The JOY of the LORD is my strength.

Last night I spent a couple of hours in the home of a friend for a "Ladies Refresher."  The purpose of the evening was to provide a casual setting for women of all ages and occupations to meet together for conversation and encouragement.  As I enjoyed the simple delight of spending time with other women, I realized that sometimes I forget how much I need women in my life who are just like me, with struggles and insecurities and victories and a need for "girl" conversation. 

We ended our time by identifying one word God desires us to hold onto and press into for 2013.  There were many -- hope, contentment, discipline, "be here now", faith, trust, glorify...Mine was JOY, and not only joy, but, "The joy of the LORD is my strength."  Over the past couple of years my joy that so often came pretty naturally to me was being robbed little by little...through health issues, ministry challenges, major life changes, absorbing the pain of others, and mostly just by being way too busy for way too long until it seemed I had poured out the last dredges of my nearly empty cup. 

But God, who is unfailing in His grace and love, provided a "pause" in my life.  Since our return from home assignment last September I have had some margin in my mornings to soak in His Word and Presence. 

I never want to take for granted His beautiful gift of joy that comes from being with Him.  I cannot love, I cannot live without His joy that gives me strength.

Jesus, King of My heart, You are my joy.  My cup spills over.  May joy splash on everyone around me today because tomorrow...Your presence will fill my cup again. 

Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”  John 4:13,14 (MSG)

Below, a picture of joy -- four Douce kids finding joy in being together during family time at the beach one year ago.

 

How do we express God's unconditional love?

After leaving Casa G due to falling back into drug addictions, Jose Luis’s journey continues to be difficult.  He told me (Phil), “I miss Casa G.  I miss you.  It is hard.  I knew it would be.”   

And I miss Jose Luis.  I miss his energy, his enthusiasm, his spontaneous expression of music through rap, and our deep conversations.  I miss his friendship.

One of the painful challenges of working with former street kids is communicating unconditional love when their actions do not allow them to continue in the training program.  This summer while we were on home assignment, I thought about and prayed for Jose Luis.   I decided I would find him and just sit with him.  No agenda, no expectation.  So far I haven’t been able to do this because I haven't seen him and am not sure where he is living. 

Please pray I would have an opportunity to tangibly demonstrate God’s unconditional love to this young man and others no longer at the house.

 God uses His tool of trying circumstances to crack our hard ground.  He plants His word of light in our deep darkness.  He pours the living water of His Spirit on our dryness, and the soul softens…to raise within us a crop of righteousness.    (John of the Cross)

HOPE

Hope happens when others believe in us.  Hope happens when others believe that what God has called us to is good and worth the cost.  Sometimes I don't believe in me.  And sometimes I wonder if God really called me to the huge task before me.  I only see my weakness and failings.  I see the insurmountable obstacles and what appears to be an endless road ahead.  The "end" is definitely not in my sights. 

And then I am surprised, again, by the hope of God that springs up in my heart through the belief of one of God's children. Just today we received two different emails from two different people who live in two different parts of the United States.

"I just signed up for a 10 mile race on May 25th.  I have a goal to have 100 people donate $10.00, which comes to $1,000.  I want to donate the money to Casa Adalia.  I am never a person to start something this big.  Well, it seems big to me, but not for the Lord."

And another email, "Phil, we were able to put funds into your account for Bibles today." 

Thanks, Jesus, for giving us people who believe in You and believe in what You are doing through us. 

God, the one and only— I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not? He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I’m set for life. Psalm 62:5,6(MSG)

Saying Goodbye...

The boys and I (Phil) arrived at the viewing of their father around midnight.  In Ecuador embalming is rare, so the body was viewed through a sealed Plexiglas covering.  There was wailing and drinking and general chaos,...and also welcoming arms and comforting words from family members, many of whom the boys had never met.  People expressed genuine gratefulness that we had come.  At 3:00 AM the boys' grandmother insisted we eat the dinner she had made, then we slept for a few hours. 

Around 9:00 AM we returned to accompany the casket and body from the grandmother's house to the church in the center of town.  When we arrived, the church wasn't open yet, so the casket was placed on the ground out front.  We waited for the nun to arrive and facilitate the religious ceremony.  Then the funeral procession began to the town cemetery with increased sounds of wailing. We walked down the center of the muddy street, blocking traffic and causing as much commotion as possible.  This was their brother, father, son and friend's final "walk," and it was important that even strangers honor the deceased.

