Death Has Lost its Sting

This Easter was a true day of celebrating all that Jesus has done for us on the cross. But all the circumstances were so wrong today for a day of celebrating our Savior. I don't think I slept more than 3 hours last night, J woke up with a cough & fever, and we were super late to church. Not a great start to any Sunday, let alone this special day that brings LIFE to our faith! However, the day turned out to be a beautiful reminder of what it means to follow Jesus.

How this day turned out to be so beautiful has a lot do with what we've been going through on a daily basis with the construction. We have been getting to know some of our neighbors near our soon-to-be-home and orphanage. At first, whenever we passed by, even when we would say hello, no one in the family would respond. They would look right passed us as though we didn't even exist. This went on for a few weeks. Later, our van got stuck in the sand right outside of their house. We asked for help and a shovel and the whole family refused and sat back to watch me and Phil struggle to push the van out until we finally were successful.

A few months later, we were walking past the house when we noticed the family's friend had a car. His car, like our own many times before, was buried in the sand. We didn't wait for them to ask - we shoved and pushed the car out, and reminded the family that it's always good to help each other, after all we are neighbors!

Since that day, the family would say hello and help push our van out anytime we are stuck in the sand. (We seriously need to invest in a 4x4 vehicle!!) We occasionally bring gifts for the family - like vegetables they don't grow or a bag of rice or juice - and they occasionally invite us to eat beans & rice with them at lunch time. Our relationship is developing and we are slowly planting seeds about Jesus.

About 6 weeks ago, we learned that one of the children of the house is extremely ill. She isn't really a child - she's 21 - but if you saw how emaciated and weak she is, you may think she's no more than 10 or 11.

The family explained that she first became sick about 4 months ago with malaria and she never got better. This is the story we believed until we saw her today and took her to church. The moment my eyes met her weak body this morning, I had to bite my cheek to hold back the tears. Her breathing was extremely labored and she had no energy. She couldn't walk at all. She looked much worse this morning than the very first time we met her.

I carried her into church after watching her mom struggle to get her out of the van, and I don't think she weighed as much as Jadon. We prayed and prayed for her, and concluded that she is now our daughter. We must help her. After all, Jesus said to love God first, and then love your NEIGHBOR as yourself.

At church, both mother and daughter decided to follow Jesus. Our pastoral staff talked with them and prayed with them, and both agreed to come to church whenever possible. It was so beautiful to watch a mother, desperate for hope, jump right into knowing more about Jesus and committing her life to follow him! Even though the daughter was so weak she had to lay on the floor of the church, she said yes, she wants to know Jesus more. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing hope in the eyes of the hopeless, life in the eyes of the lifeless.

After church, we begged both mother and daughter to let us go to the hospital, possibly to test her for TB, but the mother said no. It's not TB. The daughter said, "I'm positive." We asked if that meant she has HIV. With the last bit of strength in her body, she moaned and shook her head yes. The mother explained that she has to have medications everyday at the hospital for 2 1/2 months, but they haven't been able to do so consistently because of the transport money - 50 meticais per day, approximately $0.88 - less than a dollar. The cost is too great for the family to bear.

This girl literally can not walk from the car into the house. I carried her 3 times today and it was like carrying Jadon. I could feel every bone in her body. I can't help but cry and cry over this beautiful girl. She is ours to care for, and we'll do anything we can to help. We've already arranged reliable transport for her daily so she can get her medications, and we're committed to praying for a future for this new daughter of ours. We see her daily, and we will continue to do so until she begins to get her strength back.

Please pray with us that God will give her back her strength and that the medications will work on her weak body, to give it life again. With people, there are so many things that are impossible, but with God, ALL THINGS are possible! After all, is this not the very reason Jesus laid down his life? He died so we can live!

On this resurrection day, Jesus showed us to have no fear, because he is ALIVE. We have no fear for the future of this new daughter because Jesus has already overcome death and death has FOREVER lost its sting.

***********Note: As you can see, I didn't post a picture of our neighbor here. I don't think she needs anyone to gawk at her, we just need to pray. God will do the rest. When she is in a better state, I'll ask her permission to use her photo so I can introduce you to her properly.

Standing on a firm Foundation!

Phil helping J with his itchy chicken pox! 

