As I hop out of the white van, I pretend not to see her. I’ve been here before; I know her name and she knows mine. It’s a game we play.

So I look about, calling for her, “Sharon?  Sharon?” Of course I see her. She’s standing 10 feet in front of me, grinning, looking at me, and playing our game. The others gather around her, saying, “This one! This one! This is Sharon!” I look left, I look right; I turn around looking for her, still pretending. Behind me I hear her laugh, and then she runs around to plant herself directly in front of me, hands on her hips. “Here I am!” She said. So begins my sixth trip to Kenya and my third visit to the Seed of Hope orphanage in Kitale.

Of all the memories that I collect in Kenya, Sharon’s is one that stays with me. I feel for her hurt and her struggles. And to make the story more tragic, one afternoon, I found out that she is HIV positive.

The social worker told me her story of abandonment, and how she and her siblings were left to fend for themselves in filth and hunger. How the calamity of HIV, the only thing given to her by her mother, was beginning to tear apart her little body. I listened to this tale of loneliness and desperation, and it darkened my vision. It is true that this child is now much better off in the care of Buckner. Seed of Hope clothes her and provides the medicine she needs. She looks healthy and strong. She’s in school and has friends. Still her story remains fixed in place, unchangeable. How does she hide it? Where does her laughter and joy come from?

It wasn’t until we were leaving, as the tears rolled down her face, that I began to understand the other side of her story. She’s scared, I think, and I feel certain she longs for a mother and father. She’s lonely, and uncertain. She wonders: will we come back? Do we love her? Do we care?

Yes, I care. I care more than I can express. I think of her every day. Like others before me, I think of these children and ask God, “Why is this so?” By grace, my faith gives me just enough strength to allow the question to hang unanswered.

For me, perhaps the answer isn’t as important as the fact I care enough to ask—I really don’t know. What I do know is that in the end, having found few answers, I can only fall back on my faith in God and on my knowledge of who God is. I know that as much as I love this girl and desire good things for her, God loves her infinitely, unimaginably more. So I step out in faith and prayer, trusting our Heavenly Father to tend to His wounded daughter. I pray that if I can somehow be an instrument for this task, then please, Lord, use me, tell me what to do.

For now, I do what I can. For me, this means that I go back. I go until I just can’t go anymore. I’ll show her that because God cares. I care. I’ll show her that because God loves her, I love her. I’ll show her that because she matters to God, she matters to me. As long as God’s plans make room for me to go to Kenya, I’ll hop out of that white van, look around, and call her name again and again.

“Sharon?”

Dave Atkins has made six trips to Kenya since December 2005. He has visited the Buckner Seed of Hope Orphanage three times.

Twenty-five years ago I was adopted by my parents. Little did I know that from that moment on the Lord was molding and teaching me for my first ‘real’ job. I use the term job very loosely because it really has become my heart and life mission helping at-risk children and orphans who aren’t as blessed to have the gift of a loving family like I am.

Growing up, I was in a great little Christian bubble where I knew right from wrong and was blessed not to stray from the truth on many occasions. I was a spoiled little girl who had my daddy wrapped around my finger. Looking back I took so many things for granted in my life, but now I can see why the Lord provided all those blessings.  My Heavenly Father wanted me to grow up walking in His ways so that I would have an understanding of His love, provision, grace, and character to share with others.

Three years ago my life changed from being that spoiled little girl to a woman who is seeking the Lord and wanting to help others who are not as privileged as I.  This change happened when part of my job with Buckner and Shoes for Orphan Souls was to travel to an orphanage in Latvia.  You might be asking where in the world is Latvia? It’s ok. I did the same thing when I was told that I was leading 35 individuals from all over the United States to this very small country on the Baltic Sea in Eastern Europe.  This small country now has a large piece of my heart.

It is so funny how the Lord works because he knew that my Type A personality would be concerned with trying to be the responsible trip leader and making sure that everything was going great. But He also knew I was there for a different reason and my ‘job’ soon changed after seeing the kids in Jurmala Spriditis orphanage. As I walked in, a group of about 40 children were all sitting quietly in chairs waiting on our group. They just stared at us while we brought in boxes of shoes, crafts, and games. Not the reaction that I was looking for or hoping to receive. It really made me question ‘why am I here when the kids don’t really seem to care?’ I asked the director of the orphanage the last time the kids had a group here to visit and play with them. “Last year” she replied. “Most of the children have a parent or relative that comes once a year to check on them and then they leave them behind for the government to take care of.”

