behalf of orphans and allow our ministry to expand into that community. Also, there is a possible opportunity for travel to Ghana.. Pray for wisdom and discernment.

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!
Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us!

Thanks!

Brandi

Prayer Requests ~ iFast58

2010-07-07T00:32:00.000-04:00

We got a lot of prayer requests in this week! No need for my words - it's time to get praying, people :-)

Remember the Poor:

"We shall not let go of God until He makes this place a place of praise." Those are the words of our partnering pastor in Gulu, Uganda. (paraphrase of Isaiah 62:7) I don't have any new news to report this week, but we are pressing on in prayer, asking the Lord for all that is needed for the people of Kochgoma (Gulu). We think we're asking for $326,000...but He knows the needs better than we do.

HopeChest:

Praise for the India Trip - God did remarkable things in and through this team. Pray for the ministries they encountered on the ground that are doing amazing things with tireless effort. Continue to pray for freedom from oppression and bondage and the chains of injustice that so tightly hold many of these places. Pray for the Spirit's work that was obvious to our team as He pursues the hearts of the people.

Pray for the leadership as decisions are made about partnerships and new county openings

Pray for churches / communities to step up for communities in Uganda, S. Africa, India and Russia

Pray for the churches/ communities with low sponsorship - pray that their leaders will once again light a fire in their people to stand up for the fatherless.

ABBA Fund / Together 4 Adoption Conference

From Dan Cruver - head of T4A

I have this strong inward sense that God is going to awaken people who attend the T4A conference in a significant way. So please pray to that end. That God would awaken his people to care for orphans in a way he has yet to do.

Asha Mission - Delhi, India

prayers
1. the need for land at asha mission: wisdom in searching out property (especially for Pastor Babu and his wife Lijy), financial provision for it, trust in Gods timing, faith to step out
2. there are 3 street girls who I (Jessica) am going back to a specific train station in N India to look for with another asha mission leader, amanda (another volunteer). i will have to share more of this story later, but we met these three girls last fall, have been burdened ever since, and are hoping to find them and possibly get them into an asha mission home. the chances are sooo tiny...but possible. and God is a God who saves! so we are resting that case before Him!
3. for the salvation of all the children at asha mission
4. for rest, encouragement, and strength in saji and gracie at asha mission delhi. and for sam and his wife (leaders at asha mission kolkata)
5. for asha mission to be a Light in a dark place
6. for saji phillip and his wife working in brothel areas

Indian Rescue Mission

Please pray for Indian Rescue Mission, for the Investigation team as they will be investigating on brothels in Karnataka State. The team is not getting access into the brothel as the manager and the brothel keeper is objecting. Please pray.

Orphan Relief and Rescue

After injuring her foot, Ashley traveled safely home last week -- thanks for your prayers there -- and it's a good thing because it turned out to be broken. Please pray for a speedy recovery so she can return to her kids in Liberia, where she so desperately wants to be.

Another of our team, Andrew, is traveling to Canada tomorrow to try and finish the immigration process to the U.S. so he can join the office team in Seattle. An unfortunate and unforeseen expense, but God is already providing! Please pray that the paperwork will soon come to an end!

With most of our field team now gone for R&R, please pray for the kids. Pray they don't feel left behind, especially now that school's done and it's pouring rain every day in Liberia. Pray that those at home get the rest they've earned, and those still in Liberia have the strength and grace to carry the extra burden.

Personal - from iFasters

Jason Wert - This is going to sound rather selfish but if you could pray for me as I work on a challenge to go a month never doubting that God is there I'd appreciate it.

Pray for Ben and Amy Savage who are moving out to Colorado to work for HopeChest - pray that their house will sell!

Pray for the many iFasters who are in the process of adoption and waiting that is so hard and painful.

Thanks as always for your protection and provision through prayer.

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!
Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us!

Thanks!

Brandi

She Reads

2010-07-05T17:22:00.002-04:00

Check out SheReads.org this month!

Tom's new book, Priceless, is the featured book of the month!!! This is a HUGE deal because they primarily feature female authors!!!

Have you read it yet? It's amazing. Simply amazing.

But not always fun. It's a painful read into an area that I had kept my heart from caring deeply about for so long.

As Angel said, it's a book that had to be written and must be read.

So with that...I encourage you...read it. Please. Not for me, but for the 27 million people who are enslaved today. Just keeping yourself from an issue isn't ok.

Believe me, I tried. I tried b/c I didn't think I could do anything. I'm learning differently.

I must open my eyes, then I must take that broken heart to Jesus ---and then, I must wait upon Him to tell me how I might be involved in HIS heart for Justice!

If you read it - I'd also encourage you to go to www.sheispriceless.com and download the devotional that goes along with it! (I wrote it!)

You Peeps In?

2010-07-04T18:56:00.004-04:00

Have you heard? There's a little bit of noise around a certain weekend in October. October 1-2 to be exact. It's KINDA a really big deal and you're pretty much invited. It's

TOGETHER FOR ADOPTION!!!!!!!!!!

October 1-2, 2010

Austin, TX

It's for everyone who loves orphans basically. :-)

Adoptive families, pre-adoptive families, fostering families, church leadership, college kids with a passion for social justice, people who just plain love orphans and the poor. We will get together with AMAZING speakers, dynamic worship (led by the one and only Aaron Ivey), tons of informative breakout sessions, meet ups with your fave bloggers and speakers (ahem, Tom David and well, me among others :-)

When it all boils down to it, it'll be a weekend full of crazy people who love Jesus and love orphans where we get to learn, grow and party together. A weekend where people won't look at you like you're crazy for thinking a dossier is the most precious possession and know how hard "the wait" is and actually (gasp) WANT to talk about sex trafficking, clean water, and food for orphans!

You just have to be there!!! I will be and would LOVE to see you there. You know me, turning any opportunity into a reunion of strangers :-) and a major party!!!

So, are you in???? Come on, you know you want to! Drive if you have to (I promise, cross country drives aren't THAT bad!)

PS They are actually letting me lead a breakout session! I'm pretty sure it'll be about being a warriorgirl and connecting to other warriorgirls! I'm SUPER excited! Tom and Vince from HopeChest will also be speaking and some of our fave bloggers will be there - check out the featured blogger page on the conference site!

I Hugged a Man in His Underwear

2010-07-01T21:47:00.004-04:00

Ok - this isn't my typical post but I LOVED this article. It has grieved my spirit for a long time - how the church treats the issue of homosexuality. I vividly remember a conversation with a dear friend who has gay family members. During the conversation she shared how she cringes every time someone at church makes a gay joke or parody. She knows how much it has hurt her cause in trying to demonstrate the Father's love to her family member. We certainly don't treat other sin like this! Ok, I could go on and on. But, the point is - I love this guys heart. It's challenging to me b/c while I've thought "wow, the church in general doesn't do this very well" - I certainly haven't done anything to change it. :-( Read it - let me know your thoughts.

I Hugged a Man in His Underwear. And I Am Proud.

By, Nathan Albert ( @nathanalbert )

Photo Credit: Michelle at maladjustedmedia.com

I hugged a man in his underwear. I think Jesus would have too.

I spent the day at Chicago’s Pride Parade. Some friends and I, with The Marin Foundation, wore shirts with “I’m Sorry” written on it. We had signs that said, “I’m sorry that Christians judge you,” “I’m sorry the way churches have treated you,” “I used to be a bible-banging homophobe, sorry.” We wanted to be an alternative Christian voice from the protestors that were there speaking hate into megaphones.

What I loved most about the day is when people “got it.” I loved watching people’s faces as they saw our shirts, read the signs, and looked back at us. Responses were incredible. Some people blew us kisses, some hugged us, some screamed thank you. A couple ladies walked up and said we were the best thing they had seen all day. I wish I had counted how many people hugged me. One guy in particular softly said, “Well, I forgive you.”

