There is stuff included in this blog that isn’t for the faint-hearted. Sometimes the truth hurts. Sometimes we need to ask God to help us respond with Godly sorrow, instead of morphing our anger and sadness into an earthly response.

“God, who lives in his sacred Temple, cares for orphans and protects widows.
He gives the lonely a home to live in and leads prisoners out into
happy freedom, but rebels will have to live in a desolate land.”
Psalm 68 v 5 & 6

I wrote this next bit, 5 nights ago…

“Every now and then we get a glimpse of different ways that God might give us the desires we have in our hearts. After Paul and I had Shauneisha,(well actually it was on the operating table as they were decided whether to fly us to Newcastle or not…) the Drs told us we couldn’t have any more babies and that Shauneisha and I were very ‘lucky’ to be alive. Don’t get me wrong, 5 is a great handful, and we are extremely happy with the children God has blessed us with. We had left it open as to how many kids we were having, so weren’t really heading for a ‘number’ just a ‘full home’, whoever that comprises of. When naturally you can’t have anymore children, there is a kind of grieving that takes place, even though you are thankful. We all deal with it differently. It hasn’t been a big thing, but more of an ‘adjusting thing’. In the last few weeks I was thinking over how we were getting close to it being the longest streak in our marriage that I had been ‘non-pregnant’.

Well, towards the beginning of the week, a teenage girl told me that her cousin has just found out that she’s pregnant and is deciding whether to abort or not, the teenage girl said to me, “So, I told her that abortion isn’t good and that she should keep it, Oh Erin I also told her that you and Paul wouldn’t mind raising it – is that ok!?” In that moment, it was like God mas reminding me, that just because we can’t naturally have anymore that He will provide in other ways, as He sees fit. It’s only early stages in this girls pregnancy and a lot of things can change in that time, no decisions have been made, there are more pressing decisions for that girl. I further talked with this teenage girl about abortions and pregnancy in town – it appears we know nothing of what goes on, and my heart was so grieved and filled with sorrow for the mothers who are themselves grieving their own losses and overwhelmed with the consequences of their choices. We pray for chances to speak hope and love, grace and mercy with these mums in coming days….and maybe one day, have another addition to our family.”

That was 5 nights ago.

I wrote this next bit yesterday afternoon…

The next day, this young girl was in a fight, which included a blow to the stomach, and consequently the loss of the baby. Another mother grieving.

In that short moment of finding out, I experienced so many emotions! I was angry – that a mother would put her baby’s life on the line and partake in a physical fight. I was grieved – that a baby had lost it’s life. I was joyous – that that child is already in heaven, in a much safer place than this dangerous world. I was mad – that churches seem so distant and disconnected from this part of the community, as if they think Jesus would distance himself too.

This is the same young girl the other day that realised that song rappers can be saved and delivered from drugs, alchohol and violence, and can continue rapping, but change their content to be about an amazing God that offers salvation, life and hope. She thinks her life is hopeless, that there is nothing that can change it, so she settles for all that happens in her life – and thinks that’s all she’s worth.

Imagine for a moment, if people broke out of their religious routine. Imagine what things might be like if they traded routine and life-equations for Christ-centred, bible based faith. Traded safe in-the-box relationships for on the edge, needing God to sustain and break-through outreach. Traded self-centred socialising for self-less Christ-centred outreach to the poor and needy. Traded the idolatrous desire to be loved, with seeking to heap love on the unlovely. Traded “come to us” events for “We’re coming to you” events. God’s Kingdom is an upside down Kingdom. The longer we sit back and think that loving God is about protecting ourselves, prospering ourselves and loving ourselves – the longer ‘the church’ will be viewed by society as a place for those who ‘have life right’ to make friends and go on a Sunday, a place for the morally upright. then, the longer ‘the church’ remains scantily dressed in preparation for her marriage to Christ. (Revelation 19:6-8)

Now, I finish with this…

Then last night as we listened to a teenage girl share further, I wept. I cried myself to sleep, and had nightmares. I went to sleep questioning:

WHERE IS THE LOCAL CHURCH?

WHY GOD, WHEN THE HARVEST IS SO PLENTIFUL, ARE THE WORKERS SO FEW? – Our town has Churches – more than 10 infact – of believers going into their buildings every week, sometimes two or three times a week – yet there are pockets in our community that so desperately broken. so desperately dirty. so desperately waiting for the local church to stand up and be the hands and feet of Jesus and bring life and healing. But our pews are still more comfortable.

This girl shared of: (I warned you this blog wasn’t nice)
– Men travelling through town, truckies, caravaners, seasonal workers sexually harassing girls anywhere from 5 or 6 years of age.
– Men swapping chocolates for favours
– Girls selling themselves for truckies passing through
– Girls as young as 10 and 11 getting inboxed for favours from family members
– Just yesterday she was asked to get in a mans car as “he needed some jobs done for an hour or so”
– Incest

So – today I’m heartbroken. Devastated. I keep asking “What should we do?” – But really it should be “What should the Church do?” As Christians we can’t surely stand by as we let the government try and deal with the problem – what is the greatest ‘hope’ they can offer?

We have a HOPE worth sharing. We have a God who restores what the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25), we have a God who promises to work ALL things out for those that love Him (Romans 8:28), we have a God that loves the world SO much that He sent is His Son, so that we can be reconciled to God, have hope and eternal salvation, and not perish. (John 3:16)

Please pray with us. Pray for miracles of transformation and healing. Pray that the local Church may be convicted and rebuked. (We all need that from time to time!) Pray that these areas of darkness in our town may be inundated with light. Pure light of the Gospel of Christ.

Much love to you all,

Erin

P.S This video is a challenge to the local churches.