What is a Family?

Does a family just consist of a mom, dad and kids?  How about a mixed family?  Extended family?  How would you define 'family'?

Since graduating from college at the end of 2008,  I've lived far away from my 'immediate family'.  However I've seen and experienced that God provides other families for us as well. 

FAMILY = KIDS IN VICTORY ORPHANAGE

When we think of orphans we often think of boys and girls with no parents, no family, no home.  However the 'orphans' I know are the complete opposite.  These kids truly have a family.  They may not be blood related, but they are family.  They live together, take turns doing chores, borrow each others toys, eat dinner together, help each other with homework, read together, etc..  The director and his wife truly are these kids' parents.  This past week the director, Fer, has been in the hospital for pneumonia and tuberculosis.  Please pray for him.  Imagine a father of 30 kids being away from home for over a week.  Doctors say he needs about 2 more weeks of supervision before he is released.  It has been so encouraging to see all of the kids come together in unity though.  They pray for him each day and all of the older kids are really stepping up to do extra chores to help out.  It is such a blessing to be able to be a part of this family in the times of rejoicing and in the hard times as well.

The other day one of the younger boys, Brayan, wrote me a letter.  In it he says: "You are my family."  I have really felt part of the orphanage family over the past couple of years, however it really hit me when I read that I was his 'familia'.  Brayan, like all of the kids at the orphanage, did not have a normal, healthy family relationship.  Creating a new Christ-centered family for these kids is so important.  This type of redeemed family gives them security, unity, acceptance, love and truly demonstrates to them that God has chosen them and adopted them as sons and daughters. 
I am more than blessed to call Brayan and all of the other kids: "mi familia".

FAMILY = CHURCH
God has also blessed me with an awesome church family here in Guadalajara.  I have really been able to get plugged into woman's bible study who have challenged me and supported me. We've all grown so much together and I have learned to share life on a deeper level with them.  It is so encouraging to see the young adults wanting to truly live for Jesus and serve others.

Church friends

Every Saturday a bunch of us from church go to a small impoverished part of town (El Humedo) to give bible studies to the kids.  Two weeks ago a bunch of doctors and dentists came with us to do medical checkups, dental checkups, to prescribe medications and to perform basic dental operations.  While the doctors checked the patients, we gave classes and did activities with the kids in the community.  It was a long day, but a lot of fun getting to know to kids on a deeper level in one-on-one conversation.

Giving classes while the dentists + doctors work

Dentists at work

Singing + dancing with the kids

FAMILY = TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS
A family consists of different members playing different roles.  At the orphanage Kids in Victory the directors and other staff do an outstanding job at providing for the basic needs of the kids.  However we have seen a lesser focus/attention to the school/academic situation.  It is hard for Tania and I to tackle this problem on our own, but God has provided a team, better yet a family, to work together.  We have been heading up a program to organize all of the volunteers at the orphanage to really channel their efforts into educational activities to help the kids learn responsibility and to really pursue and understand the importance of education.  We are conditioning a room upstairs in the orphanage to be fully dedicated as the 'education room' so that we can help with homework, work on reading comprehension skills, math, problem solving, arts + crafts activities, etc..  

It is so encouraging to see such a diverse group of people come together to help with project.  We've got a group of teachers from the US who teach at a Christian school here in Guadalajara that is helping us learn how to better tutor and guide the kids.  Another group of mothers who want to dedicate time each week to working with the boys.  Other volunteers from universities, high schools and the community in general.  The biggest help thus far has been a woman, Maroly, who is helping us head up the project.  She has such a passion for God and for loving and serving kids in orphanages.  It has been so encouraging and uplifting to build a relationship with her and we are excited to see what God has planned for all of us in working together in the future.

Part of the group planning the education project

FAMILY = ORPHANAGE IN CHAPALA 
This past week we had the opportunity to visit an orphanage in Chapala, about an hour outside of Guadalajara.  Chapala is an absolutely beautiful city.  We met with the founder and the director of the orphanage and they gave us a tour and explained the way they run and function.  We also shared with them our vision of starting an orphanage and what we are currently involved in.  It was so encouraging to see God working in and through these two women.  They live and breathe passion for God and orphans.  This orphanage is one of the best run orphanages I have seen: very organized and well structured, but it is also such a tranquil and peaceful environment for the kids to grow up.  The staff is truly walking by faith and trusting God as they raise the children.  They are very focused on spiritual growth, healing, education, holistic attention and the importance of a family environment. 

