Likewise, we seem to have settled into a good rhythm in our home. Our staff, volunteers and family are working well together and everything is well-organized. It is actually quite entertaining to see all of the diaper-changing, medicine-dispensing, bath-giving, meal-feeding, etc. Little Christian is sleeping much better these days, which really helps us to get more rest. Esperanza, however, has good nights and bad nights. The bad ones result in very little sleep for whoever is on duty.
One of the hard issues I have had to face is the number of children that we have turned away. Over the last two weeks we have received calls asking us to take 42 children. We turned all of them away. The reason for this is that none of them had special needs (although the courts worked hard to manufacture special needs so we would accept them). As difficult as it is to find homes for these children, it is more difficult to find a place for a child with special needs. That is our calling, and we are sticking to it. But that doesn’t make it easier to turn away a child. Many of these will end up in state-run institutions that are filled with neglect and abuse. If I spend too much time thinking about these children I will lose my mind. I have to choose to focus on the ones that God has given us and the ones that are to come.
If you and your family have a passion for children with special needs and are drawn to join us, then please contact us to discuss it. We can arrange a Skype session to talk, answer questions and to better help us understand one another’s hearts. If you choose to join us, we will walk with you through the move and entire process, and your home will be licensed under our association. Each subsequent licensing process should be easier as we have already completed much of the required paperwork. In other words, you will not be alone.
If you are not among those called to join us, will you please pray that God will raise up others? I am looking around at the harvest and considering the consequences of not having workers. Quite frankly, it breaks my heart and breaks the heart of God. So, please pray with me.
Also, please pray for the church. One of the reasons we have such a shortage of workers is because of a me-centered theology that has invaded and replaced the Jesus-centered theology. We have come to believe that Jesus died to save us and make us comfortable instead of to save us and make us living sacrifices. As a result, very few ever consider leaving the comfort of their own little world to serve the God who died for them. Meanwhile, the world is literally dying apart from Christ. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will move in the church to bring us to true repentance so that we will be willing to pick-up our crosses and follow Jesus…wherever He leads.
A while back I posted a blog on this topic. If you have time, you might want to read it again. It was actually written by Amy Carmichael and is quite powerful. If you are interested, click here.
That’s all for now. Greetings and love from Guate!
Daryl
