June 2015 Update
We’ve been really excited this year to have a full house! We have four kids with us now. Celia is still with us and is in 8th grade this year. We love her sweet and quiet spirit.
Flora came to us in December of last year, and she’s finishing her senior year of high school. She’s one of the hardest working kids that we’ve had in our home, and she’s full of hopes and dreams for next year after graduating. Flora also delights us with her great desire to grow in her relationship with the Lord. Celia and Flora live next door to us in a house that we’re renting for the girls, and our friend Erika is helping us again to take care of the girls.
Alejandro also came to live with us in December. He turned 18 and graduated from high school last year, and so he had to leave his orphanage. In January he was accepted for a job as a bank teller in a town near us. It’s been a big change for him as he adjusts to the working world.
And our newest member is a fifteen-year-old named Alfonso. He had left the orphanage to return to live with his mother, but money was tight and he wasn’t continuing to go to school. So we received permission from his mother to take care of him and send him to school. He’s currently studying in eighth grade along with Celia.
One of the primary goals of our home is to create a family. With kids coming from so many different backgrounds, it’s difficult for them to know how a mom or a dad should act. They don’t know what a good marriage looks like and they don’t know how a family should interact. This is a huge job that is oftentimes very difficult because it means that all eyes are on Yuli and me all the time, examining how we act and how we react. But our hope is that all of them would one day have a family of their own and be ready to be a mother or father to their own children. We would greatly appreciate your continuous prayers for us, that we would model God’s love and be faithful to Him in all that we say and do.
We received big blessings on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as the older guys surprised both of us with a visit. Nothing brings joy to our lives like spending time with Edwin, Benjamin and Elias, and continuing to encourage them in their lives. Please continue to pray for them that they would continue to seek the Lord in their lives.
Teaching
For the third year, I’m helping at Celia & Alfonso’s Christian school as an English teacher. This year I have two classes: middle and high school, and it’s a great experience to interact with a lot of kids. Along with teaching grammar, vocabulary, reading and speaking, I also try to involve the Bible in the teaching experience as much as possible. The students regularly have to memorize Bible verses, and this past month they had to read the book of Esther. I love the book of Esther because it portrays a young lady in a very difficult and unfair position who instead of being consumed in self-pity decides to trust God and believe that He is in-control of the situation.
Shoe-Shiners
We continue to serve and minister to the shoe-shiners in our town on a weekly basis. As we got to know them better, we saw the rooms that they were living in. Many were sleeping on the ground, while others slept of boards on cinderblocks. We found an organization in
Guatemala dedicated to providing beds for the poor, and they donated bunkbeds for over 50 shoe-shiners. It’s been a great opportunity to minister to their physical needs, and as our
relationships developed, also minister to their spiritual needs. One man, Don Victor, has accepted Christ as his savior, and a group now come to our church. We’d appreciate your prayers as we seek God’s will for how the ministry should continue to grow in the future.
Construction
We have a full house, and it’s time to expand! Next month we’re starting construction on the second story of our house. We currently have 3 bedrooms in our house which serve as our room, the guys’ room and a guest room. The second story would allow us to give Margaret her own room, have more space for more guys, and move my office out of the living room. We’re currently fundraising for the project, and we would greatly appreciate any help that you could provide in order to finish it.
Support
We feel very blessed to be serving God’s kingdom through loving these kids. We hope and pray that God will continue to work through us, allowing us to continue to be a blessing for these wonderful children. If you wish to partner with our ministry, please see our support info page.
Thank you so much for your support and prayers!
Brent, Yuliza & Margaret