I’ve been wanting to write a lot more blogs while doing ministry this month, but it’s been more difficult than I thought. I’ve experienced so much that has led me to really think deeply about things.
I want to start off by explaining a little more about Mi Casa, the orphanage my team and I are serving at this month. Bob McDonell, the director of the ministry, is from upstate New York. At 23 years old, he received a vision (he likes to call it a “download” because he received so much info all at once) from God explaining his calling for his life. He received four major points: 1) to help children who needed the help the most, 2) give those children food and shelter, 3) provide the children with an education that will allow them to be successful in the future, 4) and do all of this in Jesus’ name for God’s glory. Three years after receiving this information, Bob was driving in El Salvador and God told him this was the country he was going to begin his ministry in. Bob listened to God and 40 years later, everything God said in the download has come true. God runs this ministry and Bob is his vessel to do so. To explain, Bob puts his FULL trust in God to operate this ministry. From finances, to how he raises the kids, to the staff of Mi Casa, everything comes from God. Bob is an amazing example of what the Lord can do when we surrender our whole lives to Him.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3: 5-6
It can be a process to let go of your desire for control over your life, but when you do, it’s so worth it. Jesus knows our hearts better than we do since He created us, so why not trust Him with our life plans? Bob allowing God to lead the way with his ministry definitely has a positive impact on the kids and staff. I felt an immediate peace when I first walked into Mi Casa. God’s presence was so evident. The kids are shown what it looks like to put God first in their lives by Bob, his wife, and the staff. It shows because the kids truly understand that once they accepted Jesus, they are new people and their past is erased.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” -2 Corinthians 5:17
The kids know that it doesn’t matter where they came from or what they suffered through in their past. That doesn’t define them; Jesus does. They are children of God, co-heirs with Christ, and royalty in God’s eyes.
Bob constantly displays the joy of Jesus. He knows there’s no way Mi Casa would have been so successful without God’s blessing over the ministry. He’s raised 56 kids in Mi Casa, not to mention his three biological sons. How can one guy be so joyful and go with the flow after all these years of hard work? The answer is Jesus.
If you would like to help support the cost of the kids’ education to help ensure they have a successful future, please see the link below. As I’ve said, the majority of El Salvador is unfortunately run by gangs, which includes the public schools. If the kids attend public school, then the girls are likely to be raped during the school day and the boys are likely to be forced into gangs. In order to avoid this, the children are sent to private school. The cost of tuition per child per month is $80 (times 32 children). The ministry currently does not have all the money to send all the kids this upcoming school year (beginning in January). Please prayerfully consider donating to help the kids continue to attend private school. If you would like more information, please feel free to reach out to me!
Here is the link to the kids’ education fundraising page:
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/givtueedu
And here is is the link to the t-shirts my team and I are selling to help with fundraising:
