Jesus, Our Only Hope--Mexico Part 4

We spent Monday and Tuesday at an orphanage very close to the Back2Back campus. We walked there each day. It was at this home where we worked on several projects including painting steps to their chapel, scrubbing chairs and tables, installing a fence and new clothes line. As I worked and sweated, I felt so honored to be able to help in some small way to give these kids a better life.

We worked hard and played hard. On Monday, we had a birthday party for a bunch of the kids and handed out presents. They were loving life. Watching them smile and then get slightly embarrassed when they had to open their gift in front of everyone was so charming. They were precious beyond belief.

But I was most impacted by the story from one of the staff members. He said that this home used to be great spiritually, but their chapel was falling a part, so there was no worship time. It was affecting the whole home. So recently Back2Back came in and repaired the roof and put in new windows. We got to put the finishing touch on by scraping and painting the stairs that lead up the hill to the church. Since the renovation, it has become a place of great pride and a spiritual revival appears to be on the move. But the staff member asked that we continue to pray for this home.

Later that day before we left, I ascended the hill to the chapel and just sat there taking in the beautiful scenery and praying for these kids. As we had our small group time later that night, I still couldn’t get it out of my mind. As I began to reflect on that prayer time on the hill as the highlight of my day, I couldn’t help but cry. I had to hold back what I thought was going to be a flood of tears. All I could think was that these precious children and their smiles and all that we are doing for them would mean nothing without the hope of Jesus. And I wanted that for them more than anything else.

So I continue to pray that they come to know Jesus and place all their future hope and joy in Him. Our theme in our daily devotions was “shelter.” And Psalm 91:1-2 became my prayer for them…”He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”