Empowerment

Three years ago when I first came to ElSalvador I met two young girls. Beautiful girls. Innocent girls. Full of life and smiles. Eager to communicate with the Canadians and to be a part of what we were doing in their village. Behind their smiles and deep brown eyes are stories...many of them sad, but they hid them well. They had a home built for them at one time and sadly their father slowly sold their home piece by piece for alcohol.

Here we are this week and those girls are back. But they look different. They are different. They carry a burden that is becoming too heavy for them. They are teetering on the fence of innocence. They are desperate to feel love and they are seeking to be loved. They are willing to give themselves away for what they believe is love. They are desperate for the love of a father and they don't see value in themselves or who God has fashioned them to be. They are insecure and and have no dreams. They are caught in a cycle that must be broken. It is heartbreaking and they are only 2 of many many beautiful girls.

As a team last night we prayed specifically in regard to this. That in someway, in the short time that we are here that we would be able to speak into the lives of these two girls in particular and that God would also provide opportunities for long term relationships to be established with these girls and others so that dramatic change could take place. That they might become empowered women who have a voice and can fulfill their dreams as God has planned for them. Praise God the He is so incredible that He answered one of those prayers. Here in ElSalvador it would not work to have a man as our interpreter with the girls and unfortunately as wonderful as our interpreter is....he is a man. Tonight we got news that we have found a female interpreter so that a couple of women on the team might be able to build on those relationships and be led by God to talk to and pour into the lives of these girls. This is so amazing. This is God right here...right now! If you are reading these, please pray specifically for Rosa and Estefani (Stephanie) and for all the young women of ElSalvador. God has brought them to our attention and we need to pray for them.

Leisha