Watching people recognize our apology brought me to tears many times. It was reconciliation personified.

My favorite though was a gentleman who was dancing on a float. He was dressed solely in white underwear and had a pack of abs like no one else. As he was dancing on the float, he noticed us and jokingly yelled, “What are you sorry for? It’s pride!” I pointed to our signs and watched him read them.

Then it clicked.

Then he got it.

He stopped dancing. He looked at all of us standing there. A look of utter seriousness came across his face. And as the float passed us he jumped off of it and ran towards us. In all his sweaty beautiful abs of steal, he hugged me and whispered, “thank you.”

Before I had even let go, another guy ran up to me, kissed me on the cheek, and gave me the biggest bear hug ever. I almost had the wind knocked out of me; it was one of those hugs.

This is why I do what I do. This is why I will continue to do what I do. Reconciliation was personified.

I think a lot of people would stop at the whole “man in his underwear dancing” part. That seems to be the most controversial. It’s what makes the evening news. It’s the stereotype most people have in their minds about Pride.

Sadly, most Christians want to run from such a sight rather than engage it. Most Christian won’t even learn if that person dancing in his underwear has a name. Well, he does. His name is Tristan.

However, I think Jesus would have hugged him too. It’s exactly what I read throughout scripture: Jesus hanging out with people that religious people would flee from. Correlation between then and now? I think so.

Acceptance is one thing. Reconciliation is another. Sure at Pride, everyone is accepted (except perhaps the protestors). There are churches that say they accept all. There are business that say the accept everyone. But acceptance isn’t enough. Reconciliation is.

But there isn’t always reconciliation. And when there isn’t reconciliation, there isn’t full acceptance. Reconciliation is more painful; it’s more difficult. Reconciliation forces one to remember the wrongs committed and relive constant pain. Yet it’s more powerful and transformational because two parties that should not be together and have every right to hate one another come together for the good of one another, for forgiveness, reconciliation, unity.

What I saw and experienced at Pride 2010 was the beginning of reconciliation. It was in the shocked faces of gay men and women who did not ever think Christians would apologize to them.

What I saw and experienced at Pride 2010 was the personification of reconciliation. It was in the hugs and kisses I received, in the “thank you’s” and waves, in the smiles and kisses blown.

I hugged a man in his underwear. I hugged him tightly. And I am proud.

He did it!!!!

2010-07-01T21:44:00.003-04:00

First of all - I was COMPLETELY remiss in not telling you

HE DID IT!!!!!

28 hours after we put out a call to action - you guys responded and we had MORE than enough to send all 12 kids to school. I am waiting to hear what the extra money will be used for - but I think it will be used for rescues! That or food :-)

Love you guys - blown away that He uses us to rescue, redeem and restore that which He adores!

Oh the JOY!

2010-06-30T11:34:00.004-04:00

Oh the joy.....

I was on our iFast call this morning with Melanie Dale and we were interceding for these precious Indian children. As I was praying, I was overwhelmed to the point of tears.

All I could think of was Sanju

She was born into a brothel. Her life would almost definitely have been a life of chains. With her beauty, I can hardly stomach the thought of how young she would have been forced into a life of sexual slavery.

And yet, the Lord plucked her out and is breaking the chains of her injustice. He used Saji Phillip and Saji Abraham and the Asha Home to redeem and restore what was broken. He took what the enemy had planned as a life of horror and is bringing joy and redemption. He broke and is continuing to break what is most likely YEARS and years of oppression.

And, in that amazing beauty - He has given US the chance to be a part of her story. US! Can you believe that?

That completely overwhelms me. That He would use me to play a small part of the story of loosing the chains of injustice for a little girl who's worth is beyond description to Him.

Wow - if you have been a part of this miracle - my prayer is that you would feel the joy. That it wouldn't have been just a check you wrote or a donation you gave - but an encounter with the God of the Universe - joining Him in His mighty work! Stand in awe people!!!

If you still haven't given - there is still time! We only need $535 more to send all 12 children to school!!! that's 535 more opportunities for people to be involved in loosing the chains of injustice with children who are worth the world to our Savior. Do you want to be a part of their miracle today?

Ravi

2010-06-30T09:40:00.002-04:00

Meet Ravi - he too wants to go to school!!!

Ravi’s thick eyelashes and massive dark eyes will capture you at first glance. His moods fluctuate from extremely timid to wildly energetic. He loves to learn and thrives when given one-on-one attention with his schoolwork. Ravi serves as an older brother figure among the children. His little sister, Kushum, loves her big brother and resembles him in her frequent mood changes. Their moodiness, though, just adds to the unique beauty they each possess. Ravi's parents are still Hindu, but he seems to have a firm grasp on Jesus and the Gospel at his young age and has a sincere desire to learn and seek more of Jesus.

$410 will send him to school - but the need is urgent -

he needs his school fees in the next 7 hours!

Doing Battle ~ iFast58

2010-06-30T01:43:00.001-04:00

SO often, I get to Tuesday nights and have NO clue what I'm going to write about. I know you guys don't need my thoughts. I know you don't need any words to start your fast. And yet still, I feel compelled to write something....so I guess you are stuck with reading it! Though, feel free to skim down to the bottom and just read the requests.

Whenever I get to the point where I am confused about what to write, I feel the Lord bring me back to one thing - just share what you are learning! So that's what you get :-)

The past 10 days have been interesting for me. HopeChest has a team in India. As this trip approached, a number of us felt that this trip would need serious prayer covering. We knew that some of our friends (and fellow iFasters) would be going into places of great spiritual darkness and also great physical danger. I soon realized that what the Lord was calling me to was leading the charge for prayer for the team.

This may seem like no big deal, but while I love praying I had never felt myself to be a prayer warrior or intercessor. This week, I have discovered both the joy and exhaustion of intercessory prayer! As I have prayed for a country that truthfully I never had a great passion for - I have had the Lord open my heart to her and make me fall absolutely in love! But the greatest joy has been the joy of a community coming together to seek the Lord's face on behalf of others. Twice, we have had prayer phone calls lasting an hour and a half. These have been some of the most powerful times of prayer I have ever experienced. Here we were, halfway around the world, and yet still feeling like we were part of this team and their ministry. A group of people realizing that the battle we fight is a spiritual one and choosing to unite across the united states to fight that battle. It was pure joy to stand arm in arm with these warriors and do battle for not only our team but for the entire red light district of Delhi. We truly felt like we were battling for this place and the chains of injustice that bind her. Isaiah 58 came alive in a whole new way as we prayed for the oppressed to be set free.

And let me tell you, it was amazing. The Lord showed up in a powerful way, both in our lives and on the ground in India. After spending 2 hours in prayer for the team last Saturday while they walked the streets of the Red Light District in Delhi, we later got reports of the EXACT things we were praying for. People approaching them to learn more, our team feeling the very presence of God throughout an evening in a very spiritually dark place, as well as safety for our team among other things.

Through this time, I have learned the absolute JOY of interceding for others. I have understood in a whole new way what it means to have a burden, a people and a country laid on my heart so heavily that I couldn't NOT pray! Don't get me wrong, it's exhausting! (we are ready for the team to get home just so we can all sleep again!) But it's beautiful. Often times we feel the burden of ministry. We either know what we can do and we just get to doing it or we have no clue where or how to start and so we stand there not doing anything...and in the midst, most often we forget to simply PRAY!

We forget the joy and the privilege it is to participate in a spiritual battle for the people on God's heart. So today, I wonder if we can't return to the whole point of this iFast thing. I wonder if you might call someone (maybe another iFaster) and simply enjoy the community of gathering together in the throne room to do battle for a group of people, most likely somewhere around the world. I wonder if today we might take up our swords and do some serious battle on behalf of others. I don't want to soon forget the experiences of interceding for my friends and for the men, women and children of Delhi. I want it to change me. I want to BE a prayer warrior. I want to be an intercessor. I want to take the people on God's heart that He's laid on mine and I want to spend a good amount of my time talking to HIM about it - instead of just planning what He might want me to do about it.

