Orphan Outreach Mission Trip Updates

We had an amazing day with the girls today.  It was quinceneara day for 21 of the girls.  We had been told to be at the church at the main square of Guatemala by 8am for the service.  When we pulled up to the front of the church, the girls pulled up right behind us.  We were like a proud bunch of mothers watching the girls get out in their beautiful dresses, with makeup on and their hair in fancy styles.  The girls were so excited to see us and tried to start hugging us but were rushed in the church.  They each received a rose and waited at the back of the aisle for all of us to get seated.  The staff and some of the girls from Manchen were also at the church.  As we watched the girls walk down the aisle to music we all got emotional.  It was clear to us that we were right in the middle of God’s timing and plan.  We had no idea when we chose the week of our trip that it would be the week of the quinceneara celebration.  Debi Newman said she had no idea when she decided to make the focus for the week “Beautiful in God’s Eyes” that there would be a specific reason the Lord wanted our team to give that message to the girls the whole week.  We even found out that the message the priest gave to the girls (we didn’t understand it because it was in Spanish) was all about how they needed to focus on their inner beauty and not outer looks and to see themselves as God sees them.  It was just amazing to see how the Lord had brought it all together and it was clear to us that He loves these girls so  much.  It was His plan and His timing and His purpose that was being accomplished the whole week and we were his arms and his feet and his heart for these girls.

We went back to Manchen, where there was a DJ and long tables covered with tablecoths and flower arrangements in their main hallway.  The girls got together for group photos and then we began to take individual photos of them.  We want to develop a photo of each girl and place it in a special frame that we can send back with our next team to deliver to them.  None of the girls have photos of themselves and it means so much to them.  We enjoyed dancing with all of the girls but especially the special needs girls.  They loved the music!  In the midst of the joy was a lot of crying.  So many of the quinceneara girls were crying because there family wasn’t there.  Of the 21 girls, only two girls had relatives there and there was not one single mother of the girls present.  Praise the Lord that we were there to take there place and to tell them how beautiful they were and to make it a special day for them.

There were many other girls who were crying too.  In fact, dozens of them.  It seems like the music makes the girls so emotional.  Some were crying for missed quincenearas and many were crying because they were new to the orphanage this week (18 new girls just this week while we were there) and so many of them are lost, afraid and hurt.  Everyone of our team and the interns and interpreters spent time just holding on to crying girls and trying to comfort them today.  It was incredibly emotional and sad for all of us.  There was also such a hopeless feeling of not being able to do all that we wanted to do to help them.

We got photos and names of each of the special needs girls.  They all were holding on to their makeup bags that they had recevied the day before and made sure to not put them down.  It was really precious for us to see how important they were to them.  thank you thank you to all those who gave the makeup, gift bags and other items that were so meaningful to these girls.  We had enough gifts to also provide all 25 staff with nice, special gifts as well.

I want to add that Christ Church provided the money for a beautiful huge cake that was special for the quinceneara girls.  They got to sing happy birthday and everyone counted to 15 twice and then they all blew out candles.  It was a really delicious cake!  The Church also provided shoes for all 21 girls.  It would not have been the same for them wearing their flat black shoes with their beautiful dresses.  They all had evening shoes which they  were so proud to wear.  The church also provided towels and underwear for all 18 of the new girls who arrived this week.  They did not have anything to provide to the girls who arrived.  It was an interesting experience going to the local grocery/Wal Mart and buy 18 underwear items.  We got a lot of looks!

We were able to leave the girls right before the DJ ended so it helped make the parting a little easier.  Not all of the girls realized we were leaving, but the ones that did could not stop crying and holding on to us.  It was incredibly heart wrenching for all of us.  Please pray for every one of these girls.  They all have so many burdens and have had so little love in their lives.  Many of them don’t know where they are from or how old they are.  There is a lot of pain, darkness and anger in their lives.  Please especially pray for the staff who care for these girls and for the Lord to continue to give them strength and patience each day to work in such difficult circumstances.

We have been so blessed to spend this week with the girls and be processing our thoughts and emotions for a while.  We are going to get a little free time of shopping tomorrow and then to Mama Carmen’s, an orphanage in Guatemala City.

“Do you have a servant’s heart?” was the theme in our devotion book this morning.  As I read the devotion about humility, I thought it was God’s perfect timing that we would be washing the girls feet today.  We arrived at Manchen and went straight back to the special needs girls.  It’s so much fun to greet these girls at the beginning of your day.  They love to hug and kiss you and many won’t let go.  They enjoy just standing with their arms around you.  The girls really enjoy the worship and a little worship team has formed to help Karen each morning.  It’s really sweet to watch the same three girls stand arm in arm with Karen and sing every song at the front of the group.   As we go back each day, we learn more about each of the girls.  We learn what they like and have been able to communicate even without words.

