update 1: preparing to go

Sarah

dear friends,

Im so thankful for all the many pieces coming together as I prepare to go. Making sure all the contacts and networks in my head were shared with the right people, that those taking up leadership with NFS and Amirah had everything they needed to carry things on while im gone (they will do an fantastic job of it!!). I finally went to the travel clinic and got 4 shots and had very sore arms last week - and ive been fighting off a cold for the past 2 weeks, but am feeling better. I am armed with Malaria meds and anti-biotics in case of stomach issues... i've nearly packed - and i am SO thankful to everyone who has been so supportive, but financially and will encouragement and prayer! I am enjoying seeing many of you the last few days - and soaking in the fun and fellowship of my awesome housemates.

Im excited to head off tomorrow - and would love your prayers that I will remain focused on the Hope that we have in Christ - and never get distracted by the depths of evil and darkness that surround us. It is amazing that God invites us to join him in this work of redemption! Thank you for being a part of it too!

Blessings, and we will write more once we land in India!

Nika
Praises (I attached my original letter, in case you need a refresher on our trip and team)

• Logistics: The logistics have ironed out incredibly smoothly! Visas, tickets, medications, clothing, housing etc. It has been amazing. People have helped us out with practical advice, gifts and borrowed items. It has been incredible.And, we are pretty much all packed!
  
• Fundraising: Are you kidding me? It's as though God wanted to leave no room for doubt as to whether his abundant blessing is on this trip. The trafficking awareness and (super tasty) fundraising dinner at our house was BEAUTIFUL, well attended and incredibly encouraging! The money continues to come in just as we need it. People have been remarkably generous, often giving magnitudes more than they originally pledged. We have received several large gifts, both to the abolitionist work and for my family's particular expenses. This is quite a praise. Also, very generous people have lent us money or made purchases for us to tide us over until our income and fundraising can cover our expenses. This has helped cash flow and made it possible for us to do everything more or less on time.
• Other family Financial: I got a job! It starts when I return, is designed for my special interests, and is half-time, so allows me to spend half of my time writing and doing abolitionist work. I also received a fellowship from BU Law to help further my work in the abolition movement, so now I am on faculty there through June! These funds will help with some of the prayer requests below :). Another praise is that I was able to do various workouts with all but one of my student loans that came due while I still did not have a job.
• Spiritual: Our family continues to be very excited and to have tremendous peace about this trip. God's peace and encouragement has been with us strongly, directly, through each other and through others, like you! You have offered so many words of encouragement and support that have cheered our hearts.
  
• Professional: Consuela's school and Marcos's job have been very encouraging. They will both be able to work in India and maintain their studies, workload via internet posts from their respective workplaces.

Requests:

• Safety: Please pray as you are led, and let us know if God puts anything on your heart to share. This includes spiritual safety, as well as physical and other forms of safety. It also includes the safety of our material possessions. That they'd function well, that I wouldn't break things, and that no one would steal our stuff (unless God has purpose in that).
  
• Personal: Marcos and I are coming through a very tough year. We have only just come up for air, but God has been so gracious to both of us. We are newly healed and healing. Please pray that this trip would be a continued healing balm and that our marriage and love would bring God and us delight and glory. Also, that I would continue to grow in my ability to receive love and to feel emotional love, joy and passion. Pray that I would withstand the temptation to replace God with other relationships and rather that God would use those relationships to bless me and others through his designs and effort, not mine. This has been an area of intense pain and challenge for me my whole life and even in recent days. I think it spiritually relates to the work of trafficking, but I am just beginning to learn how. Please pray for my protection and learning, as well as for increased spiritual maturity and faith in this area.
• Financial: I have some remaining student loan stuff to work out. It'll get sorted, but some of the timing issues are a bit tricky. Pray that I remain diligent, and that one lender, in particular, is a bit more consistent and easier to work with.
• Pray that C has fun! And develops meaningful relationships with people her age and others.
  

Mission

• We want hearts that see and understand God at work, especially in those unexpected or lowly places.
  
• We want to be good listeners, encouragers and supporters, especially of his people.
• We want to be infused with God's vision.
• Nika is bringing some materials from the law school to share with local non-profit, business, government and church leaders. There is a possibility that the school would send students and professors for future training and/or logistical support on legislative and other responses to social and public health ills, like trafficking, if the folks in Kolhapur and beyond are interested. Prayer that God would make his will crystal clear in this area.
• We want to encourage the children, women and others involved in trafficking that God's love is available right now, even as we seek long-term solutions for their natural bondage. Pray for continued deliverance and that God would use broken people, like us and those being trafficked, to shine his light and message to all of India and beyond!
• Pray for great relationship building and that the Holy Spirit's unity, love and humility would pervade all of our interactions with his people.
• We want to have fun! And to be fun for others. God's joy is so important. And it's his desire that we rejoice in this gift of life on earth.
• Pray that the local churches are also catching God's vision for tearing down the system of trafficking and building up his Kingdom of love and justice in its place. Pray for God to inspire individuals and connect us to them and them to each other according to his Master Plan.
• Pray for healing, spiritual and natural, for all involved.
• We need the continual outpouring of God's resources and not to be deceived by the candy and pretty tricks that the enemy waves before us. At the same time, we want to work lovingly, strategically and sensibly with people of all religious and secular backgrounds, rich and poor, high positions and low.
• Pray that our team will be filled with respect and love for one another. So far, so good. And for uplifted and positive spirits and perspectives.
• Pray for the right connections with the right people. Including both large groups, like World Vision and International Justice Missions, and small groups, like this powerful group of intercessors who has contacted us. We've also made contact with a trafficking law firm. Pray for focus and God's viewpoint as we make difficult decisions about how to focus our time and activities.
• Pray for wisdom with issues of confidentiality around the child trafficking, in particular. These sensitivities cannot be discussed here, but feel free to contact us using a gmail or other secure account (url address says "https:" instead of just "http:" if you'd like to pray more specifically.
• Pray for money laundering, caste oppression, sex addiction, and self-loathing strongholds to be brought down with mighty roar that brings glory to God and releases justice, love and freedom! May his Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven!