Reflections on Serving - Sarai and Raynee

Raynee and I were so excited to do this trip as a mommy & daughter trip!  As we arrived at our first home Casa Esperanza, Raynee was super excited to get started on painting although she did have to be reminded that the paint should stay on the wall and not her hair!  We had a little hiccup with one of our sewing machines and luckily one of the house parents used to be a seamstress in her past life and we resurrected a 30 year old machine – it was magical!  I absolutely loved using it and it worked like a charm; soon I was sewing a lot of much needed toddler mattress covers and fitted sheets.  

When we arrived at Casa Matriz, one of the little girls said I needed to sit at her table.  To my surprise everyone was really chatty except for a boy named William that seemed a bit shy, just like my own son Robbie. I started asking him some questions trying to get him to open up.  After a while the children that had made cards for us were called to the front and to my surprise William had made me a card.  He said, “Look, I had chosen you and then you sat at my table!”  It seemed like a coincidence, however I believe God was orchestrating something beautiful.  William had mentioned that he had some sisters, but I wasn’t sure who they were and soon Raynee was attached to the hip of a girl named Dania.  After a couple of days we put it together that Dania was William’s little sister!  We also realized that Yarezit and the little toddler, Yanet we fell in love with from Casa Cuna were also his sisters!  Later that week we shared our devotional with the group… the verse we shared was  “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat.  In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”  2 Corinthians 9:10.  We were lead as a family to sponsor William and his three little sisters.  

Raynee’s big take away from this experience was that Jesus is not just working in her life but in everybody’s life!  I can definitely agree with my daughter Raynee and it was absolutely beautiful to feel at home with the people of Colima!

Reflections on Serving - Darrin

I was Very Humbled when we were at the house where the little girl came and cuddled up next to me and just grabbed My arm to put around her just to cuddle.......Then the little boy came and sat on my lap to join.

I have also been reflecting on the time spent with the recovery group of men that I had the Awesome opportunity to spend some time with

And the kids and how happy they are with what they have! It really put in perspective what we have and how we can help so many more !

This trip was definitely a Blessing in My life........So Greatful for this opportunity and hope more in the future!

Reflections on Serving - Jamie

Every year, I get lots of questions about what we do when we travel to Hogar de Amor. The aswer is - we do a lot! We engage in work projects to make the homes more comfortable and homey, including lots of painting, sewing curtains and bedcovers, and plumbing and electrical maintenance. Basically, think about all the things that don’t get done around your house, and then imagine you had 100 kids - that’s the stuff we do.

But the reality is that we are only there for a week.

The “doing” really isn’t the focus of our time at Hogar de Amor

Truthfully, when we started this trip our focus 11 years ago was on cramming in as much “productivity” as we possibly could. We wanted to do, do, do.

But over the years, we’ve learned that a week isn’t enough to really change anything. Any walls we paint will get scratched and scuffed again. Any curtains we sew will tear. And Lord knows that any drains or toilets we fix will break again. That’s all just stuff.

The real transformative work of our time in Colima is the relationships we make

It's ways we get to come alongside the caregivers who are tirelessly working to help kids who have endured the unthinkable and to lighten their load just a little for a few day. It's the fun we get to have with the kids doing crafts and sports and building happy memories for everybody. It's the privilege of coming back as a church family, year after year, and demonstrating in word and action how worthy Hogar de Amor is of our love and support

Relationships are what counts and they’re what lasts.

Year after year I’m reminded that God created us for community.

God is a relational God, and he created us as relational people. But I’m an independent gal. And my default posture is assumption that the best kind of living, the best kind of Christ-following is when I dig deep and do it myself (with God’s help, of course). Left to myself, I see relationships as God’s Plan B - what I can fall back to if I’m not good enough to hack it on my own

And that’s a lie.

Relationships are not God’s Plan B

Relationships are God’s Plan A. From birth to salvation to growth to highs to lows, God has designed us to do it in relationship

When I’m at Hogar de Amor, it’s easier for me to see how beautifully God designed us for relationship. I get to be immersed in a relational place, in a relational culture, and I get to see God’s relational work in action.

I think about a moment that happened early in this year’s trip.

We had a chance to take the houseparents out to lunch, which is such an amazing time of connection, and I was sitting between a team member and a some orphanage staff that I didn’t know well. So I asked the houseparents which homes they worked with and it turned out they were the leaders of Casa Belen and Casa Valientes, the women’s and men’s restoration homes

These are another ministry of Grupo Amor in their community - a place for men and women to live and to work through their challenges and addictions, sometimes while their children are being cared for in Hogar de Amor.

