Grumpy isn't good...but God is!

It was Tuesday morning and the team still had three days of work left. I woke up grumpy because I was dreading the day ahead. We had scheduled two cement projects two days in a row, and this was the second one. The first cement day took a lot longer and was much harder than we anticipated. In addition we were short-staffed and were planning to divide the team; some to work on the cement and the others to do a medical outreach. On this day, the cement project would be even harder since we had to lift buckets full of cement up to the beam at Pastor Victor's church (La Hermosa). So with an already tired team, fewer people to do the cement work, and a baking hot day, I felt my grumpy attitude was justified.
















Erick woke up feeling overwhelmed, anxious and worried....for all the same reasons. The combination of my grumpy and his anxious could have been the deathblow.....BUT, God, yet again, surprised us! More cement than the day before, fewer hands (both staff and team), and a tired group of people, and yet we finished earlier than the day before AND ran a medical clinic. We also got to pray for Pastor Victor and one of families in his church, both of whom helped us all day. Here is a pictorial look at this surprising day. To God be the glory!

Matt Marvin saw 28 patients from Tres Reyes.
Anna Conrad (Back2Back staff) translated.

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!'

GLORIA'S GENEROSITY...a great example of faith & trust

Recently I was so challenged by the generosity displayed by one of the widow's we work with in Tres Reyes.  Her name is Gloria.  She is such a hard worker and doing the best that she can to keep her family together.  She's been living in a cement block house (formerly a thatched palapa) with her 5 children and one year old grand-daughter.  The "windows" don't have glass (yet) and of the back entrance doesn't have a door.  Her kitchen is outside where she cooks over a wood fire on a make-shift fire pit using wood she splits herself.  Our project on this day was to even out the dirt floors so we could pour cement in the main room, bedroom, and bathroom of her home.

We arrived with our team of about 25 people. As we always do, we packed our own lunches before we left for Glorias. But when we got there we realized that Gloria was planning to make lunch for and feed EVERYONE!  I'll back up just a little bit and say that on our way to her house, we bought Gloria groceries; just the basic's....potatoes, boxed milk, rice, beans, tomatoes, corn tortillas, and a few other items. Because she doesn't have a fridge, we only bought Gloria a couple packs of meat, which she had to cook right away so it wouldn't spoil.  So when we got there the team unloaded all of the groceries and started to work... and so did Gloria. Some of us started leveling off the floor, some started mixing the cement by hand. And Gloria started to cook. I was able to help Gloria with the food. With the potatoes we bought her and some of her own, she made potato crouquettes stuffed with cheese. She used EVERYTHING she had to make this lunch for our team.  She also made homemade salsa, beans and rice.  She even used the tortilla's we brought for her family. Her generosity overwhelmed me to the point that I had to ask myself....am I that generous? Would I be willing to cook up most of my food for a group of people, some of whom I barely know? The other thing that spoke so loudly to me was Gloria's faith and trust that God would provide! What a great example Gloria was, challenging us to live life giving our all.

Two Worlds Collide

Earlier this month, we had another first. Another experience that we have never had; like so many others over the last 12-15 months. We had two of our worlds collide....in a really good way.

On January 3, a team of 14 people from Kentwood Community Church (KCC)** came down to serve with us. KCC is the church that we attended in Michigan for over 15 years. It was (is) a great church/community that helped us grow in many ways, and many of our friends still attend there. (The reason we left was because we were asked by KCC to help launch a new church - Journey.) 

 

So our new life...our new friends here in Mexico....the new "normal" - collided with some friends and memories and emotions from our "old world" in West Michigan. 

Have you ever moved from one state to another, or one country to another? And after several months in the new place, friends from your previous life come to spend a week with you, to meet your new friends and fully involve themselves in your new world? Okay, so maybe you haven't, but in our case it was a HUGE BLESSING. Partly because we love these people so much -- partly because we love sharing our new life with anyone who wants to serve with us --partly because this team served so well -- and partly because we loved hearing and watching as they transparently wrestled with how God was speaking deeply to them and what He wanted their "next steps" to be. Each person on this team was here for a reason. And now, a couple weeks after they've all gone back to their worlds, we're still hearing about what God is doing in them and to them. Praise God that He loves us too much to leave us how we are. He's always stretching, growing, challenging, and encouraging us, and all for HIS glory!

 

We loved serving with you all, KCC! Thanks for giving us a week of your lives. More importantly, thanks for going after God, maybe in a new way, and allowing Him to "mess" with you. 

(Loran, we missed you!)

**KCC supports our work down here, and this was the first of two teams that are scheduled to serve alongside us. The next one is coming down in April.

Oti's youngest four children....

Yazmin

Recently, due to sickness, Oti was unable to sell fruit and candy on the street, which means she didn't have money to buy food for her family. So last week we took some groceries to her. During this visit, we also played some games with the kids and washed all the girls' hair. Oti had told us that she was a little sad this Christmas, so we wanted to do what we could to love on the family and just have fun with them. Now let me introduce you to Letitia (Lety), Yazmin, Adela, and Rodrigo.

Lety



Lety (5) and Yazmin (6) are so sweet but tend to stay under the radar more than some of their sisters. Recently I had the privilege of holding Lety while praying with the family a couple weeks ago. My heart was broken with the thought that she has no dad. But thankfully she has a heavenly Father who knows her best and loves her most.

