The Dirt Road to Paradise

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 3-7

Gardens at Imbabazi in Rwanda

There are gardens at a former orphanage in Rwanda which sit on a foothill at the bottom of a volcano. The only way to get to this beautiful paradise is a long, windy, bumpy dirt road. Although the road is only a few miles long, driving down it is a long process due to its poor condition. But the gardens are an incredible sight, and the journey down the bumpy dirt road is suddenly forgotten when you take in your first breath while standing before the awe-inspiring landscape.

*****

When I traveled to Rwanda in May of 2012, I nearly missed visiting this orphanage. I was not feeling very well that day, and, due to illness, I feared the long bus ride on the bumpy dirt road. That morning at breakfast, I wavered between whether to go with the team or stay at the hotel. I ultimately decided to brave the adventure and face the bumpy dirt road.

Had I stayed at the hotel, I would have missed the brightly colored flowers, the crisp fog over the volcano's shadow, the joyful playing of music with the children, and the luscious green landscape that was so carefully tended to by the groundskeepers. Had I stayed at the hotel, I would have missed a glimpse of paradise.

So often, I catch Christians (including myself) praying asking God to "pave a path" for us. While praying for God to reveal His Will to those who love Him is good to practice, this particular wording of the prayer is the part which has begun to trip me up: "pave a path."

What if God's intended route for us to His paradise is not a smoothly paved path, but a bumpy dirt road?

Looking at the life of Jesus, His path to the Father's Will was certainly not a smooth one. He faced ridicule, persecution, and even death in order that God's Sovereign Will would come to pass. Jesus' life was none other than a bumpy dirt road- perhaps even the bumpiest dirt road any person has ever had to walk! He was completely innocent of wrongdoing, yet carried every single sin which we have ever committed and have yet to commit with him on the Cross. Now that is a bumpy dirt road.

The Archbishop of Cambrai, France, during the seventeenth century, Francois de Salignac de La Mothe Fenelon, was a spiritual advisor to a handful of members of the Court of Louis the Fourteenth. To these individuals, he wrote a letter containing the following statements regarding bearing our own crosses of hardship, as Jesus did for us:

"A cross which comes from God ought to be welcomed without any concern for self. And when you accept your cross this way, even though it is painful, you will find that you can bear it in peace. But when you receive your cross unwillingly, you will find it to be doubly severe. The resistance within is harder to bear than the cross itself! But if you recognize the hand of God, and make no opposition to His Will, you will have peace in the midst of affliction."

 As followers of Christ, we have to be willing to take the bumpy dirt road. The road may require extra travel time, and we may have to endure several bumps along the way. It will require endurance. It will require relying on God's strength. But the Destination! The Paradise waiting at the end is worth it!

Imagine you are a child taking a ten-hour road trip with your family to Disney World. Those ten hours... in the car... as a child... while anticipating arrival at "the happiest place on earth..." likely feel like the most grueling ten hours of your life. You are constantly questioning, "Are we there yet?" But when that fateful moment comes, and you arrive, the ten-hour car ride is pushed to the very back of your mind. Your focus shifts to the excitement of where you are and who you are going to see (Mickey Mouse)!

I imagine arrival in Heaven will be a similar, yet far more glorious, experience. Suddenly, the bumpy dirt road will not matter anymore. It will be completely forgotten. Instead, our focus will lie on Our Brilliant Creator with whom we finally have the chance to see face to face and spend eternity with! Where you are and Who you are going to see will take precedence over the journey it took to get there.

Until that day, we may be required to travel down a few bumpy dirt roads. We may be required to bear more than a few crosses. But do not resist those crosses. Carry them with dignity. Have perspective to know that you carry them with a Great Purpose.

*****

Gardens at Imbabazi in Rwanda

There are gardens at a former orphanage in Rwanda which sit on a foothill at the bottom of a volcano. The only way to get to this beautiful paradise is a long, windy, bumpy dirt road. Although the road is only a few miles long, driving down it is a long process due to its poor condition. But the gardens are an incredible sight, and the journey down the bumpy dirt road is suddenly forgotten when you take in your first breath while standing before the awe-inspiring landscape.

Cambodia - July 28, 2013

[The following post is an excerpt from my journal as I traveled to Cambodia. The inconsistency in the entry title and datestamp is due to limited internet access while I was on the trip. These experiences were documented in real time, and I am posting photoblogs now that I have returned. In order to protect all those involved with the organization that rescues children from sex slavery and works to prevent others from being trafficked, I have intentionally omitted specific names and locations.]

Sunday, July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

I've heard the more you give love, the more capacity you have to love. Loving is a self-sustaining process. I believe this to be true, much like the competitors in the annual July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island train for the contest by stretching their stomachs and, thus, their capacity to eat hot dogs quickly. We give love in order that we can love bigger.

This has proven itself to be very true in my life. It seems that the wider spread my love goes, the wider my capacity to love becomes. I now have pieces of my heart in the North America, Africa, and Asia, and I feel like I have so much more love to give. My heart is overflowing, almost to a literal sense! I want to show love to every person I see!

