Christmas Cookies!

Immunizations, Roles, Forgiveness + Changes

IMMUNIZATIONS:

This past month I've been working on getting all of the kids caught up on their immunizations.  Out of the 30 kids only 4 had shot records and even those 4 were not up to date.  So let's just say I spent many hours coaxing kids into coming with me to get their shots! haha  I even got to hold a few down (more like half of the kids-they were scared) while the doctors gave them the shots.  

Milton revising his card

A treat for the kids after their shots!

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?

I feel that so often the world is obsessed with job titles and names.  And yet those titles and names really don't describe who we are.

The other day I had just arrived at the orphanage after a good 5 hours running back and forth to the Health Center getting the kids their vaccinations (everything takes longer in Mexico).  I come into the office and find a new psychologist in there talking with one of the younger boys Brian.  I introduce myself and she asks me what my role is at the orphanage.  I didn't really know how to respond.  So I told her I teach them how to read, help with homework, give bible studies, help organize the office work, sometimes I cook, etc.  I turn to Brian and ask him what he would say my "role" is and he simply states "she loves us".  

I thought it was such a beautiful answer.  We are sometimes so focused on all of the little things, when really only one thing matters: love.  Our main focus should be loving Jesus and loving others.

Hanging out with Milton 

Making Banana Bread with Braulio + Coby

FORGIVENESS:
Last Friday night I was doing homework with the kids and two of the younger boys (Miguel + Brian) start to fight.  They keep threatening eachother and things get pretty out of control.  So I carry Miguel upstairs and sit down on the bunkbed with him and try to calm him down by getting him to breathe slower and to stop yelling.  And then I start to pray for him out loud.  He slowly starts to calm down and eventually is under control.  I tell him to lay down and to relax and rest and to pray to God to help him understand the situation.  I go downstairs to find Brian and do the same with him.  And then I return upstairs with Miguel to talk with him and I bring along the Jesus Storybook Bible to read afterwards.  We pray and just as we start reading Brian comes upstairs to join us.  I ask the kids if we can talk about what happened and they agree.


We pray and then I start talking to them to figure out what had happened between them.  Miguel interrupts me and asks me "Can I ask a question?".  I say "yes".  And Miguel turns to Brian and asks: "Will you forgive me?".  Brian turns to me and has a huge grin on his face and says "yes".  Brian then turns to Miguel and asks for forgiveness as well and Miguel says "yes".  They both turn to me with huge smiles and give me a hug.  To be honest I almost lost it.  I cried out of joy and amazement.  The boys wanted reconciliation and were able to forgive eachother without me intervening.  They had turned to God and saw His justice, forgiveness and love and put it into action.


It was a beautiful moment that really humbled me.  So the three of us sat there hugging eachother for a few minutes (which seemed like hours) and then we started reading the kid's Bible.  After reading for a good hour, Miguel turned to me and asked: "When I am a grown up and a daddy, can you buy me this Bible to read with my children?".  These kids truly break your heart and teach you more than you could ever imagine.

HOMEWORK TIME:
The past couple of weeks we have been focusing on a bunch of structural changes at the orphanage: putting in more organization, order and a schedule.  It has definitely been a challenge, but as you can see by the following video things are definitely improving!





Thank you for your love, encouragement, prayers and support that allows me to serve these children that God loves so much.

Love Letters and Muffins...

LOVE LETTERS:
Over the past month a few kids have started sending me little love letters, small folded-up notes, pictures and drawings.  They know how to win over my heart.   My fridge is full, literally covered, in pictures and notes and the kids love it.  Every time they come over they are so excited to see their pictures so proudly displayed.

Here are a few examples of what the kids have sent.  And so for every note/picture they give me I get to write them a little note as well expressing how important they are to me and how much God loves them, etc.

Happy Day Mom

I love you Erika
 -Jonathan

SATURDAY- ART PROJECT, MUFFINS & A MOVIE
This past Saturday I had a few of the younger boys over at my house for an art project.  We made a poster for the director and his wife to encourage them and thank them.  The kids always pray for them and that God would give them the strength of a buffalo (Psalm 92). So we included the verse and the boys colored and decorated it.  As they colored, I made them muffins and then we watched a movie!

"Stand up and walk with Jesus" 

Muffins and a Movie 

Their artwork

So proud of their project

MENDING THE SOUL CONFERENCE IN MEXICO CITY:
Last week I had the opportunity to attend a conference in Mexico City that trained/equipped care-givers of kids who have been abused physically, sexually and emotionally.  It was a great experience to learn and to see all that God is doing in all of Mexico.  People from 7 different states of Mexico came.

