By 4000-008
I had always heard that daughters of teen pregnancies are at a greater risk for having teen pregnancies themselves, and that this can perpetuate for generations. This statistic has come to life for me in our time here and seeing the society and the inequalities, intergenerational poverty, rate of divorce, and domestic/familial abuse. My friend *Zahara has painted quite the picture for me and has given voice to her life of tragedy, pressure, and burden. Her mom was 12 when she married and 14 when she had her, sadly she passed away a year later. Zahara gained a stepmother that was as wicked as you could imagine. Zahara married at 13 to escape her home and had her children at 14 and 16. Her daughter, *Amina married at 17 and had two children and lost two children within five years.
Now here I am sitting with Zahara and Amina, and Amina is telling me that her husband has been devastating their savings on marijuana, and she is in tears that she made such a poor choice at 17! Now she has two kids and cannot leave him. She hopes that her daughter doesn’t make the same mistakes that she has and is trying to “make the most of her life.”
In these relationships, I cannot tell you how difficult it is to know what to say. I visit them often because I pray that through me and my boys, they would feel the love of God and hear about the treasures, joy, and value of spiritual things. Their friendship with me is one that is so grounding as I sit in these ladies’ stories and difficulties, yet also so inspiring to me because of their will to enjoy the simple and precious things in life. Prioritizing their children, each other, and the smile that comes with the smell of a warm tagine to share with guests.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
May God use us to serve and love the broken around us, proclaiming that they are not forgotten by God.
Discussion Questions:
On your social media, start a conversation with your friends by answering one of the questions below. Or you can leave a comment.
- In what ways can we demonstrate God’s love and compassion to people who feel trapped in their circumstances?
- How did this worker’s story resonate with you?
- Study Matthew 5:3-8. How can these verses shape our perspective on serving and loving others?
- How can we create spaces of healing and connection for people?
Other Articles:
- Support this worker from Africa. Click here.
- Praying Through Conflict
- Sierra Vista Baptist Church: A Family Legacy in Ministry
- The Vendors of La Cancha
*Names changed
Thank you for bringing Jesus Light into Zahara’s life. Thank you for sharing her story. I will be praying for her and her children and her husband. Blessings on you 🙏🏽
Thank you for bringing Jesus Light into Zahara’s life. Thank you for sharing her story. I will be praying for her and her family. Blessings on you. 🙏🏽
Thank you, Angelika