And I turned to our CenterPoint team members and translated for them and their eyes lit up. One of the CenterPoint team member said, “I have my own recovery story and I would love to help out with their restoration home however I can. I was hoping that somehow my story could be helpful during this trip.” And in that moment, another deep connection was made between the people of CenterPoint and the poeple of Hogar de Amor.

The men on the team had a chance to visit the restoration home and share their struggles, and experience their shared need for God and community. The people of CenterPoint and of Hogar de Amor got to be a part of a shared story

That’s the heart of this trip

Because that’s the heart of God

Reflections on Serving - BR

When I first went to each orphanage homes, I was surprised by what little they have and what they had to work with and the faith they have is very strong and powerful. They seem so happy. 

When a little boy came to ask me to play chess, Sarai translated for us . It was a tough but fun game. This little boy won and he was so proud he did and so was I.

We put up piñatas one night for the kids. Each time someone was trying to get the piñata to break, all the other kids were singing a song and would stop when they wanted the person hitting it to stop and go onto the next person. I couldn’t help but smile on how they all came together.

For Easter, we hid eggs for the kids and it was exciting for me to see them find a hard to find egg and them have such a proud look on their faces. It was great to see and it brought me so much joy.

I played a Golden egg chase game with a little girl and when she caught up with me, I gave it to her and Sarai translated for me when I told her to open it, she was so happy and excited to see what was inside. 

So many great experiences and I can’t wait to go again next year. I hope to see them all again and to remember names better. I also plan to learn more Spanish as well.

Reflections on Serving - Julie and Karlie

My first trip to Hogar de Amor was in 2015.  Each and every year brings special memories and experiences.  It is such a wonderful feeling to revisit known friends and to make new relationships.  Even with our language barrier, it is clear to Karlie and I that we have a connection with the children and the caregivers.  Their love runs deep and their hugs are abundant.  After each visit, Karlie and I return home with hearts full and running over with intense emotion.  Words cannot express what this special place has meant to us - each and every day.  There isn't a day that goes by that I do not think, worry and pray for these amazing children and adults. 

Hogar de Amor has changed my life.  There is no place like it or no experience that can compare.  Karlie and I are so very grateful for the opportunity to connect with our friends in Colima.  They are the reflection of Christ, giving endlessly and selflessly.  

WE LOVE HOGAR de AMOR! 

 

Friday: Wrap up, Clean up, and Party down

Our final day in Colima started the same as the others.  A morning meeting followed by a hearty breakfast.  By the final day breakfast is often just a yogurt or fruit to get going as we eat so much good food for lunch and dinner.    

 Stephan joining the team for our morning meeting

We headed off to the main house, Casa Matriz, to lead the kids in some planned activities.  Like our other two days at Matriz we split the kiddos into three groups and rotated them through sports, games, and crafts.

Yoga is always a good way to start the day

Testing our frisbee skills

The craft table is a busy place that needs lots of supervisors.  You never know where that glue will end up 

Alex and Tonio blowing up balloons for the kids

One of the "kids" enjoying the balloons in the trampoline

Alex exhausted after blowing up 100 balloons

A quick hug with Raquel

And then we went to Esperanza to finish up the projects that were in progress.  There was painting and general maintenance tasks to complete before we would call ourselves finished.

Many hands make light work

Handyman Dan finishes up some light electrical work

Emma practices writing "SALIDA" to mark the exit arrow

Gracie showing how easy it is to paint the ceiling when you are tall

Dan and Sasha laughing in a totally spontaneous and unposed picture

Everyone in front of the Esperanza House

Emma taking a quick snoozer on the drive back to the hotel.  Smart kid

After a rest and some much needed pool time to cool off, we headed back to Matriz for an end of trip party.  All of the houses came out to eat tacos and play games with us.  It was amazing to get to see all of the houses together at the same time.  Logistically it's hard to host that many people in the same space for dinner.  But luckily there is a great caterer in town who specializes in tacos.  Try to act surprised about that one.

Gracie blowing bubbles for the Cuna house kids

Every kid loves to pop bubbles floating in the air

Dan and Pablo shooting the breeze

Julie eating with some of the Golandrinas kids

We ordered 800 tacos for the entire group.  You'd think that'd be enough for this many people, but I know there were some teenagers who could eat a whole lot more.

A pinata for the littles

And then the night ended with a send off.  The team was surrounded by the entire group of kids and caregivers who prayed over us.  I'd like to say that I understood what was being said, but my spanish isn't all that great.  What I do know is that prayer time was a powerful moment and there were many happy tears.  Tomorrow we leave Colima, but I know our hearts will always have a home here in this place.