Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

I just ran across this blog tonight and had to share it.  In June of 2009, I was in Guatemala and once or twice a week we would  go to help an orphanage.  The kids were loved by the workers, but almost neglected because there weren’t enough people to help.  We prayed that God would continue to send His love and take care of these kids that no one knew about, and then I read this by a current racer, Nikki Medders…

A few months ago I joked with some friends that the first orphan I came across on the WR was going to get an explosion of the foster mom love that has been pent up for over a year. Within a couple of days of saying that, it actually became a prayer that I’ve prayed for the past 6 months…

 As we were driving out to the local orphanage here in Puerto Barrios for the first time, I started praying that God would in fact show me which kid I was supposed to pour His love onto. When we got there we went into the main room with some of the kids where I looked through an open door across the room and saw a boy in a wheelchair that was tied to the wall.   Instantly I knew that he was the one… the one I had been praying for all these months. And from the moment I saw him, he completely stole my heart.

His name is Julius Caesar (Julio).  He’s a 10 year old with cerebral palsy and autism (Ok seriously, he’s an orphan plus has the exact two physical disorders I have experience with through respite care… Coincidence? I think not!). The orphanage here doesn’t have enough staff so at night, and at times during the day when a worker is helping cook or take care of some of the other kids, Julius is tied up in the wheelchair. Though I know it’s for his safety, it seriously kills me to see him that way. Every time I look at the scars on his wrists and ankles I long for him to be free.

 
 
 
And I know I’m not the only one.

 

 

Michael was drawn to Julius the first time we were there too. The two of us have spent all our time that we’ve gotten to go there this month with him. Becca and Cara have now since joined us as well. God’s given us dreams and visions for him: Michael saw Julius running toward us, Becca saw an older Julius that was healed and telling everyone his story, and I saw Jesus standing over me and Michael as we’re with Julius in the wheelchair, calling him to be free. We have also prayed for him at night and prayed over him while we’ve been with him. Two specific verses God’s given us have been:

“Be still, and know that I am God:

I’ll be exalted among the nations, I’ll be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

 

“The thief comes on to kill, steal and destroy;

I have come that they may have life and have it to the full”

John 10:10


All four of us (as well as our squad leaders, team leaders, and the rest of our team) stand in agreement that God’s got something special for this little boy. We can all sense it!   He’ll no longer be a prisoner within his body. He’ll no longer have to be tied up day after day, night after night. He WILL be able to run around and play soccer or jump rope like the other kids. He WILL get to dance and sing to the music he loves. 

 

HE WILL BE FREE.

 

Here’s a video that Cara made that shows a little of our time here with Julius. He’s already changed so much this month… He’s gone from the scared little boy to one that fills the room with his smile and melts the heart with his laughter. 

 


Tomorrow is our last ministry day here in Puerto Barrios, and we’re planning on going to visit the orphanage one last time. Throughout this month, God’s been leading Michael and I to talk with our team leaders about their race experiences with healing, as well as study it in the New Testament. We feel like tomorrow is the day that God’s been preparing us for all month… a day that were going to pray like we’ve never prayed before.
 

Though this freedom that we’ve longed for him may not happen before our very eyes, we want to at least invite the Kingdom in and let God’s Will be done.  We all have faith that something’s going to happen because we know that God loves this little boy more than we could and wants His freedom even that much more.