Honestly all of the dreams/ideas that I have had for an orphanage these past 3 years I saw being put into practice here at this orphanage.  The directors actually invited us to move to Chapala to work with them!  Please pray for us as we seek God about this opportunity and for His timing and will.

FAMILY = SUPPORTERS (YOU!)
I am so grateful that God has blessed me with all of you.  Your prayers, encouragement and financial support play such an important role in my life.  Times get tough down here, but I am always so refreshed knowing that I have a group of friends, family and partners in ministry that is truly dedicated to caring for and loving the orphans and impoverished children of Mexico.  Thank you for being a part of my family.

Starting off the New Year...

ORPHANOS:

I apologize for the late update.  This has been a busy holiday season as we transition into a new ministry and I wanted to wait on the update until things had become more official and finalized.  I am excited and proud to announce that Orphanos (a non-profit focused on serving orphans) has accepted me as a missionary.  I am now a part of the Orphanos family!  Please check out the website to see where we are serving and to read more about the organization.  http://www.orphanos.org/

It is such a blessing to see an organization like Orphanos that is so dedicated to serving and loving orphans and missionaries around the world.  If you are interested in supporting financially please visit the Giving Site.  The easiest and most cost-effective way for us to receive donations is through the "Electronic Fund Transfer".  If you have any specific questions, please let me know.

These past few months we were in the process of starting our own non-profit, but during the process we realized the great amount of time and work needed to dedicate to running the non-profit administratively.  I feel that God is calling me to dedicate my time to working with the kids and to continue networking here in Guadalajara as we seek to start an orphanage.  It has been such a blessing to find Orphanos who is dedicated to sending out missionaries and doing all of that administrative work of a non-profit FREE OF CHARGE so that we as missionaries can do what God has called us to do without being bogged down with admin stuff.  So 100% of your donation goes straight to the field.  What a blessing!

ACTIVITIES:

Michel doing HW

Things are moving right along down here in Guadalajara as Tania and I seek out new opportunities to serve and train with orphanages and kids in poverty. We continue to serve at Kids in Victory orphanage and are currently planning a meeting for this month with all of the volunteers at the orphanage.  We the volunteers to share about how they are serving and what ideas and ambitions they have for the upcoming year.  We want to unite the volunteers so that we can serve together and encourage each other as we love these kids.

PEN-PALS:  My best friend is a high school Spanish teacher and each year her students write letters to the orphanage boys to practice their Spanish and to get to know the kids.  The kids absolutely love having pen-pals!  Check out some of them writing their letters:

Coby writing his letter

Rodrigo writing to his new pen-pal

Miguel reading his letter

THE BOYS ABSOLUTELY LOVE DOGS!!!

Jorge

Luis

FUN ACTIVITIES THAT REMIND ME OF MY CHILDHOOD:

Pogs!  or better known as "tazos" in Mexico

Building forts with blankets and boxes

matchbox car ramps

fire pit-roasting marshmallows

Hanging out with Coby, Jorge & Rodrigo

With Maicol

CHRISTMAS WITH THE FAMILY:

Proud of my not so little brother

I have been truly blessed this Christmas season.  For the past 4 years I have spent Christmas in Mexico.  And please don't get me wrong; I love being spending the holidays in Mexico, but especially around Christmas it is extra special to be with family.  This year I was fortunate enough to spend Christmas in the US with my family.  I flew back for my younger brother's graduation from the Marine Corp.  It was an awesome experience to see him accomplish his goal of being chosen for the MOS Field of Intelligence.  I had shared with orphanage boys about my brother joining the Marines and they were honestly more excited than I was!  They asked me a million questions.  I think the Marines gives people a sense of belonging.  It shows them that there is something greater to fight for and strive towards.  It gives them motivation to go forward and to seek justice.

My family

The Marines and being a follower of Jesus actually have a lot of similarities if you think about it.  However one grand difference I noted: the driving motivation.  The marine recruits in boot camp are motivated by fear.  Fear of punishment and fear of humiliation by the drill instructor.  They strive to earn their identity as a US Marine and during boot-camp their drill instructors motivate them towards this identity through fear.

However we as Christians are motivated by love.  First God gives us our identity as His children; we don't earn it.  We are consequentially motivated by His love for us.  We are motivated to love others because we have experienced a love greater than any fear and greater than any love we could ever imagine.

Thank you for your constant prayers, support and encouragement as I seek to love these children as God has loved me.