Ambassadors for Justice

¨He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.¨ - Micah 6:8

Nicaragua has passes a law that encourages inclusion of people with disabilities in education, work, and life. This law was passed last year, and today, the Asamblea Nacional (The National Assembly. . .the congress) met in honor of the upcoming national day of the disability to talk about how this law is being carried through.

I was able to attend this special session due to contacts and God´s goodness in opening doors. It was actually fun to dress professional to attend it.

Anyway, I woke up today not sure if I wanted to even be part of such thing where I knew they would be lying about the so-called accomplishments to help the people with disabilities. There is so much that needs to be done, and besides talking about it, I have seen little action.

However, as I was sharing with Michelle, director from Tesoros, she put this opportunity in a different perspective.

God is opening doors for us to learn more about what is suppose to be done, and that way we can do OUR best to carry through the law and bring justice to these people. We can help them carry through that law.

It struck me! It is SOOO easy to blame others. . .especially the government. It is so easy to blame God for injustices that we see. We are, besides, SO unpatient.

But He calls us to act justly. . .to love mercy . .  and to walk with Him with a humble heart, in surrender! It is not about who is doing what, but about the responsibility that we have as God´s embassadors on the earth.

Then I say. . . I am not equipped. There is no way I can bring the justice our children with special needs deserve to have. need to have. I have so much to learn yet.

However, the little boy gave all he had to Jesus (two loaves and five fishes). That was all he had. How in the world was Jesus going to feed the five thousand!? But He was obedient and gave what he had. And Jesus multiplied. He did His thing. That is all I need to do. Give Him all I have, and He will do His will.

So, I went with an open mind, and I thank God for having patience with me, and allowing me to have these opportunities. I pray He may continue to give me more opportunities to learn more, and act justly to represent Him well. He is giving me the honor to be used by Him. To act upon. Hence, I must.

Stuck in the Airport can be good . . .

Nintety percent of the times I travel, my flights are always delayed due to a plane problema, weather, or they just are delayed. At first, it would stress me out. However, as for today on my way to Idaho, I am finally surrendering and letting God work while I wait for when I actually will leave (I was suppose to leave at five, but now we leave at 8:30ish).

Anyway, I´ve been taking advantage of this time to be soaked in Him, and I felt led to read Isaiah.

Let me back up a little.

I have been struggling with accepting the lack of other opportunities our children with special needs have, and keep questioning God what will happen once they graduate from the program.

It is so common to see an adult with a physical limitation begging in the streets. Yes, maybe some of the adults could try to use their strength or gift and somehow make a living out of it. But, there must be some support. It breaks my heart that once a child with special needs is an adult, they receive no support from the government or school or anything except most likely family. Then, they are not able to contribute to their family.

So, then I think of my kids at Tesoros. What will happen to them.

Now, let me bring you back to Isaiah. I read the Isaiah 55, and felt like the specific bible verses 8 - 9 (ironically the name of this blog) are for each of our children and their mothers. I can trust that God will bring peace and joy in their lives, and will show them and their mothers His higher ways and thoughts. He has a beautiful purpose for each one of them. He is faithful and loving that way.

So, I prayed those verses (and the whole chapter) back to God for the mothers and children with my headphones playing some Misty Edwards music. God fights for them, and myself and Tesoros staff will fight for them because God does. I will fight as long as God allows me to and gives me His grace. I have peace they are under His unfailing love and wings. Still wrestling, but trusting in Him more.

He is sovereing, just, wise, and loving.

His Joy, My Strength

Nehemiah 8:10

"Do not grieven. For the joy of the Lord is my strength."

One of our Tesoros de Dios students embraces and lives out this bible verse. Her name is Estefany, and in our Tesoros de Dios facebook page we have been asking people to pray for her.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=463371860340205&set=a.414698248540900.100323.132639130080148&type=1&theater

At age 15, Estefany began began showing symptoms that led to her being diagnosed with Axonal Polyneuropathy, a neurological disorder that occurs when many nerves throughout the body malfunction simultaneously. It has been a huge lifestyle change that presented many new obstacles for her and her family. (Taken from our newsletter)

She is now sixteen years old. She has been in the hospital intesive care for a month now. She has had surgery since she has been struggling with breathing. The hospital has a rule that will not let her mom to sleep at the side of her daughter, she sleeps on the hard benches outside for as long as her daughter has been in the hospital.

These are the benches outside of the hospital the she is in. They aren´t very comfortable.

