“Beauty for Ashes” The Girl Child: The Role of Advocacy

By Heidi Herrman:  Walter Brueggeman offers a beautiful vision in his book Prophetic Imagination that  “we must work to let people see their own history in the light of God’s freedom and his will for justice,”  and that “suffering made audible and visible produces hope, articulated grief is the gate of newness, and the history of Jesus is the history of entering into the pain and giving it a voice.”

As we look around the word and take account of the status of the girl child, the obstacles can create mountains that appear unmovable. Grave human rights violations such as female genital mutilation, child sex trafficking, gender violence, child brides, forced abortions, accompanied largely with poverty, inequality, and lack of opportunities might create barriers toward seeing the hope that the girl child provides. As Christians around the world engaged in the lives of girl children daily, we can change the face of our communities and world through advocacy.

The role of an advocate can be defined in a myriad of ways. I enjoy Brueggeman’s definition in application to the girl child. We are called to be like Jesus and enter into the pain and give it a voice. We are the ones to walk alongside the girl child globally and proclaim “beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteous, the planting of the Lord, that the Lord might be glorified”.  When we advocate on behalf of another we are choosing to enter into the injustices that individual or group might face and call for equality, participation, and access. To journey alongside the girl child through the beauty and the pain, we are able carry, walk next to and hopefully run behind the precious creation that God sees as valuable.

So what are we advocating for? We can take up a cause. We can use our resources, connections, voice, time, and energy to bring education, clean water, leadership opportunities, a call to end violent practices, but most importantly we can advocate for the immense worth of the girl child. If we are able to first grasp the extraordinary place the girl child holds in the kingdom of God, a desire to work toward improving the conditions of her life will flow out of that foundation.

We have an example of Jesus as an advocate on behalf of numerous girl children throughout scripture from diverse backgrounds and circumstances. Jesus radically reached out to call the girl child to participate. Those mountains standing in our way did not stop Jesus. They cannot stop us either. We must first understand the girl child as a creation that bears the image of God and model Jesus’ radical actions toward incorporation.

So what does it look like to give voice to the problem and potential of the girl child? It is a slow and steady work that demands our: presence, participation, persistence and passion. If we are going to accept the call to serve as advocates alongside the girl child we must first be present. This is a powerful tool in the life of one girl. Giving of our time and attention conveys to the individual girl child that they are of worth. Despite the conditions in that one child’s life, the presence of someone that models true love and acceptance can prove invaluable.

We must also take up the responsibility of participation. This can be in the life of one child but translates to the larger need for communal and global change. We have to get active as advocates and partner together. Partnership amplifies change. If we are going to tackle the major injustices facing the girl child today we must take message far and wide. Through effective coalitions and supportive networks multiple talents and gifts can be shared to benefit the needs of the girl child.

Persistence should cover our work. This work needs to continue on though others might be adversarial. The work toward advocating the worth of the girl child will take time if we are to really change long held perceptions and traditions. That is why we cannot abandon their side. We cannot move on to another “cause” or “project”. The girl child deserves our persistent confrontation of oppressive frameworks and unhealthy attitudes.

Finally, advocates encompass their work with passion. As Christians we can serve from a sustained motivation to restore the lives of God’s creation namely the girl child. We are empowered in our inner being to continue this work through the Holy Spirit. We can take joy in the fact that we are not alone. What are some practical ways to advocate for the girl child?

~ Bringing girls together to share their stories

~ Addressing local church leaders to challenge the churches perspective of the girl child and increase equality as seen through the Bible ~ Educate your community leaders on the potential of the girl child and her role to transform the community

~ Launch a campaign speaking out against one of the issues facing the girl child

~ Call for cultural accountability when extreme violence is involved

~ Listen to the needs of the girl children among you

~ Take survey of the resources available in your community for the girl child and share them with others

By highlighting the voices of the girl children within our midst we are taking steps toward change. Articulation of injustice leads to new hope. I think what we will also see as we journey alongside the girl child is the immense joy and resilience that is present even within unbearable circumstances. There is much beauty and gladness behind our first impressions of ashes and mourning. There are strong beautiful girls working to overcome each day. Let’s take up the call to amplify their power. Let us advocate together for the worth of the girl child in our midst and globally.

Related posts:

Praying for the Girl Child Thandi’s Loss: One Child Among Millions A GIRL SOLDIER’S STORY Call to Prayer; The First Week of Every Month