2022 Quinceanera Reflections from a Gringa
Blog post written by Lindsay Houser, Celina, TX
“ I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” John 14:18
As I stood in front of ten orphaned girls chosen to go to the quinceanera, the grand event of the week, this was the message that I hoped to get across to them through the translator: “Jesus sent all of us from Texas to ‘come to you’ because he loves you.” We did not come on our own accord, but because the Holy Spirit led us here. God called us mothers, daughters, and grandmothers (plus one father) to come and prepare these girls for what could possibly be the biggest event of their life. We lavished them with compliments, hugs, kisses, dresses, jewelry, shoes, purses, and snacks. We painted fingers and toes. As I bent down for one precious special needs girl and saw that her feet were dirty, I placed her foot in my lap and painted her toes, remembering how Jesus bent down to wash his disciples feet. I had no water for washing, but I sure did make her feet pretty with the color she picked out.
I could never have imagined a better mission trip to serve on with my eight-year-old daughter Evelyn. Evelyn had never been out of the country and this was her first mission trip. As for me, I have been on many missions trips and visited over ten countries. The first two days of the trip she stayed by my side, unsure of what to do or how to help. She was taking it all in, asking questions and wondering why things were the way they were in this foreign place. I cherished her questions, and answered them as best as I could. I remembered my first missions trip with all the wonder and amazement that swept over me in a foreign place. There is truly nothing like suddenly being immersed into another culture, and yet finding Jesus there. It’s been my dream to have my children experience missions trips in a foreign country ever since I first became a mom.
Evelyn, by the third day, was beginning to see the mission for herself. Her eyes lit up when she saw these girls spin around in their handpicked dresses. “Mom” she said, “That dress looks perfect on her!” Suddenly, I whispered a prayer, “Thank you God. Thank you for opening her heart and eyes to truly see these girls and be happy for them.” I bent down to tell Evelyn “Go and tell her!” She said “No, I need to know the Spanish words.” I smiled and told her we could go ask a translator how to say “You are beautiful.” Once Evelyn knew the words she said them over and over to these girls. Lovingly, the girls would almost always repeat them back to Evelyn. Her red hair and freckled face stood out. All the girls were so happy to see so many young “gringas” visiting them.
After visiting eleven different orphanages, all of the dresses and shoes were specifically assigned to each girl. Thursday was the big day. We laid out the jewelry, unpacked the dresses and shoes. We set up the stations for hair, makeup, eyebrow waxing and nails. We had our assigned places and served the girls joyfully as they arrived. “Estas feliz?” I would ask them. “Are you happy?” Each girl nodded her head “yes” with excitement. We hugged them again and said “So are we!”
It was finally time for the party to begin! With the announcement of each girl by name, we clapped and cheered as they were escorted into the ball room in their elegant, formal dresses. The dancing, toasting, dining, and laughing were all done in Jesus’ name. God’s Spirit had brought us together in this beautifully decorated hotel ballroom to celebrate life together. Even though there was a large range of hardships and pain in these girls, that night represented hope and redemption. It magnified beauty and confidence for each girl. Every person was celebrated, no matter their background, story or situation. They are all his children! With grateful hearts, they “danced unto the Lord” until midnight, just like the princesses that they truly were.
