First of all I want to apologize for not being able to keep up with everybody these past few weeks. I moved into Fundación Emmanuel about 3 weeks ago and I didn't have internet access for a little over 2 weeks. I didn't think I would make it, but here I am! haha :)
I have learned and seen so much over these few weeks. We currently have about 20-25 girls. 5 younger boys and 5 older boys. And a 4 month old baby. The kids are so different. Not one is the same. Not one has lived the same life. They come from everywhere. The majority of the kid's mothers are in the prison. A lot of these kids have been raised in the prison. A lot have been raised on the streets. The 4 month old baby was found on the railroad tracks drinking from a bottle full of drugs. She came in at 2 months old addicted to drugs.
These kids have a lot of problems. I'm not going to lie to you and say that everything is great here. It is hard. The kids hit. They bite. They push. They kick. They scream. They cry. They run away. They swear. They mock you.
But...
Jesus is here. God is moving in this place. God is transforming hearts. God is changing lives. These kids were once without a home. They now have a home. They were once without food. They now eat 3 times a day. They were without clothes. They now have clothes. They were once without parents. We are now their parents. They were once without a family. Now they have a family of 40-50. They were once without a God. But now they have Jesus.
God is at work. Over the past few weeks I have undergone so many emotions. I don't even know how to explain it. I haven't had time to really sit down and process all that I have been feeling, experiencing, learning.
I'm going to tell you guys a few stories about what I've experienced here:
~My first day a little girl came up to me and sat on my lap. I asked her her name and she told me to call her "niña de la calle" (street girl). I told her no. And I asked her what her name was. She again responded street girl. I kept asking and she kept responding street girl. After about 10 times I asked her why she says that is her name and she told me that is what everybody used to call her. She finally told me her real name and I told her that she was a child of God, a princess, that she is loved by the God of the universe.
~I let a little girl borrow my Bible and she ended up writing a message and a picture in the back of it. She wrote: Erika te quiero mucho. Dios ve tu corazon. Te quiero mucho. De Dayana.
Erika I love you a lot. God sees your heart. I love you a lot.
~I've seen kids daily pray for forgiveness for their behavior and from their sins and asking God to give them a spirit of obedience.
~I've talked to a 7 year old girl who grew up on the street with her family. Her mother, father, and 2 younger brothers are still on the street. She started crying and crying because she hasn't seen them in over a month.
~I've been working with a 7 year old boy who when he was born the doctors said he wasn't going to live past a few days. He has a million different medical problems. He has survived many diseases, tumors, surgeries, fevers over 104 degrees F. Almost a year ago he learned how to walk. And he is starting to talk. He understands English and Spanish. God has huge plans for this precious little boy.
God is at work here. Pray for restoration for these children. Pray that those of us in charge would have rest, patience, love. Pray that God would teach us how to work with these kids in grace and truth. That God would teach me how to love.
I want to learn how to love.