After several blocks the procession entered a cemetery that was a maze of disorganization. We climbed over tombstones and clambered along unknown trails. The intensity of grief became overwhelming.  Two ladies fainted and family members attempted to revive them by blowing cigarette smoke in their faces and shaking them to consciousness.  A sister screamed and hung on to the casket while others forcibly pulled her back.  Everyone just accepted these displays of grief without question.  The "final goodbye" took more than an hour as each person viewed again the face of their loved one through the Plexiglas cover. 

The oldest of the boys has a difficult time expressing his emotions.  The Christian psychologist who provides counseling for the Casa G boys gave me the suggestion that if he wanted, he could write a letter to his dad.  At the final goodbye, he pushed his folded letter into the casket through a broken place in the Plexiglas.  After more hugs and more tears, we started back to Quito. 

I am so thankful I was able to be with the boys.  I am so thankful to see the healing begin as the three brothers walked through this together.  I was also very grateful for Juan Miguel who kept me awake while I drove, comforted the boys, and even took a turn at carrying the casket.  Thank you for your prayers. 

(The family appreciated that I took pictures for the boys to remember them and the event.  Above, one of the boys writes his father a letter.  Below, he comforts his little brother.  They gave me permission to share some of their story and pictures.)

The Loss of a Father

"You are not alone.  God has placed people in your life to walk this out with you."  These are the words Phil told one of the Casa G boys on Tuesday.  The boy had been told that his father (also dad to another boy at Casa G) may have killed himself the day before in prison. Phil was able to reach the grandfather who talked to his sixteen year old grandson, "You need to get over to that prison and find out what is going on!" 

Phil and the two brothers went to the prison.  It was true.  Their father who had recently been transferred to a different prison due to safety reasons was dead, found hung.

Tonight Phil is driving with Juan Miguel, the two brothers and a younger brother to the coast where the extended family lives for the viewing.  At 9:00 AM their father will be buried.  When given the option of accompanying the boys, they said to Phil, "We would really like to have you with us." 

This evening my heart squeezed with a mixture of emotions as Danelle, her fiance, Nate, Tully and I placed our hands on Phil to pray for him and his trip with the boys.  I felt the grief of these boys who lost their father to prison ten years ago and now have lost him a second time, maybe even for eternity.

I felt sad that Phil would miss the second day of the Hands that Heal conference.  I was more sad that he would miss a good portion of the last two days with his son, Tully, who flies back to the U.S. tomorrow night. 

My heart squeezed with sweet gratefulness for the gift of an unselfish son who without hesitation gave up precious time with his father so his dad could be the father to those who have none, something Tully has done countless times in the past. 

And my heart squeezed with thanks for the man who is Tully's father, a man who would drive six hours through the dark and fog and treacherous mountain roads when he is exhausted and not feeling well because tonight, he alone has been appointed to be the tangible expression of the Father's love. 

UNO!!

Every Tuesday at 6:30 PM the Casa G boys come to our home for dinner, a short devotional, and hang out time. Often there is a rousing game of UNO. Tonight was no exception.  Added to our Casa G group were our two college kids, Tully and Danelle and three young ladies, each with hearts for Jesus and others, and all from different countries -- England, Argentina and Ecuador. Laughter blended the cultures and languages into heavenly music.  I was aware of a number of reasons that could dampen our joy, and there were likely other reasons I didn’t know about.  Three of the boys were carrying heavy, painful weights of concern.  One of the girls had been fighting loneliness and feeling misunderstood in her ministry.  Our own Tully would be leaving in just three days.  But as I looked around, I only saw joy.  I wanted to soak in it.  Joy refreshes and heals the soul.   Thanks, Jesus!

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Pursuing Love of the Father

January 2013 – A Mother’s Reflection

John 15:20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him.

Sixteen year old Alejandro was living alone in a tiny room close to the bus station.  He supported himself by getting tips from carrying passengers’ luggage.  Concerned that Alejandro would soon drop out of school, the principal contacted Phil to see if he could join the Casa Gabriel training.  For every boy wanting to enter Casa G there is an individual process that intentionally helps him and us to determine if God is saying this is the right fit, and that they are serious about being trained as an ambassador for Christ.  As part of this process, Alejandro was invited to start attending morning tutoring classes at Casa G on school days and then stay for lunch.  He was also invited to church and our Casa G family day on Sundays.

