…a story that deserves to be heard.
One day last week I felt like I should be the one to stay back and watch the tents!
So all the other girls went to go help in the day care and the clinic while I sat to guard the tents.
All the sudden, I realized I needed to go to the bathroom in a bad way…So I ran to our neighbor and asked quickly if she would watch our stuff and ran to the squatty potty all the way across the community..this was not my favorite experience. BUT when I came back, our neighbor was standing out by our tents. I went over to thank her and we ended up talking for the next hour.
Her name is Michelle.
She looked at my Bible, journal, devotional and pens that I had left laying on the ground. She asked if I was having GPT (which she called God Personal Time). I told her I was and smiled as that opened the door for a fantastic conversation. I felt so blessed as she started to open up to me. I got to hear her story and how her step dad used to drink a lot and attempted to attack and rape her at age 16.
She was taken out of her home when the case was taken to court. She said her step dad was only sentenced to three months in jail. They places her in a safe house called the Nehemiah House. She told me that's where she found the Lord and learned to have personal quiet times and bible studies. She said that once the case was closed she had to leave and went to live with extended family, having to forgive her step father since he was now back in her life again. I could not even imagine how hard that was for her to accept.
Later on, she got the opportunity to go back and share the love of Jesus that the girls at The Nehemiah House had shown her working with them for two years until she met her boyfriend and became pregnant with her beautiful baby Carol.
She survived the typhoon last year eight months pregnant on top of a roof because the water had risen too high to stay inside the house. As she braved the strong winds and violent rain, she said she was praying the Lord would either keep her from harm or take her life right then. God kept her and her unborn baby safe.
At only twenty years old, her strength amazes me. As we kept talking, she informed me she was excited to be getting married this weekend! I asked her if she needed a haircut before then..she blushed and giggled as she accepted. I love when God can use a gift to bring an absolute blessing to a beautiful girl who needs it :). I also got to offer our team to take pictures and have Abby be their photographer and print off pictures as a gift for their wedding!
Her life is one of many that was spared through the horrible storm last year. She awaits her turn when the government will pay to send her and her family to live in permanent housing.
For now, she works hard from dawn till dark, taking care of what they do have and their sweet eight month old. She has loved on us since the day we got here. She was the first person I got to talk to as she peeked her head out from around her curtains the first morning after our arrival. She has been such a blessing to our team. I cannot wait to attend her wedding this weekend and get to celebrate the beginning of a beautiful life with her husband and family.
Her story, her life, and her love for people despite circumstances inspires me and encourages me to be thankful for the small things, to give generously, and love without limits.
