Hi everyone… I wanted to forward onto you a letter I wrote in response to a question I received… because I think it is an idea that other churches, families, groups of friends, small groups, schools could do… not specifically for El Jordán… but for any ministry close to their heart…

In Mary´s church, the Mission's Committee handed out $100 bills to people who wanted to cross culturally promote the Kingdom of God. The idea was that the people receiving the $100.00 would take it and grow it….and in the process the congregation would grow in their enthusiasm for Missions. Mary made the mad dash down the aisle to get the $100 for El Jordán… but wanted to have a defined project to head towards… She wanted to know what was on my heart…

This is my answer…

“Mom mentioned what your church was doing...and that you had gotten one of the $100... so I´ve been thinking of what the money could be used for... a feeding tube for Joelito would be grand... bus fares and school supplies are always needed...

But... on the same afternoon that you wrote your letter I already KNEW...

This is for Mary, I thought...

I met Vanessa many years ago when she was a teenager, in the hospital... she and her boyfriend - both street kids, had just lost their first baby... Through Vanessa, I met her little brother Milton... She has come very occasionally to class at El Jordán… Now, years later, she called me up to ask if I could drop by their little rented room... to talk with Milton... he had gone to visit his dad in Argentina and since he got back all he was doing was crying and crying... he wouldn´t talk to anyone... he didn´t want to eat... he didn´t want to go out anywhere... all he would say is, "I have problems..."

I had my doubts that this 20 year old would confide in me... I hadn´t seen him in 6 years...

This is a bit of his story: Their dad abandoned the family and moved to Argentina... The mom found a new boyfriend that didn´t want to raise another man´s kids... The three oldest ended up on the streets... (two more than the other)... and Vanessa, because she was the girl, was the one who "raised" Milton from the time he was 10.... He was surrounded by drugs and delinquency... but somehow he didn´t fall into the same trap... He ended up basically raising himself... figuring out what to eat... how to get to school etc...

When he was 13, his sister left her 2 year old boy with him to raise... that was 7 years ago... More than nephew and uncle, they are like father and son....but only 11 years apart! They´d shower together... eat together... he´d have to take David to school with him, until he was old enough to actually start school... Milton just graduated from high school last year...

His sister has since had 3 more children (all boys), has been in and out of jail twice and although she no longer sniffs glue, she cannot stop drinking...

The mom and the sister both told Milton that I was there... that I wanted to talk to him... "Sorry... I don´t want to talk to anyone..." They came out and shook their heads...

I decided I´d ask him to come with me to pick up Keiden from school… and some donations for El Jordan... "I don´t have any desire to go anywhere... sorry hermana..." He shook his head...

I promised I´d have him back in an hour and a half...

He said okay... and climbed into my vehicle, little David following close behind......

The guy who I thought wouldn´t talk, didn´t stop talking for an hour and a half!!!

He told me about when he was young... he told me about raising David... how many times when friends would invite him to parties or to drink... he´d remember David, hungry, waiting at home... Those friends eventually gave up inviting him....knowing it would be in vain... Where would Milton be today if he hadn´t had his little nephew who needed him... loved him... and was dependent upon him!

Milton told me about his dreams... he wants so badly to study.... he wants to study to be a "computer engineer"... he wants to be different... but a university degree is 5 years long... each month´s fee is 560 Bs. ($110 CDN without counting bus fares, materials, books and semester fees...)... He wants to find a job during the day... study at night... and continue caring and providing for David - his schooling... food... clothes... etc.

...but it all seems so impossible... His sister is a mess... leaving 4 children alone and at risk....she has yet another loser boyfriend... The mom sacrificed what she didn´t have to help Vanessa get out of jail, believing her promises that this time she was going to change... that this time it was going to be different... but it wasn´t... now Milton´s mom is in debt... sick, abandoned by yet another "husband", struggling to put food on the table (if there is a table!) for her own little kids... and for her 4 grandkids... The owner of the rooms where they live came by to ask them to disoccupy their rooms... but where can they go? Who will rent them rooms with so many kids? Where will they get the money to move... and pay rent up front somewhere else??? One of the reasons why Milton wants to study is to be able to get a better job... save up money... and buy his mom a house... Another brother, Cali, used to be on the streets...got fed up with all of his family´s problems and got a job far away... Milton has always been the one most responsible for Vanessa´s children... he has given his childhood, his youth to them... Now when he wants to follow his own dreams, look after himself, his family accuses him of being selfish... of abandoning the family when they most need him... of not caring... "What will happen to your nephews if you aren´t here?"

