Eyes That See

Blessed are your eyes for they see 

and your ears for they hear.

Matthew 13:16

Saying Goodbye....

This is the last blog I will send from Cambodia.  I have so much more to report but that will come on my two day journey home.  I am thankful for the long layovers because it provides time for me to process all that I have seen.  

Back in January, I remember praying a prayer about seeing.  I think from a purely personal standpoint with God it was a prayer sent with as much heart felt intensity as any I have prayed.   "God, please let me see! Let me see what you see." I have to be honest, at the time I was hoping to see angels and heavenly visions like the accounts I have heard from others.  I really believed it would help me to more effectively minister to others if I had deeper insight into the heavenly realms where angels abide.  I still believe that to be true but God had something quite different to show me. He showed me his heart for the children.  I never expected to see their pain as vividly as I have seen it.  I never expected to feel it so deeply when I saw it.  I knew that it would break my heart for sure to see the suffering of these kids, but God opened up my eyes in such a way that I physically ached for them.  

I had to say goodbye to them.  They knew I was only here for a few weeks so they were prepared.  But I was not.   The last time I saw them, they were driving away in a van back to the border.  Back to their parents or whoever the adults are that they live with.  Some sleep in the streets so they were on their way back to nobody.  The window of the van was open and we were saying goodbye.  They were hugging and holding on and I was telling them to be strong, to take care of each other and no matter what to always remember that God loves them and there is hope.  

As I watched them drive away, all I could think of is that it takes so much more faith to leave them than it ever did to come.   I must trust God for their care.  I don't know what else my heart can do.  I know that God can do anything and I can already see in the life of Esther how quickly that can happen.   I know that God sees the pain of these kids because he has shown me what he sees.  I know that God is moving here because the world is beginning to see.  

This is the kingdom of Heaven...to see who God sees, stop when he shows them to you, and do what He tells you to do.   There are hurting people right in front of us all day.  They live in their cars.  They are being beaten.  They are sick.  They are suffering.   Ask God for eyes that see today.

Love from the road.

Julie