Embracing 2010....

Embracing 2010....releasing 2009!

God's merciful hand was over our lives in 2009...that we can say for sure! Our hearts overflow today as we reflect on the year and ponder 2010 and all that it will bring! It's a calm afternoon here on the mountainside and God's presence so real to me as I sit down to write! In a few hours our family, 200 strong will gather for worship and prayer. The Gospel will be presented and we pray for it to take root and well up, changing lives - - breaking chains, freeing these precious little ones and allowing them to walk in constant victory.

We've been home now for two days and they have been mind blowing days! God has ordered our steps and allowed us to see needs, pray over kids like crazy, love on kids and pick right up building relationships! Oh that these kids would only see our sweet Jesus when they see us, that they would feel his sweet embrace as we love on them.....that their hearts would be drawn to Him, to the healing in just the hem of His garmet, to the overwhelming love in His eyes.

More than any other year I am so excited and already hanging on tight for 2010. I'm so pumped about all that God began in 2009 and the vision He's given for 2010.

As we rested over the past three weeks I feel like God brought so much conviction to my heart, new perspective and just a HOPE in future grace for all of us. We experienced some difficult times in our first six months and admit that it was too easy to get caught up in circumstance rather than to keep my (our) eyes fixed on the One who is BIGGER than the pain and suffering that surrounds us.

So as we already embrace this beautiful new year we Declare that WE ARE HIS and we're hanging on tight for the adventure! HAPPY 2010 dear ones.....

A fun pic...

Reflections....

I continue to learn so much from our children. It's funny, lessons just come in the silence....

Stefan and I have been reading through Matthew forever! It seems we'll never finish this book but everytime we open the WORD there is a serious WORD for our family. In the midst of reading I've been pondering all that Jesus came to do....the work of restoring us, a broken, hopeless people to a Holy God through perfect redemption on the cross.

Two weeks ago as I watched a little boy struggle to adjust, to accept love and grace in our home he spit on us, rejected our love.....
The Spirit of God has revealed to me so much through that experience. I cannot imagine the scorn, the rejection, the pain that Jesus felt as He bore up all my sin. As He was spit on, mocked, beaten and ultimately crucified so that I (we) could experience COMPLETE restoration....He willingly redeemed me (and all who would receive) at a price that is higher than I could ever imagine. How often do we, even those of us who "believe" reject Christ through attitudes and actions? I cannot tell you how much that spit in my face has caused me to think of all that Christ did to bring me life, and life more abundant. It has caused me to examine deeply....

I read a prayer the other day and it seems to be right in line with all that God is teaching me right....you can read it and be challenged by it at www.jmm.aaa.net.au

As we continue to ponder the time that God has granted for us to advocate for these little lives we ask that you would partner with us in prayer. That God would guide us in wisdom, that He would overwhelm us with a spirit of discernment and that our hearts would be willing to do exactly as He leads.

Dwelling...lessons learned from the field...

Lessons learned from the field....
It seems as though the months passed in the blinking of an eye and yet as a family and personally we've learned so much in this season. We continually are amazed by God's immense grace and His limitless love!

One of my favorite books in college was A Chance to Die by Elizabeth Elliot. The book recounts the story of Amy Charmichael, a missionary to India who fearlessly served their children for 53 years. God had done some specific work in my soul before stumbling onto this book but as I turned the pages God confirmed time and time again His call on my life.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; withut him nothng was made that has been made. In HIM was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." John 1:1-5 & 14

As I sit in my sister's living room, glad to be among family I find myself lost in thought. Pondering words like restoration, redemption, forgiveness....And as I think about this season I can't help but find peace in John 1:14....He, JESUS, became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Among our hurts, our brokeness, our filth, our hopelessness He both dwelt and brought the promise of future grace. And as such we each have a chance to die, a chance to let go of what this crazy world has to offer and to hold on tight to JESUS!

