Today Is World Refugee Day.

How radically your world would change if, without notice, you were forced to leave your home and possessions and relocate to an new area, a totally different country? A place where you don’t know anyone, or when you would eat next, or when you would get to go home. You may have only one minute to pack and leave with your life at risk.

This is the reality of millions of people across the world.

I would like to ask if you are reading this that you would pray for families who have lost their homes and are refugees in other countries. Millions of people have been forced to leave their home and country; mostly as a result of civil wars or internal conflicts. They are forced out of their homes and homelands, they have to move to another country to seek asylum, safety, protection, and security to escape violence, armed conflict, and persecution.

Why is today so important? Here are some facts:

• 50 million people in the world are victims of forced displacement
• Almost two-thirds of the world’s refugees are in the Middle East and Africa, with Africa is home to the most refugees in the world.
• Half of all refugees come from just three places Palestinians, Iraqi, or Afghan. [source]
• Global forced displacement is at an 18-year high. [source]

These conflicts and refugees may seem far away, but the reality is that many refugees are living in the United States. If you want to take action, you can do something to help!

• Check out UNHCR. Get informed. Learn. Find new ways to help.
• Research ‘resettlement offices’ in your town. Give them a call to ask if they have volunteer opportunities in your town. A lot of resettlement offices have programs to tutor refugees in English.
• Find an non-profit organization that you can get involved with that helps refugees.
• Read stories about refugees in their own words here.
• Educate and raise awareness. Help people in your school or community learn and take action.
• Pray especially for Syria, which currently is in a state of emergency for refugees.

Islam in Kosova: Ramadan

I am in Kosova, a secular-Muslim country. I love the people here and have formed friendships with a lot of Muslims. We’ve had many conversations about faith, God, the Bible, Muhammad, etc. I’ve visited three mosques. I’ve shared my testimony about my personal decision to believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior.

Everything I am about to share with you is with respect for each individual’s personal beliefs and to benefit Christian believers to understand more about this country and the religion. Most of what I’ve learned is from my studies, an Imam, a director in a Muslim organization who was a guest speaker in my class where I am studying the Balkans/Kosova, conversations I’ve had, articles I’ve read, and all my observations in the last two months living here. I have also spent time studying Islam, and I am still finishing a great informative book by Mark Gabriel, which analyzes the text of the Quran and the Bible as the author parallels the lives of Jesus and Muhammad. It’s a impacting read and I would recommend it.

One thing about Kosova that is unique is that although 97% of the population claim to be Muslim, the Muslims in Kosova consider themselves to be secular. This means that they identify themselves by their ethnicity first (usually Albanian), then their religion. Yes, daily I see women in the traditional hijab and hear the call to prayer at times (but not regularly). I know Kosovars who won’t drink or smoke because they are Muslim.

“Kosovo’s brand of Islam may be the most liberal in the world,” writes Michael J. Totten of the Wall Street Journal. “Religion in Kosovo is a private matter, not a public one.” Yet, whenever the opportunity arises, none of my Albanian friends have been very hesitant to talk about beliefs. It’s just not information they will volunteer or tell you.

I have been praying for the salvation of for each person I have met.

Every day, by name.

I have such a love for them; even more so, God has such a love for them. I feel it in my heart.

I have cried until it was painful as I interceded and ached with such anguish in my heart as I thought of them missing out on the revelation of God’s love and knowing the truth. I put off writing this for a long time, because I didn’t want one of my friends to read it and be offended, but hopefully they will understand how much I truly just want them to know Love like I do.

Yesterday (August 1st) began the first day of Ramadan; a Islamic holy month of fasting and prayer. From dawn to sunset, Muslims fast (abstain from eating food) and pray five times a day. They also practice being charitable (doing good works) and gathering together when they break their fasts at night. Click on this link you want to read more about Ramadan.

Yesterday I discovered the 30-day Prayer Network. Would you commit to praying for all Muslims during Ramadan? On the site there is a simple prayer guide for each day; I recommend reading and using it.

This is not just for the purpose of praying for Muslims. I know that you will grow in love for people of different faiths if you pray for them daily.

If you do pray, even just today, I would love to know (leave a comment below). If you would like some names to pray for, just ask. If you want to inform and involve others, please share this. I know it’s long, but love is willing to go further and deeper than just a simple glance or short read.

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19). I am leaving this country in one week. My prayer is that as you read this, the Holy Spirit would burden you and other believers to join me in praying for the Muslims here in Kosova, and all over the world.

World Next Door is my dream…come true?

“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.” (Proverbs 4:26)

I should be in bed, I should be sleeping, but nothing could keep me from the keyboard tonight; my heart won’t stop speaking. I’ve been giving careful thought to the path for my feet.

What path? The one I discovered only 3 days ago. Thursday night I was eating alone at dinner when Kelly (a Chaplain like myself) invited me to sit at her table. When Kristen, her friend, discovered that my major is journalism and media communication, she asked me if I had heard of World Next Door. I hadn’t, so she shared about what they do and told me about their internship.

I won’t ever be the same.

I feel like I discovered my dream.

Please check out the links at the bottom (just click) to read about what the internship is like and visit their website. I seriously could not explain it to you better than they do, plus… their website is just awesome. Currently I am filling out an application for their internship and praying a lot. The deadline is this Monday (one day from now).

