And this week you get to meet another girl that has become quite special to me during my time here… Vanessa!
Vanessa is the oldest of the girls, 14 years old, and is definitely the most mature as well. When at the children’s home, you will rarely see Vanessa playing around with the rest of the kids. It’s not that she is being rude or doesn’t enjoy them, she is just more mature now. She isn’t into “playing around” anymore. She prefers more teenage/adult activities. Sitting around chatting, listening to music, walking around with the other older girls, helping with the babies, etc. And she is extremely helpful, always helping whenever asked (or on her own initiative) and without any complaints!
Vanessa came to the home about three years ago along with her cousin Maria Fe. Before coming, she lived with her aunt or grandmother for most of her life, rarely spending any time with her mother or father, who separated when she was very young. I’m not a psychologist by any means, but if I had to assess Vanessa, I would say that this girl has it together! Based on the time that I have spent with her, I would say that Vanessa is an emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy young woman! She is a self-professing Christian and constantly seeks to grow in her faith.
However, despite her “having it all together”, there are still struggles that come with living at an orphanage. It seems at times that though Vanessa would love nothing more than to spread her wings and conquer the world, that living at an orphanage often restricts her in doing so. She is ready to grow up and move on in the world, finding what she loves to do, and living her life to the fullest! I have no doubt in my mind that as time progresses, this girl will do some pretty awesome things!
Please keep Vanessa in your prayers this week. Pray for opportunities for new experiences, and for direction into what area she might pursue once she is a little older. Pray for peace in Vanessa’s heart, that God is with her in the difficult times as well as the not-so-difficult, and that He will be guiding her throughout her entire life. Pray that Vanessa’s confidence would be in Christ, and not in trying to live up to other people’s expectations. And pray that if it is in God’s will, that Vanessa, though 14 years old already, would be placed in a family that loves her and cares for her, and helps her in pursuing all of her dreams. That is one of my my biggest prayers for Vanessa; that she would be blessed with a family to give her the love and one on one attention that that she desires and deserves.
