The word "normal" is not in my vocabulary these days. Nothing about my life is normal or routine. I am doing things I have never done: raising support, selling my house, filling our forms for life in Uganda, and trying to plan when there is so much uncertainty in my life. People ask me everyday when I am leaving. The answer is when my support comes in and when my house sells. Those things are out of my control and remind me to believe great things from the One who is in control. I can get overwhelmed and discouraged at times, but I never doubt that this is right. 

On Sunday night, I had the opportunity to hear Christine Caine speak. She and her husband run one of the largest anti- trafficking ministries in the world. I am fascinated by her personal story as well as the stories of rescue she tells. Human trafficking was something I knew very little about, until visiting Uganda. I fell in love with children who were victims of trafficking. It was and is heartbreaking, and it got my attention. We are made to love, to bring justice, to be light to the world. In order to be light, we have to go to darkness. It exists everywhere. I turned on the news last week and a massage parlor in an affluent area of Nashville was being shut down for sex- trafficking. Bringing the hope of Christ to the oppressed makes an eternal difference.

Christine Caine reminded me on Sunday night that it is ok to look foolish. She spoke about Paul and Silas singing worship songs in shackles in prison, Sarah delivering a baby at an old age, Noah building an ark, Mary saying that she was a virgin when she was pregnant. These things looked foolish and yet God proved himself faithful. Paul and Silas were freed from jail, Sarah delivered a healthy baby, Noah's ark kept him safe when the storms came, and Mary delivered a baby whose life continues to give us life. My favorite quote from Christine Caine is, "Jesus didn't die to make us nice people. He died to make us dangerous to the kingdom of darkness."

We are the light of the world. Light is created to expel darkness. I want to change the world for the glory of God. We are each called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring light to places where darkness dwells. He showed me corruption in orphanages in Uganda and children being abused, neglected, and sold into slavery. There was and is purpose to all my heartbreak. He showed me a need for light. So, Im going. To the extent that these children experience pain, suffering, and injustice, I pray that they will experience  LOVE, HOPE, and FREEDOM in Christ. I'm ok with not being normal, if that means living with the hope Christ gives us as an enduring power.