I was sitting in the office watching the high school girls have a meeting with our directors, Julio and Delmy. Several weeks ago they completed the first part of the exam for their teaching certificates. They have anxiously waited for weeks to receive the results. Julio handed the test results to each girl one by one. We all know the feeling of having test results handed to you as you hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Tears started to freely flow down their faces. They were tears of joy as the girls looked at the results. Passed!
As I watched them cry, my heart burst with joy because I knew the difficult road many of them are walking.
I saw a once rebellious girl who wanted to not attend school because she would rather be in the streets. My mind raced back to the day when several loving teachers went to the street, found her, brought her back to school, loved her unconditionally, provided her a safe place….Four years later she takes great pride in her academics. She is in our work program. She is faithful to church. She has goals.
I saw a beautiful girl cry as she realizes that she will be the first of her family to graduate high school. She cried as she told her father the good news.
I saw a young girl who had to quit school and work in the market in order to help her family financially. At the age of 14, she did not expect to watch her father pass from this life. Her mother did not plan to be the sole provider for eight children. We are providing an education for four of the children and work opportunities to help the family financially.
The sweet taste of success. The taste of hard work, perseverance, discipline paying off. The taste of knowing what once was an impossible dream is becoming a reality.
These are the moments that I wish every one of you could experience with me. These are the moments when I see the faces of so many people who have prayed, served, and given to our ministry.
From my perspective…. I see lives being changed.
Shining Light Abroad Ministries 