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Many of you have been lifting up precious Hadassah faithfully in the weeks since I wrote about her.
If you do not recall her, you can be updated here.
She is one of many women in India who have walked thru depths of difficulties that I at times cannot fathom.
The statistics are many and the brokenness is rampant.
As Solomon shared ages ago, “there is nothing new under the sun”.
Sisters like Amy Carmichael witnessed it over 100 years ago:
“Listen! Listen, English sisters.
hear an Indian sister’s plea
grievous wails, dark ills revealing
depths of human woe unsealing
borne across the deep blue sea.
we are dying, day by day.
with no light, no cheering ray”
hear an Indian sister’s plea
grievous wails, dark ills revealing
depths of human woe unsealing
borne across the deep blue sea.
we are dying, day by day.
with no light, no cheering ray”
At times, hopelessness threatens to overtake my outlook on such numbers, despair, and injustice.
Save for, the reminder He gives of that Tree on that Hill over 2,000 years ago.
That Tree cut into 2 and nailed together into a device of torture and death.
Hopelessness threatened to overtake His 12 and His mother looking on.
Despair was great.
Injustice was unbridled.
Brokenness seemed as though it was beyond repair.
Save for
It is written.
It was written that this despair, injustice, and brokenness was required.
Was spoken of.
Was needed for our redemption.
And it would be made right.
So we could be made right.
So one day, Hadassah, could be made right.
Often times, in the face of brokenness, our frail and finite minds cannot comprehend.
That an Eternal Love is still beating and is waiting to disrupt all our feeble understandings of love.
That a Divine Lover is waiting to unveil veiled faces to reflect His glory.
And though the unveiled faces may reflect pain, scars, and a past of incredible difficulty…
They still reflect His glory.
Just as 2 nail pierced hands reflect Glory, Love, Redemption.
We have seen that Divine Lover unveil her face.
We have heard His Eternal Heart beat for all to hear.
We have seen His Eternal Love disrupt all our feeble attempts at understanding.
She started off a veiled stranger, a patient who needed a meal one afternoon.
She has become not just a friend, but family, who is sharing life with us.
She started off needing dressing changes daily for a healing wound.
A wound from a surgery to release contractures on her terribly burned neck.
(That was paid for by a beautiful woman in a city nearby)
We, thru His sovereign provision, have an overabundance of medical supplies, thru the life of our son.
So one meal led to meals and minor dressing care.
And in those times of undressing and dressing scars that made my skin crawl and my heart throb,
I heard more of the hell thru which she had walked thru
But, with it, the Hope in which she has been found.
As I saw that scar heal and it’s sides grow back together into a semblance of normalcy
I was reminded of the first day we took Adam home after his eye surgery.
And we removed the gauze over his eyes.
And I had to walk away.
For the appearance of pain and disgust was overbearing.
I could not see how anything good could come from where his eyes were supposed to be.
I could not see any evidence of eyes.
I did not know how it could heal and his eyes could again open.
But day after day, dressing after dressing, healing appeared.
What once was scars unimaginable, now is beautiful skin that open and closes and protects my son’s once uncovered eyes.
Where there were no eyelids, there are now beautiful eyelids.
I could not see, but He could.
I could not stomach it, but He did.
In that moment and on that piece of wood.
On Calvary’s hill.
And as I undressed and dressed Hadassah’s wounds and heard her story,
I could not see how He made good from it.
I did not understand how healing could come.
But isn’t that the One we serve?
When all seems impossible, when hope seems elapsed.
When Redemption and Hope is buried in the ground deep.
And 3 days pass, and his people lose it all.
They weep, mourn, wail, and despair.
When all human expectation is defeated.
Human ability is lost.
That is when.
Healing appears.
Death rises.
Wounds scab.
Skin is revived and restored.
Lives are made new.
When all seems lost.
Eternal Love breaks in.
So that glory cannot remain on man.
It can only go to Him.
And that is what He has done.
She who once walked everywhere with her head cast down and her face and neck veiled.
Now walks unveiled with a smile across her face and no sense of shame.
Because “if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts”?
And she, with her beautifully scarred unveiled face, reflects His glory, “and thru it is being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from” Him. (words of paul to corinth)
Just as Moses when He came down from that mountain.
And not only is she being transformed, but our family is as well.
And many others along the way.
________________________________________________________________________________
How to summarize all that has happened?
After I wrote of her, I felt a urge to ask for support or sponsorship for her.
But His still small voice quieted my urge.
He will provide.
Waited, we did.
And provided, He did.
An email from an attorney in Seattle , WA
A woman who felt a burden to ask if Hadassah needed support as she takes steps towards independence.
Need, provided.
She had no skill.
She has now been in a stitching class for 1 week.
She had no foundation to build upon.
Her’s was not a childhood spent with lunchboxes, rosters, math, and quizzes.
Hers was a childhood that began at age 7 cleaning houses.
Surviving for herself and her brothers.
Then her childhood was lost as she was sold at 12 and told “we will come back”.
But they never came back.
How, then, could she do basics of math in sewing?
She is being tutored nightly.
She is understanding and learning quickly.
Within 3 months, she can have a job.
She had so much time in her days.
She felt purposeless with no “skill” and so much time.
What to do?
She has been at the hospital until 1pm every day with Raja.
Raja, who hears stories unimaginable and seeks Heavenly wisdom daily to counsel and treat patients whose minds and hearts and bodies are diseased and broken.
Many of the women he sees have similar stories to Hadassah.
She can relate to them in ways that Raja cannot.
She sits, listens, at times shares her own story, and intercedes for them.
Then she visits them if they are admitted.
She sees purpose in her time.
Raja is helped.
Women are encouraged by the One of all comfort and the suffering of the saints.
She had no documentation to prove her existence.
Mountains have moved and she has her affidavit declaring the reality of her life.
That is what she needs to pursue education and so much more.
Now, she can work towards a 10th standard (same as 10th grade) certificate.
So she can have credentials.
So much more.
It is beautiful.
Can we take off our shoes?
And praise Him?
For surely this is Holy Ground.
He is surely bringing healing in ways no man could in his own power.
Can we get on our knees?
And lift up this precious girl?
And trust Him to continue to be a Lamp to her feet and a Light to her path?
No matter what darkness may threaten.
He “is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all”
Jessica,
Thank you for sharing. What a beautiful story of suffering, love, redemption,faith and healing. Through your beautiful writing and sharing of these broken lives being restored, my faith grows deeper and more appreciated each day. Thank you! We love you and your family dearly!!
Melody
This is powerful, this is also such a great story of redemption and true community. Thanks for sharing with us.
Dear Jessica, I saw some photos of you with Hadassah the other day, and I thought how beautiful she is…she has a fabulous smile, and more than that beauty and peace pouring from her eyes. I'm so grateful that she has found you all, and is able to learn and grown and be all she can be. I'm glad you waited on the Lord. God bless you.