January 2011
Dear Friends,
Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. This morning during our staff devotions we had a time to reflect on 2010 and to start making a list of where we had seen God move. It was really eye-opening for me personally. I feel like I generally keep up-to-date with how God is working in our community, but looking at the whole year at once was really encouraging. I am amazed at the Lord’s faithfulness. He doesn’t always respond the way we expect. But He does respond. He does care for us actively each and every day.
We said good-bye to seven workers this year plus we sent two others into a time of sabbatical. That left nine holes to be filled. In His perfect timing God brought three new workers that were ready from day one to get involved and help carry our burden. The Lord also gave us wisdom and unity as we restructured our programs. This allowed us to take in new children even though we were fewer in number as a staff.
From early in the year through summer there were a number of children that stopped coming to the center. It’s always difficult when you give a part of yourself to someone and then they disappear. It leaves a painful ache. And some of those that stopped coming had been around for years. Their absence coupled with that of our fellow workers made for a difficult year.
But the Lord has truly turned our mourning into joy.
We took in eleven new children at the start of the school year in September. We have never taken in that many new children at once. And nearly all of these kids are first through fourth-graders. Getting to know them has been life-giving for all of us here. They have only been with us for a few months but I can’t imagine the center without them. These new children along with our three new workers have brought a much appreciated breath of fresh air.
I am so thankful for the year that was 2010. And, of course, looking back and seeing how God has moved makes me even more excited for the year ahead of us. It strengthens my faith and lets me know that God will remain faithful in 2011. He does not change. We don’t know all that this year has in store. In fact, here at the start, we know very little. But the Lord knows the plans He has for us. He knows the plans He has for each and every child, plans to prosper them and not to harm them, plans to give them hope and a future.
Thank you for your faithful prayers this past year. I hope you will continue praying with us into 2011. Please drop me a line sometime. It really does encourage me when I hear from you, even if to simply say you received my letter and read it. It helps even more when I hear that you are praying for all of us here. I know that your prayers are making a difference in the lives of the children. Thank you.
Love,
Paul and Ana