Remember the Poor:

Remember the Poor: Part of the $351,000 was a 4x4 vehicle for a ministry site in Kisii, Kenya. The pastor was carrying heavy loads of food on his back late at night, back to the orphanage. And when kids got sick, he was hauling them on his back miles to a clinic. This week, God enabled us to send $10,000 to buy a truck. We are ecstatic! That leaves us praying for another $326,000. And we pray on! No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly Psalm 84:11. Praying fervantly that we walk uprightly.

HopeChest:

Pray for the India Trip. They have a few more days of ministry before coming home on Saturday. Pray for the HalogenTV team that is there - that the Lord will guide them on exactly how to use the footage they have taken.

Pray for the new country launches and all of the details that go into planning these.

Pray for the fundraising effort to get 12 children from Asha Ministries in India to school. Pray for Amy, Melanie, Sarah, Lindsey, Angel and Brandi who are leading the effort. Totals now show that $3500 had been raised for sure and the total needed is $4884 by the end of today - an iFast miracle is in order :-)

ABBA Fund / Together 4 Adoption Conference

Early bird registration ends today for T4A

Pray for people across the country, that God will bring the people who need to be there!

Pray for Dan and Jason as they put many hours into planning

Pray for the logistics coming together

Orphan Relief and Rescue

They didn't actually send requests - but I know of one :-)

Ashley, who serves in Liberia with incredible passion came down with Malaria. In her stupor from Malaria, she fell and broke her foot. She is now having to go back to the states prematurely. Pray for Ashley's heart. She aches to have to leave Liberia and the children and team that she loves. Pray also for the team and the hole that Ashley leaves behind.

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!
Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us!

Thanks!

Brandi

Meet Vishal and Rakeesh

2010-06-29T16:28:00.005-04:00

As you may have read here, here, here, here or here or even here (PS read all of them! These girls are amazing, especially when sharing their hearts for the least of these!) We are on a mission! (scary, huh?!) Our mission is to ask others to join us in raising enough money to send 12 kids to school at the Asha Mission in Delhi, India!

As of right now - we have $2480 raised! That's over half of the $4884 needed! ($407 per child times 12 children)

I wanted to introduce you to a few of these precious ones!

This is Vishal, He is 6 years old.

Known to break into spontaneous dance moves when least expected, this little one goes to the beat of his own drum. His big, black eyes quickly reveal what his mind is thinking and his heart is feeling, and he shows unusual empathy when other children are hurting or upset. Vishal was born into a brothel in Delhi. While his mother hoped to remove Vishal from those surroundings, she continues to live there and occasionally visits Vishal.

This is Rakesh. He is 9 years old.

Rakesh is a little man with a quiet sense of leadership. The older brother of Vinod and Primlal, he came from a household of alcohol abuse and domestic violence. Rakesh spent most of his time at home doing manual labor to maintain the household and occasionally attended government school. He loves to laugh and can be found telling and playing jokes with his friends and Meena, the cook. He is quite methodical with his schoolwork, can always be found helping with chores, and is one of the best chapati makers at Asha Mission. He seems to truly understand the Gospel and what it means to walk as a Christian. He is often found praying on his knees with his whole heart.

You can help!!!

Making Giving Easier :-)

2010-06-29T12:24:00.001-04:00

You can also use this paypal button to give!!! Make a difference in the lives of these kiddos!!!

Gotta be done by Thursday!

2010-06-29T04:00:00.002-04:00

It's true what they say, you can't meet every need.

But we've seen that when it becomes personal - when we see their faces and know their stories....all of a sudden, we CAN meet the needs! (or at least do our part!)

So, I want to introduce you to a few precious children.

Aren't they PRECIOUS??

Let me just tell you about one - here is how Sanju is described (she is on the far left)

"Sanjna goes by Sanju and is the younger sister of Vickey. Known by many as the “resident Picasso,” her unique artistic style is evident in her drawings and clothing combinations. She loves her older brother, as shown by her tears when he is hurting and her love for having him by her side. Sanju has delicate features, and her eyes reveal a beautiful and free spirit, perhaps trying to forget early memories of life in a brothel. Her mother occasionally visits, but it seems to be difficult and cause confusion to little Sanju as she tries to balance the love and desire for her mother with the innocent joy of being a child."

Many of you have been following the HopeChest trip to India that my friends are on. Their stories have been heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. I have been completely blessed to lead the prayer movement for this trip (a WHOLE other post about what He is

teaching me!). Through their words and pictures, I have fallen in love with a whole new country! I'm sure you have too.

As I've heard the heart wrenching stories of the chains of injustice that bind so many, I've simply wanted to DO SOMETHING!

HopeChest is actively looking for communities that want to partner with either individual classes or whole grades at the Friends of the Good Samaritan School. (contact me if you want to get involved in this way!)

They are also looking at partnering with the most amazing place. It's called Asha Ministries. It was started by Pastor Babu who now lives in Ft. Meyers and serves as a pastor. His wife is a nurse

and they live on her salary and then send most of it back to India to care for the sweetest of children. They have started, with Saji Abraham and his wife Grace, a home for 28 children. Most of these children come from a very rural part of India that is extremely poor. Others of the children come from the brothels. Their mothers work in the brothels and until they came to

live at Asha Ministries, they too lived in the brothel. Their mothers approach Saji Abraham as well Saji Phillip (who runs a ministry in the brothels) and ask that they take their children and please give them a better life.

Asha has provided a home and Saji Abraham and Grace provide the sweet love of a Mama and Papa. These children have endured so much just getting to this point, that the love and care of Saji Abraham and Grace is a healing love that reveals the Father's heart.

The team that visited, and saw Saji Abraham and Saji Phillip in action were blown away. They

watched them minister both in the brothels and in the orphanage and truly saw Jesus in action.

They immediately wanted to get involved, so when they heard that these children had an urgent need - they jumped on the opportunity and called us!

So, here it is - 12 children in their care need to start school on Thursday. THIS THURSDAY! But they don't have the school fees. Will you help????

School is $407 per child (includes tuition, uniform and supplies) x 12 kids = $4884

Click HERE to give

(please put "india school" in the notes section)

We can do that, right? If enough of us post on this, if enough of us give, then $4884 in 2 days is NOTHING!!!

As soon as I heard about the need, my thoughts went back to Uganda. To meeting the sweetest woman who was caring for HIV+ children - when we asked her if she had financial need her response was "No, and it is amazing. The Lord knows that I could not bear up under that. The work itself is such a burden"

What a joy it is to take just one simple burden off of the backs of these amazing people who do ministry that most of us can't (or won't) do. I can only imagine the burden of working day after day in the red light district of Delhi, a city that is 2.5% Christian. It is the least I can do to support these amazing men and women and the precious children that they serve by giving up some of bounty that I experience.

Will you join me? Any size gift helps. Will you choose to ditch your Chick Fil A, your starbucks or even your brand new iPhone so that these children can go to school? Will you go a step further and help us spread the word? The need is here, it is urgent and we CAN do something!

Click HERE to give

(please put "india school" in the notes section)

**I will try to get a paypal link up asap as I know that's easier!

Beautiful Slave

2010-06-25T17:45:00.002-04:00

Please go read my friends' blogs at www.HopechestIndia.blogspot.com please. They need us to rise up and pray for them. This is serious warfare. Please leave me a comment if you'll be praying. They are entering brothels again tomorrow night. Pray please.

Brayden's Birthday Wish - That Others May Eat

2010-06-22T19:26:00.000-04:00

My son is turning 6 today!!!

