Reaching into Desperate Lives

This week we attended a birthday party in a humble part of town. You see the couple we have been discipling (Cesar and Marcela) have befriended a family over there and it was their 7 year olds birthday this past week.
The mom and dad of this family are caught up in an addiction to drugs. Cesar and Marcela know this all too well, having themselves been clean from drugs for about 10 months or so. They know what it is to be so addicted that you feed your habit before your family. When one is addicted like that, there is never any “extra money” around for frills like birthday parties.
This 7 year old had never celebrated her birthday. She had never had a birthday party in her life. Marcela explained the circumstances to Sheri and the planning began. The ladies went uptown and purchased ingredients for a birthday cake and a few other party supplies. They spent most of the day baking the cake and preparing for the party.

Cesar, Marcela, their daughter, Sheri, our kids, and I showed up with supplies in hand and a few little presents. Their daughter was so excited to see us and when we started blowing up balloons she just started shrieking with excitement! Soon there were probably 15 kids from the neighbourhood at their place. There were no chairs, no tables, no air conditioning, just joy and excitement! Some neighbours set up a trampoline in front their house and the kids jumped till their hearts were content. The kids then enjoyed the birthday cake that Sheri and Marcela had made and then it was time to break open the piñata! A great time was had by all the kids and the parents of the birthday girls were all smiles as well.

It was great to see our kids in their playing with the other Spanish speaking kids and adding their words to the conversation as well. They didn’t seem to be bothered in the least by the dirt floor and absence of chairs etc etc. It wasn’t a “stretch” for them to be there like it would be for so many of us Canadian adults. Sheri and I pray that we will continue to have opportunities for us and our kids to reach out into humble circumstances to bless others, to be Jesus to them. Then when our kids grow up, it won’t be hard for them to continue to reach out to the poor and needy wherever they are.

It was also wonderful to see this couple we have been discipling (Cesar and Marcela) looking for opportunities to bless someone else. Their testimony is so perfect for this situation as they can relate to this family having walked in their shoes as recent as less than a year ago. Christ has made such a difference in their lives and they want everyone to know it! We are blessed to be a part of their lives.

Thank you Lord for giving us the opportunity to live and serve in such a needy place. And thank less than a year ago. Christ has made such a difference in their lives and they want everyone to know it! We are blessed to be a part of their lives.

Thank you Lord for giving us the opportunity to live and serve in such a needy place.

P.S. Please pray for our children Alexis, Jemma and Noah. They will be starting school this Monday (3 days a week) for the first time for all of them. We have been home-schooling up until now and we will continue 2 days a week. Our purpose in putting them into school 3 days a week is so that their Spanish improves. It will be hard for Mom and Dad to see them go! They won’t understand everything that is being said in class and so we ask for your prayers. Thank you for partnering with us in this way!

Lane for all of us