If I've ever doubted the reason God has placed our family in Arriaga last nights events were a divine reminder for me of all that God has promised to do here in Mexico.
Jason and I are in charge of the orphanage this week and while getting the house locked down for the night, life was momentarily paused by an urgent phone call around 10:30pm. An 8 year old boy named William had been taken from the custody of his mother and was "homeless" for the night. Without knowing what the future would hold for this childs life we immediately offered a home for the night. At around 11:30pm the doorbell rang and upon answering it we found William curled up on the sidewalk outside, crying for his "mama" while two local police men stood over him waiting for our response. Erika (and this is one of the reasons I love our 3 teenage workers here) picks up this child who is almost as big as her and carries him all the way into the patio placing him in my arms. The workers and I gather around the now sobbing boy, comforting him the best we can. Within 10 minutes, he began to calm down and we were able to get him washed up, into clean clothes and sleeping in the top bunk of our last empty bed. Holding a quite used brown teddy bear, he fell fast asleep.
I laid in bed last night after this had taken place and found myself crying. Not so much because of sadness, although my heart was sad for William. But because of praise for such an amazing God, who truly does give us the desires of our hearts. Since I was a young girl I have always felt the calling to care for children and orphans. There were years in my early twenties when I felt this dream would never come to fruition, but last night God placed an 8 year old boy in my arms and taught me what it looked like to show him Jesus' love. It is not the first child I have personaly welcomed into this home, I have seen many little ones come and several leave again. But it is always in these moments that I can feel the hand of God pushing through the pain and tears that this life seems to offer us at moments and giving us a hope in Him... a hope that will last forever.
Just as quickly as William entered our lives he left again. This afternoon the Child Welfare Office gave him back to his mother. We were only given a day with him, but in that one day he was shown all the love that Jesus has continualy shown us. Grace is an amazing thing! I thank God for this gift of just one day with William.
We had several visiters this year for the holidays. My mom came down and for our family Christmas present she treated us to a weeks vacation seeing all the sites in Chiapas, MX where we live. At the same time Jason's brother Jerrod and his wife came for a two week visit as well and so all of us got quite a treat this Christmas. Mom took us to the Palenque Ruins in Northern Chiapas, we saw the famous "Azul Aguas" (Blue Waters) waterfalls, and enjoyed a day shopping for hand made Indian goodies in San Cristobal, also filling our bellies with such luxuries as cake and capachino's. We took an hour long boat ride through the canyo
ns of Chiapa de Corzo and realy just enjoyed bieng the "tourists" for once down here where we live. Of course we spent several day's with the kids at Bill and Tammy's Children's Home and Jerrod, Luli, Jason and I all did our fair share of work on the new ranch putting in posts for the fence (well at least the guys did). Mom got to spend lots of time with her favorite grandkids and both of the boys just loved bieng with grandma!!! We ate in restaurants and did all sorts of exciting things this December. It was the best Christmas I've had in a long time! Thank you, mommy!!!
