Muchas Gracias + Teachable Moments

MUCHAS GRACIAS!!!

MUCHAS GRACIAS!!!  Thank you all for your donations to our Christmas Project!  It was a huge success!  We were able to purchase with your donations the following:

• 2 fridges
•  8 industrial cooking pots + kitchen utensils
• 12 iron benches + 2 iron tables + 8 iron chairs 
• 1 large steel shelf with 8 green plastic tubs for the kitchen
• 30 plastic cups + plates + bowls, 36 forks + spoons
• 2 white board for English class + bible studies
• 3 wall collages of family orphanage photos
•  mexican clay pots + plants + bamboo trees
• 10 file-portfolios for office
• 5 packages of 12 kilo laundry soap
• 12- 2.8 liter bottles of dish soap
• 10 boxes of 90 eggs 
• 4 boxes of 12 kilos of chicken
• 10 boxes of 24 toilet paper rolls
• 50m extension cord + 4 smoke detectors
• Mops + brooms
• 50 t-shirts w/ the orphanage logo
• 4 small trashcans + 2 large trashcans
•  2 boxes of 500 small trash bags + 3 boxes of 100 large black trash bags
• 1 outdoor barbeque

Also an amazing family from Missouri worked together with their church to buy new clothes, school supplies and toys for the orphanage! Such a blessing!  
Check out the pictures below... 

Showing the kids the new gifts!

The guys putting together the grill

Handing out gifts to the kids

TEACHABLE MOMENTS:

Everyday here we have numerous opportunities to share the gospel and teach the kids.  I'm not just referring to teaching them through Bible studies, classes, doing homework, etc., but rather through the everyday little things.

FOLDING CLOTHES:
For Christmas the kids received a bunch of new clothes!  One of the younger boys (Cesar) wanted to learn how to fold his clothes correctly.  So I got the opportunity to sit down with him for 20 minutes or so and teach him how to fold his clothes, but more importantly we got to talk about why it is important to take care of our things.  It was a great opportunity to see how much God has blessed us and how we should take care of all that He was given us, but not to "hold onto" and "worship" those physical materials.

Maicol painting 1 Peter 2

GETTING PICKED ON:
A couple of weeks ago I witnessed one of the older boys picking on Maicol (age 12).  It is always hard to deal with these kind of situations, because the boys get frustrated, angry and want to fight back.  I had the cool opportunity to share with Maicol the following verses from 1 Peter 2:21-25.  It paints such a beautiful picture of how Jesus reacted to suffering, insults, threats, etc.  Maicol was really able to start to understand what it looks like to trust God as the Judge who judges with justice and righteousness.




Also it was really cool to see Maicol start to look at the fact that "by Jesus' wounds we have been healed".  The majority of these kids have been abused (physically, sexually, emotionally, through neglect) and so it is such a huge deal for them to see that JESUS TRULY HEALS US!

"To this you were called,
because Christ suffered for you,
leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
       'He committed no sin,
       and no deceit was found in his mouth.'
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate;
when he suffered, he made no threats.
Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,
so that we might die to sins
and live for righteousness;
by his wounds you have been healed.
For you were like sheep going astray,
but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

1 Peter 2:21-25

Maicol's artwork

Also, please check out our fundraiser going on to send down Jesus Storybook Bibles to orphans in Mexico:  www.adoptbible.com

Play-Doh

There are opportunities everyday to teach and learn.  Teachable moments are ever present to relay the truth of the Bible.

This morning at the orphanage one of the boys Jorge was playing with his Play-Doh with his younger brother Miguel.  I took Jorge aside to homework and he let Miguel borrow the play-doh.  Miguel lost the play-doh and Jorge got mad at his younger brother.  Unfortunately stealing is very common at the orphanage.  So I took Miguel and we started looking for the missing play-doh and were unable to find it.  I told Miguel that he needed to talk to Jorge and tell him what happened.  So Miguel talks to him and tries to offer his favorite light-up remote control Lightening McQueen car to make up for what happened, but Jorge doesn't accept.

Miguel comes back downstairs frustrated that Jorge didn't accept his gift.  And I ask him if he had asked for forgiveness and apologized for losing Jorge's play-doh.  Miguel says no.  I explain to him that he cannot earn nor win Jorge's forgiveness.  That like God's forgiveness offered to us, we cannot earn it but it, but it is freely given to us through Jesus's sacrifice.  Miguel agrees and returns upstairs to ask for forgiveness.  After a couple minutes he returns crying saying that Jorge did not forgive him.