I just stood there looking at the children thinking no one deserves to have a quick visit from a loved one and then be tossed to the side. I couldn’t believe that I had just questioned being there. I felt so broken, so helpless. Who would want their child to grow up like this? It made me think of my own life, being adopted and growing up with loving parents all the time. I couldn’t imagine not seeing family, friends or even strangers for that matter, only once a year. I quickly dropped the bags in my hands and went to fill my arms with children, giving each kid a hug or a high five. The room became filled with laughter. Games started to be played, Bible story skits were being acted out, friendships were being made, and children were receiving shoes, all in this little building in a farming community that I didn’t think anyone even knew about.

There were two little boys in the corner, Tomas and Richards (top photo), who quickly caught my eye and we were together the whole time. They even looked like they could have been related to me. That is something that I wasn’t emotionally ready for when I came to Latvia. I was thinking the whole time that I could have been a child like them. If my birth mother hadn’t given me up for adoption and if God hadn’t picked out the Stark family for me to be a part of, then Tomas’ and Richards’ life could have been mine.

I was able to share the love of Christ by playing cars, teaching them about Jesus and fitting them with a new pair of shoes. It was so awesome to see them so happy and so excited about all of these new things, but especially the new shoes. I have always loved shoes and now shoes are my life.  I love to shop for shoes, and I get really excited when I get a new pair, but now I really love to distribute them to children like Tomas and Richards because I get to see that excitement on their faces. These shoes were the first new pair that they had ever received that was their own. Clean. Right size. Ones where Superman light ups when you run. And no sharing! What a great combination.

I have the privilege of working with people all over the United States in collecting new shoes for children like Tomas and Richards. In 2008 when Shoes for Orphan Souls traveled back to Latvia, I was able to lead that trip again. It was amazing. I walked into Jurmala Spriditis and things were different. There weren’t two little boys quietly in the corner, but now three boys who ran to me so excited that someone they spent time with before had come back to visit.  Even though I don’t get to see Tomas and Richards, I pray for them and other children around the world that we can provide a pair of shoes to warm their feet and the gospel of Christ to warm their hearts.

Julia Stark is the program manager for Shoes for Orphan Souls, a ministry of Buckner International. To learn more about Shoes for Orphan Souls or how you can host a shoe drive, collect shoes, or go on a trip, visit www.shoesfororphansouls.org.

We’re all a piece of the quilt

A year ago last spring, my daughter Jenny asked me to go with her to Guatemala on the mother-daughter mission trip. She wanted me to see first-hand the reason she is so passionate about her work with Buckner. Of course, I had read her articles, heard her stories, and seen her photographs, but I knew deep inside my heart that I wanted to share these life-changing experiences with her.

Upon arrival at the hotel in Guatemala, we met the other mothers and daughters from across the United States, combined all the supplies, personal areas of expertise and God-given talents. Little did we know the depth of the emotions we would share the following days – a roller coaster ride from the highest to the lowest moments.

Our first stop was an orphanage run by the government. We were instructed to wear masks and to not hold the children for too long. We began playing with the children, blew bubbles, bounced balls, drew pictures with sidewalk chalk, held the babies and hugged the toddlers. The time was filled with lots of activity and love, but before long it was time to say good-bye. The children cried when we left and so did we. As we loaded the van, there was no chatter among us – it was perfectly quiet. Our hearts were troubled, and many were wondering how we could possibly make a difference. These children had so little and needed so much. How was God planning to use us?

The next location was a community child-care center. We presented the story of Esther with the help of our wonderful interpreters, learned a Bible verse, helped the children decorate crowns with jewels and stickers, made bracelets of beads and crosses, and had a recreational time of parachuting, beach balls and jump rope. Everyone was so thrilled with the responsiveness of the children and teachers.

While the girls were jumping rope, I realized they only knew how to jump as a group and not with an individual rope. Two of the girls wanted to learn how to jump rope all by themselves. It had been a few years since I had jumped rope, but this was my opportunity to teach these girls how to do it with their new individual jump ropes. I carefully demonstrated the technique, and one of the girls quickly began jumping. I am not sure who was more thrilled – that precious child or me! Perhaps by now her friend has also mastered the skill. After all, I now know there are others who will follow.

With each opportunity and location we visited, whether it was a neighborhood community center, a government orphanage, or a Buckner home, each of us would return to the van with stories of the children and young people and share our observations and experiences. Every mother and every daughter would bond with at least one child, as if God was choosing a special one for us, and us for them.

