Angie's Story

I met Angie in March of 2005, just a couple of months after our arrival to Honduras. I thought she was a little boy at first glance. Her skinny brown legs dangled from a pair of oversized boy's soccer shorts. She was peeling a mango with a huge kitchen knife, adding yet another stain to her once white tank top.



She trusted Christ as her Savior at Bible Club a few weeks later, and her two older brothers soon followed. As I got to know Angie and her family, I found out why she dressed like a boy and ran wild. Her mother had abandoned her, along with her brothers, when Angie was only 6 months old. Her mother lives on the other side of Progreso with her "new family" and sees her neglected children maybe once a year. Angie lived with her dad at the time; although he works hard to support his family, he doesn't spend much time with his kids.



Angie's dad married later that year, and everyone was excited that Angie would have a "new mother." But after a few months, it became apparent that Angie's stepmom wanted little to do with her. "She's not MY daughter!" she insisted, preferring to shower her attention on her own two little ones. Angie and her two brothers were sent to live with their grandmother.



Angie comes to stay with us now and then, usually for a short time. Once she stayed for a couple of weeks. I tried to help her with personal hygiene and manners, since she tends to be a little rough around the edges. One of my favorite memories with Angie was the time I spent three hours delousing her hair, then took her for her first real haircut at the salon. I had them give her a cute little bob (vainly hoping to prevent the lice from coming back) and blow it dry. She had never had her hair blown dry before; she giggled and squirmed all the way through it, claiming it tickled. But she loved the attention and paraded around like a little princess in her new hairstyle and feminine clothes.



One day I noticed that when Angie is at our house, she cannot stand to not know where Robbie is. If he's studying a sermon in his office, I constantly have to distract her and make sure she doesn't sneak in there to visit him. She wants him to come climb trees with her in the backyard; she wants to show him the mango she picked; she wants to give him a picture she colored. He loves spending time with her, but it hurts both of our hearts to see her crying out for a father's attention. She so desperately needs to be loved and appreciated. There is something about the relationship with a little girl and her daddy. Robbie and I pray often that Angie will not go down the road that so many neglected little girls have gone before her; it terrifies me to think one day she might call and tell me she's run off with a boy or that she's pregnant. It takes a special miracle for a young lady like Angie to stay pure; that need for a father's attention runs so deep.



Every one of us is born with a deep longing for a Father's love. There is a special void in our hearts that only He can fill. We may become distracted at times, neglecting our relationship with Him. But that longing is never fully satisfied by anything or anyone else. We ache for His love until we return to His arms, with a sigh of relief and satisfaction.



What a joy to know that the many we see aching and struggling around us can know that same peace and fulfillment in our Father's arms! And what a privilege it is that we can tell them the way.

Me and my girls at a Mother/Daughter Banquet in May. Angie is wearing pink and white stripes.
2 Responses
  1. Kathy Says:

    Beautiful girls. Beautiful story. So true too. Your daddy adored you from the minute you were born, even with your little conehead! You're blessed to be a blessing. And you are...to the Hondurans and to me,
    Your loving Aunt Kathy


  2. Jennifer Says:

    I'm so glad that you've decided to join the blogging world! Stories like this are what I look forward to reading. I am praying for you and for the turbulent political situation there.

    God bless you,
    Jennifer


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