Embracing Closed Doors...

"Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.  After they had come to Mysia they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them" (Acts 16:6-7). One of my favorite letters written by Paul, is that to the church in Philippi.  It is incredibly encouraging, uplifting and filled with reminders of God’s blessings.  I also love the letter, because of how the church came about in the first place.  And for that, we travel back to the book of Acts, chapter 16.

Paul so badly desired to preach the gospel in Asia...yet the Lord had a different plan.  Acts 16:6-7 tells us that Paul tried, not once, but twice, to get into Asia, to preach the Word.  However, these verses tell us that the Holy Spirit did NOT permit it.  That seems strange if you think about it for a moment.  Why would the Lord NOT want the Word to be preached? Why would God close such a great door of opportunity, rather then open it?  Doesn’t He desire that, “...non should perish, but ALL come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  Yes He does, but the bible also tells us that His ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts (Jeremiah).  Solomon also wrote that, “as a mans heart plans his ways, the Lord directs His steps (Proverbs 16:9).

Back in May of last year, it seemed like God had opened a tremendous door of opportunity.  Everything was lining up, for us to begin caring for some 40 orphans, from an orphanage in Creel, as the current orphanage would close down.  God brought together a great relationship between the director, Ray Wilson, and myself.  He and his wife have been a great encouragement to Jackie and I.  As you all know, we faced some serious difficulties (closed doors) that were very frustrating.  God had orchestrated everything so smoothly up until September...why the challenges now?  Why did it seem like more doors were CLOSING then OPENING?  To be honest, I don’t know.  BUT...what I do know, and want to encourage you today in, is what the Lord has been teaching me.  God has shown me in a tremendous way, how to love, appreciate and EMBRACE, closed doors of opportunity.  Just as much as you would an open door of opportunity.

You see if we believe that Jesus knows all things, created all things and has our best interest in hand...should we really be discouraged when we come up against a closed door?  Even though we may think, or others, think it would be best opened, God may not think so.  I have also learned that when God does close a door, its only because he has something BETTER for us.  Yes, something better, like we see later on in Acts chapter 16.  Because the Spirit forbade Paul to enter Asia, he got the call to go to Macedonia...and as a result of that, a woman named Lydia and her household were saved, a demon possessed girl was saved, the philippian jailer and his household was saved, and the church in Philippi was birthed.

Think about that...no matter how exciting it seemed, to preach the gospel in Asia, God had something bigger and better in store.  Often times we look at something through a tiny magnifying glass...when God wants to pull us back a step and show us the bigger picture, through HIS lens.  Though we had thought that once the orphanage building was finished, we would begin caring for those children in Creel, that door has closed.

Ray, sent out a wonderful letter to his supporters that I have included in this post.  He does an excellent job explaining the new opportunities God has provided. Saints, I am just as encouraged as I was back in May.  In fact, even more so, because though we face a closed door that once seemed open...I anxiously await the new door of opportunity that God DOES open, to care for those in need.

Letter from Ray Wilson...

There has been a new development in our Creel Mexico “Aljaba” Children’s Home that I can hardly wait to tell you about! We were recently approached by an organization of Mexican churches that have a concern, as we do, for the Tarahumara Indian orphans in the mountains around the Creel area. They had the desire to open a Children’s Home in that area, but had not found a suitable location. This group of churches has helped us periodically with food and supplies there for several years.

We discussed several options with them and together we arrived at a decision, a proposal, that they took to their organizational leaders and I took to our Board of Directors for approval. I am pleased to say that both their leaders and our Board have given unanimous approval! So, we are now entering into a partnership with this church organization and them with ours, to fund the continuing day to day expenses of caring for, housing, and educating the 40 children that live at our Children’s Home in Creel! And though we will continue to substantially fund the Children’s Home there, our new partners are taking on the bulk of the financial responsibilities!

 

This has been a matter of prayer since we first opened this Children’s Home in 1994. It has always been my father, Black Buffalo’s calling to start new ministries where others, for one reason or another, had not done so. He has had, and always will have, a “pioneering, we can do this” kind of spirit and outlook. I like to say about him that he has “boldly gone where no man has gone before!” It has always been his prayer that a Mexican organization would someday rise to the occasion and begin taking care of the orphans in their country. That day has come!