The first Sunday I met Alejandro, he broke my heart.  He jumped up from the breakfast table to start wildly wiping down the tables.  His entire demeanor was, “Take me.  Please take me!”  After two weeks, Phil asked the other boys what they thought about Alejandro coming on full-time.  There was hesitation, and then Marcelo said, “Everyone deserves a chance.”  Initially insecure, wounded and socially awkward, Alejandro didn’t fit in at Casa G.  However, it wasn’t long before this intelligent and witty sixteen year old took on a new identity as the valued son of the King. 

After finishing the year at the school for youth at risk, it was recommended that Alejandro transfer to a private school with higher academic standards.   By now he had become confident and connected easily with his peers.  In this new setting he quickly gained popularity.  We began to see a decline in motivation and overall attitude.  Continued poor choices led to some hard consequences.  Alejandro was asked to change schools and behavior in order to continue at Casa Gabriel so that he could focus on his studies and be less concerned with his newfound social status.  Unwilling to give up the school he was attending, he left Casa G. 

We were brokenhearted.  We were discouraged.  So we did the one thing, the best thing we could do.  We prayed and trusted in Our Mighty God who alone does the supernatural work upon the heart.  We trusted in His unfailing and pursuant love.  Alejandro didn’t need Casa G; he needed to find firm footing in his faith in Jesus.

Over the next months we occasionally saw Alejandro when he stopped by to visit.  His appearance and affect gave an indication that he was struggling.  Each time, Phil placed his arm around him and spoke words of affirmation and truth.  At the end of each visit he hugged and prayed for him.  A year ago Alejandro brought us a Christmas present and gave a long speech full of thanks for us and his time at Casa G.  He was in school and living with a family of a classmate.  God was answering our prayers.

On January 4, 2013, Alejandro surprised us with another visit.  This time he brought his report card from school.  He wanted Phil to see that he is making it.  He will graduate from high school in June.  We all bragged on his success, joked with him about the low English grade, and laughed at his witty humor. Alejandro seemed at peace with life and himself.  During our prayer time he asked us to pray for the Christian family he lives with and that he will continue to grow closer to God.  Our God is Mighty, unfailing and pursuant in His love! 

Praises and Prayer Requests:

Casa Gabriel

1.   We praise God for His financial provision.  We ended 2012 in the black!!  Phil and I have been doing the “happy dance!”

2.   Please continue to pray for monthly supporters for 2013.  Salaries for our Ecuadorian staff, some of whom are required by Ecuadorian law (academic coordinator, house parents, psychologist, social worker and legal counsel) are our largest expense.  

3.   Please pray for God’s leading and provision for a Christian social worker. 

4.   Please pray for Juan Miguel who is a senior leader at the house. He has been suffering with a number of medical issues.  He also would like prayer for God’s leading next year and for a plane ticket to attend our daughter Danelle’s wedding in May.  He has written a special song for the ceremony, just in case!

5.   All of us from Casa G will be celebrating with our housedad, Danny, who is marrying his best friend Jennifer on Saturday, January 12^th. 

6.   Pray for Carla Ackerman, team member who has been on bed rest the past week after a back injury.

7.   Juan Miguel has been in training to replace Danny in the interim.  We are praying for another house dad to join our team. 

8.   Please pray for Alejo and Lizandro who left the Casa G ministry after four plus years.  Like the Alejandro did in the above story, they are experiencing the hard consequences of seeking happiness in what the world has to offer and temporarily losing sight of Jesus who alone offers eternal and satisfying joy.  Pray they would return to the love of the Father who is looking and waiting to welcome them into His arms. 

Casa Adalia

1.   Kelsey Wilson, International Teams missionary from Australia will be teaching Hands that Heal, a comprehensive, Christian course to train global caregivers who are frontline providers of aftercare for women, children, and men that have been trafficked into the commercial sex industry.  We are thrilled to provide this training January 10^th -12th to our Casa Adalia team, volunteers and others who are interested in or are currently ministering to girls who have been rescued from the sex trade.

2.   Please pray for God’s healing touch on Barth and Mathilde Companjen, our team leaders from Holland. Both are very sick with the flu.  Mathilde who had planned to join us this week for the training and time with our team was unable to fly because the flu developed into pneumonia.

3.   Miguel, Desi and their baby daughter, Janoa have been in Holland for the past three months visiting Desi’s family and sharing the vision of Casa Adalia with interested churches and individuals. They return January 16th. They will be starting again the vocational training outreach with girls who are at risk for or who have been trafficked.

