Team Thaibodia: Hephzibah

Outreach is really all that you make it to be especially because it only is short term. You can sit back and tag along for the ride, or you can put yourself in position to take a step out of your comfort zone and expect to see God move in that. There were six of us altogether on the team, Saana and I were on staff, and the students were Kelly, Yolanda, Sabrina, and Rachel. Honestly outreach would not be the same if they were not there with me. We were all so different in giftings and personality, but it worked! I was blessed with such a team going into heavy spiritual locations and they were all willing to step out.
Right before I left for outreach Robin emailed me with a verse that really touched my heart. God had been speaking a lot to me, and the DTS about worth and purity and this verse came at a perfect time. So, Robin thank you.
"For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kinds your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah. For the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." (Isaiah 62:1-5)
It was such an amazing picture of how we are restored in the image of Christ by God and how when we come to revelation of Him, he calls us by a new name (as a symbol of not allowing the past to label us), and rejoices over us. It is a picture of how we are not only renewed, but He considers us so precious and beautiful. As we were praying for the women that we were about to work with in the sex industry in Thailand, we were praying this verse over their lives. We must hold onto the hope that these women, despite everything they have gone through and are going through, can be completely restored and renewed.