Place of Rescue

This past Saturday we went to visit Place of Rescue AIDS Centre & Orphanage. Coming back to Rescue every year is always a wonderful reminder of the hope we have in Christ. Marie Ens at 73 years old continues to inspire me to live a life fully for Christ and epitomizes what Eugene Peterson once said 'a long obedience in the same direction.'

Rescus's ministry has expanded over the years. It ministers to over 100 orphans but also serves as as place of refuge for those who are marginalized and the modern day lepers ---AIDS patients as well as 'grannies' who have become desitute either because their family members have died from AIDS or they have lost all their family during the Pol Pot era. Cambodia has no safety net for the elderly and so many of these folks can often be found begging on the street. Some times I wonder what Jesus must think about how we treat those who are old in our society.

We arrive at around 5:30pm at Rescue after shopping for some fruit for the 10 grannies who live at Rescue. Their request today was for durian---known as the king of the fruit in South East Asia. We decide to also buy some Mangosteen ---the queen of the fruit and rambutan to put in our little granny bags. As we hand out the fruit at 'granny home' some of the orphans crowd around to see what we are doing and giving the grannies. I hand Marie a letter that one of my friends had given to me. In February of this year, one of my good friends from California had taken a team to Cambodia and visited Rescue. God placed a burden on her heart for the plight of the grannies and she decided to sponsor one of them who is called Ruth. Ruth was delighted to see a photo of herself and to hear of all the encouraging words written in the letter. Following that we spent the next 45 minutes praying for each of the grannies and then anointing them with oil. In this environment people are so open to wanting to receive prayer and one granny who had asked prayer for her health seemed visibly touched by the Holy Spirit as she began to weep. I am always so amazed at how God's spirit can minister to someone even when they are being prayed for in a language other than their mother tongue. Again it is just another reminder that God's power and His ability to change hearts is not limited by our own human limitations but how His Spirit works and flows is something that I will never fully comprehend on this side of heaven. I am just touched that He has blessed this particular granny with His Spirit.

As we are about to head to spend time at the monthly birthday party celebrations with the orphans a young boy comes up to us. His name is Thuan and he asks if we would pray for him. He hasn't eaten for a few days and has lost his appetite and wants to be well again to enjoy his food. As we begin to pray for him, I keep my eyes open and I look at his face---so intense yet so open to receive whatever the Lord wants to give him. Truly Jesus says 'let the little children come' and Thuan has come wanting God to heal him. He has come to the One who offers him more than just physical food but who will be his daily bread and nourish his soul with the spiritual food that will sustain him far more than he realizes perhaps at this time. Surely, this is God's desire for each of us that we would come seeking Him and when we do, His word reminds us that when we seek first His kingdom everything else will be added. I pray that God would take this physical hunger within Thuan and make it into a spiritual hunger for Him that will satisfy the longings deep within his heart. We feel so privileged to encourage this young boy through prayer.