Crown of Beauty

Today I visited the aftercare facility that is home to some girls from the village where I work. I have not seen two of these girls for six months. . .
When I entered the center, I found the first girl unexpectedly. Before I had taken more than a few steps, I felt myself being embraced by small arms tight around my waist. When I looked down, all I could see was beautiful black hair. This child was clearly intent on giving me an intense hug. So much so, that I could not even see her face for it was buried somewhere in my shirt. As I joined in the hugging process, I was able to slowly pry her off of me and see who was giving me such a warm welcome. It was Kat!
I first met Kat, while doing kids club in the village. She had always been a loving child that had an ornery way of latching on and not letting go. After about three months of working in the village, we heard that her and her cousin had been sold. In this case they were not sold for a night but were sold to the men for one week. My heart broke at the thought of our girls being hurt. It was a very difficult time. We did not know where the girls were and we could not help them. But we prayed and prayed. And praise the Lord, both girls were returned. They soon entered an aftercare facility and have been there ever since.
I remember around the time Kat was sold, her parents cut her hair. They cut it very short in a traditionally male hair style. Now, in Khmer culture long hair is considered beautiful and short hair on girls is not common. I felt bad for her and I wondered why they cut her beautiful hair.
But now fast forward to today and here I am being squeezed by a girl with long, beautiful hair. I just kept touching her hair and saying “Your hair is so long. It’s so pretty.”
After I was home, I couldn’t stop thinking about her hair. I felt a little embarrassed that I couldn’t stop touching her hair and I talked about it so much.
Then I cried.
Tears of sorrow for the pain she endured before her rescue. Tears of thanksgiving and joy for Kat’s life now
And in my tears, I let the Lord tell me about her hair. I saw the symbolism in her hair. At the time she was sold, her hair was cut. It was as if, in preparation of her being sold her parents decided to mar her beauty. To make her a little less pretty. To make her a bit more of an object and easier to control. They marked her in a way that was noticeable to everyone.
But today I saw her hair; healthy, strong, thick and long. I’m still amazed by how much it grew! It is truly the work of the Lord. In place of the shame others have put on her, He has placed beauty. Despite every obstacle from the enemy, the Lord remains victorious as He establishes beauty. He is the only one who has authority to name Kat. He calls her beautiful and as a reminder to me and everyone else causes the hairs on her head to grow. Now she is seen for the name the Lord has given her. She is beautiful and lovely. She is the Lord’s.
Let the outside never again define who she is, or could be.

“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,”
Isaiah 61:1-3