 

• They will be providing local leadership, and coordinating volunteers and workers to oversee and assist our current staff, which includes our directors, Lino and Lupe Balderas, who have been with us for the past seven years.
• We will continue to raise support and receive contributions here in the States and use those funds to help with the day to day expenses, as well as with construction and maintenance projects around the buildings and property.
• We will continue to support the ministry there by taking Mission Adventure Teams to the Children’s Home on a regular basis.
• This decision enables us to pursue the opening of our third Children’s Home in Retalhuleu Guatemala, where we already have an organization of 11 churches that are ready and able to take on the day to day operation and partial funding of caring for the children! We also have plans to open our second Leticia Colombia Children’s Home in 2014. We opened our first one there in 2004 and it continues to minister to and care for 75 children with funding from the Orphanos Foundation.
• Please join with us as we “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!”

Please don't hesitate to email me OR give me a call if you have any questions.  Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Jason

Ask And It Will Be Given...

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7). Thank you for your prayers this week, regarding the water, electrical and “non-profit” paperwork.  The Lord was faithful to answer two of those prayers yesterday.

We were able to get a hold of our neighbor Marcelo and he confirmed that we can hook up the water anytime we are ready to.  This is a tremendous blessing, because for the time being, it prevents us from having to run water lines 600 meters from the well.  Also, it will allow us to fill up our water tanks during the irrigation season.  There are only a certain number of days that each partner (their 4 of us) who share the well, are allowed to use the water during the month. Since we will be sharing Marcelo’s irrigation pipe, when he turns it on to water his crops, we’ll get water as well.  So essentially we will be able to have water whenever we need it!

We were also able to go to the notary in Cuahtemoc (45 mins away) and start filing the paperwork for our AC (Civil Association).  Although we were told the main notary, Fernando, would be there to help us, he was not.  Thankfully, they were still able to start the paperwork.  There were also questions as to whether or not I would be able to be on the AC, being an American citizen.  They initially told us I would have to go to Chihuahua for a special form...HOWEVER...the Lord was there and I was able to become a part of the AC, as the secretary.  I was hoping for El Presidente (ha ha) but secretary will be just fine.  Pastor Luis will be the President and his son Jose, the treasurer.  The final and last piece to this ongoing puzzle will be one more trip to the notary office to actually write up the wording of the AC.  This is the most important part, as it will describe what the government will allow us to do...care for orphans, widows, disabled, etc.

I am so excited for the name the Lord gave us for the AC.  At first we were thinking, Casa de Bendicion.  However, after thinking on it for a while, I felt that was to restrictive.  What if God opens doors down the road for a widows home, school of ministry, discipleship program, other orphanages throughout Mexico.  It seemed like we needed something that would encompass the ministry at large in Mexico, rather then just the orphanage. So after sharing with my dad and praying on it, the Lord revealed to us, Sombra de Sus Alas (Shadow of His wings) taken from Psalm 17:8.  Any work or ministry that takes place in Mexico, we want it to be under the covering and “shadow of His wings!”

One more story to share with you, regarding our trip to the notary.  During our wait in the lobby area, God gave me an incredible special blessing, through a little girl.  As we were sitting there, trying to take advantage of the wifi on our i-phones, I noticed a mom and daughter walk in the door.  The daughter looked like she was maybe 7 or 8 years old, decked out in a bright pink outfit and carrying a baby (reminded me a of Ayantu’s syle and how she rolls with her babies).  I also noticed that the girl had down-syndrome.  She sat down quietly and began to care for her baby.  It was only a few minutes until she was standing over by the 3 of us, mainly due to Pastor Luis.  She began to tell us about her baby, ask us questions and play with us.   And for the next 30 minutes or so, I sat in amazement.  Here we were, waiting to start paperwork that will allow us to care for those in need, and right before us was one of the most beautiful precious little girls, so full of laughter and life.  Unfortunately, maybe to others, her peers and the world, she seems “weird", "different", maybe an “untouchable”.  And yet to the Lord, a beautiful little girl whom He created, cherishes and loves so much.