Most 6 year olds have a list of things a mile long that they are begging for as gifts. Don't get me wrong, Brayden is completely different than this. In fact, at the breakfast table this morning he got new legos and a slip 'n' slide to play with today.

A few hours later, when his gift from Nana and Grandad arrived - he looked a bit different than the typical American 6 year old. how so?

Well, when he opened his present he got a gift as well as some money. I casually said, "wow, you could feed a lot of kids with that money!" He lit up.

"Yes, let's do that, mom! I want to give it to HopeChest and help feed kids in Africa!"

I suggested that maybe he keep a small portion and give the rest away. He decided to give $40 and keep $10 for a remote control car. He was thrilled when I told him that since we (we work for Hopechest, a global orphan care organization) can feed kids for $0.25 each, his $40 could feed 160 kids!

Later, we went to the office to drop off the money and realized that we had a few remote control cars and that he could have one of them. He was delighted! Immediately, he decided to give his other $10.

When we got back into the car, he asked me if I would put it on twitter and FB and ask if other people wanted to give him money for his birthday too? That's a no-brainer, huh?!

I told him that soon he'd have enough money to feed a child for a whole year! $91.25 for 365 meals. His response? I want to do 800 years worth....well, lots of kids for one year at least!

I put out the plea and others are giving up their bday money too - or donating in Brayden's name to make his dream come true - that in celebration of HIS life - others will LIVE!

Currently we have $199.75 - enough for 799 meals. And he's not done yet. He just opened a card from my grandparents containing $10. He immediately scooped it up and handed it to me saying, "For HopeChest mom!".

Will you join us? Will you help me show my little ones - and yours - that our kids can make a difference? Can we get excited with them and show them that giving is WAY cooler? Can we show them Jesus' heart for the poor?

If so - feel free to share this note. Feel free to give. Feel free to get excited with me and tell other kids. In fact, we have 3 extra kids here today and they are all saying that they want to do the same thing for their birthdays too! And tonight, at his party - he's asked just for $$ for kids to eat! That's the kind of celebration that makes this mama's heart soar.

**to give go to www.hopechest.org and click give. In the notes section write "Brayden's bday / Africa food" They'll give me an update or you can email me at brandi@hopechest.org and tell me how many meals so that I can share with Brayden. (one meal is $0.25)

Pray for India

2010-06-21T12:44:00.003-04:00

Right now, we have a team in India getting settled in their new flat, which will be their home for the next 2 weeks. Will you join me in praying for them?

The team includes Vince Giordano, from HopeChest (and my dear friend :-), Jackie Sue (my sweet mentor from home), Kati Hultman (from Kalamazoo MI who we met during our launch there), Chelsey Weisman (whose mom, Debbie was on my trip to UG last may!) and 7 other people.

They will be focusing their work at the Friends of the Good Samaritan School and the surrounding slums as well as doing research/ministry in a few other areas that will be shared later, after they come home.

Please pray for this team. Some of the work they will be doing is considered extremely dangerous. The deep underworld of evil that the enemy thinks he has won. As Vince wrote in a blogpost a few months ago, "Even if acting means looking down the barrel of a shotgun. I want to allow myself to be used as a tool to loose the chains of injustice. I want to "plant" my life as a seed in the darkest garden where nothing grows."

Many of us have felt a deep need for prayer covering during this trip. Will you join us? We have created a daily prayer guide and also have an email list of people who are praying and fasting on specific days over the next 2 weeks. Will you join us? Please? Email me to put your name next to a day for fasting. I will be sharing with the team as they go along and letting them know that you are praying for each and every one of them. I will also be passing along emails. Some things will not be shared publicly on their blog until they reach home and I will be passing on that more private information via email so that the prayer team can stay informed. Let me know if you'd like to join us.

Also, we'd love for you to put our "Pray for India" badge on your site! I'm working on having a code to do so, but for now, you can drag the pic to your desktop and upload it as a picture and put www.hopechestindia.blogspot.com as your link for that picture!

Thanks for standing with us and holding up this team in your prayers!

Brandi

Abba Father ~iFast58

2010-06-15T23:39:00.001-04:00

I was wondering what to write this evening when I came across Karen Wistrom's note on Facebook (you should friend her - everyone should know her - she's amazing). She was advocating for the precious kids in her carepoint in Ethiopia and talking about how so many are fatherless and the difference we can make....it got me to thinking...

We can't display the Father Heart of God until we really get it. The abba heart of our Father.

Isn't that our prayer for the poor, hungry and oppressed this weekend??? That as we celebrate Father's Day, they are wrapped in the arms of the Father who loves them unconditionally.

So what would the Abba Father experience look like for the poor, hungry, oppressed people around the world. I thought about what a daddy does when their little one is in pain since so many of those we are praying for are in very real pain. It made me think of how I act as a mama when one of my littles has to get stitches. If they have gotten hurt, stitches are necessary. And yet, they hurt even more. I think a few of our natural actions in this particular situation struck me as the Father Heart of God and how He feels towards us and especially towards the poor, hungry and oppressed:

1- We ache. - I hate to see my kiddos hurting and so does He. The bible says that the tears of the saints are precious to the Lord.

2. We hold them and whisper into their ears. - I can't stop the stitches and truthfully wouldn't want to - it's what my kiddo needs to heal. Instead, I cradle their head in my arms and hold them close and whisper in their ears, "don't worry sweet one, mama is here. It's ok, mama's here. You're gonna be ok" God's word says He is CLOSE to the Broken hearted.....I'm going to choose to read it as "He cradles in His arms the broken hearted".

So that's my prayer this week as we approach Father's Day....both for any of you who are struggling as well as for the poor hungry and oppressed that we are interceding for today. That in the midst of their pain they will feel His arms cradling them as He whispers into their ears His sweet words of comfort as He aches for their pain even while using it to heal them inside and out. May we, and they, know our Abba Father in a new and unique way this week.

Remember the Poor:

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. Isaiah 41:17 I am so thankful that on so many fronts, He does not forsake us. That He does not even forsake us in physical thirst. There's been no movement so far with the $251,000, so I am still petitioning, and of course questioning and soul-searching. His ways, not mine... :)

HopeChest:

Praying with our sweet sponsors like Karen (mentioned above) and others who are seriously pounding the pavement on behalf of a group of orphans halfway around the world. Praying that sponsors step up and that our precious advocates realize in some small way today what an ENORMOUS blessing they are to the kingdom

Praying for our India trip that leaves on Sunday. The trip will be focusing ministry at the Good Samaritan School. Some of the team will also break off and spend time doing ministry in brothels and with the children of women who have been trafficked. Please pray. This is a heavy, evil underworld and we have been highly warned that this is dangerous, both spiritually and physically. Will you join us in praying each and every day for our team? If you'd like to be a part of our prayer team simply reply to this email and we will get you the team members names and more info for your prayer time.

ABBA Fund / Together 4 Adoption Conference

Pray for families applying for funding

God's provision for us for families

Conference planning

Early bird registration

ABBA/T4A internship

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!
Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us!

Thanks!

Brandi

Helen Falls

2010-06-08T20:39:00.005-04:00

It was SUPER hot yesterday (yes, even for you FL people. It was 97! And no one here really has AC :-)

However, today was gorgeous. low 70s most of the day. I decided to take the kids somewhere Colorado-y (a new word, yes) to enjoy the weather and the place we find ourselves in. I called Emily Davis (Tom's wife) and asked if I could borrow a few of her kiddos to make it even more fun. After picking up Hudson (4), Lilly (6) and Gracie (8) we headed to North Cheyenne Canyon to go see the waterfalls we had heard about from our friends.

