A Beautiful Lesson...

The lord taught me a most wonderful, power lesson this past Sunday that I pray I will treasure all my life. Church was packed, especially because we had an extra 14 brothers and sisters from Washington and New Mexico. This missions team has come down to install a heating system in our new house as well as build cabinets, insulate and hang sheet rock, paint in the orphanage and of course love on the children.

It was beautiful seeing the church full of people singing their hearts out in adoration to our Lord. As we transitioned into the bible study, I took my usual seat in the back to usher.  Sitting about 5 feet from me was a gentleman that has come to church off and on, sometimes sober while other times drunk.  This time in particular was the latter. Not only did he smell of alcohol but also of urine and body odor from probably not showering for a few days.  The smell was almost unbearable.  My initial thought was I need to ask this guys to sit outside.  As scenarios ran through my mind of just how to go about asking him to step outside, the Lord immediately and strongly began to speak to my heart.

Who was I to ask this man to leave the sanctuary?  It wasn't like he was being disrespectful or disrupting anything.  He was simply sitting there listening to the words of Jesus.  Why was I more deserving to sit in the service than this man?  Or anyone else for that matter sitting in the sanctuary? Was it because I got to take a hot shower that morning or had clean clothes to put on?  Maybe because I showed up on time for service, sang the songs or even lifted my hands during worship?  What made me more deserving that Sunday morning than this drunk smelling man?  Absolutely NOTHING!

You see that's the very message Jesus was speaking about in the gospel of Luke 18:10-14...

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Sunday morning I was that pharisee when I should have been the tax collector, asking God to forgive me and be merciful to me, to change my way of thinking about this brother next to me.

You know what probably was the most powerful part of that lesson?  While I was bearing the smell of alcohol, urine and BO, it was actually a sweet fragrance to the Lord.  Here sat one of Gods beloved, one whom He went to the cross for.  Here was a lost sinner, in need of hearing Gods precious words of life.

Isn't that the very reason why we answered the call to move down to Mexico and start an orphanage, 3 1/2 years ago?  To minister to the hurting, broken, lost, smelling children and others that are desperately in need of the very Savior that spared and saved my life.

God, please help us to not slip into the thinking of a pharisee.  May we be reminded that we are nothing more then smelly tax collectors who have been saved by Gods amazing grace, purchased by Jesus' very own blood!

Happy New Year

I know we are already 3 weeks into 2016, however, seeing this is the first blog post of the New Year, I thought I’d begin with the greeting, Happy New Year!

I’d like to start with a verse that has been greatly on my mind the past 3 weeks and actually going back to the end of 2015.  It is found in the book of Ecclesiastes, written by the wisest man ever to live.

There is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

I believe the reason why the Lord has been speaking this verse so dearly to my heart is because of a few significant events that took place as 2015 drew to a close and we ushered in 2016.

As I shared in our last post, Christmas time was very quiet and relaxing, mainly due to most of the children spending time with their family.  In fact, as we celebrated the New Year, we only had Luis and Juan staying with us.  The other 13 children had left.

Your prayers were greatly felt, because as the children began to come back to the orphanage, they transitioned very well.  Probably better then any of the times in the past.  It seemed as if they all were excited to be back “home.”  Most of the children were eager to share stories of their time spent and show the presents that they received.  Others were a little more quiet and didn’t really want to talk about the difficult time they had with their family.  Nevertheless, our staff was more then happy to have our kids back home and to once again here the sound (often very loud) of our lovely children.

We were anticipating that all 13 of the children who left would come back home as promised by their mothers or other family members.  However, sadly, that was not the case for our sweet little Valeria.

Valeria came to the orphanage in August of last year.  She is such a sweet little girl and was doing really well in kindergarten and got along with everyone here at the Casa.  Valeria’s mom worksin another town about an hour away.  As she came to pick up Valeria, she was pleased with her progress here and expressed her desire for Valeria to continue being here.  Unfortunately that changed during the time she was away and Valeria never came back.  We were able to reach her mom on the phone and encouraged her to bring Valeria back.  You could tell that part of her wanted to, knowing this is the best place for Valeria right now, however due to other difficult circumstances, here decision was made.

Anytime we have a chance to care for children, get them enrolled in school, have a warm bed, hot showers, healthy food and a chance to learn and know about Jesus, it’s a huge blessing.  At the same time, our desire would be to see children restored to a right, healthy and safe relationship with their moms and families.  But, its those times when a mom (like Valeria’s) expresses that she doesn’t have a plan or know how Valeria will be cared for while she has to work, is difficult to hear.

