Heart of Christ
In August 2006, I entered Southeastern University as a freshman with so much excitement and joy.. I remember one night calling my father and telling him that I decided on a major, I was going to study pastoral theology. I remember this conversation vividly because he told me not to study pastoral theology but to get a “secular” degree that I didn’t need a pastoral degree for ministry. I locked myself in my closet and cried for hours. I cried out to the Lord because he knew my heart and he knew that I so badly just want to serve him and his people and I thought a pastoral degree was the way to go. Sitting in my closet I felt in my heart that I had to major in Criminal Justice and psychology and that is what I did. When I graduated college I could not find a job in my field and I was very upset. I spoke with my father and told him that this secular degree didn’t help me at all and that I should of gotten the other degree. I was so confused as to why I studied what I studied. Yes, I have a passion for troubled youth, and yes I love counseling but to me that wasn’t enough. After this month at Heart of Christ I 100% understand why God had me study Criminal Justice and Psychology. He had a plan after all.
At Heart of Christ I mainly worked with the girls who were raped and became pregnant raging from ages 13-17. I loved on them, I counseled them, and just served them in any way possible. These girls are very hurt, broken, and abused girls. Some of them were very hard to deal with and we even had to take one to court for misbehavior. These beautiful girls were raped by fathers, grandfathers, uncles, stepfathers, friends of fathers, etc. They don’t trust people and are afraid of being abandoned or hurt by others.
When I first arrived at Heart of Christ the girls were very apprehensive of the team and weren’t all that happy to see the “gringos” but since I was the only one who spoke Spanish they quickly connected with me. The crazy thing was that when I first arrived God grew this huge love for the girls in my heart. I instantly loved them and I knew my mission for the month was to help the girls, counsel the girls, help them heal if even for just a little while. The three weeks I was at heart of Christ I allowed the girls to get to know me, to trust me, I played with them because they are young girls. With time they began sharing their testimonies, their fears, their joy and that blessed me in such a great way. They have dark past but they are beautiful girls with bright futures.
The girls
Milagros- she was raped by her father’s friend at the age of 13 and became pregnant. He father a police officer threatened to kill her with his pistol three times and her stepmother tried to poison her. She escaped but lives with such an intense fear and is now a cutter. Yet, she has the best laugh and sense of humor. She loves her baby and loves music. She has promised me to stop cutting.
Michelle- she was raped at 9 by her stepfather and became pregnant by him at age 11. She became pregnant at age 11 and had her baby at age 12 and she just recently turned 13 and her baby is 5 months old. She told me that when she first got pregnant she didn’t want the baby but when she had the baby she asked God to help her love her child because she didn’t. Today she says she loves her baby more than anything. She is one of the best mother’s and she is only 13.
Geydi- she is 17 and was raped by her uncle and two pastor’s sons so she does not know who the father is. She believes in her heart that God’s love is conditional and because she misbehaved and did drugs that her outcome in life is bad because of all of that. The three weeks I was there I tried to tell her that God’s love is unconditional and I think by the end of the month she was beginning to believe that.
The Toddlers- two of the toddlers at Heart of Christ are products of rape and incest. They were abandoned by their teenage mothers.
My time with these girls changed my life. They made me understand that God has called me to love on the “troubled” kids, to love and support the kids and teens that no else wants. The gang members, the raped, the hurt and the broken. God has given me such a heart for this group of people and this is where my degree comes into play. I know the criminal system and I know how to help someone with internal damage and pain. I plan to further my education and get a Masters in Social work so that I can better help young people like the beautiful girls at Heart of Christ.
So thank you dad for pushing me and suggesting that I study Criminal Justice and Psychology because I know see that it was God’s plan all along.