Volunteers @ Conference

Showing of a film on sex-trafficking

It was a great experience, but it was so good to come back to Guadalajara.  As I walked to the orphanage the kids saw me from a few blocks away and they all ran outside yelling my name and gave me a million hugs and kisses.  What a great welcome home!

PAN-AMERICAN GAMES:
The entire city of Guadalajara has been a busy place this past week because the Pan-American Games started.  The Pan-American Games is basically the Olympics for North and South America.  The majority of the countries are participating and currently the US is leading in medals.  We had the opportunity to go to a wrestling match.  It was a lot of fun to see all of the countries come together and compete.

The Wrestling Match 

The team with Lorena's brother, Enrique, who is
currently undergoing chemotherapy for his cancer.

HANGING OUT WITH THE KIDS:

Jorge sewing a scarf!

Miguel studying the syllables

Coby-very stylish with his new beanie

Jose + his puppy

BBQ + Show

BBQ + Show

The boys enjoying the show

Eduardo showing off his dance moves:

Sexual Abuse-It is a Reality.

Please watch this video.  For those of you who know me pretty well, know that I love spoken word poetry.  This following video is an example of that, but it will grab your heart in a different way than expected:


13th Floor: Sexual Abuse - Janette...ikz from Pure Path on Vimeo.


This week I am traveling to Mexico City for a few days to attend a conference hosted by Mending the Soul.

"Mending the Soul will be providing much needed training on the healing component that the people in Mexico will be desperate for as their own pain and suffering is revealed.  For this training we will be focusing specifically on abuse, healing and redemption, and issues surrounding sex trafficking . "

This is such an important area of our ministry in starting an orphanage.  95% of children on the streets have been abused sexually.

Ninety-five-percent.

That is a majority.

The majority of our kids have been sexually abused.  This conference will equip us with resources and training on how to work with these children towards healing and redemption in Jesus.

Pray that God would touch my heart at this conference and that He would train and equip us to work with these children who's innocence has been torn from them.

Urgent Care Visit

Children truly are a blessing.  They have taught me so much.


WEDNESDAY-Urgent Care Visit
Wednesday morning around 9am I get a call from the orphanage saying that Coby, an 8 year old boy, has been having seizures all night and throwing up.  Unfortunately the orphanage does not have the available funding so whenever one of the kids is sick, we are the ones to take them to the doctor.  Coby normally has seizures and takes a medication to regulate them, but the throwing up was caused by an infection and fever.

So I take Coby to the local doctor office around the corner and the doctor tells us to go to the "Cruz Verde" (Green Cross) right away.  So we arrive at the "Cruz Verde" which is like an inexpensive Urgent Care for people who have limited resources.  I arrive carrying in Coby in one arm as my friend Liz helps me carry all of his documents/paperwork/medicine.  The place is full of people waiting.  After talking with the social worker we are able to get Coby checked out by a doctor before being admitted.

We end up talking to the doctor for a bit about Coby's case and how he has epileptic seizures pretty regularly and we discussed the possible causes.  Coby comes from a family of 10 or more children.  Mom is a prostitute.  He grew up on the streets using drugs (inhalants) and was exposed to many things at such a young age that nobody should ever be exposed to.  After talking with her for a bit I take Coby into the ER area where I am told to undress him and lay him in the child sized bed.  The room is full of about 10 other patients.  The doctors take his temperature and check his vitals and hook him up to an IV.  Since Coby had a fever and was dehydrated it was almost impossible to set up an IV because his veins were not visible.  But after about 30 minutes of poking and prodding the 3 nurses are able to find a vein and hook him up.

About 5 minutes later Coby pulls out the IV and blood splashes everywhere.  The nurses come running over and stop the bleeding and start the search for another entry vein.  About an hour later it takes 5 different nurses and doctors to find a vein.  Coby fighting it the whole time.  Crying.  Not saying a word.  Just sobbing in fear and in pain.

We spend a total of 6 hours at the Cruz Verde.  The whole time I couldn't help but thinking about how much these kids need God, how much we need God.  Coby was in such fear.  Looking around cautiously around the room.  Not trusting anybody.  His tiny body curled up in the small bed.  Searching for help.  Searching for comfort. Searching for love.  He was in such pain that he pulled out the IV-the one thing that was helping him get better.  He was in such a desperate state that he didn't understand what was going on.  Searching for comfort.  And all I could do was sit there with him and hold his hand and tell him that I loved him.  I was honestly at the point of tears so many times, because it hurt so much to see him in such pain and fear.

