Isguerda is a very special young woman who loves Jesus with all her heart. When we first met Isguerda she was living on the streets of Port-au-Prince with a pack of five or six other girls, ranging from six to twelve years of age. The girls would spend their days approaching cars in slow-moving traffic on Delmas Blvd. to beg for money, food or whatever they could get.  It became obvious, as we got to know them, that Isguerda was their "mother hen" of sorts, brooding over them, keeping them together, and protecting them from bad people and other street evils.  She was tough as nails and had no problem going toe-to-toe with any street boy or anyone else who gave her or her girls a hard time.

When we approached Isguerda and her friends to live at our girls home they were ecstatic.  They were also very suspicious and cautious.  When they visited the home and felt comfortable with us we next contacted their relatives to obtain permission for the girls to stay.   

Isguerda was in the first group of girls we rescued off the street when we first opened the girls home.  When she first arrived at the home, her aggressive personality and tough exterior suggested that we were going to have a difficult time with her -- and we did.  

Isguerda singing with Port-au-Prince Fellowship worship team

She would bark back at us when asked to do things and was very bossy to the girls and staff.  But, over time, as the Lord got hold of her heart, and as she began to trust us and realize that she was truly in a safe place, a transformation began to took place.  Her rough tom boy demeanor eventually faded as she started wearing pretty dresses and began to enjoy being a "girly-girl" for the first time in her life -- something she could never risk on the street.  As her tough exterior began to fade, this lovely, beautiful young girl began to emerge.  She realized she didn't have to be the mother-hen protector any longer.  She could enjoy just being a little girl and one of God's precious princesses.

We found out that Isguerda loved to sing and her beautiful voice would shine above the other girls' voices as they would sing praise and worship songs during morning and evening devotionals.  Her beautiful voice eventually got her an invitation by Mr. Bill to sing as part of the worship team at Port-au--Prince Fellowship Church.

Isguerda's typical Saturday doing hair

One of her favorite things to do, even early on, was to do the other girls hair, braiding them into elaborate patterns and designs that everyone loved.  Soon, even the staff women working at the orphanage were asking her to do their hair.  She was later given a part-time job as hairdresser for the girls.  She shared with us how it was her dream to one day have her own beauty shop and to do hair, nails and more full-time as a career.  As people heard about her interest, she started to get support in her dream and, this year, she enrolled in a beauty school where she has classes in the afternoons (after her regular school) and Saturdays.  We have even opened up a web fund-raising site to raise funds for Isguerda's Beauty Shop.  

Isguerda has tremendously grown in her faith over the years and has developed a deep love for God's word.  She will often quote favorite scriptures to you in the course of any conversation.  She calls herself "God's Girl" and says she only wants to live a life that pleases and honors Him.  See her comments in a recent video.  

Isguerda is a special girl that God is already using in a powerful way.  Please remember her in your prayers.  If you are interested in sponsoring Isgerda, you may do so online.  If you want to support her beauty school tuition or beauty shop, go here.  Thank you and God bless.