Everything about how God has made me, my life vision, all my passions, and every skill I’ve developed matches with World Next Door. I mean, it’s everything. I won’t download all the details to you, because that would just be a blast of words about me, and I can spare you that. I know, God knows, and I hope World Next Door will realize it when they read my application. I AM SO EXCITED! You are going to make fun of me, but seriously, in the back of my mind, I’m like… (mouth gaping open as I imagine) what if they looked at my blog? And, if they did, instantly I already know what I would want to say to them: PLEASE PICK ME, IT WOULD MAKE MY DREAM COME TRUE! I LOVE WORLD NEXT DOOR! I LOVE JESUS! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS INTERNSHIP! YOU MAKE ME WANT TO DANCE UP AND DOWN! I WANT TO BE THERE NOW! (Insert 4,000 heart symbols).

But I decided that sounds a bit desperate or possibly crazed (hmm, is that wrong?).

Ah-hem.

[Insert awkward pause, move on to the next paragraph and pretend I’m normal…]

This would be a summer internship in Niarobi, Kenya. I love Kenya! Even crazier, my heart specifically is fond of Nairobi. My uncle Sheldon (who is a pastor) and his family lived in Nairobi for 5 months. When my Uncle and his family returned to the United States, a Kenyan Pastor came back with them. My family got to know Pastor Harrison and his family very well! Getting to know them and learning about their life in Kenya made us all fall in love with his country, too.

Even while I’m dreaming in my head about how AWESOME this internship would be, this really isn’t all about me (don’t let your jaw drop too far…). Yes, it has a lot to do with everything I have ever wanted. My future, my dream, my passions, what I love and what makes me so pumped up inside!

This internship is an opportunity to live out everything I believe I was created for: love, serving, glorifying God, helping others, learning, growing, make a difference in the kingdom of God, (etc). Deep down in my heart, I know this is what God has been preparing me for. This is what I will be doing the rest of my life, whether through World Next Door or not. God has made me for a purpose: to love. I love God with everything I am and everything I do, and out of His love for me, I overflow love into others. I love by what I have to give. Jesus laid down His life for me, and my response is that I lay down my life for Him. He gave me new life, and I want to give of that abundant life to others. I want to minister to others through the gifts He has given me, to reach out to others and offer hope, encouragement, life, help, and transformation. And God wants me to grow, learn, and be transformed, too.

I know wherever God leads me, wherever He opens doors, I will follow. I am pursuing this desire and laying it before the cross. Not my will be done, but Yours…

I want this so badly. I know nothing is impossible for God. I know that He holds my world in His hands (if you are thinking of a song right now, yes, it’s “Healer” by Kari Jobe). I am leaning on His truth. Proverbs 19:21 says,

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Amen. God, let Your purpose prevail. I trust in You, with all my heart. I won’t lean on my own understanding, but I’m submitting to You all my ways. I know You will direct my path (Proverbs 3:5-7).

World Next Door:

Check out their website!

LIKE, LIKE, LIKE World Next Door‘s Facebook page. I did :]

Follow World Next Door on Twitter.

Read about the internship.

And if you want to be really awesome…pray for me!

a tearful farewell.

Disclaimer: This poem is not on here for poetic beauty or even thought-provoking stimulus. It is raw human emotion. It reveals my flaws, even portrays me as somewhat judgmental in one section. But it exposes me as I was in the moment. I wrote it over a month ago and I can’t say I feel this way at all any more. My eyes are dry.

It makes me feel vulnerable to expose it to any eyes that may pass across the screen. I wrote this poem in a very emotional moment, and I only made this post public because I felt it expressed the depth of turmoil as I ripped my heart open and poured these words out as a release, a tearful farewell. . .

Tearfully I splatter

these teardrops from my eyes

green and bright with fresh tears

burning deep inside

it hurts to breathe in

but gasping all the more,

I can’t whisper but a word:

“why?”

and then no more.

you, who are you

this friend I once knew so well

who now with tearful pangs

I am wishing a farewell

Streams are flowing from my eyes

a waterfall of pain

oh, you are so different

nothing is the same

Why do I cry

Curled up, clenching tight

eyes puffy, red, and sore

pangs deep inside my chest

you were one of the best

best best

best friends I ever had

that’s why this is so sad

I feel every moment is lost

every precious memory wasted, I fear

You are so far,

so distant

It’s weird.

This tearfull farewell

is a sad, sorry tale

of a girl who cared dearly

and a boy who changed, became more unruly

She she cries for you

this girl you know

tears she sheds

for her friend, her bro

but what’s breaking her heart

is not that they’ve drifted apart

no she is crying so hard

because he’s changed

his priorities rearranged

Where is your love?

Where is your passion?

You used to love Him!

And now you can’t even find

the desire within

to open your Bible

or to worry ’bout sin

You don’t need prayer

things are good

lots of new friends

but here she is crying

alone and in anguish

not because you’ve forgotten her

but because you’ve forgotten Him.

You don’t know what you’re missing

What goodbye you are kissing

You’re filling that hole

with stuff that will never make you whole

I will pray that God will pull

pull you back to Him

I am breaking, shaking

Don’t let Him slip away

You can let go of me

You can choose a change of scene

But God will never let go of you

And I pray now,

all the more He would pursue

You won’t escape

the jealousy of His love

You can’t run from

affections from above

So these tears are for you

and these prayers are for you

and this brokenness inside

it’s for you

my brother.

I will never give up praying

but I can’t keep saying

that you’re my friend

because that would be lying

and although I’m crying…

farewell