“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3)
Today we started our day reflecting on Philippians 2, The Mind of Christ. Paul exhorts us to embrace the same attitude of humility and service that our Savior, Jesus Christ did. The Author and Giver of Life was willing to leave heaven and enter into our space and identify with sinful humanity for the purpose of serving and saving those who believe. What Jesus did sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Every other religion is about proving yourself and earning your way to god. Christianity is the belief that God pursued us and did the work on our behalf. Therefore, his followers should imitate him and serve others in humility.
James said, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27). Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Today was exciting because we had the amazing opportunity to visit an orphanage across town. Puerto Escondido is split into to territories or counties. Children can only go to an orphanage in their county. Casa Abba will be the first orphanage in their county and the orphanage we visited today, Casa Hogar Nueva Vida (New Life), is the only orphanage in their county and is running at full capacity.
This was the first time that Kayla and Jocsan were able to work it out to bring a group to New Life. New Life is operated by Ami, the daughter of the founders. Her father died about 5 years ago and her mother has been struggling with illness, so Ami stepped up to care for the kids. However, she is running it alone and managing the kids and property within the city limits. I pray that our involvement today was a big encouragement for the sacrifice and service she is doing for the kids.
If you have ever visited an orphanage, you will know that it is a mixed bag of emotions. There is joy in being around the kiddos and playing with them. Yet there is a deep sadness when you have to leave them. Playing with the kids and loving them was so rewarding. It was easy to get attached to these beautiful kids. Pray for them that God would provide for their needs.
Our team was amazing today! We went to the orphanage to accomplish a couple of projects, play with the kids, and share the Gospel by presenting the Wordless Book and the Gospel Bead bracelets. The guys’ project was to remove a broken tile floor and repair it. We expected a much smaller project and ended up doing 4 times the amount anticipated. However, we are thrilled to have improved the safety of the kids by restoring a portion of the floor. The girls were hard at work painting the exterior and interior of the orphanage and Veda did the gardening work! I am so proud of how hard everyone worked and seeing how their hard work brightened the space and encouraged Ami.
David mentioned he was excited to see how involved our team was with the orphans. He has worked at an orphanage in Northern Mexico in the past and saw a lot of teams stay isolated and standoffish, yet our team took every opportunity to play with the kids. Kayla had sent me a little video of a homemade swing the oldest orphan made and asked if we could do something about that. We brought with us 2 swings and a trapeze bar. It was a joy to install them and see the eagerness of the kids to swing on them. I barely could hang the swing up before the kiddos were sitting on them and swinging.
The day was long, and the temperature was hot which took its toll on all of us. However, after a late lunch, our team set up to share the Wordless Book. I was so proud of them and their willingness to team teach and for the energy and enthusiasm they had after a long day. Will mentioned how excited he was to be more confident and more prepared as he taught this year. It was evident that each of our team members (Will, Veda, Mariska, Emma, and Beth) was prepared, prayed up, and confident. Jocsan did a fantastic job translating and getting the kids involved. One little boy was very into the story and kept on encouraging the team as they shared. It was so precious. The kids knew the Bible stories and participated, but we still pray that seeds were planted today by our efforts for God’s glory. Thanks for your prayers.
There is much more I would like to say, but I will have to end tonight. I do want to acknowledge the hard work of the two gentlemen who are building Casa Abba. Jocsan invited them to come and help us do the floor. I guess I should say we helped them. These two guys worked so hard tirelessly and constantly. One made dozens of trips with a 5-gallon bucket to get sand and gravel. They lifted the 80lbs bags of concrete effortlessly. I am thankful for these men and the work they did for the orphans today and the work they are doing for orphans who will be at Casa Abba in the future.
Tomorrow is church at Casa Ebenezer! Pray for Beth as she helps in Sunday School. Anna, Emma, and Will as they lead worship. Cindy as she gives her testimony. And I would appreciate your prayers as I preach tomorrow. I am humbled and grateful for our partnership with Gaby and Jocsan and their invitation for us to serve them tomorrow.
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