Our Resident Disney Princess

Once upon a time, in the 21st century, there lived a girl named Lorena in a small town of Urraco Pueblo, Honduras. From the outside, she might seem like an ordinary 15 year old girl but you would be very wrong. Words on a page could never do her justice, but I feel an obligation to tell a quick story about our brightest light here in Honduras.

This girl is our very own living, breathing Disney Princess that is quite deserving of the title. She doesn’t own a castle and her family (technically) is not from royalty, but she is a princess nonetheless and I will tell you why.

Lorena, quite frankly, has been our gift from God sent to encourage, challenge, teach, and give us an immense amount of joy. She has kept our moods light when days were long, been an example of how Christ served his people, and has loved us strangers whole-heartedly without hesitation. She prepares most our meals, does her school work in between ministry, takes care of Galilea and Belen most days, and has literally sacrificed her home for us to live in while we are here.

All the while, a smile seldom leaving her face. At 15.

Whenever we are tired from a day of ministry, I tend to always look at Lorena who, after having served with us all day, is usually assisting in preparing our dinner while cleaning up from the church service. As she hauls in a liter of coke at 9pm, only to actively serve our plates and drink before getting the chance to sit. She locks up the church after we leave and motos back to the house she is staying at where she tackles her school homework because she has been too busy with us during the day to get it done. All to wake up the next day, smile on her face, laughing, dancing, and ready to serve again.

This girl is a superhero, dressed up as a servant, wrapped in love, and most deserving of the title ‘Princess.’

Upon research that my team and I conducted (yes, we are seriously sending in a proposal to Disney) a Disney Princess must have 5 main criteria.

1. Must be human. Done.
2. Has not been made from a sequel. She has not.
3. Must be royal by birth, marriage, or have done a heroic deed. She is the daughter of the Most High King taking ground in the Kingdom of God (maybe a stretch for Disney, but fingers crossed).
4. Must play a central role in a Disney animated movie. Up to Disney, but how could they resist?
5. The character must have an appeal with the audience, thus proving by the movie being a success. To be determined, but I would certainly recommend watching it!

In all seriousness, Lorena is the perfect mirror. She reflects Christ and her service challenges us to look at ourselves to do the same. Love, and I am referring to capital L ‘Love’, is a difficult concept to grasp for ourselves, but a very easy characteristic to notice in another. There is just something undeniably Jesus within her. I am thankful that we not only get to benefit from her being in our life, but that the Lord uses a 15 year old to teach me the most basic, yet most bewildering characteristic of his convenant.

Disney, and quite frankly we, could never deserve someone like Lorena. So we take this incredible gift of a human and we never forget her or the lessons she teaches us day in and day out while trying to Love her the best we are able while we’re here.