So When I was 12....

Imagine with me for a moment that you are still 12?  What is your favorite thing to do?  What is school like?  Who do you live with?   When I was 12 I was busy playing with dolls, riding my bike and building forts in the woods with my brothers.  I can imagine your favorite things to do were very similar to mine.  We were free to be children, build friendships, play all day and maybe help with a few chores around the house.

Yesterday a group of 40 women from the Cusco team went to minister at La Casita Montay.  There we held babies and loved on mommas who, at the age of 12, had their first child.  That is right.  Mantay is a home for girls who have become pregnant at the age of 12.  Many of these girls suffered from abuse or rape that not only caused emotional and physical scars, but gave them a living breathing reminder of their pasts.

I would like to say that La Casita Mantay is an amazing ministry, unfortunately it is a secular home funded by a group of big hearted people from Spain.  They have funded an amazing building for up to 14 girls and their babies to live in.  Once they are there, they can stay until they are 18 years old.   There are also 12 ladies who have lived there in the past, who have now returned to help build the self esteem and train girls who are walking in shoes they are well familiar with.   

While living there the girls receive one day of schooling per week.  It is focused on teaching them trades so they can get jobs and support their child(ren).  Some of the girls are able to work in the factory 5 days a week, located on the grounds, where they learn to make trade items to sell to raise money to fund Mantay.  The other girls get jobs at restaurants.  After taking turns cooking and cleaning for about 50 people they are well equipped for that type of work.

The children have amazing teachers to love on them while their moms are working and learning!  The home offers care for the infants and preschool for the 3-6 year olds.  They have a library, classrooms, a yard to run and play in and teachers who truly care about them.  After 6, they attended a local public or private school and then are offered after-school help when they get home.

A mix of emotions washed over the group as we watched 12 girls come and retrieve their babies from their classes and sit in front of the puppet stage.  They are so young and immature.  The boundaries of language didn’t muddy our ability to see the pain in many of the girls’ eyes. 

The children had a blast with the puppets, balloons, stickers and coloring books while their moms were pampered with a fun variety of nail polish colors.  The girls then listened intently as Nicole Yates shared her testimony of God’s grace and hope in her life. 

3 of the girls from this home have accepted Christ as their personal savior and Extreme has been back several times to minister to them.  We are excited for our 40/40’s to arrive in October and start heart-to-heart discipleship with these girls.  The librarian there is also a Christian, and she is actively praying for the girls and staying connected with those who have accepted Christ.

This brings us back to the reminder that “We have been called to freedom…so use your freedom to serve one another in love.  For the whole law can be summed up in one command: Love your neighbor as yourself!” Galatians 4:13-14