Sharing the Gospel Without Words

Here at the end of our first week of work, I can honestly say that our work is making a difference in the lives of the women who visit the center.  But it is also making a difference in us.

I had intended to blog more often, but the work is tiring, and I have used my downtime in other ways.

On Monday we learned our jobs - operating the showers,

(And no, we don't hose them down - Melanie is just cleaning the showers after one round of women had just showered.), childcare,

and "talking" with women in the main room.It is very hard when you don't know the language, and there are several languages spoken here - mostly Arabic and Farsi, but also Somalian - or whatever they speak in Somalia.  God has been gracious to intersperse a few women who speak a little English, and we have also been able to communicate in other ways.

On Tuesday, partly due to pressure from a donor to give some of the supplies we had more quickly (there is not that much, but we did have some strollers, diapers, feminine hygiene products, etc), we started giving things right and left. We were practically mobbed with women who were thrilled to be getting things.

We saw the downside to this approach on Wednesday when people showed up asking for things we did not have any longer.  There was confusion, disappointment, and even anger.  I had about twenty women bombard me with requests.  One woman in particular seemed very distressed.  I told her I was sorry, then just really looked her in the eye and said it again. I started to cry.  We suddenly had a heart connection.  She sat down and with hand motions explained that her husband had been beheaded and that her young boy had seen it. She is in Moria with her two children.  Our tears eventually turned to smiles. She has been back every day.

Many on our team had similar stories. When you don't have words, God gives us other ways to communicate the love of Jesus.  It's hard for a talker like me.

Some women told us Thursday  (through an English interpreter) that this center is the best thing that has happened to them since arriving.  They can come and just forget Moria for awhile.

More later.  Pray for our team, for Gateways2Life, and for these women we encounter.