Sometimes I get so far behind that I have no idea where to start ...

For some reason (I need to get over it!!!) I have such a hard time sending a short note (sorry!!!). If I just share about emergencies or predicaments, it seems a bit like the Bolivian news… full of sensationalism... or maybe it might sound like I´m begging for money or wanting to be seen as a “hero” which I am not... However, if I just talk about something positive, I feel like its not complete because our reality is not so clear cut... our girls´ steps forward are in the midst of a lot of other ups and downs and crazy circumstances... I sometimes feel that sharing about specific girls making changes in their lives almost tempts the enemy to work harder at trying to destroy, rob and kill them... although at the same time I also know how desperately we need your prayers...

What I want for the person who reads my letters is... to be able to more clearly understand the reality of our ministry: walking alongside our moms, young people and kids, pointing them towards Christ and the life He offers them...
I’m sorry I´ve let so much time go by without keeping you all up to date… I will try to be better at sending small updates that keep you more “in the loop”…

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In the third week of January, El Jordán starts off with major planning and cleaning (Thank you Eastridge for coming to help us with a much needed paint job on all of our outside walls!!!!)… moving into registration for our classes (women and teenage boys)... and then in February getting into the routine of our program (going until December)... This year we were expecting our “normal” 40 some girls (women who have been on the streets, addictions or delinquency yet who desire CHANGE)... when we were overwhelmed with close to 75 women registering for classes (and a few who were turned away because they didn’t fit into focus group)... The spaces for the boys at the workshops were also quickly filled... with other boys left on a waiting list...

There were new girls... girls returning after stumbling and hurting on their own for several years... and others who were “steady” last year who wanted to keep on growing and learning... Some of our students from last year didn’t return... making bad choices for themselves and their families... we know sadly that there might be a lot of pain and heartache in store for them before we see them again... Mery A. planned on returning to El Jordán this year but her daughter Monserrat (Monse) had very serious heart problems, and the family had to move to another city, closer to a heart specialist... (An update on Monse... she is doing quite well after spending a lot of time in the hospital trying to figure out what was going on with her heart... along with fighting a terrible infection in her damaged heart.... The surgeon prefers not to operate on Monse because her organs, including her heart, are anomalies... in different places etc... so he believes that an operation might be more dangerous than living with her heart defects... The whole family has struggled with all of these stresses... with their oldest boy running away twice from home (the last time just a couple days ago...) Please pray for 17 year old Cristian... they don’t know where he is right now... and pray for Gary, Mery and their family... health, unity and most of all that these difficult, lonely times would draw them to search for Truth...)

It is always exciting to see new faces around El Jordan... people who have chosen to come to a place where there is LIGHT and TRUTH when their lives and families are filled with such darkness and twistedness... Quite a few girls started this year who are still active on the streets... Each one with their story... scars... and open wounds... I can’t imagine the haunting hurts... the deep pain... Can you imagine being 8 years old... hiding in fear from a person so much bigger and powerful than you? Locking the door to try and be safe... then hearing the big person threaten to hurt your mom with his knife if you don’t unlock the door and let him in... again... and again... and again... I.CANNOT.IMAGINE... and that is just ONE piece of ONE life story... a nightmare that doesn´t go away... no matter how tightly you close your eyes... or how many drugs you use... or how many relationships you are in... or... or... or....

Sometimes our girls feel like they are drowning... and their coming to El Jordán is like coming up for air, grasping for hope, before sinking again... Others have already “sunk” too many times... and hope seems unreachable... But, they showed up at El Jordan... went through the registration process... started coming to classes...

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So... how could we handle the 75 moms... with all of their children... plus the teenage girls... and the 30 boys from the workshops? (That number has now dropped to maybe 50 but still is higher than in previous years...) How could we build relationships and trust when our classes were full and overflowing? How could we stretch our “core” group of workers to be a solid frame for the volunteers to be a part of? How could we even hire more people when our budget was so tight? How could we follow up when there were problems or red flags? How could we really care for our volunteers or our coworkers?

Simply... we couldn’t... we can’t... Unfortunately, there have been problems that haven´t been completely solved... there have been people and needs overlooked... and we still need to take steps to make those right... Sometimes we are tired and weak...

