Change
Happy (almost) November!!!
How is it the last day of October? Life is beautifully chaotic here, and time flies by!
Since my last blog, I have been doing so much better with my energy! By God's grace, I have fully stepped back into full-time houseparenting.
Laney has also since moved into the Flores house to provide some extra assistance. The biggest blessing about that change has been her ability to communicate with the girls so well. She came to Bolivia already fluent in Spanish. This has allowed us to uphold clearer boundaries and understand the disagreements that the girls are having in order to solve them more effectively. I praise God for the improvements we have already seen in the house since Laney moved in. Another positive aspect of this change will be evident in the next semester. Lauren will be going back to Southern for the winter semester to finish her degree and graduate in May. (I'm so proud of her and love her so much, but I'm going to miss her terribly!!) Because of her leaving, we were going to need another houseparent so that I would not be completely by myself. Laney was going to be that person, so it made sense for her to move in so that the transition would be more smooth.
First time making Bolivian pizza! Loved the one-on-one time with my oldest, Marianely!!
Sierra Anderson, a previous SM to Familia Feliz who started a nonprofit organization to raise funding for FF, came two weeks ago to tell us about some big changes that will be happening at the end of this year. The founder of FF (Melissa, the previous director who had to step down because of legal issues caused by corrupt nature of Social Services in Bolivia) and the current director, who is the brother-in-law of the founder of FF, will be leaving Familia Feliz. Because of this, we are in need of a new director (hopefully by January). Sierra's nonprofit is going to be taking over the childcare portion of FF while another organization is going to be funding many improvements for the school and sending teachers. The nonprofit is working on finding the new director (preferably a bilingual couple with a passion for missions and experience in business/directorship). Additionally, they are working on starting some new programs (including "Sponsor a Child") that will boost funding in order to bring improvements to Familia Feliz. Familia Feliz is donor-funded, so we are excited about these new programs that will allow for more stable financial security, consistent salary for the permanent Bolivian workers, and continuous improvement for the campus.
On a more serious note, there is another change coming in the next few months. Familia Feliz has worked with Social Services for a long time, but because of the corrupt nature of Social Services, FF has experienced many legal issues because of them. Because of this, Familia Feliz has been slowly stepping away from dealing with Social Services. Social Services is utterly corrupt and will send kids wherever they can get money, including trafficking them. The founder of Familia Feliz would seek to obtain guardianship of Social Services kids and was able to save many children from unimaginable situations in this way. However, there is a family of four at Familia Feliz that Social Services has absolutely refused to allow Melissa to adopt. Furthermore, we have been informed that they are going to be removing the Social Services kids from Familia Feliz at the end of the year. This includes the family of four and a two-year-old boy who lives at the Lilas house.
Of the four social services siblings that will be leaving, the two girls are mine. (Ticiane-10 and Dianara-8) I have been privileged to live with, take care of, and get to know them. Our hearts are breaking over the thought of them leaving and even more over the thought of the potential danger they may be entering. Because of this, the student missionaries have started meeting at 10am each day to pray for them and for wisdom over the changes happening for Familia Feliz in the coming months. We would appreciate nothing more than for you to join us in prayer over this seemingly hopeless situation. Although the weight of this situation is heavy, we are confident in the love, faithfulness, and goodness of God. We are praying that, even if the kids are taken by Social Services, they would be put in a safe and loving place where they could stay together and that God would keep His hand of protection over them.
With these recent thoughts of change in my mind, I have determined to make the most of every special moment I am blessed to have with my Tici and Dianara. They have no idea about the potential of what is coming, and it is better that way for now. They have a safe and happy place to live right now. My prayer is that they would leave Familia Feliz with a good understanding of the love of God that they can hold onto no matter what happens.
Sunday afternoon/evening is visitation time for the kids who have family that will come and visit them. Most of my girls were either with their visiting family or expectantly waiting outside in hopes that their family would be arriving soon to visit. Tici was the only girl in the house with Lauren and I, and she was sitting at the kitchen table singing along with the Spanish Christian music we were playing on the speaker while we were cooking dinner. She was so relaxed and carefree--just sitting there eating an orange and praising Jesus. It was so beautiful and I was able to get a video without her realizing. It's sad that each happy moment with them has a small tinge of sadness because of their looming departure. But I am equally happy that we are able to provide them with a safe and loving place right now and that we can still make so many happy memories.
On Tuesday night, I was praying with Dianara at her bed. After each of us prayed, I gave her a hug and told her goodnight and that I'd see her in the morning. As I was about to go, she made a soft comment that she wanted her Dad. Dianara has so much love for her dad. He is very absent and rarely ever visits. When he does, he is not always sober--even having to be kicked off campus at one time in the past for becoming dangerous. He has come to visit only once since I have been here. Even though he is not a good father and chances are high that he has abused Dianara in the past, Dianara prays for him every single night. After hearing her comment, I prayed for her dad while giving her a big hug. As I finished praying, she started crying. I scooped her up and just held her while she let out her pain in deep sobs. After holding her for a while, I sat down on the bed with her on my lap. Her sister, Tici, brought her a cup of water and sat down next to me. I had one arm around each sister and I couldn't help but cry myself. I was humbled by the privilege I have of loving them and providing a safe place for them to let out the great pain they carry. I prayed with them again and waited with Dianara at her bed for a while after getting her tucked in.
Dianara and her coloring
The great evil of the world is so heavy and evident here in the effects it has had on my kids and in the current situation with Social Services. I wish Jesus would come back so that it would all end. However, even in the midst of the evil, I have seen the goodness and love of Jesus here in a way I have never seen it before. And I can rest in the fact that God is just as in control right now as He always has been. He is aware of everything and He cares!! That is so comforting! What amazing hope we have because He is stronger than the evil and He will win in the end!
Last night, I was sitting at the bottom of the stairs in my house and praying with each girl before they headed up to bed. After I prayed with Joana, she said she would see me in the morning. Then she hesitated, because she remembered it was my day off. I said I would be leaving early but that maybe I would see her in the morning. She said she would look out the upstairs window in the morning to say bye when I left. I said that would be a great plan. When I went to leave this morning, I was struggling to get the key into the padlock on the front door. I was in a hurry, so I decided to go out the back door. The girls were still in bed. I walked out the back door and around the house. The back door doesn't make the loud grinding noise that the front door makes, so I did not expect to see Joana at the upstairs window. However, when I came around the house and started to walk across the yard, I turned back toward the house to see her beautiful smiling face sticking out through the rip in the window screen. She waved and said goodbye and my heart just burst! She remembered and got out of bed because she wanted to say goodbye when I left for my day off. <3
Here are some photos from a day off a couple weeks ago when we took a boat tour down the river, did some hiking in a beautiful canyon, made sugar cane juice, and more! :)
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