Buckner has an incredible network of workers and volunteers who will continue to do God’s work and spread hope and love wherever it is needed. Any dollars you contribute are well spent. Once I could get past the depth of the poverty and the lack of resources and education available to the poorest of the poor in Guatemala, I realized I was there to make a difference in the life of at least one or two children each day, just as the other mothers and daughters did along beside me.

Others will follow in my footsteps – perhaps it is now your turn. I am only one piece of the quilt, and we need to keep adding pieces to this quilt of hope and love – doing His work, sharing His word, and loving His children.  “…My hope comes from Him.”

Kay Hartgraves is from Abilene, Texas and traveled on the mother-daughter mission trip with Buckner in July 2009.

Truth in pictures

Sometimes truth comes out in pictures. I’ve always said that I have a hard time remembering things without a photograph. If I didn’t capture it physically – or make a mental photograph in my head – then it’s possible even my life’s greatest moments will flee from my cluttered cerebral. I guess that’s the consequence of growing up with a camera in my hand.

Last summer, I had the privilege of leading a mission trip of mothers and daughters to Guatemala with Buckner. And for the first time, my own mother would come with me to see the ministry I’ve given my heart to for the past five years.

I was excited to share this experience with my mom, but I’d be lying if I told you the whole trip was filled with fuzzy moments. It was stressful at times to organize a group of strangers and deal with the unpredictable mayhem of a foreign culture in a language I can’t understand. But a year later, when I look back at my photographs, I find my memories to be quite profound.

I have a favorite picture from our trip. It was a rainy day at the Remar Orphanage outside Guatemala City. We were scheduled to spend time with girls ages 7-12 and to provide them with ice cream sundaes. But the inclement weather left many of the orphanage’s 500+ children with nothing to do but stand outside the gym where we played, looking longingly inside at our games and ice cream. We invited some of them in, but quickly became overwhelmed by a pack of surly teenage girls.

As I tried to explain (through a translator) that we didn’t have enough for everyone there, my mother asked me to come and take a picture of her playing with a little girl in a pink dress. They were tucked away in the corner of the gym, tossing a beach ball back and forth to one another. They were laughing and smiling, communicating without words. My mother said they had been tossing the ball for a very long time. “She just came up to me and asked me to play with her,” my mom told me. I quickly snapped their picture, obliging my mother’s request, and returned to my role as leader in the elevating chaos.

I didn’t pay much attention at the time, but when I look back at that picture I am struck by the irony of traveling with my mother to serve girls without one. When I see the picture of my mom with this little girl and think of how this child chose my mother that day, I can’t help but feel thankful to God for choosing my mother for me.

And He didn’t give me just any mother, but a mom who has always been there for me. A mom who would drop everything to help me if I asked. A mom who would throw a beach ball back and forth with me for hours, or days even, if I wanted her to. Sharing my mom with this motherless child for 20 minutes – a child who was so eager for my own mother’s love and attention – convicted me of the 28 years I’ve taken her for granted.

And just as I have taken for granted God’s blessing of a wonderful mother and father on earth, I tend to take his ultimate gift for granted to – that while we were still sinners, he died for us. And he will return for us one day. “I will not abandon you as orphans. I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.” John 14:18-19

Pictures may help me remember things  from my past, but I’m most thankful for the photos  – like this one of my mom – which help me grasp truth for the future.

Jenny Pope is from Richardson, Texas and is the associate director of public relations for Buckner.

To learn more about the mother-daughter mission trip with Buckner, click here.

LONGVIEW, Texas — Defining moments, you know, those small instances in the day that seem to make everything right; that make every effort worthwhile. I experienced one of these instances just recently during our STARS After-School Program. 

In between discussing math problems, reminding the students to use encouraging words instead of negative, and keeping them focused on their tasks, one student approached me pointing at the bulletin board. 

“Miss, that says Luke. I’ve heard of Luke. He wrote a book in the Bible. I’ve been reading the Bible.”

“That’s great Antonio!” I encouraged. “What have you been reading?”

“Well, it hasn’t been Luke. I’ve been reading in Matthew. The Crucifixion of Jesus.  I just can’t seem to get enough of it. I keep re-reading the same passage over and over.  I find it so interesting.”

“What about this passage do you find so intriguing.”

“You know miss, He [Jesus] just hung there, in pain. He could have gotten off of there if he wanted, but He didn’t. I don’t think I could have done that. If I was hurting so much, I would have just gotten off.”