Halfway into the Canyon we decided to stop for a picnic lunch by the beautiful creek.
My Gracie - sweet AND sassy :-)
Lilly Davis
Girlfriends
Brayden - so handsome
Gracie Davis
Crazy Davis
Silly faces first
And one serious one - which as SUPER hard to get, as always! oh my - these three
Hudson
The gang :-) Surprisingly good at getting in pictures today!
When we got all the way to the falls, Sara and the Giordano kiddos met up with us!

Here is all but Hannah, her friend Alli and Luke.
Gracie and Abby. I LOVE these girls. They are 2 of my 4 girls for Bible Study on Wednesday nights.....probably my favorite time of every week. I love watching these girls grow and learn and love more deeply.
The whole group.....what precious kiddos. I am so blessed by each and every one of them
Bray and Luke. Luke is pretty much Brayden's hero. It's so cute to watch.
Gracie and Abby again....love how girls love pictures with their buddies.

A great day was had by all. I'm so glad I get to live in a place like this. How beautiful!!! I can't wait to take the kids hiking and exploring some more and find all sorts of cool spots throughout Colorado.

WarrioGirls Taking it up a Notch

2010-06-04T00:07:00.002-04:00

Ok, the WarriorGirl thing is taking it to a new level. We have a new YahooGroup. Feel free to join. Just go to yahoogroups.com and search "IamaWarriorGirl" and join! Here's more info about the concept if you've missed me talking about it here.

WarriorGirl is a silly name of a blog I wrote last year when I was studying Beth Moore. You see, like many of you, I had struggled for years over the kind of woman I was. I'm not mild and meek. I'm not a soccer mom who spends most of her days baking cookies for her kid's class (not that these are bad things!) but I'm the kind of soccer mom who hangs at the park with other moms and brings up sex-trafficking! I have a big personality and a loud mouth. I felt for a long time like I wasn't the proper Christian woman/wife/mom. Then, one night Beth Moore is teaching on Esther and she begins talking about how Esther is a warrior. In fact, she then takes us to Proverbs 31 and says that the same word used for the Proverbs 31 woman is also used for Gideon - the great warrior. That night, I felt like I understood for the first time - I am a WarriorGirl. I'm still a girl who loves her toenails painted and a great romantic comedy, but I've got some fight in me :-)

This silly blog post of mine took on a life of its own as other girls read it and responded. It turned into a phrase we use quite commonly and everywhere I go, I meet women who would characterize themselves as WarriorGirls.

What is a WarriorGirl - WarriorGirls are godly women who have a burning desire in them to fight against injustice. We aren't going to sit by while children die and suffer in abject poverty or oppression. We are standing up as moms, wives, sisters, women to make a difference in our world. This will look different for each one of us - the issues may be different - the areas of passion - and the ways we fight against injustice. All that matters is that we are passionately pursuing the God of justice and seeing His kingdom come in this world. We aren't apologizing anymore. Yep, we are girls - but we are also warriors :-)

That brings us to today - we wanted to start to form a place for community. Many WarriorGirls feel out of place in this world. As we fight injustice we can find that many people find us uncomfortable. This leaves many warriorgirls either abdicating the swords to be more palatable to the people around them or feeling extremely lonely. We wanted to form this group as a place we can encourage and challenge each other. Tell us about your passions, your causes....let's brainstorm together, let's support one another, let's cheer each other on and most of all - let's hit our knees together.

Most of us are involved in what we call iFast58, fasting and praying each Wednesday for the world's poor, hungry and oppressed as well as those that serve them. (email me privately for more info!) We also frequently set up prayer conference calls just for the warriorgirls to lift one another before the throne.

Thanks for joining us. Thanks for your passion for the poor. Thanks for not giving up your sword even though it may make you feel crazy at times :-) You are world changers and I'm thrilled and honored to be your friend and fellow WarriorGirl.

Now, go join the group and introduce yourself!!! Oh yeah, and feel free to spread the word to other warriorgirls out there. You can use any of this post you want in a blog or FB or write your own thoughts about being a WarriorGirl!

Desperation ~ iFast58

2010-06-01T23:54:00.000-04:00

I've asked fellow iFaster Amy Savage to write our challenge/encouragement for iFast this week!

Hi there iFasters. I've spent the last week reading through a book called "Radical" by David Platt. I'd highly recommend it and would like to share a few excerpts to help us prepare for our day of fasting and prayer for the least of these...

"This is how God works. He puts His people in positions where they are desperate for His power, and then He shows His provision in ways that display His greatness". He goes on to say that as a pastor he is "part of a system that has created a whole host of means and methods, plans and strategies for doing church that require little if any power from God". Platt says that when he opens the book of Acts he observes the following picture of the church: "I see a small band of timid disciples huddled together in an upper room. They know they need God's power. They are Galileans, disrespected by the higher classes in Jerusalem as lower-class, rural, uneducated commoners. This is the group that the spread of Christianity depends on. So what are they doing? They are not plotting strategies. They are 'joined together constantly in prayer'. They are not busy putting their faith in themselves or relying on themselves. They are pleading for the power of God, and they are confident that they are not going to accomplish anything without His provision....the reality is that the church I lead can accomplish more during the next month in the power of God's Spirit than we can in the next hundred years apart from His provision. His power is so superior to ours. Why do we not desperately seek it?"

Wow. It's tempting for all sorts of Christian organizations (heck, just Christian people going about their daily lives!) to strategize and plan out where we're headed and how we're gonna get there, in a way that leaves little room for the power of God, if any. I can't imagine how this must break God's heart. There He is with limitless power and resources that are available to us, His people, but we so often just work it out according to our own agenda or abilities. I love the picture in Acts of the early church...they didn't have whiteboards and a bunch of talented people planning the best method for advancing the kingdom. They had each other and a desperation that caused them to be "joined together constantly in prayer". If you have the time to skim through Acts you'll see that God showed up in huge ways through these people who were desperately seeking His power.

So Wednesday, let us lay down our plans and strategies and our ideas of how things should look and humbly ask God to come near. Let's cry out to Him together in desperation for HIS power to be made known among the nations. Let's beg Him to display HIS power among the needy, the hurting and the broken in the world. Let's ask Him to break us of our pride and fall face down before Him, surrendering all we are in desperation for HIS power to rise up within us, His people.

Looking forward to joining with you in prayer tomorrow...let's ask His Spirit to show up powerfully as we approach the throne of grace together. I know He will meet us as we cry out for His name to be made great. Let's pray specifically for the following requests:

Remember the Poor:

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Cor 3:17 Praying for freedom within the western church: that we might know the power of the living God that sets us free from idolatry, greed, friendship with the world; and sets us free to love and serve his precious creation around the globe.

HopeChest:

Trips, Trips, Trips---

Thankful the trip to Ethiopia went very well. Encouraging information from many sponsored sites. Seeing lives changed!

Ginia, Bob and others leave for Guatemala on Thursday, pray for a fruitful trip

Pray for the India trip coming up in less than 3 weeks. Pray now for a spiritual hedge of protection as well as a physical one

Pray for the church that just returned from their first orphanage trip in Russia. Pray they would use those stories and what they saw and experienced to bring their site to 100% sponsorship!

Pray for sponsorship coordinators who are seeking new sponsors for their sites...that people would not only sponsor but would JUMP on board as a part of their team.

Pray that every one of our staff and volunteers, both here and on the field, would truly rely on the Lord to work through them. Pray that we understand what David Platt spoke of in "Radical" and are living and serving where desperation for the Lord is necessary and where His spirit is needed.

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!
Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us!

Thanks!

Brandi

Craigslist supports Sex-Trafficking by looking the other way - will you?

Hawaii

2010-05-31T16:21:00.007-04:00

We got back last Monday from a wonderful week in Hawaii with my parents!!! Here are all the fun pics. Enjoy :-)

Kids are already asking to go back! And we miss Nana and Grandad tons all over again.

