Imagine yourself at 6 years old, what are you doing? Are you playing dress up with your best friend? Maybe you’re playing with dolls or playing make believe about your dream wedding. Perhaps you are running care free through the daisy filled grass with your mom and dad chasing you with huge smiles on their faces. Can you envision it? Its a beautiful and comforting feeling right?
Now imagine you are a 6 year old little girl living with all of your brothers and sisters with no father. You live in a shack with dirt as your floor, and your mom is so busy tending to the house and trying to get money that you are the one taking care of the kids. How are you feeling at this point? Are you scared and overwhelmed? Now add to that the fact that everyone tells you that you are beautiful and at the age of 6 you become a target in most men’s eyes. They watch you as you grow up to be a teenager, and most of the other boys look at your beauty and only want you because of that. Now imagine being taken advantage of and only being seen as someone’s fulfillment of their lustful desire. Its not a pretty feeling or visual is it? Sadly, this is the reality and life of many young girls and women here in the area of Panama that my team and I are serving in.
It is not uncommon for the women to be left and abandoned to tend to the house and children. It is heartbreaking to hear the life stories of these girls here and all they have been through, and or still are going through. It is devastating to be fearful of being beautiful. Its almost as though being pretty hurts (sorry Bey). It is so bad that this has become the norm here, and not much is being done about it. There is no education or awareness of what is going on and all I want to do is just grieve. I can literally feel the heartache taking affect even as I share this with you.
God never created women to be seen or viewed in this way. For any woman or girl reading this, know that God designed you as a helper and companion for man. HE designed you with care and love. He instilled his compassion in you. You are worth more than your looks and body. He desires you to beautify your character, not your outward appearance. I am so sorry for the way you feel as though you have been perceived. Not all men view you in this way and you should know that. God desires for you to be loved, first and foremost by him, and then by a man who Will love you in the same way Christ does.
Please be in prayer for the women and young girls in the Chiriquí district, primarily in Las Lajas and San Félix and the indigenous villages. Pray for the Lord to reveal and bring this issue to light and for him to send harvesters, both male and female to speak life, love and truth into these young girls and women.
Sincerely,
Dylan.
