Hosanna

This was a great day.  We worked hard all afternoon (Lee shoveled gravel, Kendall painted, and I pulled wiring) and then we had a pool party for some of the kids from the children's home.  We made hamburgesas and nachos.  The kids were so excited to get to swim.  We were concerned that the rain wouldn't hold off but it did.  At times the black rain clouds were so thick and threatening that we could not see the mountain.  Kendall has a picture in her pillowcase (I don't think she knows that I know she has it) that a little boy at Del Norte colored for her.  I catch her pulling it out and looking at it and then folding it up and putting it back.  She was having a hard time yesterday but I talked to her about how God can't use her for His glory if she keeps all her feelings built up and doesn't talk to Him about them.  After that she had a completely different attitude.  It's so beautiful here.  Tonight at worship they said that if you were tired you could stay seated during worship.  But there were these teenage girls who went and stood on the grass barefoot.  Kendall and I watched them standing there a minute and we went and joined them.  It was a beautiful view of the mountains, black clouds rolling by, cool grass on our toes, and I just felt so much peace.  Then Lee came and joined us, too. 

We are safe from the storms but the people in the squatters villages and the people in Cadereyta and places like it will need prayers.  

~H

"Break my heart for what breaks yours.  Everything I am for your kingdom's cause.  As I walk from earth to eternity."

Sleeping babies...

Everyone say, "Awww..."

Oscar

Today we took 30+ kids to the movie theater.  We were assigned kids to keep track of.  I had my Kendall, Mexican Kendall, and a little 3-year old guy named Oscar.  He held my hand tightly until about 10 minutes into the film when he slumped over in his seat and I brought his little head to rest in my lap.  After the film he was still groggy when we were coming down the stairs and another girl grabbed his hand and pulled him to a woman that was unfamiliar.  I asked Gabo what was going on.  He said that was their mother and she worked here at the mall.  She had 3 girls and 2 boys.  All of them lived at Del Norte.  She walked with us all the way back to the bus and then she kissed her kids good bye.  The girl that was the second oldest sat next to me and I pulled Oscar into my lap.  Silent tears flowed down her little face but when I reached to comfort her she pulled away.  I just prayed silently for them.  Oscar just slumped in my arms.  Back at Del Norte, Oscar and I sat in the little green chairs and he looked so sad but he didn't cry.  His oldest sister brought him candy and I asked him if he wanted a Polaroid or to color with me.  But he just shook his head.  Finally, he just stood up and started crying as hard as he could I tried to pick him up and comfort him but he was kicking and fighting my embrace.  I sadly laid him on the floor and he buried his little face in the tile and said, "Mama!  Mamma!"  Over and over he sobbed for her. 

It was the most heart breaking thing I have ever seen.  I felt completely helpless to comfort him.  But I knew that God could... so I just prayed.  I leaned over and I prayed out loud through his sobbing.  I'd like to say that he stopped but he did not and I felt I was about to cry, too.  Nancy took him and she held him on his bed and after a while he seemed to calm down. 

Please pray for those 5 kids tonight who are hurting so bad after seeing their mama for 10 minutes today.

~Heather

 

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15

Here are Kendall's dirty dogs after a long day of hard work yesterday.

Del Norte

The day at Del Norte was allot of fun.  We took the kids to the movie and it went better than expected.  The really hard part was saying good bye.  What makes it bearable is that we can come back and there are other groups visiting them on a very regular basis.

 

Please continue to pray for our peace and our fruitfulness.

 

-Lee 

Psalm 71:20-21

So today was pretty awesome.  Some of you know that 2 years ago Lee and I came down here to Monterrey with FOG and Time ministries.  We were praying that somehow God would give us a clear answer on whether we should adopt.  And one day when we visited an orphanage you can imagine our surprise to find a little Mexican girl with a very un-Mexican name... Kendall, our oldest daughter's name.  We felt that was a pretty clear sign.  And some of you also know that as we have been trying to adopt this year we have seen allot of doors shut and we have felt discouraged.  One of our prayers this week was that we would feel renewed in our passion to keep pushing forward in our adoption.

So, imagine my absolute delight when we pulled up today at the very same orphanage we had visited 2 summers before.  But would our Kendall be there?  I was so excited when I saw they had built a wall and painted murals of each child.  I looked for her name and there it was.  But the older kids were at VBS and would be back around lunch time.  And when they walked in, I saw her.  Her eyes were the same and this was the girl I had prayed for.  I was so thrilled.

I am attaching a picture of our daughter, Kendall, folding laundry with Kendall.  They are the same exact age. 

And 2 years ago there was a baby girl who had just arrived there a week or so before we arrived to visit.  She was crying and afraid and so sweet.  We loved on her and rocked her and prayed for her.  Her big brown eyes reminded me so much of my baby girl, Karlee.  Well, God is good because I found her, too.  She's the picture of the baby blowing bubbles.  She's doing great and she is still just as precious. 

 

"Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up.  You will increase my honor and comfort me once again."  Psalm  71:20-21 

I think about these sweet kids and the troubles they have seen and yet they do not seem bitter or sad.  I see that God is restoring their lives, bringing them up, and comforting them. 

 

A few "snapshots of the day"....