Miguel and Edly Ministerios Nacer in 1997. Casa Hogar Nacer is home for boys rescued from the street with addictions needing rehabilitation. Hogar de Ninos Cristo Viene is a home for little boys who have been rescued from unspeakable and desperate conditions. Hogar de Ninas Cristo Viene is a home for girls who have been abandoned and/or physically or sexually abused. Miguel, Edly, and their staff have become family to many children. They offer the love and hope found in knowing Jesus, safety, and nutritious meals-healthcare-education.
We have been blessed with the opportunity to spend 2 weeks of ministry with them. We have been living at the girl’s house and are greeted with hugs, laughs, & smiles each morning. During our time at the boys home, we played kickball, competed in arm wrestling, climbed trees, and shared testimonies. At the older boys home we spent time sharing our testimonies, praying, and playing in the river. Bolivia has brought me so much joy. Each and every one of these kids have taught me so much about what it means to be in community, the blessings of God, and so much about myself.
On our last day at the girls home we got to have a Beauty for Ashes session with the 12+ girls.
Beauty for Ashes is another Adventures in Mission program. Its purpose is to use the power of story to facilitate inner-healing in women’s lives. We hold retreats all over the world and have seen the lives of countless women changed. based off of Isaiah 61:3. God orchestrated this specific moment so that we could all be in fellowship with one another and grow deeper in our understanding of Him and ourselves. We started off the session by handing out Bon-Bon-Bum suckers. Each color represented different get to know you questions. The session was based around shining light on the truth found in Christ regarding our identities and causing lies to become silent.
In scripture 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we “have the mind of Christ.” 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that our enemy is actively looking to devour us. He began his tactic on Eve in the Garden and even used the same tactic on Jesus when he tempted Him in the desert. Colossians 3:3 tells us that our lives are “hidden with Christ in God.” In order to find ourselves, we can’t look to the world, to other people, or even to ourselves to find the answer. Christ is the answer. When we seek Him, we find who we truly are.
We asked the girls to ask the Lord to show them a lie they have believed about themselves. Hannah Beth, Mallory, and I shared our lies with the girls. We based our teaching around Queen Esther. God raised a simple Jewish orphan girl to be a queen and gave her a voice to deliver a nation. We reminded the girls we are all created with great purpose and potential in Christ. We are no longer orphans, but part of God’s family and the ministry of His Kingdom. He gave Esther a specific purpose. She couldn’t do it on her own, she needed her community in order to be successful. Living in community 24/7 can sometimes be challenging. But there is power when we come together in unity to seek the Lord and achieve our goals and dreams.
To close the session we asked them to reflect back on the lie the Lord showed them. We gave them different scriptures to declare over themselves. Our encouragement was to hang their decorated notecards somewhere they would daily see them.
As we leave these kids I desire for them to live from a place of truth. I want God to expose all the lies they have believed about themselves. I so deeply want them to recognize the truth about what God calls us through scripture. Having to say good-byes are so difficult. The Worldrace is teaching me that sometimes I get to plant the seed but can’t take the fruits with me. In this season I realized the seeds were planted and someone else would get the opportunity to take the fruits with them. This is a tough pill to swallow. But I trust God will combat each lie the enemy speaks to them through biblical truths. Good took these orphans and but a crown on them and calls them beautiful. Forever these sweet souls will hold a very special place in my heart.
