So, What Happens Now...?

It was by faith, that Abraham responded to God’s call in Genesis, to leave everything behind and go to a land where God would show him. He had no idea where he would end up, or what things would look like, but Abraham knew the Lord would take care of them. “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1).

It was by faith, that Joshua, responded to God’s call and rose to the occasion to take the place of Moses.  Joshua was to become the leader of the Israelites and bring them into the Promise Land.  Although the situation looked scary and there were a lot of unknowns, Joshua was at peace with the one thing he DID know...

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9).

It was by faith that Esther, went before the king, to speak on behalf of her people.  Knowing that she was risking her life, even though she was the queen, Esther answered the call.  Indeed, all those years, Esther had been prepared, for such a time as this.

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)?

The bible is full of men and women, who trusted their God enough to take steps of faith, and watch Him work in a powerful way.  Sometimes when we read their stories, we think that they were super “humans” or something, that had no problem doing anything.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.  They were just humans, fragile, emotional, sinful, scared, selfish, disobedient, etc.  However, they loved the Lord their God, and as a result, God worked mightily through them.

If we believe this verse to be true, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb 13:8) then God wants to continue to use people like you and I.  He will continue to ask His children to take steps of faith, trusting Him with their lives, family and plans.  This is what will motivate us to get up everyday, knowing that it is a new day that God has blessed us with...and has great plans in store for us.

The power is turned on, our paperwork is approved and the orphanage is live-able. Many of you are probably asking the question, as I have been, “so what happens now?”  All of me wants to believe that God will fulfill his word, and fill that orphanage with children.  I DO believe that, more then ever before. I just don’t know when that will happen, how that will happen or what it will look like?

I wish I could give the answers to your questions, that you might be having, just as Abraham probably wanted to tell his family, where they were going.  But, what I can tell you is that we are praying and trusting the Lord more then ever before.  Now is the time, to watch and see what He does.  If there is ever a time where we could use your all of your prayers, it is now.

We need wisdom, beyond our years...because the time has come, although it once seemed so far away.  We need to know how to best love, care for, minister, train and raise these children in the ways of the Lord.  From the moment the first child enters Casa de Bendicion, we want their life to be forever changed. 

Please be praying for this Saturday, as we take a trip to another town, Cuahtemoc to visit two orphanages.  One of them in particular, we are REALLY praying about.  There is a woman who has dedicated her life to caring for children who need help.  Unfortunately, she is only able to handle them until the age of 12.  After that, they are released from the home.  I don’t know WHERE they have been going, once they leave the home, but I do know where I’m praying they WILL start going...Casa de Bendicion.  We are going with a couple from the church, who have supported one of the girls, who is nearing the “age out” age. We will also be visiting another orphanage, to glean and learn from a couple who has been ministering there for years and year.

All this of course is our prayerful  “plan” but we are praying more, for the Lord to direct the steps.  Who knows what He has in store for us on Saturday, or even tomorrow, but I can’t wait to find out and share with you all!

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen" (Jude 24-25).

Let There Be Light...

Proverbs 13:12...                                                                                                             “Hope deferred makes the heart sick...” I read something really encouraging this past week in my devotions.  John Courson said this, in his commentary on this verse...

“God makes a PROMISE, FAITH believes it, HOPE anticipates it and PATIENCE waits quietly for it.”

There is nothing greater, then when you see one of God’s promises fulfilled, especially after you have waited a very long time.  I’d like to say that I always wait PATIENTLY, but that is not usually the case.  Many a times I have tried to make things happen on my own.  This always fails, and usually leaves me more frustrated and discouraged.

There is a reason why Jesus tells us in Matthew 6, “...not to worry about tomorrow...”, and in Philippians 4, “...be anxious for NOTHING...” In those times when your not anxious, your not worrying, and your just focusing on what’s in front of you, that is when the Lord responds, and often answers His promises.

I was going about my day on Thursday, doing my normal administrative duties in my office, when my phone rang.  It was my cousin, letting me know that CFE was there and turned the power on.  I couldn’t believe it, and yet, at the same time, I COULD...because God promised He would do so, and He never fails.  We needed one last piece hooked up, which our Mennonite friends did early Friday morning, and the time FINALLY came....to turn on the power.  One might think its ridiculous to get emotional about turning on a light switch, but not this brother.  The emotional part was not that the lights now turned on without a generator, rather, it was contemplating on the faithfulness of God.  Have you ever had one of those moments, where you are so thankful, grateful, amazed at how wonderful our God is, that it stirs up deep emotions, maybe even some tears?  Saints, take every chance you can to sit in awe, wander and even tears, at how incredible our Lord is.  When you do so, you will only fall more in love with Him!