4.   We just received the completed paperwork from our legal advisor to submit to the government to become a legal foundation that can take underage girls. There are many steps yet that God needs to lead us through and provide for before we can open the Casa Adalia house. We continue to sense God’s “wind behind us" pushing us forward in this endeavor. The safe house and rehabilitation center for underage girls rescued from the sex trade recently told us, “If you were open you would be full.  We have many girls without options after they leave here.”

Whether we are anticipating joyful events or difficult challenges in 2013, faith fills us with reason to celebrate.  May we daily place our security and hope in God and in His Word.  (Isaiah 54:10).  Your friendship and support are beautiful and tangible reminders of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness on which our hope rests.  We rejoice knowing that we are building God’s Kingdom together with you. May you be strengthened and encouraged by the expectation of Jesus this 2013!

For His glory in Ecuador,

Debbie for all

 

Casa Gabriel and Casa Adalia are part of International Teams, a global organization committed to helping the oppressed and seeing lives and communities transformed by the power of God.  Follow this link for an easy way to give:  https://wwws.iteams.org/iteams/  Designate your contribution to “Casa Gabriel-Ecuador.” 

 

Ashes to Beauty

Maricruz is a beautiful friend and sister in Christ.  She is the mother to two of the Casa G leaders in training and a woman with an amazing story of a changed life while in prison. The first time I really got to know her was the summer of 2011 when a team from California and Michigan joined Casa G and a local church for the one purpose of sharing God’s hope.  Phil had invited Maricruz to join our team as the head cook.

The first morning of our adventure we drove three hours to Pedro Vicente to work on the home of Dario and Jackson, two of our Casa G boys in training. A team of thirty people painted the two room stick house and reinforced the sagging front with cement posts. Tears filled my eyes when I overheard Dario and Jackson's mother say to her young daughters, “Doesn’t our house look beautiful?!”  To most of us it was a painted shack, but to her it had become a beautiful home.

The next day 15 more members of the local church joined our team.  Now 45 people traveled together by bus for several hours and spent the first night at El Monte, a large house owned by missionary friends. There had been a power outage, and so we helped Maricruz "cook up a storm" by candlelight.  After dinner we worshiped and shared God's Word together in the flickering light.  We learned to listen twice, once in Spanish and once in English.  It was late when we finally found beds for everyone to sleep in.  The 20 plus women shared a large room with three tiered bunk beds.

I awoke in the dark to the sound of someone in our room crying out loudly in prayer. I recognized the fervent voice of Maricruz.  I was so tired and it was so very early.  I am ashamed to say that I snuggled deeper into my sleeping bag and secretly wished her loud prayers would cease.

Today Maricruz, now my dear friend, invited us to eat lunch with her and her family and meet her newest granddaughter, Jocelyn Victoria.  I have much to learn from this lovely woman.   I am humbled and inspired by her hunger and passion, a hunger that continues to compel her to rise early each morning to meet with the One who gives her hope, joy and strength.

 

 

Battles toward glory

God knows when something glorious in the future necessitates something difficult in the present.  Every obstacle we face and every battle on the way will be worth it.  (Moore)

 

Working with former street boys is a mix of great joy and sometimes deep pain.  How grateful we are to know God’s work of transformation is dependent on HIM and happens “smack dab” in the midst of life’s messiness.  There is risk involved, the risk of that same young man we see being transformed, reverting to addictions and instinctive survival.  All of us are a risk, however.  Maybe our reverting to former behaviors is not as obvious as the boys we work with, but they are no less sinful.  God asks us who are called by His name to get down on our knees in the hardship of our circumstances and apply God’s Word to the most difficult places, believing He will bring a harvest. (Moore)

Fearfully and wonderfully made

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Today the Casa Adalia team was joined by our friend Diana, a college freshman and our daughter Danelle; both are visiting family for Christmas break.  There was lots of laughter and shared stories during the car ride, about an hour drive each direction.  We prayed together for the girls we would be ministering to at the safe house for underage girls rescued from the sex trade.  The laughter continued once we were inside while playing an "icebreaker" but with an underlying sadness obvious in some, hidden in others. 

Danelle translated Hats for Ivan by Max Lucado and shared personal experiences of times she tried to be someone God didn't create her to be.  "When we do, we feel inadequate, frustrated or weighted down."  She looked directly at the little 12 year old closest to her.  "There is no one like you in all of the world.  You are unique and God has a unique plan for you." 

