This month in Guatemala, we were living at a girls home through an organization called Hope Renewed. This home provides foster care for about 30 girls who have been taken out of their homes by the government due to horrific abuse in one way or another. The ages of the girls ranged from 2-18 years old.Hope Renewed gives them a safe place to sleep and a safe place to run around. The girls get the opportunity to go to school, they get three filling meals each day and a roof over their heads. And most importantly, they are surrounded by a loving community. Our main job at this ministry…to simply love.
The moment we stepped foot on the compound, the girls came running with arms stretched open and kisses for everyone. There had never been visitors who have stayed longer than two days, so the fact that we were staying with them for a month made them ecstatic. We slowly began knowing each of them by name, and they began to nickname us to make it easier to pronounce. They taught us hand clapping games in Spanish that were probably played 15 times a day, every day. We had soccer tournaments, dance parties, UNO games, special retreats, dress up shows, cooking lessons, haircut appointments, and a lot of “hammocking”; aka how many of the girls can fit in one without it breaking.
These girls were filled with joy and filled with life. However, many were not oozing with happiness, because behind the curtain came deep deep wounds that robbed a piece of who they are. But joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness is based on circumstances. Joy is based on God. So there were many times, where in the midst of their day to day activities, would come great pain. Pain that would lead them to tears and the only comfort we could offer were loving arms to wrap around them and their sorrowful hearts. We would be in the middle of working on homework, or in the kitchen helping prepare meals, when a piece of the curtain would be pulled back. And although I didn’t speak the language and had no words to comfort them, the Father knew that all they needed was someone to hold them and let them know how deeply loved they are. And in each moment when the pain would come to surface, a little ray of light and freedom entered into the place of their pain, breaking the chains that they feel so trapped by.
We may never understand why bad things happen to us or to the people we love. But just because we will never come to understand such things, does not mean we must stop trusting God, who has continuously proven over and over again that he loves us. You see, these girls were in the midst of processing their past and seeking freedom, and in that, they were experiencing great joy and freedom; joy and freedom that can only come from God himself.
God reminds us in Proverbs 8:17 that “Those who seek me find me.” Their abusers were not seeking him, but it has led these girls to seek Him with all their heart. And although these girls don’t understand why they fell victim to such things, some have chosen to forgive those who caused such hurt, they have continued looking for God, and have given up their past and their future to Him.
Christine Cain says it best, “The very thing that the enemy uses to try to destroy your life is the very thing God uses to help others. God can heal every hurt and can turn your scars into signs of strength for his glory.”
The beautiful thing about this month was that we truly knew these girls, despite the language barrier and the same few words spoken each day. We knew them and they knew us. The relationships that were formed were real, and made every goodbye that much harder.
God is not done writing these girls’ stories. He has closed a chapter to begin a new one. A chapter of hope, of cleansing, and freedom.
