Imagine yourself in the shoes of a young girl living in the Dominican Republic.
You awaken with the roosters and start your morning. At your mother's request, you watch after your younger siblings, wash the dishes and clothes, run to the colmado to retrieve items for lunch, and assist in preparing the mid-day meal. When it's time for school, you bathe, put on your school uniform, and walk or catch a moto to class.
At school, there is rarely any order and any education you are receiving is quickly swallowed up by the constant gossip, harassment, and peer pressure of your classmates. You walk or catch a moto home to begin preparing the evening meal. Day turns into night and you complete your homework in candle light as the electricity is out again. You turn in for bed (which you share with your siblings) and try to sleep before starting another day.
Like any other girl, you have dreams of becoming something grand and doing something important... just like every other girl, you long to be loved and accepted for who you are.
Yet, the opportunities for young girls here are few. Sports are not really encouraged and the cost for dance or English classes would come last to feeding the family and paying the power bill. Girls go to school, help at home, and train for the day they have their own family, which for many, is closer than you'd think.
Every girl is taught to find a man whom will take care of them once they leave their parents' home. Unfortunately, it is believed that the "sure-fire" way to keep a man is to have his children. But even then, many of the men refuse to be legally bound in marriage, coming and going as they please.
The area in which we live there is also an understanding that the white man, or gringo, is the answer to all of life's problems. Not only does this leave people dependent on handouts, but this finds many young girls and women walking the streets of Sosua in search of their own Cinderella story. Young girls become young single-mothers as they learn to enlist the help of their own daughters in the everyday tasks of life.
And so the cycle repeats.
But Jesus came to break the cycles man made. He came to bring hope of a better love, a higher calling, and an eternal life.
When we were praying about a name for this girls' program, we bounced a lot of ideas around... Chicas Dinamica (Girl Power), ¡Las Chicas Pueden! (Girls Can!), Chicas Puras y Preparadas (Pure and Ready Girls)... but one name stood out above all names for me.
When Jesus' words to a little girl in Mark 5 were suggested for this program, chills fell upon me and I knew this was it.
How did I know?
Because Jesus spoke the same words to me not very long ago.
As I've mentioned before, the Lord did a real cleansing and healing work in my life before He sent me to the DR, and it was at this time that Jesus extended His hand and told me the same words He spoke to Jairus' daughter...
Jesus ministered to the hurt 12 year-old girl in me and invited me to arise for His glory. THIS is the name God has for these girls. These precious girls are to no longer lie dead in the sins and patterns of this world but to arise victoriously in Him.
You awaken with the roosters and start your morning. At your mother's request, you watch after your younger siblings, wash the dishes and clothes, run to the colmado to retrieve items for lunch, and assist in preparing the mid-day meal. When it's time for school, you bathe, put on your school uniform, and walk or catch a moto to class.
At school, there is rarely any order and any education you are receiving is quickly swallowed up by the constant gossip, harassment, and peer pressure of your classmates. You walk or catch a moto home to begin preparing the evening meal. Day turns into night and you complete your homework in candle light as the electricity is out again. You turn in for bed (which you share with your siblings) and try to sleep before starting another day.
Like any other girl, you have dreams of becoming something grand and doing something important... just like every other girl, you long to be loved and accepted for who you are.
Yet, the opportunities for young girls here are few. Sports are not really encouraged and the cost for dance or English classes would come last to feeding the family and paying the power bill. Girls go to school, help at home, and train for the day they have their own family, which for many, is closer than you'd think.
Every girl is taught to find a man whom will take care of them once they leave their parents' home. Unfortunately, it is believed that the "sure-fire" way to keep a man is to have his children. But even then, many of the men refuse to be legally bound in marriage, coming and going as they please.
The area in which we live there is also an understanding that the white man, or gringo, is the answer to all of life's problems. Not only does this leave people dependent on handouts, but this finds many young girls and women walking the streets of Sosua in search of their own Cinderella story. Young girls become young single-mothers as they learn to enlist the help of their own daughters in the everyday tasks of life.
And so the cycle repeats.
But Jesus came to break the cycles man made. He came to bring hope of a better love, a higher calling, and an eternal life.
