I’ve spent 4 weeks now in La Pintana, so I wanted to take some time to tell y’all about the ministry work that I’m involved with here in Chile.
For the past month (and the month to come) my team has partnered with an organization called Vision for Children – Chile. Their foundation is focused on community outreach; specifically through meeting the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of orphaned/homeless children living in the surrounding areas. Their vision is simple:
Love your neighbor as you love yourself, and love the children as Jesus does.
Vision for Children affects the lives of approximately 500 children within the region, and we get to be a small part of that.
Here’s the link to their website if you’d like to know a little more about what they do:
Along with ministering to the children in the community, Vision for Children also owns a halfway home for girls aged anywhere from 16-24, called Casa Esperanza.
– – – – – – – – – – In English: House of Hope
It’s a home for girls who are too old to live in an orphanage, but don’t yet have the resources to support themselves on their own. It’s a home where the girls feel safe to continue their studies. A place where they learn discipline, try new things, and are involved in true family dynamics. Most importantly, it’s a place that develops their faith and stimulates spirituality. And for the past month, this is the place that I’ve had the pleasure to call my home.
I get to just experience life with the girls living in Casa Esperanza. And even though we don’t speak the same language we’ve learned to love each other in spite of that. It’s simple, and it’s complex; but it’s also beautiful, and it’s ministry. I get to disciple these girls each and everyday through letting my actions speak louder than my words. Through loving Jesus, and letting my love for them being out of overflow from the love that my Heavenly Father has given me.
The other day during team time, my team talked about how easy it is to get caught up in the usual routine of things. How it’s easy to walk through each day making an impact but not really realizing the impact that we’re making, or seeing the sweetness in each day. So in order to savor the sweetnesses from each day, we’re starting to share our “strawberry moments” with each other. Our sweet and memorable moments from each day, where we can look back and say: “Wow, I’m glad that the Lord had me right there in that moment, doing exactly what He wanted me to do, so that I could be a part of that precious experience”.
A normal day for me in La Pintana looks like this:
8 am: wake up
8:20 – 8:45 am: breakfast and morning devotion
9 am – 12:45 pm: ministry at Escuela Las Rosas, a school that is partnered with Vision for Children
1-2 pm: Almuerzo (Lunch)
3 – 5pm: construction ministry with Jose at Casa Esperanza (Jose is the handy man for the home and he is a very kind person)
5 – 7pm: Siesta (rest or nap time)
7pm: Once (dinner and devotion)
Over 8:30 we hang with the girls/spend time with the Lord until we want to go to bed
Like I said earlier, it’s easy to get caught up in the normalcy of the day. But yesterday my strawberry moment was watching some of the students at the school holding hands in a circle while dancing to We Are The World, by Michael Jackson. And today my strawberry moment was getting to connect with the same German woman that I met and talked with last week when I went to the mall for wifi.
Thank you for all the strawberry moments that I get to have on this Race. Thank you for the sweet smiles that I get to encounter each day, and the connections that I get to make with people from all over the world. Thank you for your support; whether a thought, prayer, or financially, it’s the reason that I get to be where I am and do the things that the Lord has for me to do.
Whether you realize it or not, you are apart of these strawberry moments. They’re your moments too. So I challenge and encourage you to seek out the sweet moments of your day, each day. Savor it. And if you feel led, share it with me!
Currently, I need around $1,500 more to be fully funded! I’d ask that you prayerfully consider donating to me, so that we could continue having these strawberry moments together!
With Love,
Gabby