God has blessed us with some amazing local workers both for the Women´s program and the Workshops... Most of them who started at El Jordan years ago as volunteers... they apprenticed, learned and grew under Heidi and others... They have studied, grown in faith and maturity... and now they are back working with us... Besides Heidi and our family, our Avant Ministries team includes Annemarie from the States... and the Plant family from Canada... We have Melanie and Diego working along side of us through a German mission... and the Borge family sent by their church in the States... We have a new volunteer from Colombia through the Mennonite Central Committee... Please pray for God´s protection over our team... for us to be able to work together well – recognizing everyone’s strengths... and that we would have much wisdom as we make decisions and lead El Jordán.

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In spite of our challenges, there are some really amazing things happening this year, like, what we are teaching... All of the different groups (moms, kids, teens and volunteers) have all been studying NAMES OF GOD... I love teaching my “girls” and seeing them getting a fuller understanding of WHO God is... WHAT we can trust Him for... and how He desires to relate to us... Our theme verse this year is:

Those who know your name

trust in you,

for you, LORD,

have never forsaken

those who seek you.

Psalm 9:10

That is our prayer!!! That is our desire!!!! That they would KNOW HIS NAME... and come to trust in HIM... Those dear girls... and kids... rejected and torn... There is hope! ...never to be forsaken again if they would only search for HIM!

We have studied “ELOHIM” Strong and Might Creator... The One who is so amazingly powerful, creative and wise... who can make something out of emptiness and chaos... He is the One who can take our empty lives... our complete chaos... and create order... something new and beautiful....

There is “JEHOVAH JIREH”, a favorite for some... The God who provides... who sees what we need even before we realize it... Survival is hard for many of our girls... and it is such a comfort to some of our girls who have been witnesses to Jehovah Jireh´s provision and care... ...a coin in their path that they needed for the bus... ...a bag of groceries given unexpectedly when there was no.food.in.the.house... ...a place given as a caretaker where they don’t have to pay rent...

“EL SHADDAI” – God Almighty is Rubitza´s favorite name of God so far... because she knows there is nothing impossible for Him... She has seen “El Shaddai” at work, changing her life and helping her defeat the enemy in the battles for her life... She felt His powerful hand sustaining her when she slipped, holding her hand so she wouldn’t fall...

Another favorite is “EL ROI” – the God who sees... Even as they look back at a lifetime of suffering and pain, they can still see God´s eye on them, sustaining them even in the hardest moments... just as HE did Hagar, she was rejected, alone and desperate... yet God SAW and showed mercy to her...

...and so we have learned a new name week by week... seeing God a bit clearer each time... RAPHA: the Healer... SHAMMAH: He is there... SABAOTH – the Lord of the army of angels – ready to minister to and protect God’s people... ROHI: the Shepherd and the list goes on... Our newest El Jordán baby was even named “NISSI”... after God is my Banner!!!! The victory of our battles is in HIS hands...

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This year we seemed to have been hit with a lot of health issues within our El Jordán family... from little Leyla and her need for a colostomy... Micaela with extra fingers that needed to be removed... VERY pregnant Katia who couldn’t find any hospital or medical post to tend to her because she doesn’t have documents... Monica, Ramiro, Maria Elena and others who have struggled with diabetes... little Moisés who basically was brought back from the brink of death... baby José born with a strange “cyst” on his neck... Rosalba´s baby dying... Carlitos with a heart condition... Monse and her heart problems... Miriam who fell off a ladder and broke all of her front teeth and her arm... Jhoan who got bit by a dog in his face... Ernesto (Miriam/Lidia´s son in law) who died in a drowning accident, Florencia who has been in the hospital with tuberculosis for MONTHS, Joelito passing away... Yoissi slicing her leg open when she went down a slide in the park... Diego’s mom passing away... Baby A. getting the run around because her mom has HIV, David´s dad passing away... Cristian breaking his arm... Rosita has something strange with her platelets... Marycruz´s mom has gone blind... not to mention the “regulars” like diarrhea, vomiting, toothaches, colds and coughs...