But, the funny thing about love is, it often requires a conscious choice. Often it is not the natural response. Scars can inhibit us from giving love because we are afraid it will not be handled with care. Loving is vulnerable.

In his book The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis said, "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."

Believe me- locking your heart in a safe is no way to live. I've tried it. It removes the very purpose God created us for. And without purpose, we have nothing to live for. If we refuse to be vulnerable enough to love others and, instead, lock our heart away in a dark casket, nothing we say carries weight any longer.

God created us to love. Our entire being is meant to give Him honor and glory. He commands us, out of that honor and glory, to build disciples of all nations. Choose to love. Choose to be vulnerable.

The possibility of a wrung or broken heart can be terrifying, especially to those with scars from past hurts. To those with particularly sensitive hearts, loving is a great risk. But the beauty of pure, uninhibited love is being willing to have your heart mangled in the process of showing others who Jesus is. We can be confident that in such obedience, God, the Ultimate Healer, will heal any resulting scabs or bruises and make our hearts more complete than they were to begin with.

Cambodia - July 27, 2013

[The following post is an excerpt from my journal as I traveled to Cambodia. The inconsistency in the entry title and datestamp is due to limited internet access while I was on the trip. These experiences were documented in real time, and I am posting photoblogs now that I have returned. In order to protect all those involved with the organization that rescues children from sex slavery and works to prevent others from being trafficked, I have intentionally omitted specific names and locations.]

Saturday, July 27, 2013 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

"He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you." 1 Thessalonians 3:6b
 

You know those moments you wish you could physically wrap up, tie with a bow, and carry with you to open whenever you wish? While I have had many such moments on this trip, tonight was a very special one of those moments.

The little gentleman himself (first decribed in this post) has stolen my heart. This little 13-year-old boy has proven to be more of a man than some grown adult men will ever be. Yet, he is still just a child and has a childish innocence which I adore.

We had a birthday party for our translator tonight. At the party, the little gentleman broke out of his shell and danced like there will be no tomorrow. He even taught me a silly dance. It was hilarious, yet charming at the same time. This young boy is destined for greatness in the Kingdom of God, there is no doubt in my mind. I can already see it growing within him.

His simultaneous dancing, laughing, and smiling tonight made for a perfect gift-wrapped moment. I pray I never forget it.

The following are some pictures from the birthday party.

The following are a few pictures from a prayer walk we took around Phnom Penh. Along the river, there are flags representing many different nations. The presence of the American flag reminded me that the same God who watches over me back at home is the God whose presence can be made known in Cambodia. We prayed for various specific areas, groups of peoples, as well as the country as a whole. I would appreciate if you would join me in continuing to pray for Cambodia.

Cambodia - July 26, 2013

[The following post is an excerpt from my journal as I traveled to Cambodia. The inconsistency in the entry title and datestamp is due to limited internet access while I was on the trip. These experiences were documented in real time, and I am posting photoblogs now that I have returned. In order to protect all those involved with the organization that rescues children from sex slavery and works to prevent others from being trafficked, I have intentionally omitted specific names and locations.]

Friday, July 26, 2013 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

"If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me

    and the light become night around me,'

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

    the night will shine like the day,

    for darkness is as light to you."

Psalm 139:11-12

Today we traveled through the city quite a bit. We went to a Christian bookstore, which does not sound like a big deal in the US, but it is in Cambodia. This country is infiltrated by Buddhism. Christianity is not generally accepted here. We also went shopping for Kids Club and the Coconut Boys ministries. We bought 16 Bibles, 35 chairs, one table, two sets of bunk beds, and 10 mattresses. The Coconut Boys had previously been contently sharing twin bunk beds with no mattresses. Needless to say, they were ecstatic to receive the new beds and mattresses!

In the midst of visiting these sources of light, we experienced the reality of darkness. We drove past buildings composed of crumbling, moldy concrete. By US Standards, they appeared to be condemned abandoned buildings. However, remnants of curtains in the windows, or clothes hanging to dry gave reason to believe people live within these filthy walls. I quickly learned that these buildings are brothels. The scum on the building's exterior does not compare to the scum inside. [The following pictures depict one of the brothel buildings.]

The purpose of the Khmer Rouge, the Cambodian genocide which occurred in the 1980's, was to essentially eliminate the educated. Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, was determined to achieve these end goals at all costs.

What I find interesting, however, is that Cambodia's tactic with respect to the Khmer Rouge is to honor the lives lost, but focus on the future. The goal is to leave the past in the past. In contrast, when I traveled to Rwanda, a country which experienced a more recent genocide (1994), I saw that the country is being proactive in educating the people about genocide in hopes to prevent it from occurring again in the future.

