walter hoving home

this past sunday i visited the walter hoving home for women in pasadena. i'd never been there before and didn't even know that such a place existed in this area. i went with my friend roraine, and we met up with lots of other women from both mosaic and world vision. we were all there to serve dinner to the ladies who live in the home and try to connect with them. i didn't know what to expect, and i was actually a little nervous. i had been told that the women there were all former prosititutes who are trying to turn their lives around...i didn't know how i would connect with them or if they'd even be interested in conecting with me. but i worried needlessly. the women there were nothing short of amazing. my pastor's wife, kim, gave a little testimony/sermon after the dinner part was over. she used scripture from proverbs and she made it a point to interrupt herself every so often to ask if anyone could relate to what she was reading/talking about - personal experience and praise. i was amazed at the number of women who literally jumped up out of their seats, eager to share about their pasts and how God had "delivered" them. many of them spoke through tears as they recounted what their lives used to consist of, compared to what their lives consist of now. they all gave praise and thanks to God for His grace and unwavering love. God was restoring these women, and the transformations were palpable and beautiful and humbling. i was in awe [and tears!], sitting there, listening to these very personal stories. and they not only shared their stories, but they also broke out in song! they assembled themselves into a choir, and we all sang together. it was truly an inspiring evening. i went there to serve them, but instead they served me.