We encouraged her to mom to pray and really think on this decision and that our doors would always be open, should she choose or desire to bring her back.

I miss sweet little Valeria so much and so does Ayantu.  They are the same age, were in the same class at school and best little buddies.  Its incredibly hard to try to explain some of these things to your soon to be 6 year old daughter.  That’s why words like those found in Ecclesiastes can be so helpful, “there is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven.”

There are appointed times when children will be in our care and then there are appointed times when they will be removed.  Those appointed times need not shake or move us because it all happens for a reason and has been appointed by God.

“He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Please continue to pray for Valeria and her current situation and rest on the hope that God will make this beautiful “in its time.”

Okay, so I know I mentioned a “few” significant events at the beginning of this blog post.  However, since this blog is already a bit long, I will save the other event for another time, hopefully next week!

A Wonderful, Merry Christmas...!

Tomorrow or today, depending on when you read this, will be our third Christmas down here in Bachiniva.  I must say I absolutely love Christmas here at the orphanage.  I’d say a lot of that has to do with the peace and quiet that comes with the holiday season in a small Mexican town.

Yes, I did use the words “peace” and “quiet” in the same sentence as “orphanage”.  In all actuality, this is the most quiet and relaxing time of the year for us.  It is filled with both joy and sadness.

The joyful part, obviously, is celebrating the wonderful birth of our Savior.  I find that being away from the distractions of the holiday season in the USA, allows me to really ponder and reflect on our sweet Lord and His miraculous birth.  It is also a joyful time prepping all the presents and holiday treats for the kids here.  The month has been filled with so many Christmas crafts, carols, sweets, cozy fires, and random visits from friends in the community.

The children, you see, well that’s where a bit of the sadness comes in to play.  Christmas vacation is when the majority of our children leave the orphanage to spend time with their moms, grandparents and other family members.  Now, some of you might think, why is that sad?  A huge part of Christmas is all about spending time with friends and family.  Yes, that is true.  But, the very reason why these children are here in the first place is a sign of the sadness and brokenness within their families.

The majority of our children are not true orphans, and do indeed have a mom.  However, their moms are either busy working, trying to survive, and can’t take care of their kids.  Or, life is simply easier without their children.  That gives us the wonderful blessing and privilege of caring for and ministering to the children here at the Casa.  Truly we want the children to have a relationship with their moms, but, that is hard when they only see them once a month, OR, a few times a year.  

I must admit its difficult to be truly joyful and excited for these visits with their families, because we know what they are going back to.  Chaos, lack of quality meals, spending most of the day home alone while their moms still work, being subject to their moms random boyfriends and men that come into the homes, etc.  But, we know and trust that the children are in the Lord’s hands and He is with them wherever they go.

Currently there are only four children here with us, Erasmo, MariaAna, Juan and Luis.  Juan and Luis are our true orphans, brought to us by the government, and have no family.  Erasmo and Maria Ana are a unique situation.  Their father passed away a number of years ago and then the two of them, along with their 3 siblings were abandoned by their mom.  The 5 children were taken into care by their grandparents, up until coming to the orphanage.  So, basically for the past 5-6 years, there has been no relationship with their mom whatsoever.  They have seen her a few times when going back up to their mountain village to visit their grandparents, but its been short and unfruitful.

This year however all that has changed and the Lord has brought us one of the most amazing Christmas presents yet.  2 days ago, we drove to Cuahtemoc to pick up Marisela (their mother) and their two little sisters, Carolina and LuzyDalia.  Marisela called on Monday and asked if she could come spend Christmas with her children.  I honestly didn’t believe it at first and not even until with actually picked them up at the train station.  Maria Ana and Erasmo couldn’t believe the news when I told them their mother was coming and were overjoyed.  Wow, what an amazing Christmas present for them.

I can’t express the joy that has warmed my heart as I have watched an estranged mother reunite with her children, the past 2 days.  To see them laugh together, eat a meal together, hug each other, go for walks as a family, and now, get to spend Christmas together is indescribable.  In fact, it brings tears to my eyes as I type this.

I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas then what we are experiencing now.  To see a mother do the dishes alongside her daughter.  To see her son help her carry her things.  To see a family hold hands as we all pray before a meal.  To hear a mother and her 3 daughters talking in their room until late in the evening.  These things have changed me, will forever stick with me and I will treasure for the rest of my life.

This truly will be a wonderful and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

What a beautiful family!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...from the Casa de Bendicion family!