The Needy

2010-05-25T22:59:00.000-04:00

iFasters,

So thankful to approach the throne today with you guys on behalf of the poor, the hungry, the oppressed and those that serve them.

I was considering this verse at the end of a long day and I thought of us.... Matthew 11:28-30: ²⁸"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." and then I thought of this from Mark 2:17 "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

You see, I'm not a fan of being sick or weary, or needy or hungry or oppressed...yeah, none of that appeals to me. However, He has clearly said that this is who He comes for. He came to meet my needs. We live in a society that tries to cover our needs. We find neediness, in the physical, spiritual and emotional senses, to be quite unacceptable. For us, at least. It's fine for others. We want to help. We don't look at those starving and find that unacceptable. We don't look at the crying child or sobbing widow and think she should pull herself together.

And yet, I don't embrace my own need. I cover it, I hide it, I pull up my bootstraps so as not to be needy or weary or even sick! In that, I miss an opportunity to be loved and met by my sweet savior.

So today, I'm gonna embrace my neediness. I'm gonna embrace my weariness, my hunger, my sickness, my oppression, my injustice, my every weakness.....because it's here that I get HIS load, that I get His rest, that I find Him.

I pray the same for you today. I pray also for those we are interceding on behalf of....that in their times of greatest need they would be met by a gracious and good God who loves them dearly and is waiting to give them rest.

Remember the Poor:

We always pray for you, that our God may make you worth of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified! (2 Thes 1) Lord, please do in us whatever it takes to make us worthy of your calling, that our lives would overflow with you and your power and your love. May your power be at work in and through us, fulfilling and completing every good work that you have prepared for us. We want you to be known and worshiped throughout all the nations of the earth!

HopeChest:

Praise for the church in Fresno that got the ok today to go on a vision trip in Sept to Ethiopia and pick out an orphanage for their church to sponsor! Pray for Candice and her team as they lead their church in this calling!

Praise for WCC church from OK that is Ngariam this week. They are having a great time and fed over 1,000 kids. Pray as they bond with their site and dream of what God may have in store for them in the future

Praise that Luke and Adam's trip to UG (from The River Church in MI) went great. Praise for the community garden that was planted and for the relationships that were built up in the community. Pray for the team from this church that will go next month.

Pray for preparation for the team leaving for India in just over 3 weeks.

Pray for the team in Ethiopia right now!

Pray for sponsorship growth to continue in churches that have already sponsored...that it won't be a thing of the past but a living ministry of their church

Pray for wisdom as our leaders make key decisions every day, both in the US and abroad

Pray for the release of Priceless on June 1 and that the Lord will use it to open people's eyes and awaken the church

Pray for the launch/fundraiser this weekend in Washington DC and for Pete and Andrea Kidd as well as Mike and Meg Clarke who are pouring their hearts into this work.

Pray that we will not grow weary in doing good...for all of our sponsorship coordinators and advocates throughout the country who absolutely pour their hearts out on behalf of communities that God has laid on their hearts.

Orphan Relief and Rescue

I'll start with a praise-- We all celebrated the wedding of our dear
friend and out-going Country Director Andrew to his beautiful new
bride, Brenda, this weekend. Simple, beautiful and love all around.

Also sad news-- Our sweet Michael passed away last Thursday. He was
prepared and at peace in his last days. It is much harder for us, he
will be deeply missed. Thanks to all who prayed for him over the last
several months. He felt the prayers.

Matt and Mariel left Liberia indefinitely this week after selflessly
serving with ORR here for the last three years. They are starting a
new chapter of their lives in the states. Please pray for wisdom as
they figure out what's next and that they will find the deep soul rest
that they need as they recuperate from so long in Africa.

Matt Cramer is very sick with malaria. Please lift him up in prayer
for a quick recovery.

The state side office staff are being displaced this week as ORR
starts to move forward in relocating our headquarters to Washington
State from Texas. There are a lot of details that still need to come
together. Pray for strength and endurance for all involved

Indian Rescue Mission

Back to work today in God’s strength. We have decided not to go to Pune red light for a while, as there was some trouble last week for the team. But we will surely go there in a few days time, for the rescue of Manisha and Neeraj who still needs to be rescued.

But today (May 24, 2010), we have gathered fresh information of approximately 15 minor boys in bonded labor in Bijapur district in Karnataka State. They are all working in hotels and bars. We have captured them on our undercover camera and soon we will send their pictures across to you to pray.

But this rescue can only be done at the first week of June, as we run short of funds for this operation.

Please pray for funds and resources for this rescue operation.

Please pray for a successful operation.

Please pray for good co-operation from the Police.

iFasters -

*An iFast couple is selling their home, please pray their house sells miraculously TODAY!

*if you have personal requests, we'd love to lift them up...just email me!

From WellSpring Living - a ministry to girls rescued from sexual slavery in Atlanta GA-

I wanted to let you know that there is a great need in the Wellspring for Girls program for both academic mentors (tutors of sort that will sit with a particular girl while she is doing her school work) and connection class teachers (teaching simple life skills). I didn't know if any of your group is close enough in proximity or able to give time towards volunteering directly with the survivors in our program, but I wanted to make you aware of the need. We have recently opened a second cottage which doubles our capacity to serve girls and also doubles our need for volunteer. Please let me know if you know of anyone who would like to help.

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!
Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us!

Thanks!

Brandi

Craigslist supports Sex-Trafficking by looking the other way - will you?

Trust in the Face of Injustice

2010-05-19T04:20:00.000-04:00

I don't have many deep words for you today. But, I'm learning about trust. The dive into the issue of sex trafficking is challenging my faith in a new and deep way. I've seen injustice in the face of poverty everywhere. But, the horrors facing these little boys and girls drops me to my knees all over again. Indian Rescue Mission emailed out this morning that they had gone on a rescue for 13 year old, Neeraj. They DID rescue her, but then were confronted by a group of thugs from this red light district. They were threatened and the police got involved. They ended up fleeing from the thugs but the police took Neeraj back. yes, I said back. I know, I couldn't believe it either. Back to the brothel. You know, to the men that own her. She's 13. This morning she thought her hell was over. She thought her rescue had come. This afternoon she was sent back to the brothel. My heart aches for her. She has no clue that Indian Rescue Mission is still working and begging the police to go rescue her. She doesn't know her rescue will come again. She sees only injustice.

Truthfully, my heart doesn't understand. I struggle. And yet...I know. I have read the scriptures over and over. He is a strong tower. HE can be trusted.

Hold on Neeraj, because rescue is coming again. Hold tight. Don't listen to the enemy's voice that is screaming into your ears that it's all over now and all hope is gone. He's coming and He's coming soon.

Join me in prayer for that. Prayer for Neeraj. Prayer for the rescuer to come. Prayer for people around the world to rise up against injustice and be the voice for the voiceless. To work alongside the Lord in bringing hope and healing....in turning a world without hope into one where a little girl gets rescued from a horror worse than any I have ever known.

Pray for the injustices in your own life or that of your friends, pray for injustice that's seen in the areas these ministries work, pray for injustice in this world - that we will lean heavily into the arms of a trustworthy God and that He will come and He will rescue - soon.

HopeChest:

Pray for the team in Russia that the business meetings will go well and the lives of orphans will be enhanced b/c of these new job opportunities

Pray for the Uganda team that is back and coping with re-entry

Pray for the release of Priceless and the issue of trafficking

Pray for sponsors to step up all over the world to be a family to little ones that need to see His love so badly

Indian Rescue Mission

Pray for Neeraj. Pray the police will cooperate and another rescue can happen SOON!

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!
Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us!

Thanks!

Brandi

Craigslist supports Sex-Trafficking by looking the other way - will you?

Walking Hand in Hand

2010-05-12T01:14:00.001-04:00

I have seen 2 interesting things happening in the past week that encourage me.

