Our trip to the Creel Orphanage...

Thank you for your prayers during our trip to the Creel Orphanage this week.  I would say that the trip was both a blessing and a challenge.  We knew that the change and relocating of the orphans would be difficult to recieve, for Leno and Lupe...who have faithfully taken care of the children.  This is why all the prayers leading up to this trip...and your prayers this week were so important and definitely felt. We met Ray for lunch on Wednesday before heading to the children’s home.  After some prayer and thought...we decided that Pastor Luis, Ray and I would meet with Leno and Lupe, while Kim, Jackie and Antu play and hangout with the kids.  Ray shared with them all that God had been speaking to his heart, prior to even meeting me.  He had been praying...Lord what is the future for this orphanage...how can we overcome some of the challenges we have faced over the years.  It was then that the Lord brought our paths to cross, and, has led our every step up to today.  The conversation was very difficult and met with much resistance.  After about 2 hours of talking...we all agreed it would be good to take a break, continue praying and seeking the Lord, and meet again in the morning.  We closed our time with prayer and it was incredibly powerful.  I left the orphanage wondering, why the meeting didn’t go the way I wanted it too...but, encouraged that the God of the universe has ALL things under control!

I didn’t get much sleep that night at all.  I kept tossing and turning...asking the Lord, what do you have in store?...is this the right move?...have we misheard You?...etc!  That morning, I realized why the Lord allowed me to toss and turn...so that I could be praying throughout the night and crying out to Him...

“The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me...a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:8).

Thursday mornings meeting was night and day difference.  Leno and Lupe where more open and receptive to what God is doing.  They shared they have more of a peace and they desire what the Lord wants.  They also brought up some good points regarding what can legally and not legally be done with the children.  We shared we were planning on meeting with the attorney on Friday and would keep them updated as we find out more.

Through our meeting with Eduardo (Ray’s lawyer in Mexico) and a meeting with the Internal House of Indian Affairs...the Lord seems to continue leading us in this direction.  There are still a number of “unanswered” questions...as we try to understand how things work in Mexico.  However, we will faithfully walk through doors until they either close, OR, God sees this through to the end.  With that in mind...the more we pray...the greater peace He will give us.  Regardless of how many orphans we will get...or where they will come from...God has spoken to ALL of our hearts that Casa de Bendicion is from Him and He is in control.  May all of our prayers be...HIS will be done...NOT ours!

“Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Chief Cornerstone...

We had another blessed and successful work week.  The whole crew, 8 men, started Monday morning at 7:30 AM with a time of prayer and Psalm 127.  I  had asked Jose to read Psalm 27, and wanted to share a few thoughts from it...but...he thought I said 127.  It was totally the Lord, because the first verse in that Psalm is one that we have constantly been quoting this past month... "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it..."

It was perfect that the Lord worked out that little mistake.  With that verse in mind, the men went right to work and worked hard and fast!

Chayo and Jorge...mixing concrete for the footings...

Alejo, Eloy and Florentino pouring the concrete footings...

The footings were finished and dried by Friday morning.  It was then time to begin to lay the blocks and build the walls.  The most important part of the wall is the "cornerstone".  Its the first stone that you lay.  That sets the stage for how every block afterwards will turn out.  If the cornerstone is off...then the wall will be off.  If the cornerstone is level and set just right...then all other blocks that follow will be fine.  What a beautiful picture of Psalm 118...

"The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone" (Psalm 118:22)

Jesus quoted this verse in Matthew 21 when speaking to the chief priests and elders.  He was referring to Himself as the Chief cornerstone.  What a wonderful picture of the importance of Jesus in our life.  With out that cornerstone (without Jesus)...everything will be off in our lives.  However, with Jesus as our CHIEF cornerstone...everything will be just fine.  I'm so thankful for those physical reminders of His glorious truths!

Here is Eloy and Alejo, setting the cornerstone...the first block of sum 8,000 blocks...

On Friday, the team laid 369 blocks.  Our goal is to average about 300 per day...so we are off to a wonderful start.  On Saturdays, the team works a 4 hour day, 7:30-11:30 AM...and yet they were able to lay close to 150 more blocks.  If they keep this rate up, we should have the outer walls and structure completed in 4 weeks....WOW!  This reminds yet of another passage of scripture...where Nehemiah and his crew, who had a "mind to work," finished building the wall in 52 days!

