I feel like the Lord has been tugging at my heart strings lately. He's been putting people and situations in my life, that to be completely honest, have been tearing me apart.
I want to introduce you to Kimberly. She is 8 years old and the oldest sister to 3 younger siblings. Well, sort of.
Kimberly's mom actually has 5 kids. Kimberly has an older brother, one she has never met. Her oldest brother was "gifted away" as a newborn. Her mother didn't want him. Her first baby, just given away.
This past Monday, Kimberly and 2 of the 3 siblings arrived at the mission. We asked where Gerson (her younger brother, 6 years old) was, and we were blown away when Kimberly said "my mom gave him away."
Later that morning, as Tia Sandra was getting Kimberly ready to head off for school, Kimberly (out of no where) says "I heard my mom say she wants to give me or Nicole (her younger sister, 4 years old) away just like Gerson". I look over to Sandra as the tears are falling from her eyes.
How? How can someone literally give away their child? How can someone say such a thing to their child? ...we were at a loss for words.
Kimberly came back from lunch, and approaches me in a sweet, low, humble voice "Tia, me voy" ("Tia, I'm going now"). I stood up, gave her a huge hug, walked her to the door, told her I loved her and to be careful. Kimberly leaves the mission and walks to school everyday under the hot midday sun because her mom doesn't care enough to send her in a Moto Taxi. It isn't because she can't afford the 40 cents, but more so she just doesn't care to.
I can't even begin to explain just how sweet Kimberly is. She is helpful, she is loving, she is kind...she is special. How someone could not love her is beyond me. I wish everyone could know Kimberly and tell her just how deeply loved she is. Because, 'loved deeply' is not even enough love!
What can we do from this point on? We can greet her each and every morning with a hug that lets her know we love her. We can help her do her homework and we can teach her life basics if no one else will. We can make sure she goes to school with a full belly. We can love her, teach her of the love of our Lord and Savior and let her know just how valued she is. That is what we can do. And its what we will do.
