The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5 NIV)
Over the past 34 years, we’ve been on the front line of a sustained and bitter physical, emotional, and spiritual attack of darkness against children and families. This Christmas I want you to know that darkness is NOT winning!
Karen’s story . . .
Our child, Misha, had gone dark – in her struggle, desperation, and rebellion she was continually choosing darkness. Every therapy and treatment failed or were resisted. But God . . .
We live and work in the Middle East with our five lovely children. After a number of suicide attempts, our daughter self-admitted as an inpatient in a psychiatric ward where some women were in shackles. But God . . .
Worshipping in church one morning, I saw a picture of a young red-haired woman twirling in freedom in a valley with a mountain behind. One week later our oldest daughter cried to a short art video she was sent where a young red-haired woman twirled in a valley with a mountain behind to the words of a song ‘Come to Me.’ The only Christian therapeutic treatment centre that matched our daughter’s needs and would consider an overseas child was Project Patch – in a valley with a mountain behind. The reason we could leave our red-haired daughter on the other side of the world was the promised freedom that God had for her.
Her counselor was a God-given match, with personal cross-cultural experience. She received firm but loving care and slowly over time the darkness was overcome. She gave her life back to Jesus and today, five months after leaving ‘Project Patch,’ I saw her worship with her hands raised in freedom, the light shining in her eyes.
She not only has chosen to go back to school but to the same school in the Middle East and is handling the rigorous demands of the British A-level exam system with a confidence we have not seen in years. God is still transforming the darkness and is in the business of miracle-making.
Misha’s Story . . .
I was in a mess. I was suicidal, lost in the darkness of depression. I was so far gone, so deep in depression, that I didn’t know what it was like not to be in it anymore. I thought suicide was the only way out. After all, it was too dark to find my way back. It turns out that suicide wasn’t the only way out.
I ended up in a psychiatric ward, then made a choice to move halfway across the world to Project Patch. At first, Patch felt awfully dark too. It was very controlled and felt oppressive. I didn’t know how much I needed Patch.
It’s funny actually, because I think about it now, and how I thought Patch was so dark. It reminds me of the solar eclipse. The glasses that blocked everything out, but still couldn’t black out all of the sun. I remember sitting on the grass by the pond with my eclipse glasses on, marveling at the power of the little filter that kept my eyes from the blinding brilliance that was the sun. I think that, in some way, I allowed my depression to block out so much of the brilliance of life. But even through that darkness, not everything was blacked out. Patch was there, shining hope just bright enough to be seen through the filter of depression.
With the help of Trina and the rest of the staff family, I began to see the sun again. And just as the sun reappeared after the eclipse, life began to return to my soul. In spite of the darkness, light shone through, and I thank Patch for that. I still have my eclipse glasses, and they remind me of the light.
This Christmas season we are reminded, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (John 1: 7 ESV)
Would you walk with us as we continue to share God’s love and light to hurting kids and families?
A Christmas Story of Light
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5 NIV)
Over the past 34 years, we’ve been on the front line of a sustained and bitter physical, emotional, and spiritual attack of darkness against children and families. This Christmas I want you to know that darkness is NOT winning!
Karen’s story . . .
Our child, Misha, had gone dark – in her struggle, desperation, and
rebellion she was continually choosing darkness. Every therapy and treatment failed or were resisted. But God . . .
We live and work in the Middle East with our five lovely children. After a number of suicide attempts, our daughter self-admitted as an inpatient in a psychiatric ward where some women were in shackles. But God . . .
Worshipping in church one morning, I saw a picture of a young red-haired woman twirling in freedom in a valley with a mountain behind. One week later our oldest daughter cried to a short art video she was sent where a young red-haired woman twirled in a valley with a mountain behind to the words of a song ‘Come to Me.’ The only Christian therapeutic treatment centre that matched our daughter’s needs and would consider an overseas child was Project Patch – in a valley with a mountain behind. The reason we could leave our red-haired daughter on the other side of the world was the promised freedom that God had for her.
Her counselor was a God-given match, with personal cross-cultural experience. She received firm but loving care and slowly over time the darkness was overcome. She gave her life back to Jesus and today, five months after leaving ‘Project Patch,’ I saw her worship with her hands raised in freedom, the light shining in her eyes.
She not only has chosen to go back to school but to the same school in the Middle East and is handling the rigorous demands of the British A-level exam system with a confidence we have not seen in years. God is still transforming the darkness and is in the business of miracle-making.
Misha’s Story . . .
I was in a mess. I was suicidal, lost in the darkness of depression. I was so far gone, so deep in depression, that I didn’t know what it was like not to be in it anymore. I thought suicide was the only way out. After all, it was too dark to find my way back. It turns out that suicide wasn’t the only way out.
I ended up in a psychiatric ward, then made a choice to move halfway across the world to Project Patch. At first, Patch felt awfully dark too. It was very controlled and felt oppressive. I didn’t know how much I needed Patch.
With the help of Trina and the rest of the staff family, I began to see the sun again. And just as the sun reappeared after the eclipse, life began to return to my soul. In spite of the darkness, light shone through, and I thank Patch for that. I still have my eclipse glasses, and they remind me of the light.
This Christmas season we are reminded, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (John 1: 7 ESV)
Would you walk with us as we continue to share God’s love and light to hurting kids and families?
Read Misha’s poem, “God Shaped Hole” which shares more about her personal journey. Click Here
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