When They All Start Singing

Despite a slow start to serving here in Belize, we have been very busy since Tuesday!  It felt so good to begin doing something with purpose and I know that part of that came with surrendering to how God wanted to use us in His timing.  We have barely worked with our host ministry, which took us by surprise.  Besides a little work cleaning and one afternoon of office work, we’ve not worked with Legacy Youth Movement at all.  We found out that their busy season is during the summer months and, since our primary contact is out of country, the usual work schedule was tossed up in the air.  Thankfully, Legacy found us another place to do ministry and has been gracious enough to provide transportation!

This week we’ve had the privilege of working with Belmopan Comprehensive School!  We’ve been the guest speakers to every high school Life Skills class on the campus (with the exception of one).  The topic we’ve been teaching on is Mental Health, which was such a God thing because Hannah, one of my teammates, used to work for a mental health organization in the States!  We walked in and had an organized lesson plan from day one (Tuesday).  We’ve enjoyed every day we’ve been there.  The kids now all know us and shout “Hello, Miss!” every time we are on our way to another class.

For me, it’s been so cool to actually try teaching.  I feel more comfortable doing it than I thought I would.  I didn’t know if it would be something I’d be good, but, after the first few classes, I started having fun with it!  We’re actually getting to serve there all of next week, too.  There’s a 4^th year (senior) retreat that we will get to help with at the end of next week as well.  I really love it.  Friday, I think, was our only tough day, but we handled all the challenges well.  It’s amazing to watch all of my teammates work and teach and see their strengths come out in this setting because I think it is growing each of us in very unique ways.

One of my most memorable parts of the week was when, at the end of a class, we asked if the students had any questions for us (personal or on the lesson).  One of the girls surprised me with a question.  She said she heard me singing to myself when I came into the class and asked me to sing a song for them.  I was so caught off guard that I couldn’t think of a song!  I ended up singing “Amazing Grace” because it was all that came to mind, and then I told them to sing a song to us in return.  They said they couldn’t sing like that.  I told them to go for it anyway.  There were some nervous giggles until one girl started singing.  But, then, all the girls in the class joined in.  These were the lyrics they sang:

 

She just wants to be // beautiful she goes

Unnoticed she knows // no limits she craves

Attention she praises // an image she prays to be

Sculpted by the sculptor

Oh, she don’t see the light that’s shining

Deeper than the eyes can find it

Maybe we have made her blind

So she tries to cover up her pain // and cut her woes away

Cause covergirls don’t cry // after their face is made

But, there’s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark

You should know you’re beautiful // just the way you are

And you don’t have to change a thing // the world can change its heart

No scars to your beautiful

We’re stars and we’re beautiful

[Scars to Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara]

 

I didn’t particularly enjoy that song until these beautiful young women started singing.  Now I can’t stop thinking about these lyrics—and what they must mean to those girls.  We can’t understand the weight of something until we hear the song of someone who has carried it.