Two passions meet

Obviously I have a passion for Haiti. But I have another passion that fewer people know about. It’s encouraging and loving on girls/young women and helping them to see that their identity cannot be found in materialistic things, boys, success, status, or anything else, but that their identity can only be found in Christ. And when that identity is realized, their beauty is revealed. Yesterday afternoon, God brought my two passions together.

For the most part, my closest friends in Haiti are guys because there are a lot of young men that work for Lifeline but few females and none that are my age. Because I work with these men a lot, I’ve gotten to know them the most and have become good friends with them. However, this summer, I have gotten to know more girls, most of them in their late teens, but it has been such a blessing to develop some girl friends this time! Yesterday I was sitting outside reading, and I saw young woman, Jordanie, walking my way. I’d talked with her a few times but didn’t really know her other than she’s the girl that everyone knows as the singer because she has a beautiful voice. She sat down and we began talking. (It amazes me how God opens my ears and mouth to understand enough Creole at times when I can’t rely on anyone else.) She was telling me about her family and said that her father isn’t around. I asked if he died, and she said no. He is crazy in the head and abandoned her and her mother when she was very young. “I’m going to cry,” she told me and continued as her eyes welled up with tears. He is not a part of her life and does not love her. She also told me that she doesn’t have girl friends here in Haiti because girls here aren’t always too nice. The friends she has are guys because they encourage her to sing for the Lord.

My heart broke for her, and as I saw her eyes well with tears, mine started to do the same. The hurts in her life are not specific to Haiti. Her longing to have friendship and be loved is the desire of every girl and woman. Every female on this planet wants to know that she is loved and that someone will be there to fight for her, and I think the most important initial source of that love that a girl can know, is the love from her earthy father. When girls don’t experience that, it has lasting effects on their life and relationships down the road. I wrapped my arms around my nineteen year old friend and was thankful for the words God gave me in Creole: “I want you to know that even when you don’t have the love from your father here in Haiti or on this earth; when girls are not nice, and you don’t have any friends; you have a Father in heaven who will always love you and always be there for you. He will never abandon you, and you are His daughter. I know you already know that, but never forget that.” Her eyes glistened over with tears again as I spoke. Oh how my heart broke for her while simultaneously overflowed with love for Jordanie.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2: 9) Jordanie, you are the daughter to the King. You are His princess, and He lavishes His love on you.