Coming Home

Coming Home:
We felt we couldn't get to our own children fast enough yet it was so hard leaving Manuelito.  We truly do feel like if we were able to just get our kids and quickly return we would...but the Lord has given us a peace in waiting on His perfect timing.  So the clarity that we were looking for the Lord did provide and we know that we are to serve at Manuelito.  When we first arrived we were overwhelmed with the size of this project...meaning this is definitely something we will not be able to do on our own, and to be honest with you I would have turned right around and came home after the first day if we had not have joined another team from Oregon and had our dates set.  I was missing our kids pretty bad and we were telling ourselves that this is a great project but not for us because it is just too big.  Yet the Lord continued to work with us...with the matching scripture that he had first used to get our attention...to strangers telling us not to be afraid, to the children that grabbed our hearts and will forever be a part of us now...how could we say no.  There is alot of things that are yet to be shown to us...like where we will live and when we'll actually be there, yet there was so much more to confirm that this is where He wants us and where our kids will thrive the most.  There is no better place to be then in the center of His will and while we have to wait on some of the specifics we can rest in His peace that passes all understanding and just wait for his leading.  We know that he led us to Manuelito last April for a reason...we can rest in the peace of just knowing.  The project is not ready for an official welding class but Joe has found great need for someone to help with the agriculture, farming, regular maintenance of the property and all the while he will have some boys right along his side learning from Joe.  While he was fixing their beds he asked one boy how to say Grinder in Spanish.  He didn't know what Joe was saying.  Joe couldn't say that in Spanish yet, but he could ask him what the name of this tool was in Spanish.  The boy quickly responded, "Chicago".  Joe gave him a funny look, and the boy pointed to the words written on the grinder..."Chicago Tools".  It's a Chicago he told Joe.  These boys need to learn the names of their tools, how to use them and all the while Joe will be depositing back into hearts what has been depleted from the years of having nothing, some not even knowing how old they are or when their birthday is.  The things in which we'll be doing there are endless...from helping in their new school right their on the property, to teaching them skills, to tucking in at night, to fixing their broken toys, and most importantly teaching them about the love that Jesus has for them and fixing their broken hearts by being His hands and His feet.  So this is the clarity we have received and I thank God for His leading and His guidance.