Last week we received a new little one in our family. He was an unexpected gift and brought with him unexpected challenges. God has used this little one in my life personally in ways that surpass what I could pen here. Enrique is six. As we walked into his room to meet him for the first time it was clear that he was not adjusting well. At that moment I didn't have a word to describe was my eyes were seeing but later upon praying intensely I believe that the Lord revealed the the word fear. As we talked with Enrique he spit on us, attempted to bite us and growled. I had never, never experienced anything of the sort. The next day during worship our team played a song and as they played I watched this little one be radically transformed. He came running over to me and said..."Hey, this is my song...this is my song....that guy up there is singing my song." Fear left and peace flowed freely as the band sang. I asked Enrique at that point, "how do you know this song?" to which he replied, "I was watching t.v. one night and heard this song on the God channel and I knew that it was just for me."

I am continually amazed at the God we serve. He knew that little Enrique was going to join our family if only for a time and he prepared a special gift to help him to be at peace through that song. Gifts that only our loving Father could give...so many things that God has taught me through Enrique this week.....

I am so grateful that Jesus came and dwelt among us....so grateful for the promise that a day is coming where injustice will cease, mourning will turn to perfect JOY and suffering will end. I am grateful for the beautiful ways that God weaves our lives together as a community of faith and for the honor of standing in HOPE with the children of Casa Bernabe.

The longer we serve the more I feel the Lord impress on my heart that this is a long term commitment to raise the next generation of God-fearing, passionate young men and women in Guatemala. Amy Charmichael served fearlessly and passionately for 53 years in India. She was confident of the call on her life and passionate about glorifying God in and through it.

Please pray with us as we evaluate the last six months and look forward to 2010.

25 years and more....

During our 25th Anniversary weekend we had so much fun!!!! Thanks to a great team (Joel Corely and Steppin Out), Tony B. (a full-time missionary here) and countless others we were able to have such a great time!!! On Saturday a mini-fair was organized for all the chilren to participate in. There was an Awana Circle, an obstacle course, a baseball throw, and countless other relays. Following the mini-fair we were so blessed to have a picnic out on the lawn....the day was perfect. Later that afternoon the Casa Bernabe Band & Performance Group put on a concert. Then to top the day off we had a night of worship under the stars. Several local churches participated - - - what a beautiful time it was to give thanks to the ONE who has made these last 25 years of service to Guatemalan children and their families possible.

Here are a few pics from the races....
The celebration continued on Sunday with a program & dinner. It was such a special time! So many old and dear friends joined us to give thanks for the MIGHTY works of God in our lives throughout the past 25 years! Many, many children who grew up at Casa Bernabe returned with their children and stories of how God has been faithful in their lives throughout the years. We were also so blessed to have the Wyatt family join us from the US. They adoped little Jesse who was one the first babies to join our nursery on Casa Bernabe's main property. I have not seen Jesse for over six years.....it was so fun to get to squeeze him and to see and experience his sweet and tender heart all over again! He was so sweet to pack a special bag for Stefan of legos...not just any legos, his own! The boys chatted as old friends and it was just a beautiful reminder of the amazing family that we are all a part of in Christ.

Tony B. arranged an Awana circle for the kids during the mini-fair. The kids LOVED it!

There are so many testimonies of God's faithfulness to children in need through the mission and ministry of Casa Bernabe. There is an excitment deep within me as I think about the 25 years to come. We've seen God provide abundantly, place children in forever families, restore children to their father's and even more, hundreds of children have heard the Gospel!

Did your mommy and daddy leave you too?

Yesterday I was visiting the houses on our campus stressing the importance of dental hygiene with our staff when I noticed a new little one laying on the sidewalk in the sun. He looked at me and said,
"When you were a really little girl did your mommy and daddy bring you to this place and leave you here too?"
I wondered what was going through his mind in that moment? Rejection, feelings of abandonment...loneliness?

