Two months of my summer spent in Mexico City and my life (and heart) will never be the same. I left Mexico this past Sunday, but a chunk of my heart stayed there. It’s amazing to think about how much I’ve been blessed by simply spending some of my time sharing God’s love with His children in Mexico.This final week working for Camino a Casa was very enjoyable, yet very difficult. I spent the entire week solely with the girls. I helped the older girls at the apartment where I was staying at with their chores and with some cooking. These young women are each so inspiring and beautiful; they have survived years of abuse and now strive to achieve those dreams God has revived in them. As their adoptive “mama Keila” they each shared frequent hugs, laughs, and conversations with
me. And being older than most of them, I had the unique opportunity of sharing advice about decisions they are making currently.At the safe home, I was able to spend tons of quality time with all the girls this week. First, I helped them by stenciling their favorite figures on their bedroom walls and we later painted them together in fun, bright colors. Later in the week, we made beaded bracelets together and although it was quite a challenge to do so with ten or so girls asking me for help every minute or so, I managed to do so quite patiently without losing it! We also had our last computer class during which the girls made me proud by all knowing how to correctly use their laptop computer and remembering most of the information I taught them during my time as their computer teacher. Overall, it was a great week creat
ing wonderful memories with girls who are living the childhood they were partially deprived of; a childhood which God has now redeemed beautifully.During the time I spent with Camino a Casa, I bonded with all the girls and our hearts became mutually attached even more than I could have imagined. My last day at the safe home, my heart was shattered when I hugged a 14 year old girl (unnamed for security reasons) who as feisty as she can be, looked at me with tears in her eyes as she asked me why I had to go away. I held her tightly as she sobbed in my arms and all I could do was reassure her that I would never forget her and that as much as I loved her, our heavenly Father loved her even more and would always be by her side. But inside, I felt horribly for being another person that in a way was walking out of her life. That’s just one difficult moment with one girl; the others were not any easier. It was so difficult to say goodbye, but I do hope God allows me to return to see them someday again.
As I sit and process on my time in Mexico, I remember how only God can truly comfort and protect the children I have met and grown to love. I remember one of the girl’s bible with the words “Dios me proteje” (God protects me) handwritten on its cover. And the lyrics of the song “Esther” by the band, Esterlyn, come to mind:
“He comforts the lonely, He hears their cry, He is love,He holds the children throughout the night, He is love, He knows your name,
A father to the fatherless,
A healer of the brokenness,
You make beauty from the ashes,
A helper to the helpless, A fighter for the hopeless, You love those who are alone.”
Once again, thank you so very much for all your support and prayers these past months. My time in Mexico City has been a time of much growth and awareness; something that is never easy, but is always very worthwhile. There exists great need for the legal protection of children in Mexico. Please continue praying that God keeps opening doors for me (and many others) to be equipped, to seek His justice, and to strive to make a difference to help children in Mexico. For now, I am very grateful that God has given me the privilege of meeting some of His beloved princesses in Mexico, teaching me to love them, while allowing me to be enriched with the beauty and inspiration they each have shared with me.