Drama

I want to be sketchy since this is a public blog.....but there has been a lot of drama with the ministry I volunteer with, Homestead.  These girls are so brave to leave everything and everyone they've known to come here and start a new way of life.  They have no idea where to start and have few tools to draw on.  Many are giving up drugs and are facing pain they haven't had to feel in a long time.  They have such strong emotions they don't know how to handle.  They are just figuring out Who God is and all He can be in their lives.  It is very cool to watch them learn how to reach out to Him and how to rest in His arms but they are overwhelmed and scared and its all so new for them and so hard.  The girls really lean on each other and help each other but there is so much togetherness and they don't have all the skills they need to get along so its super stressful.  And as they resort to old, destructive patterns which don't work here, it causes drama and difficult situations for all of us.  We are exploring new territory and finding that the secular system has severe limits in helping them.  All we can do sometimes is pray with them and hold them.  They are so hungry for God and want Him so much but also don't know how to reach Him or how to accept all He offers.  And it is hard.  The house Mom, Sandy, has such a hard job and really no breaks.  God is loving the girls through her.  She makes mistakes, we all do, but the girls know she loves them.  Some meaningful quotes I've  heard from the girls lately:  After being told "I love you", one of the girls said, "I'm not used to that, I've never really had that."  After a huge rage, we were discussing strengths and pointed out that one of the gals is strong and she said, "hell yes I'm strong" then quickly teared up and said, "but I'm not really all that strong."  When I was up all night with a gal in the ER even though I felt like crap, one of the girls said, "I don't understand why you are doing this for me."  These girls are amazing.  Will you please pray for them?  They are T, C, D, S, and T.  Pray God continues to give us wisdom, too, and strength and endless compassion.