I have been sharing the bold story of Yar for a number of weeks. Now, it’s time to give you some background into how this came about and also share an opportunity for you to give a chance to women and children like Yar.
I met Yar by accident, although with God there are no accidents.
My friend, Danya Jordan, from Proverbs 31 Ministries came to visit me at my home in Massachusetts. I intended to take Danya to our women’s Bible study one evening. I thought Danya would like it, but also I had an announcement to make about a new ministry I was launching. However, a few hours before, the Bible study leader called me to ask if I could postpone my announcement until the following week.
Days of snowstorms the previous week meant they were behind on their study, but also backed up with more pressing items.
With my plans spoiled, I wondered what to do. It was then I noticed an email in my inbox. It said:
We’ll be hearing a very powerful testimony this Wednesday night from Yar Ayuel, one of the “Lost Girls” of Sudan. Yar escaped her homeland as a child, and after many harrowing years in the desert and unsafe refugee camps, she eventually found herself rescued to the United States. Today she continues to advocate for the Sudanese people. Yar will share her remarkable journey with us and ways we can help the people left behind in this war-ravaged land. Read more of Yar’s story in the Boston Globe.
“Ah! This will work,” I thought “and Danya will be interested because Lysa TerKeurst, the President of Proverbs 31, adopted two Lost Boys from Sudan.”
I was so pleased with my plan.
“Lysa’s boys are from Liberia,” replied Danya when I told her about our evening’s activities.
I felt silly with my misunderstanding. Yet, God can use our mistakes.
We went along anyway.
Yar’s story, the one you have been reading, broke the heart of every woman who listened. We were there, though, to try and make a difference.
Yar explained how the women and children of South Sudan are still suffering, even though we read little about it in the news.
“How can we help?” A person voiced the question for all of us. “How can we get Yar’s story out there?”
“Rachel has a blog,” a woman turned her head to look at me.
That was a cold, snowy winter’s evening in February 2015.
Tweet This“Lord, where can I make a real difference in the world,” I had often prayed.
Then, just last week, as I realized we were coming to the end of Yar’s story, I felt restless.
I don’t want to share Yar’s story just because it is a good read. I want to do more.
Yet, it seemed to pray was the only thing we could do.
I have tried to channel our donations to aid agencies working in South Sudan, but the situation is so dangerous in this country many aid agencies have left. A friend, working for one aid agency, managed to get out of Juba airport just before it closed.
No journalists are there to tell us the story.
Yet, innocent people are suffering, frightened, without food—people like Yar’s uncle, brother, two sisters and their children and the extra children they are looking after because they have no one else in their lives.
“I think I have found a way to get them out of the country,” said Yar when she called me the other morning.
And so here we are, desperate for your financial help and your powerful prayers.
This verse was on the email that came into my inbox back in February 2015.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Malachi 3:10
Will you join me in bringing a financial tithe to God, to test him and see him open the floodgates? With the help of the great folks at Revive Community Church, we are raising funds to help get Yar’s family to safety. You can click here to contribute and every dollar you give will be matched.
Linking up with Crystal Storms at #IntentionalTuesday, Holley Gerth at #CoffeeForYourHeart, Suzie Eller at #liveFree and Kelly Balarie at #RaRaLinkup
Loved this whole series and how you highlighted something and all the “someones” that maybe the world has forgotten but God hasn’t. Thank you for heeding God’s call to walk this with Yar, Rachel. And tell Yar-nothing is impossible with God! She may be only little Yar, but God has big plans for her. Thank you for your heart to listen and help and bring us to action!
Wow, Rachel. This touched me today. I love when my perspective is reshifted, sort of reset on a bigger scope when I have maybe not been thinking “big” enough (that God can and wants to do big big things through our small acts of kindness & obedience!) We may think just a little won’t help much, but if we all give a little according to what we have like Paul says, who knows…God can do anything!
Meghan, I hope God will show you through your own small acts, He can do mighty things.
Rachel, whenever I come to your place, my world is enlarged.
Thank you Michele. Love having you visit.