The girls were happy to have their feet washed.  Sheila shared how Jesus washed the disciples feet and how we wanted to demonstrate that love to them.  After their feet were washed they got their toenails and fingernails painted.  I’m not sure how many of the girls had ever had that done before.  They were so thrilled to see their beautiful toes and nails.  They also received a bracelet which they  made themselves with beads.  Our message to the girls continues to be how beautiful they are in God’s eyes.  We have shared through testimonies about forgiveness, loving each other, forgiving each other and how the Lord is with each one of them.  We also are wanting to the girls to feel pretty and have lots of special love and care during this week that we are with them.  They all put on their t-shirts they made the day before and were so proud to show them to us.

We had lunch at the beautiful Santo Domingo restaurant with former First Lady Wendy Berger.  She was so caring and thoughtful as she greeted every single one of our ladies in the room.  She shared with the group her passion for the poor and hurting of Guatemala and about her program which is especially focused on healing families.  She has a wonderful Association which is teaching and training many of the women in the poorer communities how to take care of and support their families.   She was moved to tears several times during her conversation with us as she shared stories about the women and children she is serving.

We went back to the home to work with all of the other girls in the home (about 100) doing the same activities.  It’s always a huge challenge to bring all of the girls together and keep them quiet, but they seem to be joining in more and more each day.  The girls love the worship and Karen does a wonderful job involving them through movement, signing and her joyful spirit.  The girls all made bracelets and loved having their nails painted!  In fact, they began painting most of our nails too.  One of the sweet moments of the day was when Sheila began sharing with the girls about the footwashing and Kym demonstrated by washing Sheila’s feet.  One of the girls immediately washed Kym’s feet.

We have seen new girls come in each day.  They are always crying especially during the worship time.  We have been blessed to be there to love on them and have Gloria, our coordinator and others who can help comfort them.  They have been through so much and it’s been very hard for them to come into this home of so many girls.  Another girl came in yesterday from a prostitution home and she is originally from Honduras.  She is a beautiful, precious girl.  It’s just so hard to imagine what all she has experienced.  I learned from Evita, the Director of the home, that almost every one of the special needs girls was found on the street.  They did not know most of the girls names or where they came from.  Almost all of them had been sexually abused or raped.  It’s almost too much to hear their stories.  I am so thankful that Evita and her staff continue to work with these girls who have so many needs.  In our devotion today was a quote from Mother Theresa that was so appropriate for the way we feel looking into the faces and hearing the stories of these girls.  She said “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.  But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”

We have just finished our second day of ministry at Manchen girls home in Antigua.  It’s been another wonderful and exhausting day with 125 girls!  We had a sweet time with the special needs girls this morning.  There are 26 girls who live at the back of the home in their own area.  We first had worship time and it was amazing to hear the girls really sing out.  One of the girls, Juanita, (pictured right) is blind and in a wheelchair and loves to sing.  She knew all the words to the songs we were singing.  Jamey shared her testimony with the girls and they listened attentively as she shared about how lonely and hurt she had felt during her teen years.  The girls really connected with Jamey’s story.

The team helped the girls paint and decorate shirts that they could wear.  They put flowers, butterflies and jewels on their shirts along with their names and words or sayings.  Many of the girls wrote “I love you Jesus” or “God loves me” on their shirts.  It was amazing to see how artistic some of them were.  They were really proud of their shirts.

They also had a really fun time jumping rope and playing limbo.  Some of the girls have difficulty walking but still participated in the activities.  They are such a joy to be with and always come running up to see us when we arrive and love to give hugs.

We had lunch with Evita, her daughter Marianna and some of the staff of Manchen.  We were able to hear more about the girls and the needs of the home.  Almost all of the girls have been sexually abused or are victims of sexual exploitation, many times by family members.  Many of the girls have small babies and four are pregnant.  One of the girls is 11 years old and was raped by her father.  She is going to have to have a C section because she is so small.  It’s hard to imagine the experiences these girls have had.  Many of them cry during worship.  Some are very hardened by what has happenned to them but we can see their desire to feel loved and have hope.  One girl is from Honduras and is going home early tomorrow.  She was found in a raid on a prostitution home and brought to Manchen.  It has been such a blessing to have two days with her to share the Lord’s love for her before she heads back home.  She made two crosses during our craft time and gave one to Jamey, who had shared her testimony today, and the other to Evita, the Director.  She thanked Evita for the love and care she has shown her while she has been at the orphanage.

Please continue to pray for our team, for health, strength and opportunities to reach into the lives of these girls who the Lord loves so much.