Phnom Penh comes alive during the day- heavy traffic, families picnicking, street vendors, and even open-air exercise classes, all on the lawn in front of the King's Palace. But amidst this liveliness, there is so much darkness. You do not see it unless you are looking for it: older white men with young Khmer girls. For the "trained" eye, it screams "trafficking." Unfortunately, for  the untrained eye, it just appears to be an oddly matched couple.

According to our translator, one reason why trafficking is so prevalent here is that the people are not informed that it is an issue. The Khmer people could literally live their entire lives passing brothels on a daily basis and not know the extent of the issue. In fact, some individuals may be naive to the reality as a whole.

This is why education is so important. It seems to me that by keeping the Khmer Rouge out of the public eye, Pol Pot's goals are still being met. Forgetting the past and looking toward the future probably works in some instances. However, what if the problems of the past are still very much alive today?

This is why I am so grateful for all of the programs we have been visiting that educate individuals about sex slavery and work to effectively fight the evil and injustice. These programs not only work to educate the public, but those who are stuck in slavery. These ministries show these individuals the value of an alternate future. They shift the perspectives of prostitutes, showing these men and women their self-worth and potential. Most importantly, these programs teach those involved in trafficking how precious they are in God's sight. They allow those who have been in slavery to view themselves as our Father sees them- much more valuable than they could have ever imagined.
 
[The following pictures are from today's travels around Phnom Penh and Kid's Club.]

Cambodia - July 25, 2013

[The following post is an excerpt from my journal as I traveled to Cambodia. The inconsistency in the entry title and datestamp is due to limited internet access while I was on the trip. These experiences were documented in real time, and I am posting photoblogs now that I have returned. In order to protect all those involved with the organization that rescues children from sex slavery and works to prevent others from being trafficked, I have intentionally omitted specific names and locations.]

Thursday, July 25, 2013 - en route to Phnom Penh, Cambodia

"...encourage the young men to be self-controlled.

In everything set them an example by doing what is good."

Titus 2:6-7

Today we headed back to the capital city, Phnom Penh, for the final leg of our trip. Our one pit stop on the bus ride back was at a tarantula farm [yes, those exist]. Being someone who is freaked out by spiders but enjoys the adrenaline rush of conquering fears, naturally, I decided I needed to hold a tarantula.

["Proof or it didn't happen!" Welp, here ya go!]

Yep, that happened, alright. Moving on...

While on the bus, I was eagerly awaiting our arrival back to the city because I knew I would get to spend time with a boy who stole my heart [no, not like that].

Throughout the trip, I have seen trafficking and its effects in action. I have seen older white men in intimate settings with young Khmer girls. The fact that I can see trafficking occurring so clearly in public makes me wonder how much is happening behind the scenes. The prospect of it all makes me feel sick. Needless to say, I have grown skeptical. I have caught myself beginning to distrust nearly every man I pass by. I cannot help but think that a majority of the adult men here have been involved in trafficking in some capacity, whether it be working as a pimp, selling a child, buying a girl for the evening, or even being a silent witness. Not to say that women are not also involved- [believe me, they are!]- but it is the men that I see. It has become increasingly difficult to refrain from making judgements about people I encounter.

Despite losing a significant portion of my trust for the men here, God has shown me a silver lining- a valuable stream of beauty within the ugliness. Our translator's brother has begun a ministry for pre-teen and teenage boys where he mentors them and teaches them to make jewelry by carving coconut. Along with teaching these boys a trade in order to earn an income, he is also teaching them how to be Godly men. And it is becoming very fruitful. One of the boys in particular has helped provide a much-needed fresh perspective on Khmer men.

Earlier on the trip, we took a tour of the village where these boys live. At one point on the tour, we had to walk down a slippery staircase toward a part of the village on the river. Some of the boys were excitedly leading the tour, while the group of us women fell behind because we had slowed down in order to prevent slipping and falling. Before I knew it, a 13-year-old boy turned around and stopped at a spot where we had to take a particularly large step down. He offered out his hand and assisted us as we made the descent.

Amidst a world where trafficking is so prevalent, this one gentlemanly gesture spoke so loudly. This 13-year-old boy is more of a man than most traffickers will ever be. Thanks to this ministry, these boys are quickly transforming into men of God who will, in turn, raise up the next generation of Godly men. The prospects are so hopeful!

For now, prayer is the answer. Pray that God, in all His power, uses this ministry as the seed that becomes a root which grows a trunk which separates into branches that sprout leaves until the entire country is covered with Godly people. Pray for the hearts of the men and women involved in trafficking. Pray that they begin to see the children they victimize for who they are- precious children of God who deserve to keep their purity. Pray that their hearts become repentant and that they may, one day, get to enter the gates of Heaven.

That's right- I said it. I want to see those who do evil in Heaven someday. Even the most vile things they have done are covered by what He has done for us. He sent His only Son to die on the cross in our place. For me to deny that a trafficker could be saved would be denying the validity of God's promise and the power of His sacrifice. Pray that repentance occurs. Sex slavery is extremely evil, but God is infinitely Good! Pray that traffickers turn their backs on evil and sprint toward Good.