ODDS AND ENDS

Hey Caring Hearts Friends!

Just checking in with some odds and ends.  We have been going through May getting ready for a busy, hot summer, and wanted to share some things that have been going on.

In the third week of May we had a small group of 5 from Indiana Pennsylvania, who had a great time with the kids and also insulated the missionary apartment.  It feels cooler already!  We want to thank Tim, Sandy, Lonnie, Deanna and Karen for blessing Caring Hearts.  Here are some pictures:

One of our sponsors sent a gift for a party for the kids, which we did Saturday evening.  Here are some pics from that:

It is the end of the school year and that means special projects.  The junior kids from both Oasis and Bethel work together to prepare as well as the elementary kids.  Here are some pics of the kids at work

Like mother like daughter, Kendi has been teaching some of the kids English!  She has a blast helping them out with this new language for them.

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Please pray for us as we begin a busy summer with a visit from our director Papa Harold and his family as well as a group of 50 from Pennsylvania.  What a blessing!

GOODBYE TO LAZARA

Last Friday, after over 5 years living here, Lazara decided to leave the orphanage.  She is 19 and wants to have a change in her life, and having gone through that time ourselves we can understand her, though it is hard to see her leave.  Lazara came to us a very troubled girl, and I believe that the love of God shown through Mama Bertha, Maestra Juana and all the groups that came through helped Lazara establish herself and have a new outlook on life.  We took her to a women's shelter run by a local church so she can be in a safe place as she gets used to living away from Bethel.  Pastor Mariano and his wife Mari assure us she will be safe and they will get her involved in a number of activities so she will not get bored.  As long as she is there we will be able to have contact with her and we can still deliver cards and gifts as well.  I am hoping to invite her to come with the groups on different ministry activities as well.  Please pray for her as she goes through this transition, that she will make wise, Godly decisions.  We will all miss Lazara, but are trusting that she is in God's hands and that he has great plans for her. 

A SPECIAL FRIEND AT OASIS

I want to share a testimony with you about a young man named Abraham.  He attends the Kino school with the Oasis boys.  He lives with his single mother.  The boys reached out to him and became his friend, and he started ¨hanging out¨ with them, attending church and other activities, as well as spending time at the home.  He has responded to the gospel always looks to involve himself in the services.  He and his mother have also been generous and helped the boys.  This week they bought new shoes for them.  It is amazing to see the testimony of the boys as they share the love they have learned, and this young man´s life has been changed.  Glory to God!

QUINCINERA

Another one of our young ladies celebrated her 15th birthday last month. In Mexico, a girls 15th birthday is celebrated with great fanfare, with a coming out "fiesta".    Juana, Angelica and Sarai organized a nice party for Laura Reyes.  Laura is an excellent student and likes to play basketball and volleyball.  She has been at the orphanage with her brothers and sisters for 6 years. Please pray for her.  Here are some pictures:

 

COMPUTER TRAINING

At Caring Hearts, it is our desire to do all we can to help our children get a head start in life.  We have had computer classes now for the kids for over a year, and we have seen great results from our adolescents.  They know how to us all of the office programs and also how to type.  Now we are starting with the younger children, so they too can familiarize themselves with this vital tool.  Here are some pictures of our 1st grade girls learning how to use Microsoft Paint.

CHILDREN'S DAY SERVICE

In Mexico, April 30th is Children's Day.  The Caring Hearts church celebrated a couple of days early with a special service dedicated to the kids.  There was singing of kids praise songs, special lessons, a drama and afterward, hot dogs, snacks, chocolates and juice.  Here are some pictures:

MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GARY

“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied”

1 Cor. 15:19

We just celebrated Easter, the holiday that marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In Bible studies, sermons and songs the message was clear; having died for the sins of mankind on the cross, Jesus rose again promising eternal life for all those who believe in Him. 

An important question to ask is, “What if Jesus did not rise from the grave?”  What if He died and returned to the dust of the ground never to be heard from again?  I know His disciples would have remembered Him as long as they lived.  After all how do you forget someone who turned water into wine, fed 5,000 people with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish and walked on water?  I guarantee that all those who were healed would have told their stories of His miraculous power as long as they had breath.  If someone restored your sight, cured you of deafness, healed you of leprosy or enabled you to walk after you had been paralyzed all your life, wouldn’t you tell the story over and over?  Jesus would have been lovingly remembered for a generation or two, but probably not much longer.  These stories of miracles would have inspired many, but without the resurrection there could be no healing of the soul, no promise of Heaven. 

I saw a movie recently about a quadriplegic man who had been bedfast for 28 years.  Once a handsome and active young man,  a diving accident left him totally dependent on the help of others.  Tired of living this way he chose to end his life, and just before he did so by drinking poison, he assured friends that he was confident that there was no Heaven or Hell and that he would simply cease to exist.  The movie disturbed me.  I wanted to jump through the screen and tell this man all about Jesus, His life, His death and most of all His resurrection.  I wanted to tell him all about Heaven and the free gift of eternal life, but of course I couldn’t.

Going back to Paul’s statement, if we had hope in this life only, the story of Caring Hearts, the Orphanage, the Boys Home, the Feeding Station and the Blind Center would be heartwarming because a lot of people have been cared for and loved.  But it would not be a story of triumph.  I want to remind all of you that the greatest work we do in San Luis is telling people the Good News of salvation and life through Jesus Christ.  Yes, we feed hungry people, but we also feed hungry souls.  We minister to the blind, but only Jesus can open the eyes of the soul.  Thank God that Jesus did rise from the grave. Because He did, we have hope in Christ in this life and hope for all eternity when this life is over.  They call that victory! 

BLIND OLYMPICS

Recently at the Shine a Light in Your Life Center for the Blind, an Olympic competition was held.  City dignataries, including the mayor, were on hand to enjoy the intense competition, which consisted of a running race using plastic tape as a guide.  Fun and medals were had by all, and it was a great time of fellowship.  A number of blind people from Mexicali also came and participated.  Here are some pictures.

NEW VOCATION AT OASIS

With the economy looking scarier every day, we at Caring Hearts are looking for ways to lower our expenses as much as possible.  At Oasis, Pedro has started to teach the boys a little about farming.  We now have a chicken coop which is yielding eggs, and they are preparing the land next to the teacher's dorm for a garden.  Pray that they will reap a harvest and be motivated to learn even more during these difficult times.