Psalm 118:24...                                                                                                                    “This is the day that the Lord has made...let us REJOICE and be glad in it”

Friday night is usually family night with the Vargas’ and we all were ecstatic to have it at the orphanage.  The evening was full of food, laughter, rejoicing, turning of all the lights and playing hide and go seek (quite scary trying to find someone in the pitch black, in a 7,000 SQ foot building) and then a time of prayer and worship.  We built a bonfire and spent the rest of our time worshipping and praising our Lord.  It was a glorious day and we are rejoicing in this great blessing from the Lord.  Looking forward to the next one!

Our newly installed meter...the only time it will ever read "zero"...

Planning the final hook up...

Pastor Luis working his magic...

Let there be light...without a generator...!

Prayer and worship by the bonfire...

Habakkuk 1:5...                                                                                                                   “Look among the nations and watch—be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you.”

Noah's Ark (Pt 2)...

Do you recall our story of Noah from a few weeks ago?  God looked down from heaven and saw what His once beautiful and perfect creation had become.  Having saved his best creation for last, man...He now saw what man had turned into “…every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually” (Gen 6:6).  It was time to destroy the earth, and start again.  Noah, having been a just, blameless and man who walked with God, found favor in the eyes of his Creator.  The Lord chose to spare him, along with his family. In order to survive the destruction of the world, God made him build the impossible, to survive something the world had never seen before.  Having complete faith and trust in God’s word, Noah spent the next 100 years building the ark.

The day finally came when “...the Lord said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation’” (Gen 7:1).  And so after more then a hundred years, Noah finally saw the answer to God’s word that He had spoken to him.  Indeed it took a long time, a VERY long time in fact...however God, as always, was faithful to His word.

The animals and Noah’s family were all settled safe and sound in their new home, when, “...all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened” (Gen 7:11).  And as Noah gazed out the window, watching the rain began to fall and the waters begin to rise, “...the Lord shut him in” (Gen 7:16).

What would life have been like on the ark.  Besides caring for the animals, sleeping, eating and maybe spending time with family, what else did they do?  How did Noah pass the time during their ark adventure?  Did he pray or meditate or maybe grumble and complain, because he was not hearing from the Lord?  Noah had obeyed every word that God had spoken over the past 100 years, in building and preparing the ark.  But now, probably when he needed it the most, there was nothing but silence...for 377 long days.  There is no record in the bible that the Lord spoke to Noah during his time in the ark.

Finally, we read in Genesis 8 that “...God remembered Noah and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark.  And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided” (Gen 8:1). And then we read, that after 377 days, Noah was able to  “...remove the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry” (Gen 8:13).  Having stepped onto the ark, leaving a sinful, corrupt and fallen world behind, Noah would now step onto a new earth, with a brand new fresh start.  I love that his first act, in his new place was to WORSHIP the Lord.

Just like Noah, through patiently waiting and ever trusting in God’s word, the Lord too has responded to us.  While Jackie and I were celebrating our 8th anniversary in El Paso last week, I got a call from my cousin Nieves.  The government was there, doing the final installation of power poles and lines to hook up the power to the orphanage.  I could do nothing but say, “thank you Jesus” over and over again.  And then, as if that wasn’t good enough, I got an email from our accountant letting us know that our non-profit paperwork had been approved and finished.  It is ready for us to pick up at anytime.  We will head to Cuahtemoc early next week to pick up our documents and make an appointment with CFE to come out and physically turn the power “on.”  I too have felt like after my long journey in the ark, the Lord is finally removing the covering!

We have been frantically, but peaceably working hard to finish the projects at the orphanage that need to be completed before people can live in it.  Lord willing, we will be able to finish them in 2-3 weeks and then watch what the Lord does next.

One step closer brothers and sisters that we could not have taken without all your prayers, support and commitment to us.  Thank you so much from the bottom or our hearts.  Please know that if you are feeling like your in the ark, and not hearing from the Lord, trust that He is their, ministering to you in a way that you can't see.  Though it may be rocky and you feel like your getting 'seasick', the Lord will bring you through it, a much stronger person!

"This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your Word has given me life" (Ps 119:50).