Priceless

Hello again from the wintry world of Iowa! I haven't been as good about blogging as I used to be...but of course, there has been a lot going on in my life!

I am now only a semester away from (finally!) graduating from nursing school. But even more exciting than that, and the real premise of this post, is to share about the work God is STILL doing in the Dominican Republic, and the way He is STILL allowing me to be a part of it!

During my last months in the DR, my friends Glenn and Elizabeth Harden expressed their belief that God was pushing them towards ministering to the many prostitutes on the island. Of course, this was a difficult idea to grapple with. How does one approach these women? What are their needs? Who are they? So many unanswered questions were flying every direction in my head. So Glenn went to work, researching, learning...

There are a lot of hard truths out there when dealing with something as ugly as prostitution. And of course, no one can live in the Dominican Republic without encountering it from time to time. It is truly a heartbreaking; not only the desperate acts of women who need the income, but the children that are also forced into it. Prostitution is slavery, horrid and unjust. Our God is a God of justice. So Lord, what is your will? What is it that we can do?

After much praying and learning, Glenn has started a nonprofit organization called Priceless, Inc., and I am privileged to be a member of the board. We are still in the baby steps of fund raising, building websites, and making connections, but the vision is solid. Someday, we want to offer a safe house, medical attention, food, recovery care, and an opportunity to learn a real trade that will support these women and their children. Sounds like a big task, right?

But the reality is that there is virtually nothing being done for these women at the moment. There is poverty, desperation, and there hasn't been much of an answer. But God wants JUSTICE for these women too. He wants to love them and care for them, and He has asked us to do it. There are so many ways in which we can serve these women, and bring God's love to them. So let's be the hands and feet of Christ to desperate and dying souls.

We've built a website, and it's still largely under construction, but if you want to learn more, check out www.pricelessinternational.org

I am so excited to be part of a ministry, even from far-away Iowa. I am excited because I know many of you read up on my adventures in the DR long ago, and I felt your prayers so strongly then; I know you will be part of this ministry with me again! Thanks for reading!