My Friend Barbara

After much prayer, I share a request for a young lady that could really use a community of love and support.

Two years ago, I met Barbara. It was an instant friendship. She has a sweet, outgoing, and likable personality. She had recently “aged out” of foster care. (At the age of 21 you are no longer eligible to be in foster care and all associated support ends on your 21st birthday.) Happy birthday to you! The hope is that by 21, the young person will be on a positive path towards adulthood. Ultimately, there is an expectation that their years in foster care will prepare them with the skills and tools needed to succeed and they will be matched with a loving, supportive, lifelong family. Unfortunately, loving, supportive, lifelong families are hard to find. And so was the case for Barbara, no such family was found. At the age of 21 she was on her own. I was introduced to her by a mutual friend. “l’d like you to meet Barbara. I think you will just love her!” They were right, I just loved Barbara.

In 2018 my husband and I went on a trip to Haiti. We learned about the catastrophic earthquake the country suffered in 2010. It is believed that nearly 300,000 Haitians lost their lives, hundreds of thousands were injured, and 1.5 million people became homeless. At the time of our trip the country had not recovered from the disaster. I fell in love with Haiti and its beautiful people. I saw their strength and resilience. Part of me wished I could stay there forever. I prayed that God would use that trip to show me what He had planned for me in Rochester, NY. He did in many ways. That year I met Barbara. God works in marvelous ways.

Barbara is Haitian. She was injured in the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Many of her family members were killed that day. She was flown to the US for emergency surgery and was placed in foster care. Unfortunately, finding that loving, supportive, foster family was not her experience. She never found a “forever family” here in the US. Thankfully, she is a strong, resilient, young lady. She has done well on her own, has been able to find work and takes very good care of the things she has. This last year Barbara was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery to remove a lump. She struggled with depression during her recovery. She found herself behind with her bills and rent. Through all of this she never asked for money or shared anything with me about her financial needs. She only asked for prayer and friendship. By the time I knew she needed support she was overwhelmed. I immediately thought of Matthew 25:34-40:

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Of course I want to help my friend. She needs a community. She needs to be wrapped in love and generosity and supported all in the name of our King. I am asking my friends, family, and the body of Christ to prayerfully consider joining us in helping Barbara. We are in the process of helping her out of her current living situation and in to a new one and making sure she transitions debt free. Please pray for her health, safety, and spiritual growth. Pray for her favor at work. Pray for the ladies that are loving and caring for her. Pray for genuine, lifelong, friendships and support.

Jill

Join us in helping her financially. It will be a thousand or two or three. Share in the blessing. I won’t share your name with anyone. I can keep a secret. All of your blessing will come in Heaven! I won’t even thank you - just to be sure.

Pete