He travelled down to Argentina to be with his dad... His dad had high hopes of starting a sewing business where all of his children could come and work with him... Together they´d get out of their miseries... Milton travelled to Argentina with David... Vanessa and the other siblings promised to follow... but none of them went... The dreams crumbled around the dad… and the mom had to borrow even more money to buy Milton and David bus tickets back to Bolivia...

Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” I believe Milton´s sadness is a deep despair... shattered hopes... dreams beyond reach.... responsibilities carried for years - caring for others when all he needed was someone to care for him... His rope is frayed... he can´t go on...

Milton has never had anyone to confide it... no one has ever said, "You can do it! Keep on!" ...not his mom... not his dad... his siblings... Each had their own dysfunctional life... They couldn´t live their own lives... how could they help someone else? Only God has been there to listen to his desperate, silent pleas...

Milton´s deep fear is that he doesn´t have enough strength... that he´ll fall and there will be no one to help him up...

The future seems impossible... but the present is unbearable... “Hope deferred makes the heart sick..."

We had a good long talk... that studying and trying to be different was actually the best way to help his family... How can a drowning person help other drowning people? ...but if he had a boat, he could come back and give a hand to his drowning family... If they didn´t want to get in his boat, there was really nothing he could do... jumping back in the water with them wouldn´t solve anything... All of Milton´s responsibilities, suffering and cares have molded him into the person he is today... He is stronger than he knows... and there is a Father - who promises to be the Father to the fatherless... to gather in His arms those who have been abandoned by their family.... Even though Milton doesn´t know Him yet, God hasn´t abandoned him... and He isn´t going to abandon him now...

"but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” There is no way I can promise Milton help with his studies (although we are trying to figure out how maybe he and David can move into our workshops, Milton could help out with different responsibilities... and we could look for a sponsor to cover his studies...)... BUT... this is where you come in Mary... I remembered your mad dash to grab those $100...

I told Milton that I committed myself to look for someone to cover all this year´s school costs for David... his uniform... books... monthly fees... shoes... and school supplies... I could see a flicker of disbelief in Milton´s eyes... which changed into a flicker of hope...

That $100 might have already saved a life... given someone that push to get up off those weak knees and keep on walking... Those $100 are proof that God can see Milton... that he ISN´T alone... That $100 might be the first step to Milton trusting God... opening the way for him to trust in Jesus Christ... That $100 might be a "tree of life"...

I got home that day... and found your letter in my inbox, asking me what was on my heart...

So... Mary....

This is what God put on my heart...

What do you think?

So you can see an approximate breakdown of those costs for David:

White shirt, blue pants: 90 Bs. (approximately 5 Bs. per $1 CDN)
Underwear and socks: 20 Bs.
School shoes: 150 Bs. x 2 (that price of shoe probably won´t last all year long...)
Gym shoes: 180 Bs. x 2
Gym shorts and shirt: 70 Bs.
School fees: 25 Bs. x 10 months
Books: 200 Bs.
School supplies: 500 Bs.
Bus fares: 40 bs x 10 months
Miscellaneous supplies during the year: 50 Bs. x 10 months
A healthy breakfast before school: 200 Bs x 10 months”

(I forgot a backpack on the original list…)

So… what do you have in your hand to make “grow”?? It might be a $20 bill… it might be a starbucks coffee… or I have no idea what else… Could you encourage others to join with you to make it grow?

Thank you Mary… your initiative is taking care of David´s needs this year… May God bless you (and Doug!!!)… Thanks to each one of you whose sacrifice allows us to be here in Bolivia... whose prayers sustain us… whose care encourages and lifts us…

THANK YOU!

Love from Corina for Marco, Keiden and Marlee… (and Milton… David.. and others too…)