We arrived last night and had our first day with the girls today at Manchen.  Our team consists of a wonderful group of women who have joined together to serve the girls in Manchen Orphanage in Antigua,Guatemala from Christ Church Plano.  Manchen houses approximately 125 girls, many with special needs, who have all been victims of abuse or neglect.  The team is spending the week with the girls and having a Vacation Bible School program with the message “You are Beautiful in God’s Eyes.” It was important to the group that they share with these girls, who feel abandoned and hurt by those closest to them, how beautiful they are and that the Lord loves them unconditionally.  We sang worship songs with the girls first and were thrilled to hear most of them singing loudly with us.  A number of the girls began crying during the worship time.  These girls have experienced so much pain it’s hard for us to begin to imagine what they have been through.  We divided the girls up into three groups, craft, recreation and gift/sharing time.  Their craft was a mirror that was surrounded by the words “You are beautiful in the eyes of God.”  The girls loved decorating them and we added a cross and told them that when they look in the mirror they are to remember that Christ sees them through His eyes and His eyes are full of love for them.

Our team only had a half day with the girls today and is really looking forward to a full day tomorrow. Debbie Newman, Women’s Minister from Christ Church, asked each of the ladies to share their “God moments” from the day with the team.  It’s really amazing to see how the Lord is touching each of our hearts with particular girls that we saw today. Everyone in our group is really tired, but it’s a joyous weary! Please continue to pray for healthy, protection and the Lord’s blessing on our time with the girls of Manchen.

(photo above) Debbie Newman teaching the girls they are beautiful in God’s eyes.

(photo above) One of the special needs girls hearing from Caroline, our intern, about how the Lord loves her. Jill is the team member she is leaning on.

(photo above) Karen McManus with Abigail and her completed mirror craft so that she sees
she is beautiful in God’s eyes

(photo above) Sheila Bracken shares her testimony with the girls. 

(photo above) Our intern Caroline (who turned 21 today) sharing Christ with two of the
special needs girls and praying with them.

When you talk to many people these days, it is easy to see so many absorbed in themselves, their problems, their hardships, and their frustrations.  There is never enough time, money, or energy to do all we want to do.   When the subject of helping others is on the table, it is so easy to see all the huge problems in the world - people starving everywhere, illness, war, poverty, and on and on.  It is so much we usually just feel a pang of sympathy and think - “oh well, If I had the time, or if I had extra money, I would do something. The problem is just too overwhelming and there is nothing I can do to make a difference.”     It is so refreshing to be a member at 121 Community Church !!   We have decided to do something !  In partnership with Orphan Outreach, we have chosen a few areas and are pressing in to make a difference.   One of these places is Honduras.   You are on a list with 83 others who have shown an interest in doing something about that needy area.   A decision has been made - a place has been chosen, we are making sacrifices and doing something !!!    We are making a difference in the school and community around the city trash dump for the several thousands of people who live there and the school that serves these people.

It is hard to believe that less than 5 years ago, there was a group of only 30 Honduran students meeting under a tree.  They were led by Jeony and Jessi Ordonez who were doing their best to have a school with only a few books and no buildings or desks or chairs or much of anything.  In viewing the following report, you will see the difference a few years, and a few groups of committed Christians can make.

This very day, June 17, 2009 there is a group of 30 from Grand Rapids Mich., led by Orphan Outreach. They are installing a huge play-ground of swings, slides and etc.   They had a container delivered with over $ 100,000. worth of supplies for the people and the school, including the playground valued at about $ 25,000. They are supported by WAY FM Radio in Mich.    A couple from 121 paid the $5,000. to have the container shipped from Mich. to Honduras.

The school, named AFE,  is just completing their 4th. building.  Now they will have classrooms for about 200 students and a nursery, lunchroom, meeting room, computer room, and vocational education room.

The U. S. Ambassador, Hugo Lorens, has visited twice and pledged to help the school.

The plans for legal protection for the people living at the dump are being made with the Association for a More Just Society and if the plans are approved, 121 Church will support the program financially for one year.  One goal is to get all children out of the dump.  There is still a large, but unknown, number who are not in any school at all.  If they can not go to the trash dump and work everyday, they will them have the opportunity to go the the AFE school.

The Amor y Vida Church, led by Jeony and Jessi has a new building and has doubled in attendance in the last 6 months.  The building is already crowded.

July 18-25, a group of 28 from 121 Church will go there and work for a week to accomplish many worthy goals.  A more detail report will be sent to you before we leave.

There are a lot of projects in the final stages and a lot being planned.  You might say there is still a lot “up in the air”.  The current teachers and volunteers face huge challenges every day to meet the urgent needs of families for daily survival and trying to provide a quality education program with too few leaders and still a lack of many needed things.

In the spiritual realm, it is as though a flame of hope has been lit in this community for the first time people are seeing that God can make a significant difference in their lives.   They are seeing real evidence that other Christians ( you ! ) care about them.  A momentum is building and our enemy does not like it.   We need to be sure we are supporting all that is going on by our “spiritual warfare” in prayer.    Thank you for what you have already done and thank you for continuing to pray.

— Bob Beams