Children Loving Children



Oti



Before we moved to Mexico, while we were raising support, we were invited to speak at Whiteford Wesleyan Church in East Michigan.  The morning we spoke, Bernice Heidelberg, the Director of Growing Tree Preschool at Whiteford, approached me about having their pre-school children do a mission project, which would include learning more about our work with orphans, more about Mexico, and possibly raising some money to send to some of the children we work with. I told her we would love to be part of that and asked her to contact me after we moved down.

Fast-forward 2 months.....

The Old Tables

I received an email from Bernice and she told me that after speaking with the board of directors and staff of Growing Tree, and most importantly with the children, they were excited about this new partnership. She told me that the kids were excited to get to know Oti's family and raise money to help them. So we sent them pictures and information about each of the 8 kids.

Fast-forward 5 months.....

We were preparing to host a team who would do some work on Oti's house. During the previous 5 months, Bernice's kids were raising money to give to Oti. We didn't know how much or whthe plans we made for projects at Oti's house didn't include any money from the Whiteford children. BUT, on the day we were heading out with the team (just last week) I received word that the money had just come in and had been transferred down to our director; so it was available. I was excited but wasn't sure how or when we'd use it. As it turned out when we got to Oti's house two things we hadn't planned to do that day - because we didn't have the money - rose to the top of the project list.

 

The New Table

With the money from the Growing Tree pre-school kids, we were able to buy wood and build Oti a new and much needed table where she prepares meals for her family. Additionally, as we were getting ready to head home at the end of the workday, I was told that Oti had no groceries and that her kids hadn't eaten, and probably wouldn't eat that day. So I said, "Hey, I still have money left from the Whiteford kids, let's use that to buy groceries." So we sent out a few people to the local store and bought some necessities for Oti's family.

God's timing and God's people, reaching out to those in need, thousands of miles away. Kids in East Michigan helping kids in Southern Mexico. Now THAT is a cool story of how God uses children to love children. Thanks Whiteford  Wesleyan and Growing Tree Preschool!!

"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'