Place yourself in one of our family´s shoes: you struggle to send your kids to school... to have food on the table... to buy your kids shoes when their old ones fall apart... and then your baby gets sick... there is “medical insurance” but it doesn’t cover most of the medicines... nor most of the tests... What is going to give? Where will that extra money, time and energy come from? Please pray for the health of our workers, volunteers, students and their families!

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PLEASE PRAY FOR US!!!! ...that God strengthen us IN HIM - our team... families... workers and volunteers... that He will refine, change and mold us... that as leaders we’d have wisdom to deal with so many situations... discernment to see beyond words and faces... and commitment and patience to go beyond the outward behaviours to allow the Truth to shine on the root of issues... Pray that we’d be characterized by doing what is RIGHT, in the RIGHT way... that God would bring people who want to SERVE and be a part of a TEAM... Pray that we would live out Colossians 3:12 and 13:

Therefore, as God's chosen people,

holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility,

gentleness and patience.

Bear with each other

and forgive one another

if any of you has a grievance against someone.

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

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One personal prayer request is for Keiden and Marlee... that they would not resent time spent at El Jordán but rather would grow up with a heart and love for the needy... For Marlee, it comes quite naturally....oozing out of her pores... but for Keiden it is more uncomfortable... I´ve wanted them to make new connections with street people since Josué, their friend from “the park bench”, died... and this opportunity came about during “Christmas in July” (Friendship on the Streets). One lunch time, while other groups went to different areas of the city, Keiden, Marlee and I went to a nearby market... specifically to look for “Gary”, who lives alone on a side street...

Well, we couldn’t find Gary so we left the 15 plates of food and gifts in the vehicle... and went searching on foot...

I think the kids were a little nervous at first... Keiden would give the food... Marlee the gift... and I would serve the juice... and they would take turns saying a little something to the person we met... We would take one meal at a time as we found street people scattered here and there... The kids stared in awe at how the first guy chowed down his food like he hadn’t eaten in a week... then later we saw him sitting and intently reading his “Chick” tract... We met up with a man who was so thirsty that he drank 6 cups of juice without stopping for a break... As we met and talked with more street people, Keiden and Marlee started relaxing... exitedly looking here and there to see if they could spot another street person...

They asked if they could share “Friendship” with a blind lady singing songs and begging in the market... We found out her name is “Flora”... Marlee stared curiously at her half open, fluttering eyes... “Mom, can she see?” “Señora Flora, my daughter wants to know if you can see...” The lady broke out with the most beautiful smile and said, “Oh, thank God, not yet!!! ...because He has allowed me to see Him!” Oh wow... how often does our own vision hinder seeing HIM? We had come to “help others”... yet Señora Flora, encouraged me... and prayed for my kids, right there in the middle of the market, her beautiful smile flashing...

We finished in the market and were driving around looking for other street kids... when Marlee saw a shape on the sidewalk, completely covered with a blanket... “Gary!!!!” They were excited as me to find him... He was thirsty... hungry... not only for food... but for love, care... for God - although he doesn’t know that yet...

Keiden was getting tired, hungry and ready to go home... He started snacking on one of the last two meals we had... At the traffic lights near our house, we found one boy sitting on the sidewalk... and another sleeping... We thought they could share the one meal... We sat down beside the one kid... I can’t remember his name... he is 19... and has been on the streets since he was 6... Leave it to Marlee... she was looking at some brownish-yellowish stuff spread all over the wall behind us... “Mom, is that poop?” By this time, we were now surrounded by 5 or 6 boys... “No Marlee, that is glue...” Now Keiden joined in... “But what is that for?”

I could sense, more than see, all of the boys’ eyes on me... “It is something they sniff...” “But why???” “Well... you see, these boys sniff glue when they are sad and alone, because they think it helps them not feel sad...” I could see out of my peripheral vision the boys nodding... “And when they don’t have something to eat and they feel hungry, they sniff glue because they think it makes them not feel hungry.... And when they are sore and hurt, they sniff glue because they think it makes them feel better... but the problem is, when they finish sniffing glue, they still are sad... they are still hungry and sore...” The boys’ heads were nodding, hanging low... listening intently... It was a beautiful moment, talking to my kids (Keiden and Marlee... and the other ones God has “given” me...) of how the only thing that can truly help us face our pain, sorrow and life is knowing God... that glue was like a lie that the enemy wants us to believe... a hope of something better... but empty... broken... not true...

