Something I have noticed about this community apart from what the scheduled reasons for me being here look like- I really want to show the young women here what beauty is. No matter where we are Filipinos have said, “hello” then followed to calling us ‘beautiful’. Now don’t get me wrong, who doesn’t like being called beautiful? It is flattering and sweet and brings a smile to the face of my team.
As I have aged I have redefined what beauty is to me. Beauty is how the Lord sees me. His creations are beautiful simply because they are His creations. I am set apart and made with characteristics that are only from Him & in a sense that’s how these locals see me. I am different than them, I have white skin and blonde hair, and that is their definition of beauty. No matter if I’m showered and put together or sweaty and covered in who knows what kind of dirt, they think I am beautiful. That’s our God views us, no matter the moment, we are made in his image, his child, and we are a glimpse of his beauty.
The problem with this is although the group of girls I have been hanging out with view me as beautiful, their definition of beauty does not define themselves. One girl said repeatedly, “I am not beautiful, I am not beautiful”
I look at them and see their beauty. I see their beauty in their tan skin, lively eyes, soft hair, radiant smiles, sweet giggles, and gentle hugs.
Then I look to the Lord and I ask Father why? Among the struggles these souls deal with here in Tacloban, why add another to the mix? Why rob themselves of self-love?
God has a sense of humor and responded to me with a laugh- and I get it, I have wasted so much energy on what I think beauty should be, when it does not even matter because I am beautiful in Him.
Sooooo, goal #1 of hanging in Tacloban for the next month- no matter the moment I will not let these girls walk by without them hearing how beautiful they are not only in my eyes but in the eyes of Christ. I will be intentional to learn who they are and affirm in them concrete characteristics that are unique to them that make them beautiful. I will aim to show them the gospel and truth by encouraging their self-worth and by the time I leave here I want them to believe and know they are a beautiful daughter of our King.
