Senator's Wife Joins Outreach to Geylang's Street Girls

I'd like to use my blog to share the below article http://sg.christianpost.com/dbase.php?cat=society&id=1901 It was published by The Christian Post and written by Edmond Chua on June 5,2012 during my trip to Singapore.   Senator's Wife Joins Outreach to Geylang's Street Girls What good could possibly come out of the death of a loved one? The tragic loss of a young daughter to accidental drug overdose was surely painful for U.S. state senator Kyle McCarter and his wife Victoria. Even so, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the sovereign God of grace He has revealed to humankind, the McCarters and their friends have channelled the pain of that unforgettable memory into a deep empathy for and a passionate service of other hurting young girls around the world. God's inspiration travelled as far as Singapore, where a pastor and former schoolmate of the McCarters', the Reverend Gerard Seow, on hearing about the death in 2006 of their daughter Amber was moved to start the Geylang Bless God (GBG) mission to help girls like her. As Victoria recalled Saturday in an interview with The Christian Post, the Rev. Seow, who was one of the McCarters' groomsmen at their wedding, on learning about Amber "was very touched in his heart and looked outside his window and saw the Amber Glory hotel and went out and started to give ice-cream to the girls who were on the street and decided that he needed to do something; it spurred him to action to help girls who were like Amber." For this reason, Victoria, together with her son Austin, is currently visiting with the Rev. Seow to "continue to support him in the work that he's doing here in Geylang and particularly with the girls behind the Amber Glory hotel," she explained. The McCarters, who are longtime friends with the Rev. Seow and his wife Lianne, had previously visited the mission in 2007. Since then, the American couple had been supporting the Geylang mission through their prayers, financial contributions and friendship. "When we came out the last time we brought gifts for all the girls on the streets, and we would like to help to raise even more funds to help the work that Pastor Gerry's doing with the girls," said Victoria, adding the Rev. Seow and his wife, and she and her husband Senator McCarter, share "the same vision for helping girls." During their five-day visit this time round, Victoria and Austin has been scheduled to speak at a number of meetings organised by the Geylang mission, as well at the Sunday service of the Oikos Fellowship led by the Rev. Seow. They have also been scheduled to participate in an evening walk through the back lanes of Geylang "asking God to touch those who are desperate for help but feel there is no hope" and distributing cookies, handing out roses, and giving hugs. In Victoria's view, the significance of the Geylang mission lies in its outreach to those in need who are often neglected by society. "I think that what's so special about it is that when you go out and you're with people who sometimes may not seem significant to others but God sees them as significant to others and when girls are doing things (like) prostitution or selling yourself on the street, it could be something that you don't want to get involved in," she said. "But for Pastor Gerry and his team to come out and say no, this is what Jesus would have done, we're going to be the hands and we're going to be the feet of Jesus, Jesus would have went right out there on the streets and done the same thing, and it's not with a finger of accusation or condemning; it's love, we're bringing you cookies, and we're bringing you some fresh baked goods, and we're praying with you." Victoria remembered how on an outreach during her previous visit to the mission, "all the women on the streets knew who Pastor Gerry and their team... were already in advance and they are eager and they loved having prayer." "And it's a very beautiful thing because that's what we're commissioned to do, that's the very thing that we are called to do, it's to go out to the hurting and that's why Jesus came." The McCarters have been very much involved with Christian missions and ministry work. Upon their marriage, the couple worked stateside for a year or two for an organisation called Each One Feed One, which was founded by Senator McCarter's father, before moving to Kenya to help build a healthcare clinic there. Senator McCarter's parents were already living in that country. While in Kenya, the McCarters welcomed the birth of two children: their daughter Amber and son Zachary. The couple have been active members of their church, Faith Family, for nearly 20 years now "doing just about everything from teaching in children's ministries to ushering," according to Victoria. "We started that church from the ground level," she said. "The very first day that church started we started there and we've been active members of that church now for 19 years." After Amber's demise, the couple became involved with Mercy Ministries, where they serve on the community board. Mercy Ministries helps girls between the ages of 13 and 28 who are struggling with life-controlling issues such as eating disorders, self-harm, unplanned pregnancy, depression, and those who have been rescued from human trafficking and prostitution; by bringing them into a home and teaching them about God and biblical principles for living and showing them that God has a purpose and a plan for their lives. The depth of Victoria's involvement with the work of Mercy Ministries is evident in her familiarity with the difficulties many young girls face. For instance, those with drug addictions are trapped in a vicious cycle of low self-esteem followed by a temptation to use drugs followed by guilt. This is why the ministry emphasises teaching the girls 'God' beliefs to counter 'ungodly' beliefs about themselves. Giving an example of how this happens, Victoria said that a girl "might think... 'I'm not worthy', but the Bible says that I am 'fearfully and wonderfully made' and that I am created in His (God's) image." She considers it a "beautiful opportunity for us working with Mercy Ministries to see girls overcome life-controlling issues, transformed by the power of God, girls that the world sees as hopeless or helpless but God; they fall into a pit, they think they can't get up and then God comes in, and heals, restores, and redeems them." Often after the girls graduate from the programme, the McCarters will have them live with them. "The programme they're in, they're in a home, they're with 30 other girls, it's kind of like a bubble, but then they get out onto the streets and sometimes they need a little bit more structure until they can go out on their own again," said Victoria. "So that's where we like to have girls live with us." On what could be done to inspire greater Christian involvement in ministering to hurting girls and other needy people, she highlighted a need to "understand that to honour God, we need to serve other people." "And when you get the opportunity to serve you may not always at first, share the Gospel with them; you need to earn their trust and you need to let them know that we don't point the finger of judgment at them, but God can heal, restore and redeem them, can transform their lives," said Victoria. "But first we need to see them as people and we need to do what we can to meet their needs; if they're hungry we need to bring them food, if they're thirsty we need to give them drink, and then through that we earn their trust." She feels that kindness is what really 'speaks' to people. After all, people can sense and feel that they are being judged. So Christians, she said, "need to show the love of Jesus - it's unconditional - that we're not judging them, we're not criticising them, but we know a God that can give them a future and a hope and transform their lives." "And that's what the Church does, what we have to do; we have to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a non-judgmental way," said Victoria.