The last 3 weeks have been like a tornado, hurricane and a nice, calm breeze, all at once. Jadon came down with some form of chicken pox, and I (Laura) had a nice case of malaria. After a few days of antibiotics for me, I was fine. But Jadon's chicken pox were awful. The size and the amount he had were truly horrific. I felt for my boy, and leaving him each day to go teach in the mornings was rough.

After missing almost 2 weeks of school, he finally is better! He healed so well, didn't scratch at all and he never had a fever. I am grateful for how well he did. He listened to us when we begged him not to scratch, and explained that he could spread them or make them even worse. He was a real trooper and I'm so glad he is better.

I am now fighting some kind of chicken pox infection as well. It looks similar to chicken pox, but I had them as a child so I'm not too sure. They don't seem to be contagious but they are painful and very itchy. I'm taking some medicine to help and using some cream for the itching, but I'm over it. Seriously. Over. It. I have been sick off and on since the beginning of the year, and I am so done.

So I'm praying for this rash or chicken pox or shingles or whatever it is to leave me now and that God would heal me inside and out so I will no longer get sick this year! God can do it and I trust Him to be my doctor. Our family has certainly been attacked this year by all this sickness and we are praying that this is the END. (I have to say, though - my husband deserves a gold medal for all the nursing he has done - from the dirty jobs to just loving on us extra, he really deserves an honorary degree or something by now!)

Setting of the corner stone by our pastor - Pastor Ben!

Besides all the sickness, we are in high spirits! The calm breeze in all of this has certainly been the fact that the work on site has continued at a rapid pace. We have water on site for the orphanage, and we have a completed storage and guard house. The foundation digging started about 10 days ago, and in just 1 short week, the brick layer is preparing to pour the foundation, most likely the end of next week. The walls will then go up towards the end of the month, and the second floor decking will be prepped the beginning of April.

We had a small ceremony at the beginning of the week to set the first stones of the foundation. Phil and I each put a stone in place, along with those individuals that have been pillars here for us, and our Pastor, Benedict. It was a great time of celebration, and it was short and sweet. We committed the location and building to the Lord, and we prayed for continued blessings on the land that will change the future for so many little people for the good of this country, and this world!

Completed storage and guard's house!

We are anticipating having the 2nd floor of the building completed by the end of April or middle of May, and moving in shortly there after. We are so excited and I honestly CAN NOT WAIT! We will need to have an inspection completed, and then we will be approved for a certain number of children. We are looking at opening our doors as an orphanage in June.

The progress of the building has gone on despite the illnesses, despite any set backs - and we have had a LOT of set backs. There have been major problems with our brick layer and his team, and we recently had another car accident with a drunken bicyclist, but I will save that for another day. (Don't worry - it wasn't a big deal.)

As we continue into this project, we are spending and spending on cement and rocks. It is crazy how much it costs to make a giant slab of concrete to put an entire HOUSE on top! But we thank God because we have NEVER gone without. Any time we have needed ANY thing, we have been victorious.

2nd load of rocks - 20 tons!

As we continue up to the 2nd floor, we will be short on materials and by then, finances as well. If you have been on the fence about partnering with our organization, now is REALLY the time! We are in a very exciting
phase of construction, and if we have to stop due to funding, we would be setting the building and opening of the orphanage back by months.

We would love to partner with you so we can help this community blossom in the best way God sees fit! You can always give through our website: heartfortheneedy.org, using Paypal. You can always mail donations to: 35 E Animas Village Lane, Durango, CO 81301.

Every cent counts and nothing is too small! We are blessed to have partners who have made big sacrifices to continue pledging monthly support, and to each of you we are grateful. We know that God will bless you for your faithfulness!

The corner of the building - foundation started!

God has been so faithful - even in the most difficult and trying times. We know this is a journey that will change us, that will change this community, and that we pray God will use to change the world. I pray that today, as you go about your usual Sunday routine, you find something extra ordinary from God. If you have dreams and big hopes to do something in this world, He will fight for you. Never let the fear of money or any other provision stop you.

We certainly have no regrets in this journey, but I must admit I have one. I regret that I didn't have the courage and the faith to do this sooner. I regret that I let fear and worry take over my thoughts, when God could have filled that void and grown my faith. But, I am grateful that God never stopped quietly whispering to us, and sometimes shouting, that the time is now and that He has prepared the way for us. How amazing the God of the UNIVERSE loves us so much that he quietly and gently deals with us at times?! I'm in awe of what He has accomplished on our behalf. We can't wait to see what God will do next!

Blessings,

Phil, Laura and Jadon, too