Today, we went to the hospital with the intent to offer support, love, and prayers to Estefany´s mother. We know it can be difficult for us to go insideto see her. So, we weren´t really thinking that would be a possibility.

God had something greater however. We were able to go inside the hospital into intensive care, and see Estefany´s beautiful smile. Everytime I visit her, I am so encouraged by her smile and positive attitude. Yes, a heavy heart for the pain she carries. But, so encouraged by her joy.

Here she is, laying on bed, dependent on a machine to breathe, with a tube on her throat, only able to see her mom for a couple hours, not knowing if she will wake up the next day. Yet, she greets me with a huge smile, and as I ask her how she is doing, she moves her mouth to say:

Mejor. Better.

And gives me a another huge smile. Her mother and extended family love Jesus so much and are still hoping on Him to touch her with His healing hand. They are sure of the hope that there is after life, but do not lose hope to how God can work through her life.

Estefany is so filled with the Spirit, and most definitely has His joy, which indeed is the strength that allows her to encourage her mother and visitors like myself.

Please pray for her and her beautiful family. They are an inspiration. I have lots to learn from this joy and hope that my beautiful friend, Estefany, has.



A Plethora of Encouragement

There has been a lot going on lately. God has been ripping, sowing, watering, pruning me through a long transitioning time. It's been both hard and good. He is always good. I would like to share a couple verses from my own Bible reading and Utmost Highest that God has used to bless my heart, and to guide my path.

Also, as illustrations to how I felt before and/or after reading these passages, I will use pictures I took of my brother, Gabriel, a few weeks ago. He did not really want to practice his spelling words, so he decided he would pose to me all the emotions he feels before, during, and after a spelling test. It was all his idea. I promise.

Be blessed by the Word of God and by the creativity of my brother. :)

" Do not worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then, you will experience God's peace that exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

 Philippians 4:6 - 7

 "'Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!' Then they prayed. . ." 

Nehemiah 9:5

"He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more." 

John 15:2

" He rescues the poor from the cutting words of the strong, and rescues them from  the clutches of the powerful. And so at last the poor have hope, and the snapping jaws of the wicked are shut." 

Job 5: 15- 16

 . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8

God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— 

“. . . your life shall be as a prize to you . ..” Jeremiah 39:18

Oswald Chamber reminded me that deliverance comes from denial of self, and complete surrender. Thank you God for the opportunity of deliverance and the new song you give to your children!

One of the mothers from Tesoros showed me this powerful video of an exemplary paternal love of the Hoyt team.

This weekend, Nicaragua celebrated Father's day. Unfortunately, it is not as celebrated as mother's day because of the lack of paterternal presence in the life of many people. In Tesoros, out of the 81 kids and families, only 5 actually come to Tesoros to be involved with their children's growth. In Latin American, children are products of an affair and therefore probably do not know father; other children are abandoned; other children have alcoholic fathers; other children have fathers in jail; and I can go on and on. 

I praise God for my father, and for using Him as an example of my Heavenly Father's perfect love. However, I know the percentage of those who have a father like mine is little. I pray that more man may take that responsibility in being that example.Wouldn't it be wonderful if every father had that sacrificial love as our Heavenly Father and as this father in the video?

Church in Action

Tesoros de Dios has partnered with World Orphan and the churches they work with. This ministry not only walks alongside with orphans, but it also prevents children from being orphans. They are currently providing opportunities for children with special needs to receive value, education, and support. Many of the children with special needs in Nicaragua experience the same challenges described in the following article: beggars, trafficked, ignored.

This article written by the head of World Orphan in Nicaragua, Amanda Sadie, shows the sad reality, but highlights how our Powerful, Merciful God is working. The Child Development Center that she mentions at the end of the article is similar to the one we work closely that is diligently reaching out to the special needs community in impoverish areas.

Child Development Center provides safe place for Nicaraguan kids 

By Amanda Sadie, Nicaragua Directors

My husband Jacques and I have spent the last six months living in Nicaragua, working for World Orphans. We have learned a lot, witnessed much, prayed hard, listened often and asked a lot of questions.

About half of Nicaragua’s population lives in poverty (earning less than $2 a day) and one in five live in extreme poverty (IMF, 2010). This number hasn’t shown marked improvement over the years. Public policy, traditionally favoring the small elite class, along with low levels of technological progress, poor education and health programs, inappropriate natural resource development, a number of natural disasters, and recent global recessions have all factored into what some say is an increase in poverty.

