Not so Happy Mothers Day

Mothers Day is one of the biggest and most celebrated holidays in Peru.  One of the first thing we learned when we moved here was that Peruvians LOVE to throw parties and celebrate. And they like to go all out, with games and dancing, presents, and of course lots of food. Well, we celebrated Feliz Dia de la Madre for close to a full week!  I felt very loved and special, but honestly I was glad when it was over.  I'm really not much of a party person... for me just knowing that I'm appreciated for all I do as a mom is enough.

dancing for the mamas :)

Generation of Leaders school program

All the Casa de Paz mamas dancing

Putting on a skit

Fun games

A traditional Spanish Ballad

  

The kids from our school "Generation of Leaders" came to the orphanage to put on a show for the mamas. It was a full house, everyone was dressed up, and each mom received a pretty rose pin as they came in.  The kids did an amazing job.... some sang songs, some put on little skits, and to end it off there was a hot meal for everyone.  It was a great day filled with love and laughter, but there was also another side, an unspoken sadness... The kids love and adore their Casa de Paz mamas, there's no doubt about that, but that doesn't mean they don't think about their biological mothers, especially on Mother's Day. I remember this from last year, it was the first time in my life where I actually thought about what mothers day must be like for kids with no moms, or even worse - kids with moms who abused and abandoned them. I can only begin to imagine what some of the kids at Casa de Paz must be feeling when they think of their mothers.  Hurt, betrayed, disappointment, unwanted. And at the same time they just miss their moms. This year there was one girl in particular who I noticed was extra quiet and often withdrew from the crowds during the celebrations. My heart aches for her. I want to make it all better for her, but I don't know how. So I did what I always do when I see one of the kids crying, I just held her, and spoke words of life to her. "You are loved, you are wanted, you are important, you are a child of God and He has a great purpose for your life.  

As she wept on my shoulder I thought about her story... 14 years old, oldest of 5 siblings...Their father had a job that required for him to be away from home a lot, leaving the kids in their mothers care, and that's where the problem was - they did not receive any care from their mother. I don't know all the details but I can imagine that this beautiful young girl was the one caring for her 4 younger siblings, the youngest being an 6 month old baby. Their father is now fighting to regain custody, and visits now and then, but the kids have not seen their mother since arriving at Casa de Paz almost a year ago.

I can't help but be furious every time I hear stories like this. Just a couple days after Mothers Day we had another little boy brought to us. His own mother had beaten him to the point where he had to be brought to the hospital and bandaged up. It is one thing to hear about men abusing children, but mothers?!?! When I think 'mother' I think Protect, Nurture, Teach, Love...At least that's the kind of care I remember receiving from my mom, and it's the kind of mom I try to be to my own kids.

But as much as I feel anger toward these unfit mothers, the Lord is showing me a new side of it, causing me to feel sadness, and even compassion for them as well.

Every time I cry out to God on behalf of these children, asking why God? How? I don't understand! He replies "Exactly, you don't understand. It is not your job to understand. Your job is to love. No matter what."

And I ask "Okay, well how am I supposed to love these abusive mothers?" And He replies "Pray for them.  LOVE your enemies and PRAY for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:44)

So I pray. And as I've been praying for them, I'm seeing more and more that God loves them and this was never His plan for their life, and it was never their plan for their life. There is a lot of brokenness and pain, there are demons that need to be driven out, spiritual strongholds that need to be broken.... There is a lot of healing that needs to happen. There are moms out there who don't know Jesus, some who might not ever even have heard of Him...

So I pray.