Hi friend! In this little update I’m going to talk about the last couple weeks, everything that has happened, and what the Lord is teaching me. This one is a hard one for me to write, so bear with me. 

The last couple weeks at Casa Hogar Alegre were very full! We worked to wrap up our English classes, which included a lot of crafts, making “all about me” books, playing basketball, and lots of music! Additionally, the garden team was grinding to finish the project. For me, the final garden ministry days were mainly filled with painting a mural. This was not a job I expected to be doing, yet, I found that painting branches, leaves, and whatever else on the most sketchy ladder set up was both fun and very peaceful. The handful of others working on the mural the last 2 weeks made it all the more enjoyable! Lots of laughs and conversations — again, happening on the sketchy ladder set up, which I find to be so situationally hilarious lol! This project lasted till the very last day of ministry, but having the chance to see the final product was a very sweet thing! And I am praying that when the kids see it and read the verse painted in the middle (Psalm 150:6, which says “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”), seeds of Truth would be planted and watered in their hearts. And I find a lot of comfort in the fact that God is the one who brings the increase, not man. 

On another note, very quickly after we arrived at Casa Hogar we learned that usually when groups come they throw a party on their last day (normally groups are there for around a week), so during the first couple days with the kids they repeatedly asked “when’s the party?” When they found out we were staying for 6 weeks and it would be that long until they got a party we were met with a number of sighs and looks of annoyance lol! However, anticipation slowly built as we incorporated the incentive of “Fiesta Bucks” into classes for being on time and participating. The kids slowly collected Fiesta Bucks that they could use on fiesta day for prizes and toys. Weeks went by, then the day finally came. Fiesta day! This day was filled with lots of preparation and set up! The team created 10 booths of different games and activities for the kids, including ring toss, bowling, cup pong, photo booth, face painting, a market, and more! Additionally, we were able to provide lunch, ice cream sundays, 2 bounce houses, and the largest piñatas I’ve ever seen! All in all, it was a very fun day full of laughter, and a sweet final activity to be able to share with the kids before we left. And now we’ve made it to the worst part of the past week (which says something considering the other events of this week… which I’ll get to soon) … 

7 days ago we left Casa Hogar Alegre. A day that I was dreading since we arrived. Within a week of living there, I fell in love with the place and mission, not to mention the kids. I think the reason it was so difficult to leave is because it was not just a place we stayed and played with some kids, but because we had the opportunity to actually get to know the people we were there to serve. We learned their names and many of their stories, many of which are utterly heartbreaking. We learned their favorite songs and what they want to be. We learned their preferences and got to know their individual personalities. And what is so cool is that they learned these things about us too. In the time at Casa Hogar, we got the chance to build genuine relationships not just to have transactional interactions. And that is what made it so hard to leave. Not to mention their physical needs like soap, food, clothes, teachers, attention, etc. Coupling these two things make the final goodbyes one of the hardest and worst things I’ve ever had to do. And even sitting here writing this is challenging because (1) I love them and miss them SO much, and (2) I don’t know how to properly express my gratitude for their friendship and trust. 

That said, Friday the 13th was quite an emotional day, but I invite you to join me in praying for these kids — their protection (in every sense of the word), their physical needs, their trauma, their futures, etc. I have found a lot of comfort this week in understanding God’s love and heart for them. If my heart for them is even the tiniest fraction of the Lord’s, I know they are safe in His hands. One of the things I very quickly, in a real life way, learned while at Casa Hogar is the duality of God’s abounding mercy and justice. He is both and has both. Additionally, God hates evil. He does not take it lightly, and it’s quite literally what Jesus became the atonement for. You may be asking, how does this connect to anything I’ve just been talking about. Well, hearing many of the kid’s stories was very heavy, and to be quite honest, made me very angry at the pure evil done to them. As I sat with the Lord in that place, I ended up asking how He could let those things happen to them. And there are many facets to the answer to that question (and the question itself is flawed), but, the one that He led me to (and that I want to specifically share) is helping me understand His heart and opinion about the evil they experienced, which, simply put, is that He hates it. And it’s the same idea; if my hate for it is even the tiniest fraction of His, then He will take care of it. How and when are not up to me, but I trust Him and His character. That He is both abounding in mercy and justice. I’m grateful for the blood of Jesus that has the power to cover and redeem. And I pray for both the abused and abuser in their situations; that they would both know Jesus and the power of the working blood. 

Other general updates: 

This has been our last week in Mexico, which is absolutely crazy! We’ve spent the week staying at a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base in San Cristobal. And I want to quickly highlight the AMAZING hospitality of our hosts because of course we could not make it easy on them lol. Instead we all decided to get a mixture of sicknesses, some with a type of stomach flu type thing and some with “regular” sicknesses. Because of that this week has been quite the challenge… and did in fact leave me on my deathbed for most of the week, but you know what, it’s almost totally gone so PRAISE GOD. And what has been really cool is how this community rallied around each other to help get the other what they need. It is also crazy how the friendships I already had deepened as we were on the struggle bus together! The Lord wastes nothing for reallllll! lol! (please pray for complete healing for anyone who is still struggling!)

Next update! On Sunday we are headed to GUATEMALA!!!!! Yay! This is where we’ll spend the rest of our ministry time, which seems to be flying by. The first week we are there is debrief week for Mexico and everything that happened here. The week after we’ll jump into ministry. I’m excited to see what the Lord has for the next season! Also, please pray for our travel (we have a 12 hour bus ride ahead, but more prayer for the actual process of crossing the border lol). 

I think that’s about it for this update! Hope you enjoyed lol! Till next time!