Saying Goodbye

We left Phnom Penh, Cambodia this morning and are in Bangkok for the night...leaving to go home early tomorrow morning. I have so many things that I am processing. But to give you some insight in where my heart is at, here is my entry in my prayer journal I wrote this morning:

"Father God, I sit here in the Phnom Penh airport, listening to worship music on my ipod. I hear the song by Jeremy Camp that says "Give me Jesus. You can have all this world, but give me Jesus." And, Lord, after being here tears will not stop coming...my heart resonates with that song so much right now. There is just so much darkness, sin, and depravity in this world...and You, Jesus, are the one and only True Light in the midst of the darkness. I can only imagine how much Your heart must be grieved and saddened by the sins from the previous generation filtering down and influencing this culture- consuming it with sin and the worship of immorality. The consequences have truly left their mark and scars on the young girls who live here. They are the ones paying the biggest cost, and feeling those consequences so greatly. Each day hundreds of young girls are losing their innocence. But, Lord, my only hope in it all is that You have a heart of love towards those girls. I think of Luke 15, the parable of the lost sheep. Thank you, Lord, that You are a God who, although there is a whole culture of lost sheep here, are willing to leave the 99 and go and rescue the 1. Looking into the eyes of the girls of Remember Nhu, and holding and hugging them, gives me hope. You have gone after them...one by one. And there is rejoicing in heaven for it! That is my only consolation in this experience...each one of those girls You love deeply. And You have found them and carried them on Your shoulders, back to safety. Thank you for Carl and Laurie...that they are Your hands, feet, and shoulders here, in such a dark place. Give them endurance to do Your work in this dark place. Give them an extra measure of Your grace, strength, and love to persevere. Give them hearts that are filled with Your love to go after the "one sheep" again and again. And we will rejoice, with heaven, as each girl is brought to safety and loved to Jesus Himself. I pray each girl will come to know You and love you deeply and sweetly. I pray that, starting in them, Your light will shine so brightly in this darkness, that Your glory will start illuminating this place- one person, one sheep, at a time. I PRAISE YOU, LORD! Thank you for Your goodness and Your love and Your grace! Give me, and all of those at Remember Nhu, more of Jesus. I don't want this world...I just want more of You. I pray this in the Loving and Saving Name of Jesus. Amen."

Again, thank you for your prayers! I am on antibiotics and feeling better. However, Barbara has started feeling sick. So please pray for her health. Also, please pray for safety in our flights tomorrow. And know that more will be posted, following our return, as God continues to teach us when we are back. Much love to you...