the sweetest song

there is a young woman we are getting to know well in the brothels. we have been in relationship with her for a few months now.  i absolutely adore her, and if we have a dream home sometime soon for the women, she is the first one i want there with us. 

she is beautiful, has spent two years in university, and has two more to go. however, she's been in relationship with her 'boyfriend' for the past few years, and consequently, she's been doing this work for the past few years (note: he does not work; she does). the whole situation is bad and is taking its toll on her.  she texted me the other day and wrote, "i am not happy, and i feel that the sky is falling down on me. please pray." the good thing is, is that she is not okay with her situation--to me, this is better than her being in denial that 'everything is right in the world.'  it is not.

all she wants is to be loved. and she hasn't received it from him, yet.  but she is hopeful. and so she continues to do what she is doing believing that at some point, surely he will love her in return.

as for her heart, it is hurting and broken and confused.  yet, it is so full of love to give (and to receive). i have told her that she is going to be an amazing mother one day. full of love.

last night she welcomed us into her dark room.  we sat on her bed and talked and prayed.  and as we prayed, we suddenly had to stop, as we were gloriously interrupted by the sweetest of sounds.

heard ever so crisply and clearly, it was the dainty and sweet chimes and dings of church bells (there is an old church located a few doors down from the brothel).  they were playing the sweetest song, and the power of the sweetness penetrated the darkness and pierced it in such a profound way that all we could do was sit there, with our eyes closed in a posture of prayer, and listen.

listen to the sweetness
listen to the innocence
listen to the healing and the hope
listen to the voice of God in a way you wouldn't expect to hear, but when you heard it you knew it could only come from Him.  it was as if He was singing over her, seranading her with an overture of His love.

what kind of God does this sort of thing?
how does He orchestrate
the sweetness of bells
to obey His command?
how can He display His love for us,
for her,
in such tangible ways?
why does He come after us
when we choose darkness?

He is L O V E
And He can't stand to see her
in that brothel any more than I can.
And until she comes out,
He will continue to sing.

"Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one,
and come with Me.
See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves is heard in our land...
Arise, my darling;
my beautiful one,
come with Me."
      -Song of Songs 2:10-13

Join me in prayer that she will have ears to hear the sweetest song and that she will follow His gentle lead home, to the very center of his heart.