A few months ago, we found one of our youth at the Capricorn Church had dropped out of school. The mom and youth said it was for various reasons- the family just moved to Capricorn last year, the new school was too hard, the daughter said she couldn't keep up, financially they couldn't afford school books, etc. So, we stepped in, got her transcripts sorted out, talked to the school about getting her some help and now she's back in school! We felt it was a great success!
Last week, this same youth (J****) skipped school to hangout with her friends. This happens OFTEN in Capricorn, but what made this incident worse was that she went to school by taxi (as normal) but stayed with her friends and the taxi driver all day long. This girl is 15; the taxi driver is 25. The mom (faithful attendee of the Capricorn Church as well) made an appointment to speak to Pastor Severo with her daughter. After the meeting, Severo brought the girl to me and said, "Mel, I want you to meet with J**** next week." I agreed to do so and told the girl that I'd only meet with her if she was willing to talk and be honest. She agreed.
Yesterday, she and I met at the Living Hope building. It was like pulling teeth. This girl is naturally painfully shy, but because I was asking hard questions- things she hadn't really thought about before- she was a closed book. I wrote down about 8 questions, told her to take them home, think about them, write her answers down and we'd meet again next week. She agreed to do so.
Today, as I was in a meeting in the Capricorn Living Hope building, the mom (crying and physically upset) interrupted the meeting and wanted to speak to me. I excused myself and went to talk with the mom. She said that J**** didn't come home from school today. Her friend (from school that also lives across the street) came to tell her mom that she didn't ride home with her normal group and was seen with the taxi driver again. The mom was frantic- thoughts of all the terrible things that could be happening to her daughter were written in the tears on her face. As we were talking, the taxi drove by. We ran to the street to see if J**** would be getting out.... and she did. Just as we were about to run down the street to meet this girl, the rest of my Capricorn staff came out of their meeting to see what was going on. Natalie (our team leader) asked if she could go with us. We walked to their home and had an 'intervention' with this girl. Natalie told J**** her own story (similar to J****'s) and I added some words.
Along with the homework I gave J**** at our meeting yesterday, I asked the mom to spend some one-on-one time with her daughter. J**** needs some attention and love and support from her broken family. I'm anxious to hear and see if this girl is willing to open up to her mother and if the mother is willing to actively help her daughter. [J****'s mom and dad are divorced, goes to her dad's house a few times a month but the dad isn't emotionally there for her, the mom isn't working, J**** feels like no one cares, she wants to talk to no one, feels unloved]
Please pray that J**** wants change, that she depends on the Lord for all she needs, that she finds acceptance in Him and no one else, that Satan would take his hands off her and leave this situation.
I find myself in DEEP with these girls these days. It's such an honor, but my feet are getting muddy and I feel like I'm just treading to keep up with all their dysfunction and need for love. I'm doing my BEST to depend on God and let Him supply all I need to do His work! Pray with me, please!
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