Day 29: Solola, Guatemala.
I had told the story only three times. Once in Jamaica. Once in Kenya. And now, in Guatemala. It was my story – of abuse and neglect and destruction and horrible choices and a God who takes every shattered piece and mortars them back together into a mosaic that catches the light of the graceful afternoon sun.
The clay pot lay in shards on the floor beneath my feet – a picture of the me who was and is yet becoming new. I opened the canvas bag in my hand and held up cherished necklaces. The bent spoon. The broken brooch and dented hotel key fob. The etched Giving Key and beads fashioned from weapons of war. Every one of them felt like words on my page. “I am broken and yet, I am beautiful. I am hand-crafted and redeemed and I am made glorious.”
There were prayers and there were tears. Because there were other women like me in the room. Always. In every country. And healing was reaching out to all.
In the quiet, she motioned for me. “This is for you – for your necklace collection.” The cappucino pearls fell softly in my hands. I smiled, honored to receive her gift. “Did you make this? It’s so beautiful.”
She smiled. “No, I found it. And I know it is for you. It once was lost, but now it’s found.”
Found. So very found.
*****
It’s the last few days of the #31days project – thank you for journeying with me. The season has been healing for me. I’ve prayed for the stories that were stolen to return, and the list is growing slowly. And new stories have emerged – I am ready to let them be revealed in words and images. Would you share which Shoot like a Girl story meant the most to you? I’d like to know.