One of my favorite parts of the trip was ministering at a hospital in Cuahtemoc (a larger city about 45 mins away). Normally, towards the end of our missions trips, we take a day off to go hangout, eat amazing chicken and do some shopping. That sort of changed last summer when the Lord opened the door to minister at a hospital. Hospitals down here are extremely different then in the states. There are no fancy waiting rooms, with tv, wifi, no Starbucks, cafeteria, prayer chapel or gift shops. Just some uncomfortable chairs and a little burrito stand. Families and friends waiting to hear word on how there loved ones are doing, are forced to sit around, waiting for hours, sometimes even staying the night in their cars or outside.
Having had a fruitful time last year, passing out sandwiches, bottled water and toiletries, I was eager to go back. This time, we loaded the van with toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste, the gospel of John tracks and our guitars. We spent an hour and a half singing songs, passing out tracks and toiletries, and praying with people. The Lord blessed us with a beautiful sunny day and the outside was packed with people listening, asking questions and wanting prayer.
One of those individuals was a Tarahumara woman named Teresa. She was at the hospital because her mother is very sick with a tumor in her spine. She was sharing with Pastor Luis about how difficult it has been trying to care for her sick mother, her two children, as well as work to provide financially for the family. Not knowing anything about us or why we were there, she shared that she had been wanting to find a children’s home that might be able to better care for her 9 year old son Jorge and her 6 year old daughter Sandra. How exciting it was to begin to share about Casa de Bendicion, and all that the Lord has been doing. Teresa had a tremendous smile on her face and asked if this is something that might work for her children. We shared with her that we were going to back to the states to take the team home, but would love to meet with her when we returned.
I wasn’t sure if she would actually follow through with us, but, oh me of little faith, I came home to a phone call from her. Teresa was wanting to bring her children to see the facility, meet our team and continue to see what the Lord might have. So, last Thursday, we were able to spend about 3 hours with Teresa, Jorge and Sandra. It was apparent that the Lord was moving, and receiving Jorge and Sandra into our care was a very good thing. Teresa made it very clear that she is not “abandoning” her children. She loves them very much, but just desires a better future, not only for them, but also for her. Her first husband (Jorge’s dad) passed away, and Teresa was abandoned by Sandra’s father. Teresa works in the apple orchard and cleans houses whenever she can find work.
I shared my heart, desire, vision for the ministry and caring for children, and Teresa had a huge smile on her face. Teresa says she is a Christian that wants her children to be able to go to school and to learn and understand more about God. I told Teresa that not only are we called to care for orphans, but widows as well…
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” (James 1:27).
Our desire would be to see Teresa get plugged into a church, discipled and grow in her walk with the Lord, to which see agreed. Teresa is from Rubio, where there is a wonderful Calvary Chapel and we took her to Pastor Lalo’s house to meet him and his family. They have there midweek service on Thursday nights and Teresa was able to attend that.
We processed the paperwork for Jorge, to be the 3rd child at Casa de Bendicion. Teresa headed back to her home in the mountains to get the children’s school documents as well as have a medical checkup for herself. She will be returning later this week with Sandra, in which we will process our 4th child…and YES…Ayantu finally gets her prayers answered, a girl coming to the home.
I was reading in my devotions on Wednesday morning, Acts chapter 2…
“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the churchdaily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47).
What an incredible time this must of been...the early church beginning. Thousands of people were choosing to follow The Lord, literally give up everything they had for the sake of Christ. How exciting it must of been seeing new people walk in the door for the very first time and watching their lives forever changed.
It seems like (in a much smaller way) the Lord is doing the same thing here, as he has added to our number. In fact, this year, the Lord has added “monthly” to our children’s home. Erasmo came back with us in January, the DIF brought Luis in February, Jorge joined us last week, and Sandra will be coming the first week of April. Oh how good the Lord is!
Please continue to pray for these precious lambs and their little souls to be surrounded and committed to our Savior. Many of you have asked how you can be involved and I look forward to sharing that with you in the next blog post later this week.
“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” (Hab 1:5).