Nicaragua doesn’t have the highest orphan population in the traditional sense of the word. The country hasn’t been as affected by AIDS as many African countries. But economic, political, natural and culture factors leave many children in Nicaragua vulnerable to abandonment when the family doesn’t have enough money to provide for them. Sometimes, children are forced into child labor so that their earnings can help support their family. Many of these children will be kidnapped or lured into the sex trafficking industry. (Nicaragua is a principle ‘supplier’ of trafficked children.)

While a child’s parents are walking the streets trying to sell copied CDs or perfume, or digging through the area landfill to see what’s sellable, the child is left alone – vulnerable to accidents, house fires, or to the abuse of people from the neighborhood. Many children are forced to work or beg instead of going to school.

In our travels to different neighborhoods around Nicaragua we’ve seen many of these children. We’ve seen a tiny four-year-old carrying around her baby brother while her mother and older siblings worked in the landfill. We’ve seen a child who suffers from epilepsy have a seizure on the street while alone and not medicated. We’ve met seven-year-olds who spend the day selling candy, gum and cigarettes in street markets. We’ve heard of an eight-year-old boy being sexually violated by gang members who found him alone in the streets. We’ve seen the scars of a four-year-old who’s mosquito net caught fire and burned most of his body when he was left alone by his mother. We’ve watched as small children juggle at the traffic lights and then beg for money hoping to have some to take home to their families.

One church in a poor neighborhood, strongly affected by crime in the capital city of Managua, has a response to caring for the vulnerable children in their community. The pastor and his family at Verbo Sur wanted to open a Child Development Center – a place where children could come while their parents were at work, a place where they would be safe and cared for, where they would get an important head start on learning, and learn about Christ’s love for them. Through a partnership with World Orphans the Child Development Center at Verbo Sur opened at the beginning of September.

Yesterday we visited the center to see how it was going after being open for a few weeks. The teachers were full of smiles, and told us they already see the fruit of their labor. They see the children stop crying and become accustomed to being at the center; they see children begin to break out of their shells, to hear them talk and laugh; they dance together, paint together, read together, and pray together. As they told me about the kids being kids – running around the room or fighting over the crayons – the teachers’ smiles remained, their love for the children and for the Kingdom work they’re involved in very apparent.

We feel blessed to be in Nicaragua and to witnesses not only the poverty, but also the love of Christ being preached loudly through the Church’s love for the children in their communities.

 http://www.worldorphans.org/blog/2011/10/child-development-center-provides-safe-place-for-nicaraguan-kids/

What to do?!?

“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”

 Martin Luther

One of the girls from India from Sarah's Covenant Home whom loved to pray.

Coming back to Nicaragua, I want to do so much. I love being able to work in ministry for children with special needs. This week, we went to different rural communities to visit homes and encourage parents and children with special needs. Many of these families believe that their child is not capable of learning, or is just afraid of facing failure.

However, I feel like I face more than changing the mindset of people about children and people with special needs, and highlighting the potential that these children actually have! There is much more I want to do! There is poverty; poor education system; overlooked children like orphans, children with special needs, or children living by the dump; women facing injustice; hunger for discipleship.

I am not super woman, but I desire to be like the Son of God who gave himself to touch and speak love to all these people during His ministry time. I want to be involved in visiting more community to enhance awareness that children with special needs really are God's children; I want to go to orphanages to support the kids with special needs; I want to teach English to women rescued from prostitution; I want to lead discipleship bible studies to new members of our faith family; I want to somehow be a voice for the children not receiving the education and support they deserve.

Yesterday, as I was telling my dad all I want to be involved with, he kindly reminded me of Luther's quote. Yes, there is a lot of need everywhere you look. It is a broken world, and God desires His Kingdom to come in this broken world. And He wants to use us as His ambassadors, as broken vessels to help with the transformation and restoration. However, "you need to make sure you leave room to be with the Sovereign One."

He shared of how when he graduated from seminary, he wanted to preach all the time. He compared that to how I am feeling. God convicted me through my dad's work in reminding me to remain in Him, to pray without ceasing, to seek His Kingdom first.

I don't know how Jesus did it. Ministering with love and patience all the time, and still getting away from the crowd to pray to His Father. I need to continue to let Him teach me. That way I may rely on Him, and when, in His timing, He leads me to be involved with those different ministries, it will be His strength. . .and not mine. I am willing, but in the process, I need room for Him teach me to be more like Him.

What must I do. . . seek to serve, but most importantly, seek Him first through prayer.

I found this quote from Corrie Tan Boom: “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”

I need to ask myself that every day. I really want my relationship with God to be my steering wheel. I fail, but His mercies are new every morning.