IJM Global Prayer Gathering 2013

This past weekend I drove 4+ hours to see my best friends/former roommates/bridesmaids...and to pray.

This weekend my girls and I attended the Global Prayer Gathering 2013.

For starters, what is GPG 2013? 

The Global Prayer Gathering is an annual event held in Washington DC by International Justice Mission. IJM, which I talked about here, is a Christian human rights agency that works to rescue victims of violent oppression (slavery, sex trafficking, police brutality, etc.).

One weekend every year, staff, alumni and friends of IJM all come together to pray. We are educated about IJM's casework, we worship together, but mostly we pray and we pray hard. 

Founder, Gary Haugen, kicks off the opening reception

We pray for the holy spirit to move in the hearts of police and government officials in countries like Bolivia, Cambodia and India.

We pray that young girls who have been rescued from brothels might have the courage to testify against their abusers.

We pray for IJM staff who are up against an almost seemingly hopeless and impossible fight, they they may have the strength to persevere and the hope they good will always prevail.

We pray. And year after year, at the Global Prayer Gathering, we hear stories that are proof that our prayers are heard. 

My ladies and I reunited- and enjoying dinner at the GPG Opening Banquet.

By Saturday evening, I had literally prayed for hours. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted and felt that there was nothing I could offer up to God that wasn't redundant and lacking genuineness. But IJM leaders encouraged me to push through. I knew that I owed it to these young girls, to these widows and orphans, to the poorest of the poor to pray with every ounce of my being and believe that God would hear them.

At the end of my last session on IJM's work in Africa, I caught an amazing sight- Gary Haugen (whom is pretty much greater than Bono in my book) was on his knees, emotion etched across his face calling out to God on behalf of these victims. To see this man, whom I hold in such high esteem, so humbled and vulnerable was absolutely beautiful.

Gary Haugen and I at the Global Prayer Gathering in 2010

I love this event and I love this organization. The work they do is probably the most difficult in the world, but it is the most imperative. I would encourage anyone who happens to read this to pray for their work tonight, tomorrow, this week, this month and this year. And if you'd like to learn more about the Global Prayer Gathering, click here.