“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

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From joy to sorrow...

We’ll begin by telling you that this story has no ending at present, and we’ve delayed sending it because we had hoped it might. The beginning goes like this: Tiny, without warning, has gone. She left CHCH one Sunday afternoon to make a phone call and never returned, though she did call later that evening to say she was heading to Phnom Penh for a few days to take care of a sick cousin. We doubted her story, as she had told us repeatedly that she had no living relatives except a sister in Vietnam. Pastor Borin then saw her only a day later in a local shop, and she told him she no longer wanted to live at CHCH and wouldn’t be back.

In a disturbing and wordless testimony to her forsaking all she professed to treasure, she left both her photograph of the twins and her Bible lying on the nightstand in her room at CHCH.

A visit to her old neighborhood yielded more discouraging news. Tiny had returned to her old home for a few days, but had then moved to a local “guest house” (is there a gracious word for “brothel”?) and was once again prostituting herself. Attempts to find her were fruitless, and we eventually stopped looking.

We then received news that an adoption agency in Vietnam was available to aid in an adoption process for her babies, Alena and Sofia. This could have been joyful news. However, the twins must be relocated to the Vietnamese orphanage with which the agency is working, and without Tiny taking the children there and signing the necessary legal documents, it cannot be done.

Pastor Borin again visited Tiny’s old neighborhood, seeking new information as to her whereabouts, and a motorcycle-taxi driver who had recently transported Tiny was able to explain where to find her. Borin then met with Tiny, explained the situation, and asked if she’d be willing to travel with us. She said she wants to, but does not know if she can get permission from her “landlord” to leave the house. Borin gave her our phone number and asked her to call us. This was last week and we have not yet heard from her. She is in true bondage, both physical and spiritual, and we are praying that she will be able to walk away from a very dark and dangerous situation.

We admit that we have experienced numerous emotions, from sorrow and grief, to confusion and frustration. Initially we tried to understand what would compel a young woman to return to such a lifestyle once she’d tasted safety, provision, and peace, not only material and temporal, but eternal in Christ Jesus. We wondered through what eyes Tiny was seeing life.

Of course, we cannot answer for Tiny, but we must answer for ourselves, and so we have become more introspective. What pursuits do we engage in that keep our hearts from being fully devoted to the Lord? What worthless pleasures do we pursue at the expense of His glory? What keeps us from going astray other than the hand of a loving, patient Shepherd? It is not our own merits that have redeemed us, nor is it our own ability to “stay in the fold”. Only His endless, daily mercies constrain us and keep us from wandering away from His love.

We pray that by His mercy and grace Tiny will return and walk in the newness of life that He has prepared for her; we pray that she, and her daughters, will come to know the full joy of abiding in His abundant pastures.

How long, O you sons of man, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? ~ Psalm 4:2

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ~ Romans 8:28

With expectant hope in Christ's Amazing Grace,
John and Linda

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