By Andrea Obregon, SF Perú
Maria is a girl who lives on the outskirts of Lima. As is common in Perú, her parents are separated so she lives with her mom and brothers. Between her siblings, there are three fathers in the picture and her mom now has a new boyfriend. Two brothers are older and are not around much, and she has a baby brother whom she helps to care for in the mornings while her mom is working.
Since her father left the home when she was 11, she has resented him and struggled with depression. When he came to visit for her twelfth birthday, she let him know that, since she felt she was unwanted by him, she did not want him in her life either. Two years passed without a visit and the walls of self-defense continued to grow.
About four months ago, the neighborhood SF coach spotted Maria curiously watching as other girls her age arrived for a summer Bible program. Since the coach lives in the neighborhood, she started to notice that Maria could often be found hanging around on the street.
When the coach began the first neighborhood SF volleyball practice a few weeks later, she again noticed Maria watching. She approached Maria and asked her if she liked volleyball. Of course her answer was ‘yes,’ – she had only been waiting for an invitation to join them! Though she had no previous experience, Maria was happy to be accepted by the group and begun regularly attending practice.
After getting to know her coach and some of the other girls, Maria started to smile a little bit more. Also, once she began receiving love, learning about Jesus, and being mentored by her coach, she started sharing some of her hurts, disappointments, and the walls she had built up.
When she learned that God is her Heavenly Father who has always wanted her, she was filled with joy and decided to pray to receive Christ as her Savior. She immediately began to experience the peace of His presence. Since then, besides a new countenance, there have been many changes in Maria. She has started attending the local church and desperately wants to learn more about Jesus. As a result, she not only attends the youth activities, but also all of the adult Bible studies.
Last month Maria turned 14, and her transition to a new high school in the afternoons has been difficult. Along with the burden she carried of a broken relationship with her dad, she started to experience a common temptation of the teen years: to seek love and acceptance in relationships with boys. When she shared this, her coach began to challenge her to put her faith into action both in her relationship with her dad and in relationships at school.
God, through Jesus’ love in Maria, has restored her relationship with her dad and continues to work in her life. Her mentor has noticed that, after her decision to follow Christ, she has a new enthusiasm at practice, at church, and in life. She knows she must cling to Christ and walk in His grace. She also knows she can always find support in her SF coach and new church family.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10