Adela

Adela (4) has a ton of personality. She is usually one of the first to greet us when we arrive at the house. She is also the one who, sadly, is missing some of her teeth, we think due to malnutrition and poor hygiene. But we often find Adela running around and wanting attention. She is adorable and very photogenic. Rodrigo (1)...let's just say that he has to work pretty hard to get attention with all his older sisters around. But, Jenny and Marisol often step in for Oti to tend to Rodrigo's needs. When we first met Oti a little over a year ago, she was ready to give up Rodrigo because she couldn't adequately care for him. We were thankful when she decided not to give him up, and thankful to God that the family remains intact.

I wanted to leave you with a few more pictues of the four youngest. Now that you've met all of Oti's family, you have a little deeper understanding of the needs and of our love for them. God has clearly placed them in our path so we can help them. More importantly, you now know how to pray for them. They continue to struggle to make ends meet. Over the spring and summer, as teams come down, we will be working on Oti's house a lot. We will be putting in a bathroom with running water, a shower, a kitchen sink, and an area for Oti to start her laundry business. Our goal is to help her get to a place where she can support her family on her own, and not have to leave her young children to do it. Some of the things we hope she can someday afford include: basic necessities, school supplies, and a tutor. 

Sadly, we just got word last night that Ricardo was picked up by the police. Apparently he is too young to sell and/or wash  windows on street corners.As of this morning, I haven't heard whether he's been released or what may happen next. But we're praying for him. He is extremely vulnerable. If you have any interest in Sheltering (sponsoring) any of Oti's kids, please let me know or contact our home office in Mason, OH -- (513) 754-0300.

Thank you for your support.

Meet Marisol and Paty*

Marisol

Marisol is 9 years old. We've struggled getting to know Marisol very well because she's seems aloof and unhappy. She's less outgoing than most of Oti's other kids. Marisol is in first grade with her three other sisters, and less enthusiastic about school than her older sister Jenifer. Marisol told us that she likes helping her mom and her favorite color is purple.

Just last week when we were visiting Oti with a team we were so excited to see Marisol smile. I sat down with her and colored. I colored a flower and put her name on it. Then I wrote "Dios te ama." (God loves you.) She smiled. Someone gave her a dress as a gift and when she came out to show it to us I hugged her and told her how beautiful she was. I hope and pray that these words of truth and expressions of love will continue to soften her heart and help her realize how special and valuable she is because she was created in God's image.





Paty

Patricia (Paty)  is 8 and also in first grade. One of the cutest thing about Paty is that her hair always seems to be messed up. Some of Paty's favorite things include playing and the color red. She also told us she likes school, but we know she's struggling. We discovered that she has tried to get Jenifer to do her homework for her. And, unfortunately, Jenifer is sometimes eager to do it.

So we pray that Paty sticks with school. That she has some successes so that her confidence goes up. It would be very easy for her to give up....and really, who could blame her. But we are doing all we can, providing a tutor, school supplies and other resources, to help her succeed. Because we know that children who do not receive an education often end up in black market trades, such as drug trafficking and prostitution. Teenage pregnancy is another frequent outcome. BUT when children have access to education, they are significantly more likely to become self-sustaining individuals who can then give back to their communities and lead more productive lives.

*(These are two of Oti's eight kids. The previous two blog posts introduced Oti and her two oldest children.) 



Ricardo and Jenifer: Oti's two oldest kids

Ricardo (15)

Ricardo is 15 yrs old, and has never been in school. When I first met Ricardo in November 2010, he seemed hard and aloof. Sometimes when I sense this from other kids we work with, it frustrates me. But then I remember that, just like me, their story effects how they respond to life. And sadly, Ricardo's story has been plagued with difficulty. Ricardo lost his father and has, by default, become responsible for part of his family's income, which means he's often on the streets.

On a recent visit with Oti, we prayed over her and her kids, as we often do. I was standing behind Ricardo and put my hand on him as we prayed. During that prayer, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about how and why I need to pray for Ricardo. As the father of a 15 yr old son, I was struck by how vulnerable Ricardo is. Although his mother loves him, he is often out on the street trying to make money and being exposed to many temptations and a lot of people looking for an easy target. I believe he probably has very mixed feelings, because on one hand he feels responsible to provide for his family, however that looks. But he's probably also tired of being responsible and just wants to find some friends to fit in with....however that looks.

So I pray for Ricardo. That he will hang on to his family. And that God will protect his young life and soul from the enemies that tempt him in ways my 15 yr. old son will probably never know. Pls pray with me for Ricardo.



Jenifer - 11

Jenifer-the-Joyful, that is what I'll call her. I rarely see her without a smile and yet, as the oldest daugther (11 yrs), she often carries many motherly responsibilities, helping take care of her younger siblings. Jenifer is one of Oti's four girls who started first grade this year. She is working very hard and enjoys learning. (I wonder how far she would be now if she had started school when she was younger.) I believe in Jenifer. And I believe God has a plan for her life, despite how far behind she is. And I believe we get the privilege of serving Jenifer so God can show us just how special she is to Him. Everyone of His children has the the promise of hope.

The last two times we visited Oti's family, Jenifer went and found her homework and quickly brought it to me...she was looking for some "fatherly" approval. I hugged her, and told her how proud I was of her. More importantly I want Jenifer to know how proud her heavenly Father is of her and how much He loves her. You know what else she did? She asked us for a Bible.

Please pray for Jenifer...that she will keep her joyful view of life even in the midst of her circumstances. Pray that she will continue to enjoy school and serve as an example to her brothers and sisters. And most importantly, that she will come to understand just how much Jesus loves her and what that means to her life on earth and to her eternity.