Dedos, Carolina, dedos.
It’s a mantra regularly spoken over this two year old with the Amarillo shoes and soft curls at her neck. We’re trying to get her to suck her thumb. I know that seems a bit backward, in the states, we’d be trying to break her of that habit to save her from other issues down the road. But for this sweet girl, sucking her thumb is a rather new option for self-soothing. You see, when your hands are bound in the way hers were, you simply can’t reach your thumb, so your wrist must do.
When Carolina was found and rescued, she was tied up, bruised, burned, infected with lice and scabies, and her little body had already been violated. She has an RBF that would scare anyone away. And yet, when she finally warms up to you, her mischievous smile and her caring spirit are contagious. Just today at lunch she was chasing me with her spaghetti covered hands (and face and shirt and legs), giggling as I tried to get away. It’s nearly impossible for me to see her past when I look at her, except for that pink knot of skin where she still sucks her wrist.
Dedos, Carolina, dedos.
Her story is not unique, nearly all of the kids stories bring the injustice in Honduras to light. Almost half of the children were born to mothers under the age of 14, who were often raped repeatedly by family members or boyfriends of their own mothers. The reality for women here is chilling. Domestic abuse is not a criminal offense in Honduras, and women rarely know where to turn for help. Even if there is a murder, a femicide, the criminal justice system only prosecutes around 5% of those cases. Most of them simply get shoved aside, since no one is advocating to push the cases through.
Mommy Gracie, a name the Honduran people have given her, is a light in the darkness for these women. They often call her instead of the police because they know she can get them help faster. One day this week, three mothers showed up (separately) at the compound looking for help – all before noon. She lets them know their rights and tells them who to find in Tegucigalpa. When she gets her justice center re-opened again next year, she can help them right here in Talanga. She had to close in recent years due to threats to her life, but she’s hopeful that the recent unveiling of corruption in the authorities will make things easier next year.
She has such strong faith that God has, and will continue to protect her. We talk often about hearing from the Holy Spirit and how to navigate the dangers of life in Honduras. She is a blessing to women and children in Honduras and a blessing to my World Race team. If you are interested in learning more about her ministry, please don’t hesitate to ask me, and in the meantime, check out her website: http://heartofchristhonduras.org/.
To end, here is one of Mommy Gracie’s favorite Bible quotes,
The Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede. ~Isaiah 59:15b-16a
