Related Updates:
- Report 1 (8/31/06)
- Report 2 (9/3/06)
- Report 3 (9/4/06)
- Report 4 (9/8/06)
Three houses holding almost 60 children were set in the middle of the city, where the cobbled roads were littered with cars and trash. We split into four teams, one to each house to clean and cook, and one to the school to aid in teaching. We were all there to minister to the children at this Baptist Orphanage in Guadalajara Mexico. When we arrived, we found house “moms” struggling with stacks of laundry as tall as they were. Dishes were piled so deep in the sink we didn’t know where to start washing. While the kids were away at school these were our chores.
New friends
The ladies on the team had prepared enough food to feed an army, and when the kids returned hungry for lunch it all disappeared. The kids once again returned to school and we went back to teaching and cleaning.
The house moms left for the day to go spend time at their houses with their families. They had not had a day off for more then a month. Every day they gave to these children, as if they were their own. Now it was our turn to show God’s love to them.
None of these kids had any family. No parents or brothers or sisters to give hugs or tuck them in at night. We found ourselves holding hands with them as we helped them with their homework, or letting them sit on our laps as we told them a story about letting Christ be the Captain of our lives. With no one to tell them stories, or play football in the park with them, they were desperate for someone to love. We told them about Someone who loves them more them we ever could. Someone who wants to hold their hand and never let go. Someone who wants to be their Savior.
Just a little taller than before
These kids who had so little to hope for were happy throughout the day. They always wore a smile, and laughed out loud at our attempts to speak Spanish. We found as the day went by that the kids were giving back to us more then we were giving to them. With new rules set down in the houses they were eager to please. When they got back from school they all wanted to help us finish the chores and prepare dinner.
After dinner, we played music for them and gave them banana splits for dessert. The smiles that they gave us as we handed them a bowl were so rewarding. We had so much to share with them; it made all of us want to go back the next day. They even asked when we were coming back. As we loaded into the van, tears filling our eyes, we found that just after one day we loved these kids. How much more does Christ love them? “… Let the little Children come to me ….”
Surrounded and filled with joy