Here's what it looks like after a day and a half of working...

Another view of the wall...workers...and beautiful sunrise...

Saturday is pay day, which is probably the highlight of the day for the men.  After work, I handed the brothers their envelope with money.  I was blown away when immediately after opening their envelopes, 2 of the men handed Pastor Luis money...telling him they wanted to tithe and give to the church.  Jackie was standing next to me and said, "wow...talk about giving of your first fruits..." We finished the day with a sweet time of prayer and then as we were leaving, a number of the brothers said we'll see you tomorrow at church.

What a wonderful way to end the week...thank you Jesus!

For such a time as this...

It seems strange that I have been down in Mexico for over a month now.  How fast the time has flown by.  It was just back in April that we were down here for our vacation and the Lord began to change our world and everything we know of...for the better.  He began to open our eyes for a need and opportunity to care for HIS children down in Bachiniva.  Watching how He has worked things out and continues too, has been one of the biggest blessings in my life.  And now, the day has come, to meet the orphans that we will be caring for in the coming months.  Tomorrow we head up to Creel to meet Ray Wilson, current director of Black Buffalo Ministries...which has been ministering to the orphans of Creel.  We will be meeting him for lunch at the hotel to talk, pray and seek the Lord in how to share and convey all the exciting things that GOD has done and will continue to do in the lives of these children.  Yesterday morning, I was drawn to Psalm 27, and the Lord reminded me of one of my favorite verses... "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me" (Ps 27:10).

Its actually the LORD who has been caring for these children all along.  He has simply just allowed Ray and company...and now us...to share in that blessing and opportunity.  How good it is to know that even in times when we fail, mess up or things change...the Lord remains faithful and He will be the ultimate One who will watch for, care, protect, provide and minister to these precious lambs!

Here is the tentative schedule for the next few days...

Wednesday - lunch with Ray and then heading to the orphanage.  Pastor Luis will be translating as Ray shares the plan and future for the children.  Jackie and I may or may not be there, depending on how the Lord leads.  We are not sure how the children and overseers will take the news.  We want to be sensitive and lead of the Lord!  When the time is right, we will meet the children, either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning.

Thursday - spend the day at the orphanage...meeting the children, spending time with them, getting to know and playing with them...AND...start loving on them!

Friday - We will be getting all the information of the kids, names and photos of ones we don't have yet.  We will also take inventory of all that they have and that will be coming with them.  Praise the Lord that everything, beds, dressers, tools, equipment, etc...has been given to us....WOW!  We will drive Ray back to Chihuahua to catch his flight and then head back home Saturday AM.

Saints, PLEASE be in prayer over the next few days.  We know that this is completely and totally of the Lord and his leading.  He has opened every single door and led our every step thus far.  He has confirmed on Ray's heart, his family as well as his board of directors that this is a God ordained change.  We have been praying and praying for this moment.  We have been praying for Leno and Lupe, the onsite overseers who have faithfully cared for these children.  Please pray that their hearts would be opened and ministered to as they see and hear what God is doing.  We have been praying for all the children, young and old.  We have asked that God too would prepare their hearts for the upcoming transition.  There is a sense that some of the older ones may choose to stay....which if that is what the Lord wills, we desire that too.  Praise God a number of them have acquired and maintained jobs...something we have also prayed for.

"Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward your holy sanctuary" (Ps 28:2).

Here are the names of the children....

Victor Luna, Javier Willochi, Annabelle Gonzalez, Rojelio Cobos, Anna Guillermina, Mary Cobos, Suzanna Batista, Alma Franco, Gabriella Nunez, Jaunita Cobos, Marie Isabel Willochi, Cesar Castillo, Marta Batista, Rosa Willochi, Betia Ramirez, Viri Ramirez, Gabriella Franco, Valaria Martinez, Rosa ester Franco, Jesus Nunez, Juanita Batista, Gerardo Cruz, Blanca Jil, Carali Jil, Jose Valancia, Lili Cobo, Luis Cadena, Saul Cadena, Juan Safiro, Rey Batista.

Thank you for your heartfelt prayers and petitions...!