Blanca's Smile

Blanca is a teenager.  Her waif thin body and dirty hair lead you to believe that she is younger than she is. 

She lives with her family of 5 in a tin shack that they were given rent-free as long as they "look after it".  The tiny shack has a dirt floor.  The beds are filled with fleas.  There is no table, the family eats on the bed or floor.  At times you can see torn and tattered clothing waving on the make-shift clothes line strung across the entrance way. 

Blanca breaks my heart.

Just a couple of weeks ago I was privileged to accompany a group of teens who had one purpose in mind: to visit Blanca and her family and to give them a table and 6 chairs.  And not only that, but a bag of food to provide a meal for this new table.

When we arrived Blanca and her younger sister were alone.  When I explained the purpose of our visit Blanca's dull eyes began to light up.  She shyly looked on as we set up the table and chairs in the only available space under a small roof just outside the door. 

While the youth were setting up the table and chairs I took a moment to talk to Blanca.  I gently reminded her that God has a purpose for her life.  She has a divine destiny in HIM.  I told her that the table, chairs, and food are a gift sent from God Himself because HE LOVES HER and wants to show Himself strong to her.  With a hug I spoke of God's promises for her life and invited her to love and serve God with a whole heart.

We then invited Blanca and her sister to sit at their new table.  They were in awe.

Afterwards we continued to visit other homes.  On the way back to our vans we were waved down by Blanca's parents who had come home again.  The reason for the family's life of shambles and constant hunger was immediately apparant.  Blanca's father was so drunk that he could barely stand straight.  He was hardly coherent as he thanked us generously. 

As we walked away my heart was heavy.  At times I feel as though we are just a drop in the bucket.  Blanca's father drinks away the family's funds and the children pay the Price. 

However, the next week Blanca was back in our Little Giant's group.  It was encouraging to see that her face was brighter.  Her step lighter.  And she smiled more.  Regardless of how insignificant I may feel in the face of such need, the Christ that I share is the answer.  Blanca now carries an assurance of God's love and purpose for her.  It was made real to her by a visit of teenagers and the gift they gave.

Teabag Tamborine

The group of teens from Iowa had left.

My heart was full with things that God was speaking to me and showing me.  I turned on the music in my living room and began to hum along with the worship music.

The words to the music slowly sank deep into my heart and at the same time bubbled right out of it as I made my way to the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea.  Halfway through the tea process I could contain myself no more.  I began to sing, lifting my hands in praise and worshiping the One True God with the only instrument I had on hand--- a box of tea bags! 

The box of tea bags thumped along with the beat of the music, my body swayed in time.  I was lost in my expression of love to the God who gives liberally. 

As I glanced down I saw my two-year-old son who had come to mimic me.  He had his own tea bag tambourine and was thumping away, his voice strong, his words always lagging behind the words of the music. 

And there we were.  Talking to God for so many things that even now I find hard to put into words.

This year has brought so much change, so much growth, so many dreams, and so many opportunities that I find that it is altogether too much.  It is too much for me to comprehend.  It is too much for me to reason.  It is too much for me to handle.  As I try to rationalize it all I find it is all consuming and all together too much. 

Where do we go from here?

If ever you have prayed for this ministry, please do pray  now.

Another school pleading for us to come and teach.  An orphanage asking for our return.  A church begging for a retreat for its children's workers.  Teams wanting to come.  More families to join our programs means more resources needed.  Dreams to enlarge our feeding center.  Hopes to reach out to the youth.  A burning desire to continue reaching the mountain schools. 

All this and more turns circles in my heart, waking me at night and calling me to prayer. 

How can we possibly handle all of this with our limited resources?  We have limited staff.  We have limited funds.  We have limited time.  It seems that we are trying to do an eternal work on a temporaral time scale.  Impossible.

And so as I am faced with all too much on the one hand and oh, so Little on the other I am left with nothing other than falling to my knees and crying out to God to send in abundance the wisdom, strength, staff, finances, supplies, and everything else we need to accomplish the task before us. 

It is a place of total dependence on God because nothing else is enough. 

As the music came to an end Cohen and I both were silent, contemplating the still quiet voice of the Lord as He breathed over us. 

If this year has already been so radical and life changing for me as a person and for us as a ministry- then I cannot even begin to imagine what next year will bring.