Good evening. Just last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to go down to Mexico and help serve Dean and the orphanage in whatever way they needed us. I also had the unique opportunity, along with only a few others, of staying at the Ranch for the whole week, while most of the others went to work at the Pastor’s College. This was a particular delight because I got to spend a lot of time with the kids there.

God showed me many things through this. One was that He showed me just how blessed we are to be living here in America. Here we don’t have to worry about taking one minute showers, or getting sick from just drinking the water. We live in the richest county in the United States; one of the richest in the world, and yet we take advantage of so many little things that God has blessed us with. And yet these things are of no worry for the children. They were still tremendously joyful, which spoke volumes to me. Many of them had been very badly abused yet rarely did I see the children without a large smile on their face. It was something that you don’t see often here.

Where do you see a child here in America who runs up to you and gives you a hug after just meeting them? Where do you see a child who gives you a rock as a gift and starts laughing hysterically? Where do see a child take a trash can and use it to roll themselves in for hours at a time? Where do see a child wait patiently at the door for you while you eat, just so that you can push them on the swing? I don’t see that here very often.

The power of the gospel was clearly at work there. God also showed me of the great opportunity we had to spread it further, through our own example of love and joy. As I looked around on the last night I saw nothing but smiles from our own team, and I knew that these people are God’s own, and that we had been called down there by God for a reason. Maybe one day I’ll get to meet a David, Angel, or Jesus, but this time as they plan to head up a new church in Oaxaca or Mexico City. Maybe I will meet again a Jonathan or Cristian, but this time as they are the new director of the orphanage.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” I don’t know who, when, where, or what exactly will happen, but I do know that God has and will continue to work in the lives of these orphans for the advancement of his kingdom. And I thank God so much that we had a chance to be a part of that. Thank You.

Categories: Mx08