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http://joannadomingo.blogspot.com/2014/08/burdened-until-sunrise.html
Two beautiful girls hidden for most of their lives.
We urged you to pray that the hearts of the parents would be soft as we asked permission to provide the girls with opportunities to get involved in community programs and allow us to begin integrating them into the society.
As I went back to the house the second time after meeting them the mother whom I had not yet seen shouted "sister sister come on in" offering me the only plastic chair in their tiny home. She and the girls were sitting on their shanty floor peeling garlic.
"Yeh we will have money now selling garlic" Beline shouted excitedly.
As i sat beside them and got to know the mother a little bit, I really felt that God was working. She was so friendly and warm. We were chatting like we already knew each other. She told me a little more about the girls stories. How they had never been to school because she knew they needed a special school and that was not an option due to lack of finances.
I asked the Mama if her daughters could come and join our music activities that day. She look a little surprised for a second and then said "YES"! straight away. Within moments she had helped them change their clothes and get their rubber boots on. She waved them goodbye and I could sense she was just thankful they were getting to go somewhere.
Just a week previous to this moment NO ONE in the community knew who these girls were. NO ONE knew their name. NO ONE had seen them.
In they came and joined the activities that day, and the next day and have been coming to several programs since this time. They now know where our base is and bring themselves along.
Beline and Bebe (Pheobe) taught me about being brave. They have been hidden all their lives. Mocked when they did venture out into the community for the first time. Still they held my hand, walked through staring eyes to get to our center and were brave enough to join in. Beline was so ready. Bebe took a little longer , but by the end of the first choir session was smiling and joining in.
Change happened fast in the attitudes of other young people towards them.I never usually get to write that sentence so I'll say it again!
Change happened fast...
Even some who had been making fun of them a couple of weeks ago were now genuinely welcoming them. This time, they were welcomed and teenagers who did not know what to do a couple of weeks ago were sitting beside them chatting and making friends. Girls who were ignoring them were eating with them, singing with them. I looked over from the other side of the hall and I no longer saw the new girls and the others. I just saw a group of girls getting to know each other and building relationship- the way it should be.
Change happened fast because both the sisters and some of the residents of the community overcame something new. I am proud of them all.
I am so very glad they are hidden no more. I thank God.
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