We had a long conversation about life and in the end he's still convinced that I too am an orphan and that I continue to live with my house-parent in the big green house. And you know I am okay with that because in a way it's true. There was a moment when I found myself in need of "forever" and in grace and mercy my Heavenly Father swooped in, satisfied that need and adopted me into His "forever" family.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the Heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In LOVE He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption..."
Eph. 1:3-7a

Please pray for these precious little ones as they wrestle....pray for healing to rise up in the most profound places. Please pray for the adoption situation in Guatemala, that God in mercy would impart wisdom to those in the highest positions in government as they make decision that will affect this generation and generations to come.

A life update....

Life here has been so busy....as usual right? We have been so blessed! So many beautiful things to share and equally so much intercession needed as we head into 2010 at full speed!

The past few weeks have been so busy! Stefan just finished his 52nd day of homeschool which means he'll finish his 2nd six weeks shortly! He's doing so well....getting adjusted to the routine and really self-movtivated! He'll have the next few days off as we prepare for our big Thanksgiving celebration here on campus....

This year Casa Bernabe has celebrated 25 years of service to Guatemala's children! There have hundreds of children pass through the ministry and it's been amazing to hear testimonies of children who have had an encounter with the Living God and been changed forever by HIS unfailing, limitless love! This coming weekend we will get together with friends and family to honor the Lord for his faithfulness over the years! We are so excited to see old friends, to enjoy good food and to remember together all that God has done.....

On Saturday we will have fair like activities for the kiddos, a huge cook-out/picnic and then worship together. Then Sunday we will have a special activity/program highlighting the last 25 years and then we'll have a traditional Thanksgiving meal....we'll be sure to post pics as soon as possible.

We continue to meet with the youth and it's been so much fun! Please continue to pray for these young men and women as they prepare for their futures. We are looking forward to our last meeting on December 2nd. It will be a fun time to get together, eat and play games. We've been so impressed with these young people and their maturity as we've talked about such moral issues as abortion, stealing, abuse and more. Please continue to pray for open hearts and for healing to rise up through these meetings.

Over the next two weeks Stefan and I will have the opportunity to help finish painting Casa Nueva Esperanza which will allow for more relationship building with those boys! And I will finish up several projects before heading to OKC for Christmas. I have been working on calls to local donors and have much left to do on this project...please pray for favor as I communicate with those in our area about the need for continued sponsorship. I also have a newsletter and monthly thank you card to get out....

I am so grateful to work with such an amazing team, men and women truly committed to fighting for justice, loving deeply and seeking solutions for each child that enters our care. I am learning that while I often feel so incapable of doing what is before me that it's important to remember that if it's before me that God has allowed it and will equip my hands to accomplish the task.

Last week Flory and I went to a women's breakfast at a local restaurant. I was surprised, right there in the middle of the restaurant these women were worshiping, crying out to God for healing, restoration and a word in and for their lives. The woman who shared that morning talked about having victory in the battlefield of the mind. I was convicted that many days it's so easy to get defeated as the work is great here and the laborers are few. Sometimes what has to be done is overwhelming and I allow the task to defeat me. I was reminded through this meeting that I am more than an overcomer and that I am simply the vessel. Such a timely and good reminder in this busy season.

Please continue to pray for us:

1. Pray for unity as our staff prepares for 2010.
2. Pray for healing to rise up in every area, in every child.
3. Pray for Stefan and I as we continue to build relationships with the children we serve.
4. Pray for a supernatural impartation of Spanish in our lives. My job requires a high level of Spanish fluency and I have MUCH to learn...and little time to study.
5. Pray for continued financial support so that our family can continue to stand in the gap.
6. Please, please pray for the provision of a vehicle in our lives....we REALLY need a vehicle to be used on both a professional and a personal level.
7. Please pray for our 2010 staff....there are so many needs in this area! Teachers, house-parents, house-helpers....etc.

Thanks for your prayers, support and love!!!!