Siempre Update 1.24.2008

Central Community Christian Fellowship

Green Light at the Border

Dental Care Comes to Siempre

this week at siempre

Just About Full Term

Hope had definitely waned in the last 9 months as we tried time after time to get our dental gear down to Siempre. Thursday morning, Arturo Zepeda, good friend of Siempre met Pastor Ken and I and we headed into the very wet and muddy streets of Tijuana to give it one more try... success was sweet. It may have taken us 9 months but as we unloaded the trailer of an office worth of equipment the image of Siempre's children- so many who have learned to brush their teeth at Siempre -getting proper dental care, right on our campus, came closer to reality. One of Siempre's neighbors came to help us unload, working side by side I shared that soon the clinic would be open to everyone in the community- that he could come for free dental care -the impact that simple statement made was profound. Our workers shared with Arturo, who speaks Spanish beautifully enough to get things across the border, horror stories of debt they've incurred with dental problems and dental care that's been neglected in the children because we haven't had the money. God is too good! Soon we'll have a clinic- as often as we have dentists and dental care workers to volunteer -two dentists have been waiting for the office to arrive- open for everyone, ready to meet their needs. Thanks so much to each of you that have prayed, waited, given and to those of you that built the clinic... the day of it's opening is one giant step closer to reality. God is too good!

Lessons Learned at Siempre

God did it... and it's not uncommon to watch those God uses in His service to do it... to share their families. Pastor Israel and Vanessa, Alejandro and Aracelys have all generously opened their families to each of the children- and to so many of us who visit -giving above and beyond all God would ask of them to help build the children of Siempre. That hilarious picture is Marian's new Christmas puppy. She may be Pastor Israel's daughter but she shares the puppy and all the love it has to give with all the children. I imagine it would be easy to want more of your mom or dad's time for yourself when they're filled with loving so many others... our leaders have graciously opened their hearts, families and even their new puppy, to everyone, and their children and the children of Siempre seem so much the better for it. "Share and share alike." "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Words of wisdom and The Word of The Lord are being lived out seven days a week, 24 hours a day at Siempre. No wonder I enjoy every visit and feel like I've learned something new on each return trip. God's good. I hope you're planning to open your family for days of miracles and wonders as Siempre's work continues to grow. It could start with something as simple as a little special time with a new puppy. Sure glad it's theirs!

An Invitation and A Responsibility

Ask any parent... ask them after a long night awake with a sick child... ask them as they sit in the emergency room of a hospital or stand at the window late at night wondering when they'll be home, where they are... ask them when they help with homework after a less than perfect report card... or after shopping for groceries or back to school clothes.... children are an invitation to joy we never imagined... and a responsibility that can sometimes overwhelm our senses and make us want to run away. That's exactly why some of Siempre's kids live with us- someone ran out on them when the responsibility outweighed the invitation to joy. I Love this afternoon group shot from a week ago: sun setting, light perfect, kids together. It wasn't like that Thursday morning: kids were at school or working on homework, it'd rained hard all night long and we unloaded a HEAVY gear in what seemed like ankle deep mud. I was proud to be standing along side the men wrestling with dental chairs, they could've been anywhere, doing anything... but instead they'd given their mornings to serve abandoned children and people living in poverty... the responsibility end of the invitation to joy. It's easy to get caught up in cute pictures or fun afternoons and miss out on the big picture and the long nights ahead for Siempre Para Los Ninos. Success in the lives of each of our children will require an ever expanding base of people willing to give not just because of the invitation to joy- but because they're ready to stand through the hard moments of responsibility that come with raising children. At the end of the day it's those challenging moments we often remember as highlights... as the time our relationships became bonded for life... when we had the moment to stand up with those who've been left out or to run... and we chose to stand together as family. Siempre, it means always. It's cold and raining across Tijuana. Too many children are living outside the promise of always warm, always protected, always loved, always a future... outside of Siempre. They're always cold, always hungry and always hoping just to make it through the day. You're invited to join us in both the joy and responsibility of loving and caring for the children of Siempre. It's not political and it's certainly not about me... it's always for the children... they need us, now, more than ever.