Thursday, November 20, 2008
Central Community Christian Fellowship
Indoor Jumping
Rainy Day Solutions
No School and a House Full of Kids
Jan 11, 2008 - Vol 3, Issue 2
This Week at Siempre
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Dear julia,
Our Group for the Day

No School in our little community when rainstorms roll through TJ. After a couple of weeks of Christmas vacation, our staff was ready to have everyone back in school. Then the rains came and not only was school canceled, but everyone had to stay indoors! YIKES! Our workers are saints.

Mud, Mud, Mud!
mud at Siempre
MUD! It's the reason they cancel schools after the rains. I drive a pretty large SUV and it'd be easy to get up to the wheel wells and stuck. Once in, there's no pushing out and not many tow trucks willing to drive deep into TJ to rescue those silly enough to get themselves knee deep. Watching the residents of our little village slip slide their way in and out of town... in cars far less equipped then mine to make it... was a sight to behold. Looked pretty miserable. There are two roads into our village- one takes the toll road - getting in and out runs about $5- a day, (about 10% of the average workers weekly earnings). The free road, through the back of TJ, is all dirt and after hard rains, all mud, deep puddles and virtually impassable. Storms isolate the village and Siempre. Since our new building went over our basketball court- once the kids only outside area to play when things went to mud - they're now forced back indoors. Praise God for the little indoor jumper that was donated at Christmas. It was huge relief for our kids and a great energy eater for everyone.
The Eyes of Children
Cinthia and Lupita
Dozens of pictures are taken by the kids each week. Loading them onto my laptop, preparing to write, some cause me to laugh, others make me sad, most touch my heart... I can only use a few. In almost every picture it's the eyes that always seem to stand out- it's like they're little windows into stories yet to be told, still growing and unfolding. I'm guessing this photo is one more self portrait of Cinthia- there are several each time she carries the camera -with little Lupita. Lupita's newly back at Siempre after over a year with her mother and her new husband... it didn't work out. Cinthia knows Lupita's story, she's living it. But with several uninterrupted years at Siempre, she's bright, growing and making plans for life as an adult. Cinthia smiles and it's easy to see a bright future. Lupita doesn't smile as much as she use to... don't know what's happened... maybe she's still caught up in the middle of the hard transition. It's easy to look at a picture and imagine a hundred things that have nothing to do with reality. But just the fact that she's in this picture means she's been abandoned into the arms of Siempre. Sometimes I'm torn between thanksgiving and anger: thanksgiving that she has a bright hope and home with us at Siempre, anger that anyone could ever not give everything to make sure that she was kept safe, secure and well cared for. The eyes of children... you should meet Alexis, Fabian, Ricardo... their eyes hide nothing... it seems that Lupita's eyes aren't keeping many secrets either... pray that God would take away her fear and loneliness and give her hope- the kind of hope shining brightly from Cinthia. Lupita needs us.
Work to Do
Juan Diego
Memorial Day Weekend, 2008, can be a turning point in our lives and more importantly in the lives of thousands of children and adults for years to come. We began so small, such a short time ago and God's directed our steps in wonderful ways. Now it's time to insure the long term health and viability of Siempre- to make sure that Siempre's still extending arms of hope to children when little Diego's grown and serving in his community. To make sure our work can sustain itself we need to give it the tools and staff to accomplish the task at hand. It's what we'll be building this year and I want you to share in the work. The miracle of Siempre's reaching into areas we never thought possible. Last weekend a group from Missouri visited and repainted the interior of our original building. Imagine the stories they'll take home to their community. Imagine how many more hearts can be changed when the learn of the wonderful opportunity we've been given to keep the promise of Siempre alive. The need is so tremendous- and the work can never be accomplished without you and your family. It's one of my favorite parts of Siempre- families building together to build the promise and hope of new family for those who've lost everything. The Dental Clinic will be up and running soon- hopefully we'll have our equipment across the boarder this month... not a day to soon for Diego... These first months of the year will slip quickly away. Mark your calendars for Memorial Day Weekend at Siempre this year. And if you find yourself with a little extra time- let me know, there's plenty to do as we get ready to build. It's all for the children.

Thanks for your prayers... in all our work. The church we were to be at in Nairobi, in the slum of Kibera, has been burned to the ground. The pastor lost his house, along with all his families personal belongings as well. Thankfully, everyone in their church survived with their lives. But so many have lost work, homes, jobs... and until the current situation can be resolved, there's little hope in sight... Siempre, it means always, on our first trip to Kenya I learned the Swahili word for always... they need the promise now. It's easy to watch the news reports and forget that the innocents in the midst of this crisis are children- far too young to understand, yet each will feel the pangs of hunger and cold of nightfall without a roof over their heads... without a church on Sunday. Continue to pray that our work in TJ, building Siempre, can be the first expression of love that reaches out in hope to children hurting around the world. Know that I'm humbled to serve with generous and loving people like you... you're invited to join us this Wednesday... you're needed, now, more than ever.

siempre,

 

Pastor Eric and Fabian on a Cold Afternoon
Eric Denton
Siempre Para Los Ninos