I am praying that this update will both encourage you and spur you on to pray for us and the beautiful, broken women we minister to. We hit the ground running and have already almost immediately become a safe haven for the girls. What I mean by this is, that the women who come here for any reason, showers, food, prayer and rescue, feel safe and at home. Last week within five minutes of entering the house and sitting on the couch, Monique was fast asleep. It was so great to see the peaceful rest she experienced here knowing she could put her head down and that she was safe. We just watched her and prayed that God would invade her life and that she would catch a vision for change. Yesterday she showed up to try and get her ID together. We had started this process over a year ago. She now has the opportunity to go to Florida and live with her mother. Please pray that she will follow through and that ultimately she would experience true freedom in Christ. Many of you have been praying for Katie M. for years. Over the last several months we have seen here rapidly declining and to be quite honest with you, Bill and I were discussing how we honestly didn't believe that she was going to make it much longer out here. She came here several times to shower, eat and get prayed for and on Saturday afternoon she showed up and said she was leaving for Maine. That she was going to detox herself and go there to live. She has suffered so much in this lifestyle and has lost children to her addiction. Please pray God will invade her heart and mind and that she would trust Him for healing. Hannah--many of you have been praying for her as well. Last week, after several months of near death with and having an addicted and abusive boyfriend, she came here serious about leaving for good. She is a beautiful woman with family support, and by God's grace we were able to arrange placement in a detox for her in South Carolina. Her mother lives there and her Dad came here and took her to the bus. Rescues have been very real these last several weeks and we are really feeling God's hand on these women.. Being here is amazing. Michelle F.--we have known her for several years and recently she began calling looking for help. She had been living with a boyfriend in Philly who was also controlling her and was addicted. She somehow managed to get him to bring her here on Friday after several weeks of phone conversations. Once here she said she wasn't leaving with him. This became very interesting as he sat out front of the house for hours waiting for her. It was so cool to see how God worked in this situation. We managed to get her into a program for long term care. Her mother came and was taking her to her cousins house to detox there. Please pray that she won't return to the boyfriend. It is very hard for women in these types of relationships to make full breaks from these men many times. Not only is there the fear issue, but just like the insanity of addiction, many women in abusive relationships need help to leave these men. Easy for us, not so easy for these women many times.
We would ask that you would pray for us as we respond to what God is already doing here at 1700. Our hearts desire is that we would follow His lead and ultimately rest in His ability to rescue and set these precious women free. We have been anticipating this opportunity for years and now that we are here we are overwhelmed at God's faithfulness. Bill and I keep looking at each other and saying, "Are we really here?" We know that this part of our journey will be filled with all kinds of joys and challenges, but we rest in the arms of the one who is in full control and that gives us great comfort. We love you guys, Brenda,Bill, and the SHAN team.(Phil.3:7-12)
The SHAN prayer list from the last several weeks:
Nikki-30yrs. Old from Philly and her 5 year old son Giovanni
Kim-21,from Westville,only been out for 2 weeks
Charmaine-whose left eye was completely swollen shut,she was punched in the face on a date,he robbed her after,please pray she will seek medical care.Please pray for her brother Richard as well,he was electrocuted while scraping in an abandoned building.
DianeS.- just completed detox and did not enter long term treatment relapsed and back on Broadway.
Jackie H.-was offered detox and long term rehab as a result of a May sweep with Metro.Left detox and is still on Broadway.Judge just re-entered her warrants,pray she gets picked up,(rescued) and that she will regain her sound mind in jail and go away long term.
LOLO-her cancer is in remission.She just recently reunited with her 22 year old daughter whom she gave up for adoption at 2 as a result of her addiction.She has a grandson and God seems to be reconciling their relationship.Please pray the pull of the drug and the street don't take her back.
Alicia-28,pregnant,has 3 other children who her father is caring for. She has had no pre-natal care,pry she will reach out and we can get her to our sisters at Options.
Corrine-just lost her Aunt who was a very stable and positive person in her life!She attended her funeral and then her step-father who rises her brought her to Camden to get high,with Him.It is so much more than this,please pray for heart,he also expected sexual favors from her,she is devastated and in a very bad place.
Kim B.- just turned 32,went to school with our kids,been out here for over 12 years,has 2 daughters who live with her mom in West Deptford,please pray for a divine intervention,without she isn't going to make it.
Rochelle-23,just recently spent time in the ACJail,went to pick her up and facilitate her travel to a long term discipleship program,she refused.She is a beautiful young woman,who needs our prayer support to take the step out and away from this captivity.
Heather-had to leave a program she was in for medical reasons,is back on Broadway and was attacked last week by a date and had her $ stolen from her and her face scratched badly.
Jennifer J.-has 3 children ages 9,7,3 they are living with her parents and her ex-husband who has been clean for 2 years.She wants to be a mother to them.
Lindsey and Teresa-both new and young,from Collingswood 21 years old,made 1st time connection with them.
Lisa C.-has a 17 year old daughter and family support.Had been clean for 7 months,relapsed and we met on Carl Miller Blvd.She finally got into detox a week ago,and was supposed to enter long term discipleship program,but did not show up.Please pray that someone would hear from her and that she would catch Hope for change and healing.
Amanda-27,in a program on N.Jersey,pray foe ongoing healing and hope for a future free of this bondage to heroin.
Brittany and Jeff-young married couple with 5 children between them.All of the kids in their families care.Both are heavily heroin addicted but open to conversation and want to change.The hardest thing we always face with couples is them leaving each other to enter treatment.It is virtually impossible unless they separate to help them.
