Broken Families, Broken Homes, and Hope in the midst of suffering!

While I was in Benque, before arriving at San Pedro Church, I spent a bit of time with Fr. Mark who is one of the SOLT (Society of Our Lady of the Trinity) priests that work there. He is such a holy and good man of God with a compassionate heart, and he really has a good ministry with those who are most broken and wounded. We began to talk about ministry with those who come from broken homes. It seems that so much of the Lord’s work is undoing all the damage that has come from abusive homes. It is not uncommon to see 6 kids living with mom and there are 3 different dads that aren’t around. Many fathers are not around because of drug and alcohol abuse. In the streets of Belize you see 1, 2 and 4 year olds running around without much supervision. Parents are out working or doing other things just to feed the kids and the kids are home by themselves a lot of the time. Kids are typically taking care of other kids. I also know of some children who are living by themselves with parents that come through once or twice a week.

For those of you who are not aware, my Senior Seminar that I spent my last semester of college researching was on "How to teach the Dignity of Human Sexuality to those who have been sexually abused". Father Mark and I began to talk about this. In the states the statistics across the board average 1 out of 4 women, and 1 out of 6 men that have been sexually abused. This includes both sexual contact and verbal sexual abuse. In Belize, Father was saying that at LEAST 50% of women have been sexually abused in a physical way. It is so sad to see teenage girls who do not understand the Dignity of their Womanhood. Women are so hurt and broken because the only attention they have received from men is in a sexual way. The biggest effect found from one who has been sexually abused is promiscuity. How can a child understand that there is a Loving Father in Heaven who has nothing but unconditional love to offer when the only example they have of a father's love is manipulative and abusive? During the last Mass at Mount Carmel High School, I began to weep for these girls who are so bound, and not free to accept themselves as Beautiful and Beloved, Redeemed Temples of the Holy Spirit.

As I talked to Father Mark, we decided that something down the road must be offered, and he asked me to speak to the teachers and to the students. Sometime in the next month or two I will be talking to the teachers about practical ways to help those who are abused come to know their dignity in Christ. I will also be talking to the women about the freedom that is possible in Christ, no matter how much we have been hurt. What a gift and blessing to be able to use the research I have done over the past 6 months to help those who are suffering here in Belize. Please pray for us here as we try to love these women who have been so hurt. Please pray for the males who do not have good examples of what it means to be a man or a father.