I can only imagine what God feels when He sees us, His children, searching for comfort, love.  So often we are searching for His comfort in so many other places but in Him.  Oftentimes we reject what we really need like Coby pulling out his IV.  We are flailing little infants searching and looking in need.  And yet He is the only One that can satisfy us, the only One who can comfort us.  Coby has taught me that.

A Child's Humility + Trip to the Ranch

 "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."  Matthew 18:4

Of all of the characteristics of a child that Jesus could have spoken on in this verse, he refers to a child's humility.  God has really been showing me what this looks like.  How does a child demonstrate humility?

Miguelito is a little boy that has captured my heart.   His smile lights up the room.  You can see God's love and joy alive in Miguelito.  Last Friday after a bible study I saw Miguelito playing outside and I called him over and asked him if I could talk to him.  He agreed to it, so we went into the office and we both sat down, Miguel with a giant smile like the one in the picture above.

I told Miguelito:

"I appreciate you.  You inspire me.  I love you.  Everybody can see God in your eyes, in your smile and in your heart.  Your love for God inspires me.  I want my own children to be like you.  I love you.  God's love is overflowing in your heart."

As I tell Miguelito all of this, small teardrops start to form in the corners of his eyes.  He starts crying.  He cries in humility.

Miguelito tells me:

"God lives in me.  My heart is full."

I tell him:

"No, your heart is not just full.  Your heart is overflowing with God's love.  Overflowing into the lives of everybody around you.  Thank you for loving Jesus with everything; loving Him with all your heart, mind, body, soul and spirit."

We walk out of the office and oustside and as we walk down the hallway Miguel tells me to look up at the stars.  Miguel says that God is up there walking with us and that He is alive in our hearts.

You can really see a child's humility in how Miguelito reacted to the compliment.  God is teaching me what humility truly looks like through Miguelito.


TRIP TO THE RANCHO!


This past Sunday we took all of the kids to the ranch/farm.  We had a BBQ with carne asada tacos and the kids loved it!  Check out the pictures!

Carne Asada

Eduardo showing off

Miguelito and I

The boys hanging around the rancho

Jorge grande

Jose + Jorge chico

The boys getting the beans ready to cook

The Rancho!

 Thank you for your love, prayers and support.  God is definitely transforming these kids lives and my life as well.  Thank you for your faithfulness.

This Summer in Pictures & Videos

WHAT I'VE LEARNED THIS SUMMER:
.              KIDS ARE A BLESSING.

MIGUEL'S B-DAY @ MCDONALDS:
Yesterday I took Miguel and his brother Jorge (who just learned how to read!) out to lunch at McDonalds for Miguel's 7th birthday.  The kids had a blast playing and taught me a couple things as well...

Jorge-the new reader!

Miguel the birthday boy

Playing + Eating

Discussion topics of lunch included:

-I'm going to learn how to read and God is going to make it happen! -Miguel 7 years old

I asked the kids "What should a good mom and dad do?"
And they responded...
"A mom takes care of the kids and loves them. And a dad provides for the family and corrects the kids in love so that we can gain wisdom and knowledge."
WOW!

PIZZA WITH RICARDO AND COBY:
A couple weeks ago I took out 2 of the kids out to pizza and they loved it  :)

WATER PARK WITH MINISTERIOS DE AMOR:
A month ago we took the kids at Ministerios de Amor to the waterpark and they had a blast!

Luis getting ready to swim!

The water park

FASHION SHOW:
I felt like a mom the other day as I helped the boys pick out their nice outfits for a dress up night at a camp they went to.  I helped them match ties, pants, shirts, belts, shoes and even did some last minute hemming of their pants.  And I thought it was just girls that liked to do fashion shows and dress up! :)

Jose

Eduardo showing off!

Milton

MOM VISITED GUADALAJARA:
This past week my mom came down for a few days to Guadalajara to visit and to meet the kids at the orphanage.  She really enjoyed her time down here are was relieved to finally see what life looks like here and that it isn't as dangerous as the US news makes it out to be.  I had a great time seeing her and showing her around.  The kids really enjoyed meeting her as well and showing off their pets!

Jonathan and his puppy

Nahum and Johnny

READING BOOKS WITH THE KIDS:
I have been surprised at how much these kids love reading books and learning how to read!  I've had a blast teaching them.

Julio, Marcos, Maicol reading

Jorge learning how to read!!

Maicol reading

Story Time with the kids

HANGING OUT AT THE PARK:

Monkeys in the Tree

Flips off the bench

Stick 'em up!

Collecting leaves

MARCOS @ PARK:



CESAR @ PARK:



DANCE COMPETITION:



THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO LIVE HERE AND SERVE AND LOVE THESE CHILDREN. I COULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOU.