Maria...

These are some pictures taken this week of me goofing around with Maria. Maria is a girl who I spend some time with nearly every single day. When I first arrived she would hardly speak to me and now she is regularly at my side. She is an incredibly bright and talented girl although she is currently in the seventh grade and struggling to pass. She loves technology and music and helps run the sound system at church on Sundays.
My heart has grown to love Maria very much and I ask you to pray for her along with me. She does not consider herself worthy of much, she fears her past and her future, but I am thankful she is safe in the present. She will soon be turning 18 and facing new challenges, new responsibilities, and of course new freedoms. Pray that Maria will confidently approach life ahead and that God will use me to encourage her, guide her and love her.