Crossing into the Promised Land

So as I mentioned on Facebook, yesterday was my last day at El Refugio, after over 5 and a half years the time has come to say goodbye to the kids I love so much in order to focus 100% on starting the work I came out here to do.

When I came here in 2010 my plan was to spend 2-3yrs in El Refugio learning the language and the culture in order to then leave and start a new ministry reaching girls in sexual exploitation, however, I was enjoying the work at El Refugio so much I became comfortable, I felt totally unequipped to go out on my own and doors didn’t open to allow me to move on. However, over the last 18months I had begun to feel uncomfortable and unchallenged in my work and needed something new. When I was in Jordan in May we went to mount Nebo where Moses looked out over the Promised Land, the land we would never enter, but with him was Joshua who was called to take that land. Looking over the Jordan into the haze I felt an affinity with that younger man, I knew I was, spiritually, camped across the river from the promised land of my ministry but had grown comfortable as had some of the tribes of Israel at that time, but I was now restless and wanted to cross that river. As I sat in the wilderness I prayed that God would give me the strategy to make that move across the water and take what has been promised. I took a stone from that place to remind me, just as in Old Testament times people would take stones and make alters.  A few days later we crossed the Jordan and the border into Israel, as we did I again prayed that God would take me into the promised land he had for me, and I took another stone from the shores of Galilee as a promise of God.

When I came back to Colombia, before I could speak to them Rossy and Martin said they felt that it was time for me to take 2 days a week to focus on my project which was a confirmation of what I had been feeling myself, on the first week of doing so I had a personal retreat where I spent 2 days seeking God and dedicating myself again to this new purpose and old vision. In the days following doors started opening in quick succession. I found specific courses available online in counselling children and trauma counselling. A meeting with my new pastors here in Colombia revealed a great need for support in their girls home on the outskirts of Cartagena, an opportunity to put into practice what I am learning and gain experience in the logistics of running a residential home here in the city. Martin and Rosa also mentioned a YWAM leadership school, that I was wanting to do, was running in Peru in October and had spaces available for single people still. Contacts were made with other residential homes in Colombia and beyond. 

As all this opened it became apparent that soon it wouldn’t be possible to continue with my 3 days in El Refugio and take up all of these opportunities, something had to go. So it was decided between the 3 of us, Martin, Rosa and I, that it was time to let go of the security of El Refugio and step into the waters and cross the river.

This has been an emotional and scary time, stepping into the unknown, just as Joshua must have felt crossing the river Jordan, knowing there were giants, walled cities like Jericho, vast and powerful armies, waiting for him on the other side. God said to him several times “be strong and courageous” and I am holding on to that same promise now:

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law may servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left that you may be successful wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1:7) 

I know there are going to be many trials and difficulties ahead but I am holding onto God and his promises and I appreciate all of your prayers at this time of challenge and transition.

God Bless

Petra