So I hope my next few blogs will give you a glimpse of some of the ministries we are working with in Guatemala!
One of the first ministries that we were blessed to be a part of was working at the local convent. Recently, the only orphanage in Puerto Barrios closed due to the rampant corruption with the finances. Those running the orphanage were taking the government money and pocketing most of it. The local merchants finally turned them in because they were buying the rotten and left over food to feed the children instead of what they should have been buying them. When the officials looked into it, they discovered that there were numerous discrepancies and decided to close the orphanage all together. The local convent decided to step in and help as much as possible. Sadly, they could only afford to take the youngest. They took in the children 12 and under. The remaining children were turned out on the streets to fend for themselves, or returned to the terrible homes the had been rescued from. It is a sad reality. What is more heart breaking is the fact that as badly as we would each like to adopt some of these children, it is extremely hard for Americans to adopt Guatemalan babies. The Guatemalan government has very strict policies right now because people were going into the hill country and stealing babies and then taking them to the orphanage and finding Americans to "adopt" the children, so they could get money. Once the government started doing DNA testing, people just started running away and leaving the children, and they had no idea who they belonged to. The problem has lessened now that the government has put restrictions on American adoptions.
We get to go to the orphanage with Pastor Roni on Monday afternoons. We only get to stay for about 45 minutes to an hour, so we play hard and walk away exhausted and covered in sweat and dirt. But for an hour, we get to be the arms of Jesus holding a baby, the hands of Jesus helping a little one to walk and walk and walk, the feet of Jesus to kick a soccer ball, the face of Jesus and smile and make faces, and the voice of Jesus and laugh and sing and praise and tell them how special they are and how much we truly love them. The first day was the hardest because it is hard to walk away from a child who is crying and holding out their arms to you, begging you not to leave. But, honestly, these are the lucky children. Though I honestly have never seen more than five women with these children when we have been there, at least there is not a ton of children. They are clean and fed and they are quick to smile which means they are loved. But it is still hard. The sisters don't have a lot of money, so any treat we can bring is so welcomed, and there are not many toys for the children to play with.
So we pray. We pray for God to raise up godly men and women to adopt these beautiful children and claim them as their own just as God claimed us. We pray for money. That people will want to partner with Casa Verde to bless these Sisters and these children with extra school supplies, toys, fruit, and mainly the gospel. We pray even more for the children that didn't get to stay. The older children that are now trying to survive on the streets. We pray that God will raise up men and women who will come and set up homes for them and minister to them. We pray for their protection from human trafficing and violence. We pray for a safe place to sleep and good food to eat and a good job to work. We pray for a church to have enough compassion and love to accept them into their services even if they smell bad or are not dressed well. And mainly, we pray protection for their hearts and minds so they will not become hard toward life and hard toward God.
Please join us in praying for the sweet orphans of Guatemala. If you are interested in giving to Casa Verde to help with any of their ministries, you can give online. (Mail doesn't come to Puerto Barrios, and packages cost the ministry money to pick up.) Please visit their ministry website atwww.shofarstereo.com/shofar-ministries.com.
Here are some pictures:
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