Two girls volunteered to read Psalm 139:13-16 and Luke 15: 4,5 from God's Word.  Then we "broke out" a bag of different kinds of hats which Katie brought and craft materials.  The girls wore them enthusiastically while they created on paper their own unique hat with words of affirmation and hopes for the future, written or drawn inside. 

As I viewed some of their "hats" I rejoiced inside.  They understood the message.  They have been fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Homesick for heaven

Below - Chelsea on right with sister
Danelle on New Year's Eve day


Our lovely inside and out daughter, Chelsea, gifted us with coming to Ecuador to celebrate Christmas and New Year's.  This blog was inspired and initially created by her.  As we dropped Chelsea off at the airport before today's morning light, I sucked in my sadness and breathed out profound gratefulness for ten days of shared laughter, experiences of great beauty, deep conversation and shared ministry.  As Chelsea says, "There is never enough time when you are with those you love."  Indeed.

A Mother's Reflection-December 2012

                                        Above - Christmas morning with Casa Gabriel

For many of the youth we minister to, Christmas is a sad day for a variety of reasons. They are joined by countless others who will not experience the joy of celebrating with loved ones Christmas morning.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 Faith fills us with reason to celebrate even as tears are shed, reason not dependent on life’s circumstances. Your friendship and support are beautiful and tangible reminders of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness on which our hope rests. We rejoice knowing that we are building God’s Kingdom together with you. May you be refreshed by the expectation of Jesus this Christmas season. 

The Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John 1:14 (NLT)

Casa G – One Story of Transformation

                                                                                                      

Jackson is pictured far right during our recent
Casa G Christmas celebration.

Jackson is the oldest of seven children. When he was approximately ten years old his father was incarcerated for life. His mother and siblings shared a tiny slatted house without running water or electricity outside a small city. While his mom was working in the city, Jackson took care of his siblings. 

By the time he was a teenager, Jackson dropped out of school and began to disappear for several days at a time. His mother heard about Casa Gabriel and asked if we would take him. We looked for ways to support his mom to try to keep Jackson at home. Casa G helped his mother start a micro-business which she could do from her house, but the income wasn’t sufficient. She placed Jackson in a technical residential school for at-risk boys in Quito, and we agreed to take Jackson on the weekends.

At first Jackson was incredibly shy and awkward. While the rest of the Casa G boys laughed and talked together, he stood in the corner and refused to give eye contact. When he spoke, you could hardly hear him. Slowly, after several months, he conversed when others initiated.

One day when Jackson should have been at school Phil found him sitting very dejected on the curb outside of Casa G. He told Phil that he didn’t want to go to the school anymore; he wanted to live at Casa G full-time and attend a “regular”school. Phil talked first with his mother and then met with the director of the school who recommended that Jackson join the Casa G training ministry. Jackson was soon invited to join Casa G full-time.

Today Jackson is president of his class. He is a talented artist, a dedicated student, and is on the select soccer team from his school. He has a great sense of humor. During lunch on Sundays, he shares without hesitation what he learned from the message. After visiting his mother this summer, she expressed deep gratefulness, “My son is changed!” We, who are privileged to know Jackson, have seen God’s glory expressed through the quiet transformation of a young man once lost and now found.

Casa Adalia--One Story of Impact

 

Left - Decorating Christmas cookies with the girls.

 

Almost every week the girls ask us to sing with them the song, “La Niña de Tus Ojos.” Last Friday, Kristin, one of our team members asked if I and any girls who wanted to would stand up front and lead the group. Six girls wrapped their arms around me and the others, swaying as they sang in sweet unison, (translated to English) “You saw me when no one else saw me. You loved me when no one else loved me. You gave me a name. Because of Your love, I am your girl, the apple of Your eye. I love You more than my life.” With tear-filled eyes, a girl recently rescued from the sex trade started to sing the words the second time through, “Because of Your love, I am Your girl.” Jesus has made his home among this precious group of young girls.

The Word became human and made His home among us. He remains among us today, residing in every person who accepts His extravagant love. Because of this marvelous love, we celebrate!

Rejoicing with you,

Debbie for all

Casa Gabriel and Casa Adalia are part of International Teams, a global organization committed to helping the oppressed and seeing lives and communities transformed by the power of God.