Friday, January 6, 2017

Are We Making A Difference

Somewhere close to ten years ago, I made a decision to come live and work at Casa de Esperanza.  If I am perfectly honest, I had no idea what I was doing or getting myself into.  But, I do not regret that decision. 

I arrived to a bunch of broken, really broken, little kids. 

It has been a long journey, with many people on the journey with me. I have poured myself into these kids.  I have loved.  I have prayed.  I have wept.  I have been injured both emotionally and physically. 

Last year, 2016, was a very difficult year.  We faced a lot of problems with these kids.  I loved, I prayed, I wept some more.  I listened to the devil's lies telling me that I was not making a difference, that none of us were making a difference. 

I get to see these kids, especially the girls, at their stinkiest and their prettiest does not shine through very often. 

Tuesday, after I fell and Nicole was leaving to meet me at the hospital, she told other adults she was leaving because I had fallen.  When she got to the hospital, she said, " Mom, I think there might be a glimmer of hope for those girls.  They were genuinely concerned when they heard you fell."  I barely smiled. 

These girls have some extra work chores because of behavior and attitude.  They are working near my house.  Yesterday, some of them stopped at the door to ask how I  was doing.  Yesterday, was a really good day and I told them I would be up today either for devotional or lunch.  First thing this morning, I knew for sure that it would not be devotional. 

I started up for lunch about 10 minutes before 12:00.  The girls were just starting inside to wash their hands.  Two of them rushed down, put their arms around me, and we all walked up together.  They gave me some much needed support.

As I entered, two of the girls got two chairs, one for me and one for my leg.  One even ran and got a pillow and propped my foot up on it. 

We laughed and talked at lunch.  Then one took my dishes and carried to the kitchen for me.  Then they put my chairs away.

Two of the girls walked me back to the house.  I told them thanks and that I was really tired and I would not be back up today and maybe not tomorrow.  They said, "please don't come if it is too hard.

I was very touched by the concern the girls showed me today.

Are we making a difference in these kids lives ten years later?  I don't know if we are or not.  But, God sure is. 

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