Treasure Hunt

I love a good treasure hunt. 

I love the challenge.
I love to think.
But more than anything I love the prize. 

HOWEVER, it would be pretty sad that if at the end of a long, challenging hunt you ended with no treasure at all.

In my years on the mission field, and most recently in youth and women's ministry I find that this is always the story.

Person feels void.
Person seeks to fill void by earthly means (eg. love, success, popularity, alcohol/drugs).
Void can not be filled.
Tries again.
Tries again.
Tries again...

It came to my attention once again on Thursday night. My ministry partner and I prayed together before heading out as always. "Lord lead us to the women you have prepared to hear YOUR Word tonight."

And off we went.

"Hey! You American?" 'A' asked in a fantastic English accent.

"Ummm" - I contemplated. I don't mean to lie. It's just sometimes explaining where Bermuda is, who Bermuda belongs to, if the Bermuda triangle is real, have I ever gotten lost in the triangle, etc. takes longer than necessary! haha. Sometimes I just smile.

"No. I'm not American. I'm Bermudian."

"Oh cool." Still in English, "I know 5 guys from Bermuda. I didn't know white people lived in Bermuda." I laughed at the common misconception of the last part ------- (I had a Haitian roommate that was sincerely disappointed when she met me. "Where is the girl from Bermuda?" "HI! I'm Sarah." She sucked her teeth and walked away. LOL!!! "UM, Sorry?!") ------- HOWEVER, I blushed of embarrassment at the first.

"People from Bermuda come here?"

"Oh yeah. I have a few Bermudian clients that come back every other month."

:( 

"So why are you here? You seem educated and don't look in need." (She was dressed in designer clothes)

"I don't know really. I mean, I guess I'm looking for something. I just don't know what I'm trying to find here on the streets."

Breaks. My. Heart.

Perhaps you don't think you have much in common with this prostitute, but I assure you... we all do. 

Searching. Looking. Digging. 

To fill the loneliness... 
To fill the emptiness...
To blur the thoughts we lay in bed thinking about at night - and then wake up only to begin searching again.

Each week Robersy and I encounter people that are trying so hard to fill the void. Filling it with parties, filling it with religion, filling it with activities, activities and more activities...

Thankful to be mommy to this sweet boy
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the mommas,
spiritual mommas, puppy/kitty mommas :)

Friend. Christ ALONE can fill the void. 

If you are trying to fill this void alone, you will be on this treasure hunt your entire life only to end empty handed. A sad, prize-less treasure hunt. 

Deuteronomy 4:29 says, "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Once you find Him... there is no more searching. HE fills that void and gives you a reason to live! The ultimate treasure is knowing HIM.

We had the beautiful privilege of sharing this message with 'A' on Thursday, but it's our joy to share this same truth in our various ministries each week and it's an honour to share this with you today.

Finding HIM and being filled by HIM has allowed us to be involved in some awesome things this week here in the Dominican. Besides raising a rambunctious 3 month old, Robersy preached several times throughout the week - the Dodgers, Seattle Mariners and Angels for Baseball Chapel, youth church on Wednesday and 2 church services on Sunday - while I led a study and activities at Lily House and planned games for youth group.

Praying over this notes and verses before we take them out this week.

It's funny. I remember planning games for my home church in Bermuda and someone always seemed to get hurt. Nothing has changed here. I get too excited! LOL.

PLEASE PRAY THIS WEEK - One activity I arranged for the girls at LH was to write verses and encouraging notes to girls that are still currently working in prostitution. We plan to hand them out this Thursday. Please pray that these girls will see that there are people who DO understand what they are going through and that there is HOPE... His name is JESUS.