When we were praying about a name for this girls' program, we bounced a lot of ideas around... Chicas Dinamica (Girl Power), ¡Las Chicas Pueden! (Girls Can!), Chicas Puras y Preparadas (Pure and Ready Girls)... but one name stood out above all names for me.
When Jesus' words to a little girl in Mark 5 were suggested for this program, chills fell upon me and I knew this was it.
How did I know?
Because Jesus spoke the same words to me not very long ago.
As I've mentioned before, the Lord did a real cleansing and healing work in my life before He sent me to the DR, and it was at this time that Jesus extended His hand and told me the same words He spoke to Jairus' daughter...
While [Jesus] was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." And He allowed no one to follow Him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when He had entered, He said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at Him. But He put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with Him and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand He said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And He strictly charged them that no one should know of this, and told them to give her something to eat." Mark 5:35-44
Jesus ministered to the hurt 12 year-old girl in me and invited me to arise for His glory. THIS is the name God has for these girls. These precious girls are to no longer lie dead in the sins and patterns of this world but to arise victoriously in Him.
"Talita cum... Chica, a ti te digo, ¡levántate!"
Jesus is reaching out His hand to every one of the girls in Villa Enmanuel, Villa Liberacion, and Villa Zion and calling them to ARISE... Levántate... Talita Cum.
As I've shared the program's name with Dominican women and pastors, the reaction has been thrilling... I could see the Holy Spirit do something in each one as they inhaled to proclaim, "¡Santos! ¡Hallelujah!"
Sharing this name with the girls yielded a different response... "Talita... huh?" But in each group of girls at least one knew the story. As we read Mark 5 aloud, chills fell upon me again. God is personally inviting each girl to take His hand and arise for His glory.
We began each class with an ice-breaker in asking, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The girls all have aspirations to be and do great things, and they long so dearly for someone to believe in them and love them right here and now.
I shared with the girls a little bit of my own hurt at their age (you can read about it HERE), and how Jesus has greater plans than the enemy... They may not know it yet, but every lie ever breathed that they're not good enough or that they have to strive to be loved has already been destroyed. We've overcome the world through Jesus! (1 John 5:4)
God has placed the strongest burden on my heart to encourage each girl that He has a purpose for them and loves them with the purest love of a Father. He knows each girl intimately and is calling them by name. He knows every hair on their heads and every passion in their hearts... unique passions only He can fulfill in His timing for His glory.
And He wants nothing more than the love of His daughters. In a country so broken and twisted, Jesus is reaching out His hand and inviting these girls to arise and follow Him. (I can't get enough of this!)
Please be praying for each of the girls, that they all come to know and accept His calling to follow Him and Him alone.
As I've shared the program's name with Dominican women and pastors, the reaction has been thrilling... I could see the Holy Spirit do something in each one as they inhaled to proclaim, "¡Santos! ¡Hallelujah!"
Sharing this name with the girls yielded a different response... "Talita... huh?" But in each group of girls at least one knew the story. As we read Mark 5 aloud, chills fell upon me again. God is personally inviting each girl to take His hand and arise for His glory.
We began each class with an ice-breaker in asking, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" The girls all have aspirations to be and do great things, and they long so dearly for someone to believe in them and love them right here and now.
Abogadas (Lawyers)
Una Biologa (Biologist) Enfermeras (Nurses)
Profesoras (Teachers)
Cantantes (Singers)
Actriz (Actress)
I shared with the girls a little bit of my own hurt at their age (you can read about it HERE), and how Jesus has greater plans than the enemy... They may not know it yet, but every lie ever breathed that they're not good enough or that they have to strive to be loved has already been destroyed. We've overcome the world through Jesus! (1 John 5:4)
God has placed the strongest burden on my heart to encourage each girl that He has a purpose for them and loves them with the purest love of a Father. He knows each girl intimately and is calling them by name. He knows every hair on their heads and every passion in their hearts... unique passions only He can fulfill in His timing for His glory.
And He wants nothing more than the love of His daughters. In a country so broken and twisted, Jesus is reaching out His hand and inviting these girls to arise and follow Him. (I can't get enough of this!)
Please be praying for each of the girls, that they all come to know and accept His calling to follow Him and Him alone.
WOW!! What powerful words for a powerful ministry! Those girls are beautiful and precious!
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