So yesterday was our first "real day" but not even. It was more of an orientation sort of thing. It the morning we are allotted time to have quiet time with Christ, I love it. Each morning it's a different schedule but today is our early day of time between 7-8. After that we were off to "the bar". It's our main base. It used to be a bar and is on the strip of town right next to the porn shop. Our complex we live in is connected to it's property - it's a pretty legit set up in that way. So we headed down there for local prayer. Local prayer is when we have one of the interns lead us in prayer about anything local. It was amazing to see Johnson's (the one from sri lanka) heart pour into this town when his life is so far removed from it. But only in the way of home town, he too was poverty stricken when he was young. In local prayer all of us -- interns and staff walked out to the wall that shares the end of our property and that wall happens to be the porn shop wall. We each dipped our hands in paint as the acoustic guitar was belting love to God in the background. We all prayed as we put our hands upon the stone cold cement and the love felt to break down those walls, to destroy the sin and set free the captives of this lifestyle were overwhelming and amazing. My hands are still stained from the paint and with the stain it reminds me to pray for those who sin is stained from addiction and lust. My left hand is red and it reminds me of the blood shed for our lives as my right hand is blue, to which reminds me of the love God gives us - a refresh button when ever we are ready to accept him and surrender our lives to him. I continue to pray for those bound by addiction and in each and every way we all are in bondage by addiction. An addiction to ourselves, sex, money, power, control, possessions - what ever it may be I am praying for each and every one of you.
We each filed back into the room at our own pace and sat for a bit longer. Than it was a quick lunch break and back to "the bar". The interns has class :) It was pretty epic. Cindy (the co founder) is such a knowledgeable woman. We sat and listened to her wisdom for 1 1/2 hours. Our talk today was centered around the discussion of "spirit" "soul" and "flesh" and justification vs. sanctification -- but not before hit home of why we are here. "You aim at nothing you will get no thing, and if you let water find it's own way the easiest path will be found." A little quote to kick start you on what your purpose was for being here. One of my favorite stories she told was the story of the father and the pearl. Without going into full detail let me break it down for you.
There was a father and a son who always dove for pearls each day. Every day they would talk about this "perfect pearl". This pearl was perfect in every way, color, shape, everything. They would talk and talk and have the best time together when they were dreaming of the pearl. One day they went diving and they where both finding lots of pearls and with the father being much older than the son, he had to surface a little earlier. This normally would happen and he would just go to the boat and wait to pick his son. But on this day he waited and waited and saw nothing, when he finally saw the bubbles he got the boat over to him and when he got closer his son was no longer living. He pried the shell from his hands and slowly lifted his body into the boat. In the shell he opens it up and their is the pearl. "The Perfect Pearl". He wept and wept knowing what his son had given up to get the pearl. The father kept this pearl, took care of it and watched over it. One day the father knew he would no longer be alive much longer and he went to gift the pearl to a dear friend. The dear friend was so afraid because there is no way he could afford to buy this pearl. When the father heard this he wept, he cried and said don't you understand their is no amount of money that would ever buy this pearl. Don't you understand what was given up for this pearl. The man was sorry and said than I will work and work and work for you. I will take care of you and the pearl and I'll work work work. The father began to sob, don't you realize their is no amount of work you can do for this pearl. Their is no reason I should give it to you, you don't deserve it but this is a gift to you. You cannot work for it, you cannot buy it, you are given it free of bondage - out of love.
I just totally was captivated by that story :) After we had class it was "get to know you" time and than finally after 7 hours of sitting we were free. BAH. We all headed to Goodwill and I jetted to the store real quick to get some essentials - aka fresh fruit and veggies. So yes that was yesterday. Today is our first real "work day" I am helping with surf lessons.. WOOP WOOP!
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