Disaster Relief Update: We are offering 4-day and 8-day relief trips to Moore, Oklahoma throughout the summer, starting in June. Click here for trip dates and details.
Alyssa Benson and Allison Gudeman worked in two different kinds of ministry during their Passport 2013 experiences. Alyssa loved on and cared for orphans in poverty-stricken Guatemala, while Allison walked the streets of Thailand, reaching out to women in prostitution. Though they served in different environments, Alyssa and Allison were given a new perspective and challenged to see those they encountered through God’s eyes.
Alyssa walked into the quaint infant room at the Guatemalan orphanage where she and her team served weekly. She noticed a little girl, still and emotionless — a clear contrast to the rambunctious children in the room.
Not wanting to overwhelm the seemingly fragile little one, Alyssa instinctively knew the best way to love the little girl in that moment was to sit gently by her side. When it was time to go, Alyssa kissed her head, told her she loved her, and walked away.
Over the next few weeks, Alyssa and Rosie grew closer. Although the goodbyes became increasingly harder, Alyssa hoped that this little emotionless orphan would know what it means to be loved.
Rosie eventually was put into the care of her grandmother. And though Alyssa and Rosie parted abruptly, Alyssa felt peace in knowing Rosie was placed in a caring home and their time together made an impact on little Rosie’s life.
Alyssa recalled, “This so much more than a story about a little girl who changed my heart. This is how God has been revealing his love to me.
“At first, I was an orphan — emotionless, numb to the world around me. God longed for me to feel his love and joy, but he didn’t force it. Slowly but surely, his love consumed my heart, and allowed me to feel. He broke through my walls and changed my life forever.”
On the opposite side of the world, on a lit up street called Bangla Road, Allison prayed, “Lord, break my heart for what breaks yours. Give me your eyes for every person tonight.”
Located on the southern island of Phuket, Thailand, Bangla Road is known for bars, women, and nightlife. As Allison set foot on the crowded street, she instantly saw the reality of what was before her eyes: daughters in need of true love and sons desperately trying to fill the God-shaped hole in their lives.
“It is amazing how God breaks my heart when I see all of these hurting people and at the same time gives me an insane love for them. He truly is giving me His eyes to see and heart to love.”
Walking past one of the bars, Allison noticed the smile of a young Thai woman and stopped. Allison and her group walked into the bar and met Pui, a twenty-two year old who had just begun working in the bar that evening.
As conversation flowed, Allison noticed a different smile in Pui’s laughter, one more genuine. She recalls, “The best I can say is that amidst all the darkness and the trauma of her life, I saw the daughter she is to God. I saw the smile that she would wear often if she knew how much God loved her.”
God used Alyssa and Allison's experiences on Passport trips to break their hearts for injustice. Women in the sex trade and orphans on the street are no longer just statistics; they have a face and a story.
Do you want to experience God’s heart for those in need in a real and tangible way? Apply for a Passport trip today.
Disaster Relief Update: We are offering 4-day and 8-day relief trips to Moore, Oklahoma throughout the summer, starting in June. Click here for trip dates and details.
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