But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Psalm 10:14
On my recent trip to Guatemala I had the privilege and blessing to meet Shirley. Shirley is a 6 year old girl who lives with her mom, Suni, on the edge of the dump in Guatemala City. She is a beautiful little girl with a vibrant smile and spirit. She has no father in her life, and has a quite challenging situation to live through. Getting to spend a little bit of time with her though, was such a blessing for me.
I met Shirley as we were doing home visits with another organization, Potter’s House, that works with the dump community. When we entered her home, most of the team immediately gravitated toward Suni, the mother, and started sharing the gospel with her. I saw Shirley just laying on the bed in the small room coloring. No one seemed to pay attention to her or think that she may benefit from the same message. (I don’t mean that to be critical, just as my observation.)
As I saw Shirley laying there coloring, I sensed God telling me to sit next to her and just chat with her. As we were talking she became curious about what the whole team was doing around her mom. I shared with her that they were telling her mom more about the loving Father that God is. Shirley was quite interested in this, and so I shared with her about how God is a Father to the fatherless, and how He is not like man… He is faithful, loving, and will never leave nor forsake His children. I shared the Gospel message of Jesus’ life and sacrifice for us that we might know the Father. As I shared this with Shirley, her eyes lit up and a huge smile crossed her face! There was an evident longing and hope in her for a Father like that!! She hugged me and clung to me after I had shared with her. (See the photo below of Shirley and me.)
There is trouble and grief in Shirley’s life, as she is living in a single-parent home/shack on the edge of the dump in immense poverty. She is victim of a situation that was not her fault. Please join me in praying for Shirley!! Pray that God will be her Father; that she will know Him and His intimate and faithful love for His children! Please pray that God will provide a way for Shirley to have an opportunity for a hope and a bright future! Pray for provision and purpose to be granted to Shirley and her mom, Suni! And please pray that more of us Christians will truly rise up and pursue God’s heart to hear, hold, and help the millions of children who live in very similar situations to those that Shirley is living in!