Then, the moment was gone... everyone was obviously hungry and started sharing the one plate of food... We remembered the other half eaten plate of food in the car... These boys taught my kids something too... sharing, even when any one of them could’ve easily polished off a whole plate by himself... As we looked back at the boys, one was reading his “Chick” tract... (they are GREAT tracts... easy reading... lots of pictures but very straightforward life stories that always end sharing the gospel very clearly... I have never seen anyone deliberately throw a Chick track away... We can buy them for about 20 cents US each...)

I´ve seen some changes in my kids since that day... As we pass by the market, they look out the window to see if they can see anyone... they often remember Doña Flora... “Emelio de Cotoca”, Gary and the boy who has been on the streets since he was 6... My kids are learning that each one has a name...

Thank you God.

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Several weeks ago, two street kids came to the gate at El Jordán... Abram, their brother/friend, had passed away... I can picture his goofy smile... he was barely a teen when I first met him (in 1996 or 1997?)... all three brothers were on the streets... better known by their nicknames “Older Sleepy” (with a sleepy eye)... “Middle sized Sleepy” and “Youngest Sleepy”... His older brother already was stealing and doing drugs... Abram/Sueño Mediano was shining shoes... and his younger brother was just starting on the streets... One of my clearest memories of Abram was him sitting on the floor of my patio, one of the handful of people who helped Ely and I with the first “Christmas on the Streets”...

The oldest brother no longer steals or does drugs... but he is an alcoholic... The youngest brother is in jail... for the second time... Abram is dead... I went to his wake... and they asked for me to read the Bible for them... All of his street friends surrounding the coffin and listening through the window, I talked about the two criminals crucified on each side of Jesus... The one who put his trust in Jesus... and was promised new life... beside the King of Kings... but the other one who even in the last moments chose to scoff and reject Christ... I pray that Abram might have used his last moments to repent... to cry out to be saved... Sigh... People say it is never too late... sometimes it is! While we have life, breath... we still have a chance to be made whole... to cross over from death to life... It was so sad---the streets have claimed yet another life...

As much as I miss those “olden days”, (my days spent sitting on curbs, park benches or pieces of cardboard... chatting, listening, accompanying them to a rehab center or visiting them in the hospital...) I am SO grateful that God provided a place like El Jordán, away from the streets, where people from the streets can be introduced to God Almighty - who can break the hardest heart, “find” the most “lost” ...

Thank YOU... because your prayers uphold us... your encouragement lifts us... and your financial gifts allow us to be here and for El Jordán to function.... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Praise:

• For Eastridge, Scarborough Chinese and Calvary, three churches who sent teams to encourage and work alongside of us!
• For God´s Faithful provision... again... and again... and yet again...
• For the great core team we have at El Jordán
• For all the ladies, kids and teens who are coming to our classes and workshops...
• For our special “PICNIC WEEK”... even though most had never heard of a picnic, we asked all of our moms to plan a picnic using only what they had in their room or spending maximum $1.50 to have quality, fun time with their kids... We had no classes that week... that was their “homework”... I think we will do it again next year...

Prayer:

• For Keiden and Marlee (now in grades 4 and 1!!!) to have soft hearts towards God... to find good friends... to stand up for what is right...
• For Marco and I to have strength and wisdom to be good parents... and to know how to balance our responsibilities
• For our team to continue to work well together and to continue growing and maturing...
• For our girls who are struggling and discouraged...
• For our girls who know what is right but don’t want to do it!
• For so many who are still on the streets and drugs... looking for peace and love in all the wrong places...
• For God´s provision... we have some major roof repairs that need to be done at El Jordan... and the government is saying that there will most likely be the mandatory TWO bonus monthly wages in December on top of the regular wages...

Thanks again for your part in the ministry here! We love and appreciate you!!!!

Because HE is Faithful!!!!

Corina... for Marco, Keiden and Marlee