When it was time for her to go, she didn’t want to leave but rather keep playing.  As she grabbed her moms hand and began walking out the door, this precious little girl ran back to the 3 of us and gave each of us a hug and kiss on the cheek.  It took everything inside of me not to starting crying right there in the notary office.  As we left, I began to fervently ask the Lord, to bring children like this little girl...bring those who may seem “different” to the world, or “untouchable” and allow us to love on them with the love of Christ.  I praise God for that special moment, meeting this little girl, that I will forever remember and cherish!

I’ll leave you with a few verses that I read just this morning...and pray they minister to your hearts...

“Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet and He healed them.  So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel (Matthew 15:30-31).

God Gave Them Rest...

“The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers...not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel.  All came to pass” (Joshua 21:43,44). A dear friend gave me a book before we moved down, that I have started to read and absolutely love.  Mainly, because its about one of my favorite persons in the bible, Joshua.  The book is, ‘Joshua; Mighty Warrior and Man of Faith’ by Phillip Keller.  After successfully bringing the nation of Israel across the Jordan river, defeating a lot of enemies and finally settling into the Promise Land, God’s promise to His people was fulfilled, ”...all came to pass.”

Just as the Lord gave them rest all around...it feels that way a bit down here.  After 3 weeks of packing, moving, traveling, a missions team, bringing trucks and vans of our stuff across the border, unpacking, etc...we have finally settled here and have a chance to rest.  It truly feels like home now and we are absolutely loving it.

We were able to finish the 2nd story of the youth room addition, our summer team built, which has been a blessing to the youth group on Saturday nights.  It has also been a tremendous blessing to Jackie, Antu and I as we now have the entire old youth room to ourselves.  This has allowed us to give Antu her own room, have a living room and kitchen.  While I was in the states getting the last bit of our stuff this past weekend, Jackie and the youth group did a great job rearranging and setting things up.

Antu observing Eloy, replacing a door with a wall...

We have added a new addition to the family as well, “Jessie Girl” our new German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix dog.  Ayantu picked out the name, from Jessie on Toy Story, her favorite cow-girl.  Jessie girl eats a lot, sleeps a lot and is already growing.  Its a little adjustment, having never owned a dog before, but we love it!

Work has slowed down a bit at the orphanage as all of the main projects are being completed.  This past week, we were able to finish installing the exterior doors, mud and taping of the sheetrock and have now begun plastering the rooms (in preparation for painting them).  We are getting them ready for a missions team from Calvary Northwest in Bellingham WA that will be coming down the first week in April, to paint the inside of the facility.

We are still waiting to hear back on word regarding the water and electrical hookup.  The water line is dug and ready to be hooked up.  We just need final confirmation from our neighbor Marcello, who has agreed to let us hook up into his line.  This is a blessing because it prevents us having to run water lines from 600 meters away, to our well.  He has been out of town so hopefully next week.

Our dear friend, Pastor Jacob and another brother, Cornelius, came out to the property on Thursday to look at the power situation.  Cornelius is an electrician and has agreed to help us out.  We have narrowed down our options, really to just one, running power from the well.  We have gotten an estimate for running wire underground and are now waiting for an estimate to run the power via poles and power lines.  600 meters is too long to run underground, and unless the government gives us special permission, we’ll need to run via poles.  Cornelius is hopeful that maybe since its for an orphanage, the government will make an exception.  This too would save us money.

Pastor Jacob, Cornelius and Nieves...

We made a trip to Cuahtemoc on Friday to hopefully start the final paper work for our AC (non-profit) for the orphanage.  Unfortunately the notary was out of the country in El Paso.  Whether we make an appointment or just show up, he never seems to be there.  We will call again on Monday and LORD WILLING, be able to file the documents on Tuesday or Wednesday.  The Lord definitely teaches you patience and the importance of “waiting” on Him.  Its difficult at times, but I know that in the end...ALL will come to pass, just as it did for Joshua!

PRAYER REQUESTS...

• Please pray that we can get a hold of Marcelo and the notary to finish the water and AC paperwork.
• Please pray for Pastor Jacob and Cornelius as they look into the electrical work for the orphanage.
• Please pray for our safety, health and continual adjustment to living here. Please pray for Aaron Wiens, a brother from South Hill Calvary, who is serving here with us and will eventually end up in Peru for bible college.

“Wait on the Lord;  be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).