Dorcus

I was at home this evening reading with a girl who ran into the house to dodge the rain. When another girl, one of 16 years came walking up the driveway looking a bit distraught. Dorcus. I wondered what was wrong, but all she wanted was an envelope so she could send a letter to her mother who lives some 2 hours away in the village. I heard the two girls discussing something, ending with, “I don’t know why she’s acting like that.” I asked who they were talking about and that’s when I got most of the explanation of her distraughtness. Dorcus normally lives in a house with her Grandmother, her uncle and his wife and their two kids and then one other boy. The grandmother had to go to the village to be with her first born son’s children because his wife was admitted to the hospital. This leaves Dorcus with just the Uncle and his wife as supervisors. The problem is, the auntie has moved out and now refused to feed any one but her own two children. Apparently this auntie beats her husband and drinks and is now refusing to care for Dorcus. Hence the letter home to her mother in the village. She wants to enquire of her mother if she should come home and live in the village now, because life is so hard here. And you know it has to be hard for her because life in the village is very hard and for that to be desired above here, means it’s that much harder here. There’s no secondary school there. So if she returns to the village her education is through. She doesn’t want to inform the grandmother about the way the auntie is acting because then the grandmother will feel pressure to come back and then who will take care of those grandchildren? Wow. It’s a lot for a 16 year old girl to figure out, and she’s just trying to figure out who she is, that’s enough trouble for any teenager. We prayed together and I was completely humbled by her prayer. She asked for wisdom and peace in her heart, and even that she would be able to praise God even in the trials she was going through, she prayed against satan’s attacks on her life trying to mess her up and distract and confuse her. Even though I felt completely unable to help this girl, I was so encouraged that she knew that our Father was there for her. She has a faith that will help her in this time of need. She knows she has a God who hears and answers even when she can’t tell how it will all work out. I’m thankful that when I’m feeling completely helpless that I serve a God who is able. And He reminds me I’m not helpless because I can call on Him.