Overdue Update!!

Sorry I haven’t updated the blog recently! The days have been busy and my internet access is limited. Things have been going really well here. I am adjusting more to the culture and to city life.

I said in my earlier post that I would be going to Market.  I went last Tuesday and it was such an experience that I returned again on Friday. The moment you enter the Bazaar Marketplace you immediately have sensory overload. There are tables set up all over containing anything and everything including vegetables, fruit, flowers, clothing, scarves, children’s toys, imported goods from the US and Europe, and very random items like the occasional mop head or wig (which apparently are a big deal here). Each table is run by a man shouting very loudly to buy their product. Some men even sing to advertise what they are selling. Above the tables are tarps that act as open air tents that attempt to shield everyone from the blazing sun, but because of the massive amounts of people, it is still sweltering. My favorite part honestly is the people watching. There are women in all sorts of dress. Some in high fashion others completely covered in their chador. Some men are decked out in Armani while others look like they got straight off of their fishing boat. People pour over the tables with the best prices ripping through clothing and fabric. An argument or two breaks out between a seller and a buyer, but for the most part people are courteous to one another. Besides people watching, I love the satisfaction of scoping out the best deals on food and clothing. I found a dress on Friday for what is equivalent to three dollars! The Timmers would be proud of my bargain hunting. 

The hardest part for me in adjusting to this culture is that at first-glance people in this country seem cold and unfriendly. Walking down the street here is not like walking down a street at home. At home everyone smiles at you even if they do not know you. Here no one smiles at each other when passing by. Trust me, I have tried smiling at older ladies while passing by and they looked at me like I was crazy. It is discouraging when I am having a long day and all I want to see is a friendly face. I most likely won’t see one unless it’s someone trying to sell me something or a boy trying to get my attention because I am American. It gets discouraging but I have found that if I look closer I can see the goodness between people in this city. People display their friendliness in more subtle ways here like always having a cup of tea ready for a visitor or helping an older lady carry her shopping bags. I personally have been shown kindness by the Starbucks man who is extremely patient when I try to order speaking broken sentences in his language. We always have a good laugh as we struggle to communicate with one another. I also have been shown kindness by the family who owns a small convenience store on the corner of my street. They always show me with coins how much money I owe them. They don’t take advantage of me because I am a foreigner and instead help me step by step. God has been showing me more each day the humanity and decency of the people in this country through what seems like small and ordinary interactions. I pray that he continues these revelations and in turn develops friendships through them. 

Right by my apartment, there is a beautiful park full of grass and trees. It is located right along the sea. Each morning I go for a run there and it has been such a place of peace for me. Through the huff and puff of my run God speaks to me through the beauty of his creation. The blueness of the ocean. The immense expanse of the sky. The occasional dolphin sighting. I have the blessing to lose myself every day in the awe of God’s beauty. When reflecting on this gift my mind goes back to Psalm 19 which proclaims “The Heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speak, night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” There is no country, language, or religion that does not recognize the intricate beauty of God’s creation. Its message is not something that simply can be ignored. It beckons to the soul that there is something more meaningful to life than just the dullness of our days. It calls us to marvel. This in turn inspires us to dig deeper instead of wallowing in our shallowness. When we see the beauty of God’s creation our soul gasps for life, true life, whether we recognize it at the time or not. I pray that God continues to use his stunning creation here to draw more people into his arms for they too are his precious workmanship. 

 

I have been reading a book dealing with the work we are doing called “The Natashas: Inside the New Global Sex Trade.” It gives a bold insight of the Sex trade covering the subjects of smuggling women, the breaking-down of the women, the criminal groups that runs the trade, the impact internet has had on the trade, the corruption of police and government officials which stimulates the trade, and the impact it all has on the trafficked women. The reason the book is called the Natashas is because the women who are in high demand in the global sex market are women with the certain look of tall, skinny, and blonde. These women for the most part are being supplied from Eastern Europe and Russia. Most are promised jobs abroad and when they arrive to their destination, their papers are ripped up and they are forced to service anywhere from 10 to 50 men a day. When they are not servicing men, they are locked up in terrible living conditions. They are rarely fed and are frequently beaten, tortured, and raped by their pimps. We have heard of similar accounts happening in this very city. Women from Eastern Europe being a large percentage trafficked here as well. The good news is that God truly has a heart for these women and he has been providing for our ministry in our outreach attempts. We, just yesterday, found a whole building needing to be rented for a very reasonable price. In it we hope to open up several more safe houses, classrooms for work and rehabilitation, a space for worship, and an area for the care of the women’s children. We also are still searching for an apartment to act as a children’s home for abandoned children, many of which come from gypsy families. God is so incredibly good and has blessed us in incredible ways far beyond our own vision.

Life at my safe house is going well! We are currently working on developing a daily schedule and set of procedures that will further ensure the safety and stability of the women staying there. I am growing even closer to the woman and the child I am living with. God is really blessing the time that we spend together and is allowing the woman to feel comfortable in sharing about her past experiences and faith walk with me. The little boy is as energetic as ever. He has recently been having violent spells where he acts very aggressive. I ask for you all to pray over this little boy. He has seen so much and needs God’s healing to get past the fear and anger that suppress his natural spirit of kindness and joy. Another exciting note on the safe house is that a Ukrainian woman and her child might be moving in soon. Please pray that God prepare a place for her here where she will feel accepted, safe, and loved. 

Miss and Love You All!! (Here are some pictures of the view from my park)