From Gary Haugen’s intro:
St. Patrick was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He escaped, returned home where he found Christ.
He returned to the “barbaric” Ireland to take the gospel where he had been enslaved. His efforts resulted in the
“God does his miracles of transformation through the lives of transformed people.” Gary Haugen
Pranitha Timothy leads people out of slavery. She has led more than 50 rescue attempts–4,000 men, women and children–who she knows by name. They once lived in brutal slavery but now live in freedom.
She walks with them through years of restoration. When she leaves for a rescue operation there is not guarantee she will survive.
“My friend, colleague and most humble hero.”
Pranitha Timothy, Director of Aftercare, IJM, Chennai, India
“Courage to Act”
The restoration of people is not easy.
Isaiah 42:1-7 spoke to her in chapel. “In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.”
She is a brain tumor survivor. The tumor caused her to lose strength in her side, a lessened ability to swallow, and lost her voice.
After two years God gave me this voice, feeble and yet powerful in his hands. [Her voice is very quiet and raspy.]
The greatest miracle is not that God have me my voice, but that God changed my life. “In my hatred, my life became very dark. In my life I became aware that the only way to overcome the darkness was to embrace Jesus Christ whom I had rejected.”
This calling is my response to the freedom I have in Christ.
No matter what your sphere of influence, I think God wants you to hear this.
1. We are called to serve.
I’m no hero. I’m simply called to serve a God who is already at work. Over and over I have talked to slaves who cried out to a God they did not even know his name and God sent our team in response.
2. This life belongs to God.
My life is God’s and my strength is His. My husband, children and parents are safer in God’s hands than in mine.
3. I have learned the radical truth that God is good.
There are many stories that ended good and it would be easy to tell you only of those stories. Men and women who were once slaves who are now elected community leaders. We trust that God is totally good, even when what we see in the world is painful.
We are full of hope.
If you ever have a chance to hear Pranitha Timothy, do it. She is a living example of God demonstrating His strength through weakness.”
