changed.....

I am absolutely right where God needed to me to right now and I am not ready to come home. I am witnessing God's work first hand. I have fallen in love with this place...this ministry.....these boys. I am staying in a shelter with 15 boys under the age of 12 that have been rescued from poverty, life on the streets, abuse, and the list goes on. Three brothers only arrived a couple of months ago...eziekel and addair are 7 year old twin and rivaldo is 8 or 9. They are the three that have captured my heart. they lived on the streets their whole life and one of them still has that "look" in his eyes that you will only know after being here. They ache for love but are still not trusting of everyone. We went downtown to a park yesterday to do street ministry and I got to witness first hand the poverty here. The men and women sniff shoe glue to numb the hunger pains. We gave them food and water and shared the Gospel with them. The FCM little boys served the people on the streets....some of them were only there months ago....now they are here at the shelter being taught about Jesus....full tummies....a heart that has been transformed. Yesterday we also worshipped at a church that was planted here by FCM.....whole service in Spanish....didnt understand a word but cried through the whole service. These people are crying out for Jesus....these boys(FCM boys) sang and prayed their hearts out. We don't share the same language but we share the same love for Jesus. I could go on and on......I am processing it all and honestly can't stop crying today. All good tears because although I am seeing a lot of hopeless people I have witnessed a whole lot more hope than hopeless.

FCM has two locations....Noahs Ark shelter in town that houses the younger boys and then a couple of college boys that have been in the ministry since their youth and their school and then Grace Farms that houses the older boys (ages 12-18). Grace Farms is about 45 minutes from the shelter and we spent the afternoon out there playing soccer and then did a lesson with the older boys. It has been fairly easy to get to know the younger boys because we are with them the majority of the time but the older boys are a lot more reserved and quiet and the language barrier doesn't help much. We spent a little time with them yesterday and i didn't get to talk to any of the older boys but today was different. After our lesson they started opening up and we are getting used to speaking with a translator. We can just talk and she translates everything. I was a little intimidating by this at first but now it is easier and the communication is getting easier.


I just got back from worshipping at a hut...someones home....with about 50 men and women. The poverty is unbearable....mothers nursing their children for nutrition....older children and babies. Isn't it wonderful how God created us to nurish our babies even if we have no food. These kids had not had a bath in weeks...if ever. The smell is still on my clothes as I type because i had kids climbing all over me for hugs. Just wanted to sit with me and get love. We gave out rice, beans and bibles. 3 people were saved today.

As crazy as my life has been the past three months of God breaking me down and showing me my dependence on Him.....I see God's timing. I am seeing why He wanted me to be here. He is working on me here.....I can't explain it right now because it is all processing.....I am going to try to get some pictures up on the blog soon but I have to put them on the shelter computer first.

I will be coming back here every year. i dont know how at this point but i can tell you that I HAVE to. My life is changing here and I can't imagine never seeing these precious boys ever again.

I know a lot of this is not in order but these are just some of my thoughts and replays of today. Lots going through my head and little time to put it all down. Please continue to cover us in prayer....