On April 1, I posted something in a private forum on social media and asked for Godly wisdom.
I had been at a government office advocating for a group of special needs boys when it came to my attention that there was an urgent need to find a refuge center for a mother and her child. After meeting them, hearing about their unbelievable plight, and spending much time in prayer, we decided we were simply not equipped with the proper security to protect these high risk targets. We apologized and informed the official that we could not help.
In the beginning we felt relieved that we said no, but then we began to question our decision. We consulted with another missionary in country who is an expert in protecting victims of extreme violence. She and others advised against taking them and validated our concerns.
Then, we couldn't get their faces out of our minds. Normally after meeting someone new, we easily forget their faces and details. Not these people. Their faces and expressions of desperation and hopelessness were engrained in our minds; we couldn't stop thinking about them.
Even an old slogan from a Rice Bowls t-shirt popped into my mind. So, in addition to our thoughts about them, I was also remembering the slogan, "I have seen. Now I am responsible."
If only you could have seen their faces when we met with them; I wanted to take pictures so badly, but we couldn't and it wouldn't have been appropriate. Imagine two exhausted and traumatized people looking down at the floor with expressions of hopelessness, fear, and desperation!
Finally, we came to the conclusion that God put these people on our minds and hearts for a reason. We recanted and via methods that we learned on crime shows on tv, we took them to a secret shelter that no one knew about. After being there for a few days, they said that they had rested for the first time in months and felt so peaceful and safe. They are currently in the protective custody of a different agency at a different location. Now that it's all over, I think the reason God put them on our hearts was to give us experience, wisdom, and discernment.
"And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety." 2 Corinthians 1:11