After wiping his tears away, I go upstairs with Miguel and sit down with the two of them.  We discuss what had happened.  I explain that it is hard to forgive somebody who has hurt us.  But that forgiveness does not mean that we agree with what was done to us nor that we are "happy" and "okay".  I shared with him how about a year ago somebody had stolen some valuable things from my house and later asked me for forgiveness.  Was I happy that he had stolen from me?  No.  I was sad and felt betrayed.  Did he deserve my forgiveness? No.  But I needed to forgive him because God forgives me and we are supposed to forgive others as God has forgiven us.  I explained to Jorge that it is not easy, but we need to humble ourselves and reflect God's heart and forgive as He forgives.

Jorge said "no" and went downstairs.  Miguel, the little 6 year old whose smile shines brighter than any kid I know, got down on his knees and started bawling.  I hugged him and reassured him that he had done all he could do.  He had humbled himself and asked for forgiveness.  God had already forgiven him.  He replied, "I know, but Jorge cares more about his play-doh than he does me.  He loves his play-doh more than he loves me his own brother."

Wow.  Those are some deep thoughts for a 6 year old kid.  I shared with him that sometimes our pride gets in the way and we think only of ourselves and that it makes it hard to forgive people.  We talked about how Miguel was demonstrating a humble heart in asking forgiveness.  And that unfortunately something is wrong in Jorge's heart in not wanting to forgive.  It all has to do with the heart.  Our thoughts, actions and words are a reflection of our heart.  We prayed for Jorge and that God would change his heart.  And I gave Miguel a big hug and he went off to school.

There are days like this that are truly bittersweet.

A New Year, A New Lesson

These past 2 weeks have been the most difficult time for me here in Guadalajara.  I've really seen first hand just how GOOD and FAITHFUL God is.  A good friend reminded me that HE fights for you and I, we need only to be still. (Exodus 14:14).  And it is so true.

On Monday December 26th I took one of the little boys, Coby, to the Cruz Verde (Urgent Care) because he had 11 seizures in one day.  They treated Coby with an IV, medicine, and an oxygen mask.  We arrived at 10pm and weren't released until 5am the following morning.  The doctors gave us a new dosage of Coby's medicine and told us to take him to the hospital to have a neurologist run some brain scans.  So that Thursday I took him to the hospital and while in the waiting room of the ER he had another seizure.  They rushed him in and treated him and told us to come back the following morning (Friday) to get an appointment for the brain scans.

So we leave 6am Friday morning for the hospital and wait in numerous lines, talk with various doctors, social workers, etc.  Coby does not have health insurance.  The government offers free health insurance to kids in orphanages, but Coby does not have a birth certificate nor is he registered with the government making it impossible for him to have health insurance.  So after talking with the hospital they agree to treat Coby and give him the brain scan.  We are in the hospital the entire weekend of New Years with Coby and on Monday they give us the results of the brain scan and change his medication which should now better control his seizures.

It was a very stressful week communicating with the Urgent Care, Hospital, Government, Orphanage, Social Work, etc.  But God really taught me a lot about His sovereignty.  Even though everything seemed to be stacked up against us, God was for us.  I could do literally nothing.  The guys on my team (who were in the US at the time) could do literally nothing.  All we could do was trust God.


Through all of this I had no idea what to pray for.  But Coby showed me how to pray when all he could utter was "Cristo ayudame" (Jesus, help me).

On the way to the hospital

Explaining to Coby that we are going to spend the night at the hospital

Play-Dough 

The doctors let Coby play with his top "trompo" in the patio

Finally leaving the hospital!

Peace Out Hospital!

Out for Pizza after a long week a the hospital

I was encouraged by this quote by Calvin in a book on the "Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault" called Rid of My Disgrace:

Every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone.  For, 

He was sold, to buy us back;
captive, to deliver us;
condemned, to absolve us;
He was made a curse for our blessing,
sin offering for our righteousness;
marred that we may be made fair;
He died for our life;
so that by Him fury is made gentle,
wrath appeased,
darkness turned into life; 

FEAR REASSURED,  

despisal despised,

DEBT CANCELED,
LABOR LIGHTENED,
SADNESS MADE MERCY,
MISFORTUNE MADE FORTUNATE,
DIFFICULTY EASY,
DISORDER ORDERED,
DIVISION UNITED,    

ignominy ennobled,
rebellion subjected,
intimidation intimidated,
ambush uncovered,
assaults assailed,
force forced back,
combat combated,
war warred against,
vengeance avenged,
torment tormented,
damnation damned,
the abyss sunk into the abyss,
hell transfixed,
death dead,
mortality made immortal. 

In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune. 

For all these things which were to be the weapons of the devil in his battle against us, and the sting of death to pierce us, are turned for us into exercises which we can turn for our profit. 

If we are able to boast with the Apostle, saying, O hell, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? IT IS BECAUSE BY THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, WE LIVE NO LONGER, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN US. 

 

We could not have gotten through these 2 weeks without God.  Everything was against us, but God was for us and God fought for us.

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14

Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for Coby's health.

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.