I can't even fathom...

Though I'm on the mission field & I feel like my heart gets tugged on everyday, there are still those few families who really get to me. Those people who God continously lays on my heart, nagging at me to pray fervently, to encourage them, to be selfess & to speak into their lives. This is not always an easy task , & I find that the closer it is to me going home for the holidays, the less of this I want to do. The opposite of selfless, I know.

But nevertheless, there is a family so dear to me that it is going to hurt to say goodbye. Julia & her family do not have an easy life. (I have written about them before). They are a family of eight: mom, dad, & 6 girls. They live in El Colli, a poorer area of town, in a one-room house. This is where they all sleep, eat, breathe, & live life together.

It is not because of where or how they live though, that places them in my heart & mind so often. We are very close with their family. Julia watches Seth, our missionaries' 3 year old son & we also spend a lot of time with the girls. Our home is their home away from home.

Julia is only 35 years old with 6 girls. Daniela, the oldest, is 17 with a 4 month old. And the others are not far behind. Their father is abusive & an alcoholic and does not know how precious each one of them are. Because of the circumstances, Julia will be moving in December, away from her abusive husband.

This is no ordinary move. On December 20th, Julia will get up & prepare her family just like any other morning. Only on this day, they have to escape in the tiny window of time when her husband is away from the house. Julia & her 5 youngest girls will abandon their home & walk away leaving most everything behind.

Though their future is much brighter, these next few weeks will be tough. Julia is not only helping her girls deal emotionally with the move, but she is also pregnant with her 7th child. Unplanned, and undoubtedly an act of abuse, this is also taking a toll on her health & energy.

Julia is a beautiful woman of strength who lives everyday looking to God as her provider. She knows that He loves her & will only bless her new future. But it's just getting there. Pray for Julia & her girls. Pray for their protection & blessing as they leave their life behind & start a new one. Pray that they are able to get away in time without the husband knowing. Pray for an abundance of peace as they enter the unknown. Only God can carry them through.