A counselor struggles

Even though we moved our family and essentially changed the focus of our "work" from non-profit jobs in NC to full-time volunteer missionary service in Mexico, the part of me that is a licensed professional counselor did not stay in NC. It came with me to Mexico because it is so much a part of who I am as a person. My extraversion is another part of who I am, and that part of me has really struggled while trying to learn the language. And an extraverted counselor, even in a land where she's not fluent in the native language, will always find people in need of a counselor somehow beckoning at her/his door!

The bible school students here come from all over the southeastern part of Mexico. Most are indigenous and come from poor families, many of whom are not Christian. They are here to study Christian theology or music, and sometimes they do so against the wishes of their families. Family members sometimes threaten to undermine their education because they want them home to work and help support their families or because some members of the family are afraid of others because of physical, sexual or emotional abuse within the family. We have a 26 y/o student who was "married off" by his family at 15 y/o and has a wife and 4 daughters to support --- all while trying to be a full-time student. Because family ties are incredibly strong in this culture, these pleas by family members are almost impossible for these young people to tolerate. They feel torn between honoring their earthly parents and/or family responsibilites and living out their sense of call to ministry by their heavenly father. I know that feeling myself!

So there I was, dictionary in hand, trying to have my first counseling session in Spanish with a young woman trying to cope with a severe trauma history, family members' pulling her home, crises of faith issues and feelings of isolation from her fellow students --- believing, of course, that they have it all together and that she's the only one suffering! Together we bumbled along, as I encouraged her to seek out the support and counsel from someone with a better command of the language, and her resisting out of fear of being misunderstood, judged, etc. So what's a counselor to do?! Counsel anyway despite the risk of misunderstanding or being misunderstood because of language barriers? Run the risk of making a cultural faux pas out of ignorance? Turn her away? Betray her confidentiality by telling someone? UGH! Just so you'll know, I've asked her to consider allowing me to share parts of her story with an English/Spanish/Tzeltal speaking teacher who could possibly help, but thus far she has not given me the green light. So until she does, I just pray.

Please pray with me for this young student that she may find comfort, relief, insight and wisdom to help her through this struggle and to help her know God's will for her life and for healing of her wounded heart. And pray for me that I am blessed with the gift of language so that I can be my true counselor self with these students when the need presents itself in the future.

Soy una consejera...siempre...dondequiera que vaya a lo que lo hago...soy una consejera. (I am a counselor...always....wherever I go....whatever I do...I am a counselor.)