One was while researching the Craigslist issue last week. I noticed that the organizations that were on the same page were from very different philosophical backgrounds. GemsGirls, Nat'l Org for Women, Love46, IJM and us all fighting together. Then, this week something amazing happened! Vince, iFast and HopeChest leader, recently came across a very cool new tv channel that you guys will all LOVE! Check out HalogenTv.com for more info As Halogen puts it: "Halogen is a television network featuring empowering entertainment that targets and activates a generation that is willing and ready to give back. With shows, documentaries and short-form films, Halogen offers a variety of lifestyle programming that aims to motivate viewers to leave their mark and make the world a better place." They feature amazing stories that you guys would LOVE about global issues. He tweeted about it and soon they tweeted him back. They quickly realized that some of their management knew Tom Davis (shocker, right? :-) They are not a faith based organization but are owned by one. Well, long story short it looks like they may send a videographer on the HopeChest trip to India next month!!! yes, to shoot footage for their network!

Here's why that all encourages me - God's word says, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Watching the world today and their interest in the things of justice I see opportunity. I see opportunity to join hands with people and organizations who have no interest in our Lord. It looks like the next frontier for missions. Walking hand in hand with people who care about justice and helping them to see that the one who cares about justice even more than they do is our LORD! What an amazing way to introduce people to the God of Justice by working towards it with them.

This week, will you pray for us? Pray for believers within the Christian community that care about justice and God's heart for the poor. Pray we will actively seek non-Christians who care and look for ways to join them. Pray for organizations and people to walk hand in hand. Pray that through our (the Church) caring for the poor that others will see and want to know the God we serve!!

Remember the Poor:

At the present time, your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need, that there may be equality. As it is written: "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gather little had no lack." 2 Cor 8:14-15 This is the verse that brought me to my knees and is still bringing me to my knees in prayer and repentance. Praying that God would grant us eyes to see that He desires equality among His children and hands that give until we have nothing left.

HopeChest:

We have a team still in Uganda - please pray for them
We have a team leaving for Russia Sunday
Please pray against attacks as we aggressively go after traffickers in India, Russia, Moldova and in the US
Pray for our team that is going to India in June
Pray for the release of Priceless

Orphan Relief and Rescue

Pray for Michael, whose liver disease/HepB condition continues to deteriorate in hospital. He's lonely and discouraged and needs lots of prayer. Also pray for Deb and Urias as they work and pray with him to find peace in the Lord.

Pray for our new leadership team in Liberia, Deb and Matthew -- that they would find double the success and half the stress sharing the burden of leading the team through some trying times.

Pray for Matt and Mariel as they leave the field and 3+ years of tireless work--for new opportunities in WA, and blessings abounding.

Pray for Andrew and Brenda as they prepare to get married in Liberia in just over a week's time--for protection and blessing, that their big day would put a huge smile on our Lord's face

Indian Rescue Mission

Pray for the safety of Manisha.

Pray for Police Co-operation and for a successful rescue operation.
Pray that there would be no tip off and she will be found.

Pray for the safety of the team

HELP

They are in Haiti right now. Pray as they have meetings tomorrow.

iFasters -

*Melanie Dale is with the team in Uganda. TODAY she is meeting Bosco ( you guys remember him?! ). She will also be spending time in Adecar, the people/village she advocates for.

*Another iFast couple is selling their home, possible buyers are deciding today!

*if you have personal requests, we'd love to lift them up.

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!
Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us!

Thanks!

Brandi

Craigslist supports Sex-Trafficking by looking the other way - will you?

Ok, Ok, Ok - we all know - I'm not normal

2010-05-05T23:50:00.002-04:00

Are you guys freaked out by my blog, twitter, FB statues lately? I know, I know, I'm not normal. Most women are thrilled to live their lives out as soccer moms in a beautiful home in a great city. Here I am - blogging and shouting about Sex Trafficking of little girls when I could be posting recipes.

Here's the thing. I'm a WarriorGirl. I know, not normal. But, you know - I can't stop it. When you wake up the warrior in me, the mother bear, it just can't be stopped. I sometimes wish it could be. I know people are probably rolling their eyes, tired of hearing about it, thinking it's a stupid (or at least too big) thing to tackle. And so I struggle. I struggle a bit because I know I'll offend your sensibilities (see my last R rated post), bore you with facts and figures you want to shut your eyes to and annoy you with my passion. (you should have seen me yelling in the offices this morning :-)

But, as my friend Vince said in the office this week - "I don't want to be so afraid of offending some that I neglect to defend others."

So, this is my apology. I know you (many of you) would prefer for me to be a little tamer, a tad less fiery...you'd rather NOT see a 100 tweets a day with the #boycottcraigslist attached. You'd rather not read stories of little girls caught in the US or foreign sex trade. I'm sorry, but I can't be that person.

When I know - I have to act. God made me this way. A warrior who will beg and plead and use my voice, wherever that reaches, to scream out for the innocent. I am determined to see HIM loose the chains of injustice and set the oppressed free.

So - if you can handle that. If you can listen to me rant and rave and still not quit reading my blog (if anyone actually reads this) or unfriend me on Facebook - well then, thank you.

And by the way, will you raise YOUR voice for the oppressed? Join the fight.

**(I can't help but ask....I won't shut up and I probably won't stop asking you to join me either :-)

Craiglist's BLOG? Craziness

2010-05-05T22:52:00.002-04:00

***Note: this is R rated. Kids, please don't read this. Adults - well, you know the issue we are discussing here, right?

For a while I thought - oh Craigslist is avoiding the controversy, they just want to look the other way, it's about the money. Well, now I am just extremely disappointed by blantant lies. It would take a mere 2 minutes to see that their reviewers certainly are not following their own policy. It must not be enforced. (PS I do not suggest hanging out in Craigslist personals. I heard the suggestion that we should go there and "flag" ads that were illegal. After everything I read in just a small amount of time I would NOT suggest it! eeek)

This is Craigslist's response to the NYTimes Article I posted here earlier. I wrote a comment on this blog but it appears to STILL be awaiting moderator approval. Interesting.

From Craigslist CEO

We’re receiving inquiries about the gross inaccuracies and absence of fact checking I cited in Monday’s New York Time article by Brad Stone. There are quite a few, but I’ll start walking through them. Let’s start with this one:

The ads, many of which blatantly advertise prostitution, are expected to bring $36 million this year, according to a new projection of Craigslist’s income.

Each ad submitted to “adult services” on CL is manually screened by one or more human reviewers. Ads that “blatantly advertise prostitution” are summarily rejected. The phrase “many of which blatantly advertise prostitution” is so patently false (and damaging) that another phrase comes to mind - “actionably defamatory”. In fact, the NY Times article probably violated multiple tenets of the Society of Professional Journalist’s Code of Ethics. More on that later.

Although you won’t find them in CL “adult services,” there are plenty of places where such ads *can* be found in great abundance.

For example, most if not all adult service ads featured by The Village Voice’s backpage.com (which carries more adult ads than CL in most US cities) would be rejected by our manual reviewers — and in fact, quite a few of them, if submitted to CL, would be reported by our reviewers toNCMEC’s cybertipline.

Here’s an ad with photos (NSFW) of bare genitalia (CL reviewers reject ads with nude pictures), describing specific sex acts offered (CL reviewers reject ads with sexual language or code words):

******Ev3Ry !!! M@N’s!///!!% W3tt ***Dre@M __ CuM%TruE*** - 24

Watch closely as i bounce my fat luscious, juicy apple bottom booty up & down ure big ****!!! 80Roses** Quk $e$$ion 100Roses** Half Hr 140Roses** Full Hr200 Roses.

