Full Circle

Tuesday morning, out in a very, very poor village close to the ocean, I had a moment.  The only way I can describe it is, ‘full circle’.  It was a moment that I REALLY needed.  The past five years living in El Salvador have been full of so many ups and down.  Usually, many more downs.  We are fighting a battle here with demonic forces.  They hate our family.  They hate our work, and they especially hate our God.  Inch by inch, we are advancing.  The process has been slow and very painful.  BUT, Tuesday morning, God gave me a big, glorious hug. 

Last November, at the Missionary Retreat we attended here in El Salvador, we were blessed to meet, among so many others, Sherry and Ron Latka.  They are a couple from Canada, and have lived and served in El Salvador for seven years.  They have been planting churches in extremely poor villages that are difficult to serve in.  They disciple, love, and serve their people in many ways.  While at the retreat, David and I spent time sharing our stories with them.  One of the things I mentioned was my heart for young moms.  I have such a passion to come alongside them and encourage them in their roles as moms.  In this country we have seen the GREAT need for biblical teaching on parenting.  Parental anger and abuse is what we see as a fruit of this lack of education. Single moms are especially affected as they struggle to raise little ones without the knowledge of how to do it. Without help, they continue to repeat the dysfunctional patterns of their own mothers. This has been a great burden for me, as a mom. 

A large part of our experience having Lupita and Keiry live with us, has been watching this unfold right before our eyes.  But we have had the opportunity to do something about it.  Lupita has been very open and teachable.  When she was pregnant with Keiry, she would cry and pray and ask God for help.  She was SURE that she did not want to repeat the cycle of broken parenting that she had learned from her mom.  But, how?  She was so afraid that because she didn’t know any better, she would be the same kind of mom.  Now, Lupita’s mom is not a horrible person.  She loves her children.  She just doesn’t know anything different than what SHE was taught as a child.  This means that in her attempts to love her children, without any guide to show her otherwise, she falls into the trap of frustration, anger, abuse, guilt, shame, overindulgence she was shown. Since Lupita came to live with us over a year ago, she has been learning and growing as a mom in beautiful ways.  I will share more about that at a different time.  But, she is hopeful, happy and grateful. 

Sherry Latka called me last month and asked me if I’d consider coming to one of her bible studies out in a very destitute community called, Chelama.  She has a group of young mommas out there who desperately need encouragement and teaching on parenting.  She thought it would be better if someone, other than herself, came and started a series on parenting, and she remembered me mentioning my heart for moms.  I KNEW at that moment, that this was God, opening a door for me that I had to walk through. 

I also knew that this would be a great opportunity for Lupita to share what she had been learning.  She has everything in common with these young momma’s.  So, I asked her to join me, and she excitedly said, “Yes!”  She and Keiry and I headed out to Chelama Tuesday morning to join Sherry and her ladies.  After I shared, I asked Lupita to speak to the ladies.  It was a moment I will never forget, watching this young woman God had brought into our lives almost 8 years ago, share with passion, conviction and joy about the work God had been doing in her life.  I looked around at the other women in the group, watching Lupita intently, connecting with her struggles.  My heart was so full, so blessed.  My Father knew I desperately needed that moment.  I thank you, friends and family , for your faithful support during these years.  Lupita thanks you.  Keiry thanks you.  The mommas of Chelama thank you.