What or who controls us?

Fear is a curious thing. This one thing can can hold us back, freeze us, manipulate our choices, and ultimately control us.
This is the case for Isabella, the mother of Esthela. She has lived all of her life in fear allowing, it to control her and her decisions. Not until her daughter´s life was at stake she started over coming her fear. She came to the city to seek medical care. She overcame the fear of surgery to donate her own kidney to help her daughter get better.
Another fear that has been controlling her is the fear of teachers. This fear has kept her from getting the education she needs to raise out of the poverty level she has found herself in all of her life. This fear was rooted into her life when she was just a young girl and went to school for the first time. The teacher was easily angered and scared young Isabella into never wanting to go to school again.
But fear wasn´t the only thing controlling Isabella´s life. Insecurity also has taken a hold her. She believes that she cannot do things. She believes that she is inferior to her daughter because her daughter learns faster then shes does. She honestly thinks she is stupid and dumb and that she will never amount to anything.
This was all reflexed when the opportunity came for her to go to an adult school to learn how to read and write. We could see a small spark of interest but then the fear started taking over. She told us she didn´t want to go, that she couldn´t do it and that teachers scared her. This battle lasted about a week with us trying to convince Isabella that she can and that it would be better for her daughter, and for her, if she does thisand learns how to read and write. Finally we convinced her to go and see the school. Once she walked into the classroom and met the teachers her attitude changed. ¨You can do it, and you should. For your daughter¨said the director of the school. We signed her up that day. The next day I dropped her off at her new school. As she walked out of the classroom when I picked her up, I looked at her and asked her how it was. Her face beamed with joy as she told me that it was good. She continued to explain how she liked the teacher and how it was different this school to the one that she went to for a week when she was little.

Fear has been conquered. Insecurity is broken. For the first time, 47 year-old Isabella is attending school and believes that she can learn how to read and write.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me