This ad offers “greek” in exchange for 100 “kisses” in the ad title (CL reviewers reject such ads):

♥ ♥ SexY EXxXOTiC BuSTii B@RB!E (( g/r/3/3/k)) ♥ ♥ 100 kisses - 21

The following ad, if submitted to CL’s review team, would have been reported to NCMEC’s cybertipline:

** I JuST TuRNeD 18 YeSTeRDaYY** FiNaLLY LeGal - 18

my parents are at work and im all alone jus waiting for someone to c** inside and invade my young, barely legal, juicy, suculant love nest.

I’m now hearing that AG Blumenthal was quite taken aback this morning when a CNN reporter had the audacity to ask him why he was spending all of his time on craigslist when Village Voice carries more adult ads of a far more graphic nature — but does not manually screen them or take any of the other steps CL does to combat trafficking. Senatorial candidate AG Blumenthal hemmed and hawed (as he’s done for the past year) but really does not have a good answer for this question.

My response to Craigslist

Really?

I was on your site for less than 30 minutes and found ads offering sex for payment, saw MULTIPLE (at least 15) ads with pictures of genitals, as well as MANY that suggested VERY explicit sex acts.

I would strongly encourage you to take a stand if you are really against prostitution and sexual slavery (girls as young as 11 being offered on your site! - source: an Open Letter by Rachel Lloyd of GEMSGirls who says she talked to you about this 18 months ago!).

Instead of defending yourself with points that are obviously not true (as I found in less than 30 minutes) why don’t you come up with a solution. You could eliminate this dept and charge a small fee for others? Or raise your fees elsewhere.

Either way, if it were your daughter being sold online, I bet you wouldn’t care what it would cost you to stop it. I just wish you’d feel the same way when it’s someone else’s daughter.

Sincerely,
Brandi
PS I’m wondering if you’ll publish this. I have heard that others have had their comments deleted.

Tackle the Giant

2010-05-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

iFasters -

If ANY of you are friends with me on Facebook/Twitter/Blog sites you may have seen me rant and rave a bit. It's this whole Craigslist thing (you can read more on Tom's blog for links to all the research) with them turning a blind eye (and making major bucks while doing so) while customers use Craigslist to peddle young women and girls. The number 1 resource in human trafficking in the US.

Yeah but - it's Craigslist. What can we do? That's the question I've been tackling.

Last week I called 2 different friends saying we were going to "take down" Craigslist. If you haven't noticed, I'm an idealist :-)

The truth is - no matter what I do - it MAY not make a difference. So, why tackle the giant?

We see this question throughout care for the poor, the hungry and the oppressed. Why feed one? You aren't going to solve the famine issue in said country. Why? Why? Why? The issues are huge - we are not.

Heck, even if Craigslist shut down - wouldn't they pimps find somewhere else to peddle their wares? Wouldn't the johns find another way to find what they're looking for?

yep, probably - but I can't stop. Maybe I've got a little David in me. He saw Goliath and kept going. Maybe it's just the mom in me. All I see is Gracie, my 4 year old. If she was being pimped on Craigslist I wouldn't stop screaming about it. I wouldn't turn a blind eye. I would beg everyone I knew. And maybe, just maybe - one person would tell another and then another and then another - and maybe just maybe something would change. And maybe, just maybe ONE little girl would be saved. If it wasn't SO easy to do business, maybe one pimp would go out of business or one john would find it just too difficult and give up.

I read this verse this week - Proverbs 24:11 Rescue those being led away to death;

hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

That's just it - we are called to Tackle the Giants. The corporate giants like Craigslist who turn their eyes while little girls are sold. Yep, let's tackle them. The giant issues like hunger and orphanhood. Yep, let's tackle them. Because He's called us to RESCUE. He's called us to be warriors on the front lines, holding evil back and fighting for the kingdom. Will my battle be a guaranteed win? Nope - but I know who wins the war and I'll keep fighting till He comes.

Remember the Poor:

Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (I Thess 5) Praying that we will manifest the fruit of the Spirit, self-control, in abstaining from every form of evil-- particularly here in the west from worldliness and selfishness. Asking God to come and sanctify us completely, that we may be a pure, brilliant, clean and blameless bride. Praising Him that He is faithful and HE WILL DO IT!

HopeChest:

Pray for the team of 17 leaving for Uganda today
Pray for our team going to Russia on May 16 hoping to provide an extensive training/life skills program in for orphan grads
Pray for our team preparing to go to India in June
Pray for our various partners and our staff in the US and overseas
Pray for wisdom as we lead the organization
Pray for our board meeting
Pray that Craigslist stops carrying personal ads
Pray for the 147 million orphans and the many vulnerable boys and girls that are being trafficked world-wide

Orphan Relief and Rescue

Please keep praying for Michael. He is hospitalized with complications of his liver disease (plus, a Liberian hospital is not really a great place to be). Pray for healing and encouragement for him. Wisdom and clarity for the doctors and nurses. And for me to know when/where/if I need to intervene.

Our field team can really use some prayers for unity. At this point in the year everyone is getting worn out and emotions are raw. I found myself re-reading Ephesians 6:10-18 today-- the armor of God. It was a much needed reminder that this battle we are in is Spiritual, we are not fighting against people (or each other) we are fighting against the enemy. We can't see him, but we can feel it and have to stand together to fight. Please pray those verses for/with us through this difficult time.

We also need wisdom, guidance and favor as we continue to make our budgets and project plans for the coming year.

Indian Rescue Mission

Finances for the Rescue of Monisha.

On a personal note: their son Stephen has a horrible head cold. Please pray for his healing.

Join us tomorrow morning first thing for a time of corporate prayer. I promise, you'll be blessed!

Wednesdays 9:30 AM (eastern) at CALL IN # : 760- 569- 9000 ID: 968101 We are also adding a NEW CALL!!! This one will be at 1:30 (eastern) and will focus on prayer for those who are being trafficked into the sex trade. Join us! (please reply to this email if you'd like to be a part of this one!)

Thanks!

Brandi

Craigslist supports Sex-Trafficking by looking the other way - will you?

Emailing Random Churches?

2010-05-04T23:12:00.002-04:00

As you know, Craigslist receives 1/3 of their profits from sex-ads. We have started a boycott of using Craigslist. The truth is, this won't hurt them financially - for most of us. I wasn't giving them money anyways, so why boycott. My friend said it best, "Would you stay in a hotel that got 1/3 of its profits from prostitution in the lobby? Then why use Craigslist?"

Here's an even better idea - check out the job listings (a PAID area of Craigslist) and email the companies asking them to pull their listing and email Craigslist as to why. I'm starting with the local churches and figured I'd post my email here. You are welcome to copy and paste it or use any portion you'd like.

I saw your multiple job listings on Craigslist. I also work for a non-profit orphan care organization here in Colorado Springs.

You may not have heard the latest news on Craigslist. I wanted to email you to make you aware. It's startling enough that you may want to pull all of your listings off of Craigslist.

Craigslist is the leading resource for child and sex traffickers in the US. In fact, they are being investigated by 39 states right now. 1/3 of their income is reported to come from sex-ads. Analysts say that they will make over 36 million dollars for sex ads this year.

Job listings are another portion. We believe that if enough businesses pulled their ads and chose to stand up for the girls (many as young as 11) being sold on craigslist that they may finally stand up for real change in their personals section.

Please see the links on Tom Davis' blog (a local Colorado leader) to do your own research. I especially encourage you to read the "Open Letter to Craigslist" that is linked. It's a story of an 11 year old girl, Bethany, who was sold for years on craigslist. It is for her and all of the other girls like her that I am sincerely asking you to consider pulling your ads and telling Craigslist why you are doing so.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and consider stepping up as fellow believers to "rescue those who are heading to slaughter" (Proverbs 24:11)

Thanks!

Brandi

"Craigslist supports human trafficking by doing nothing - will you