Tuesday, July 5, 2016

"P' Sara's Barber Shop. It's Free!"

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to cut hair. It was a dream turned desire turned passion. My Aunt Denise is a major influence behind that passion. She used to cut my hair when I was kid. I looked up to her and when she told me how she started cutting hair it sparked the dream in me.

This dream is much deeper than wanting to be like my aunt. I know in the depths of my being that God used my aunt to reveal His dream for me.

I was in high school or soon after that when I first started cutting hair. I cut my dad's hair, my brother's and his friends, some neighborhood boys, and my friend's kids hair.

As deep as my desire to cut hair is my desire to do free haircuts. I've always had a heart for the underprivileged, the overlooked. Giving the haircuts is payment enough for me.

About 10 yrs ago I accidentally messed up on one haircut. He cried. I cried haha. And just like that I quit cutting hair. I took that as a sign that I should just let it go. I hadn't gone to school for it and I didn't think I ever would.

That passion died back down to just a dream that I once had. Until now.

I've been in Thailand for just over a year now. Last year a boy came to the center after school. It looked like he had gotten in a fight with a lawnmower and lost. I thought maybe he had taken the scissors to his head. After all, he was a 7 yr old boy. They do silly things sometimes.

Turns out, if the boys let their hair get longer than the school allows, the teachers will cut random parts of their hair. They do this to force the boys to go to the barber. When I saw him and heard what had happened I couldn't help but want to set up shop at the center.

In the last month I have done a couple of hair cuts at the center. One was to prevent the shameful chopping of the hair and one to fix it. I'm not sure who was more happy, me or them haha.


After his haircut he said, "P' Sara's barber shop. It's free!" 

Last year before I came to Thailand I traveled around the south with Mary Beth and her dad, Mike. They were itinerating and graciously invited me along. I got to share about #MissionThailand and sold some shirts along the way.

While in Louisiana we stayed with a couple. Very nice, friendly, generous people. They had known me for all of two days and committed to supporting me monthly. It goes to show that God has his own ways of providing.

But that's not the best part. Last week FedEx delivered a box to my house. I got a message from the aforementioned husband that explained the package. God had given him a dream one night that I would be cutting hair. (There's more to the dream but I want to keep that private for now.) Rather than writing it off because he doesn't know me, he instead bought me clippers, scissors, a cape, combs, and barbicide. The moment I opened the box I started crying. It reminded me of my passion to cut hair. Over the last few months I have been thinking about going to barber college when I get back to America next year. It will give me the skills I need to be the "barber" I have always wanted to be. Then, when I get back to Thailand, or wherever I am in the world, I can cut hair with confidence.

Meanwhile, I will be cutting hair at the center. Though my cuts will be basic they will keep the boys from being shamed and will start me on the path to God's plans for me as a barber.

I wanted to share this with you to encourage you to never ever give up on your God given desires and passions. For 10 yrs I let fear, doubt, and insecurity bully me. I can get lost in regret thinking about those years and that I should have gone to school. But my God is a God of redemption. He can redeem and awaken what was lost or seemingly dead. Not just dreams but relationships and anything you may think can't be fixed.

Anticipating all that God has for me as I step up and live out this passion. I've been able to accept that I may never be a mother but I just couldn't accept that I would never cut hair. I'm humbled by the family that was obedient in sending me that package. I'm humbled that after all of these years the time has come for my dream to become a reality. I am forever grateful for Jesus. His love, salvation, redemption, grace, mercy. May all that I do honor Him!

P' Sara's barber shop is now open!