With a smile, he soon carried on with his homework and our conversation was over.  But in that moment, there was a peace that soothed over all the hectic conversations and loud noises.  It was that instance that blessed my heart more than he will ever know. That moment made the program a success; it made all the hard times worthwhile. Buckner’s vision: “to lead children…towards God’s redemptive purpose for their lives” was revealed in that defining moment. 

Kandyce Ormes is a life-skills specialist for Buckner and helps with the STARS after-school program in Longview, Texas.

On Saturday I saw poverty. They didn’t warn us. 

Saturday morning after a much needed deep sleep after a busy day of travel, we woke up and joined the rest of the group for breakfast. We then started sorting all of the supplies and bags.

We went out to lunch at a place called Rustica. Live music and a colorful buffet of Peruvian food. I felt like a local. Not really. From there we split the group in two and headed out to our different locations.

It was so nice to be able to see the city in the daytime. Our bus was really old and wasn’t the smoothest ride ever, which made it a lot of fun. Every now and then I caught a glimpse of some very broken down houses scattering a brown hillside. I leaned over to Courtney, pointed and said, “Looks like the slums are on the hillside over there.” Next thing I know we’re driving up the hillside right into the middle of that same community.

I’ve never seen anything like this before except in movies and documentaries.

It was poverty; real, dirty, sandy, smelly poverty. I heard one of our translators mention that it gets worse the higher up the hill you go. We kept driving…up. All of the sudden the smell of waste (human or animal waste I didn’t know) filled the bus. It was bad enough to make you gag. Then the bus stopped and one of our trip leaders rose and said, “Ok guys this is our stop.” Can you believe that?! They stopped at the exact place it smelled the worst! The nerve. Then it hit me, we were probably in one of the worst parts of this community and it is right where Buen Pastor Community Center (our final destination) is located. It was a bit of a reality check.

We got off the bus, walked over to the front entrance and our leader began telling us what we were going to do. I found myself not listening to her, but rather I was focused on the joyful singing coming from inside the community center. I had kind of a Grinch moment when he hears the present-less Whos singing on Christmas morning. I looked around at their broken down homes and realized that they don’t need “things” to be joyful. They’re going to sing loud regardless.

We walked in and all eyes turned on us. The music director got their attention and they started singing again. They were singing worship songs. I caught words like “Jesus,” “Dios,” and “Gloria.” As we stood there and listened to the 200+ kids sing to God in the middle of their slum I realized how big God really is. I look at Courtney, standing four people over from me, and she looked back at me with tears in her eyes. I realized I was crying too.

I thanked God for letting me see this beautiful sight and hear this beautiful sound. I thanked God for these children who were setting an amazing example for me by lifting high the name of the Lord in the midst of their broken situation. I call it broken; they call it life. I have so much to learn…

Danny and his wife Courtney are from Tampa, Fla. and traveled with Buckner on the Joy FM Shoes for Orphan Souls mission trip to Peru in December.

By Rachael Brown

A few blocks away from the Buckner Office in Guatemala City is a house with a plastic grass yard, a living room with tile floors and bean bag chairs, and four bedrooms filled with thirteen tiny beds. If you’ve been to Guatemala on a Buckner trip, you probably know the place. It’s the Buckner Baby Home, and inside it lives thirteen beautiful children whose lives have been changed by Buckner and the teams of people who have come through Guatemala and fallen in love with the children there.   

The ages of the children at the Baby Home range from infancy to ten years old. Of those who visit them, different groups and different people are attracted to different ages.  Some prefer the littlest babies. Some are drawn to the toddlers. For my husband and me, it’s the “big kids.” 

Our connection to these older children really begins with the story of our friends, John and Emily Wiggins. To make a long, arduous and (as of yet) unfinished story short, several years ago John and Emily not only fell in love with these kids, but also felt God calling them to adopt one of the older boys. Perhaps you’ve heard of or even met their son, Juan Pablo? When you visit the Baby Home, J.P. and his fellow “big kid” friends – Jose, Estuardo and Daniel – are almost always waiting to jump on you and play the moment you walk in the door. Or, if those names don’t ring a bell, maybe you’ll recognize their alter egos: Spiderman, Superman, Batman and Buzz Lightyear. 

On one of their many trips, John and Emily decided to give these boys the gift of childhood make-believe and imagination packaged in the form of superhero Halloween costumes. My very first memory of these boys involves a trip to McDonalds for dinner and play. “Our boys” stood out from the other kids not because of their special needs or because they traveled with a group of non-Spanish-speaking white Americans, but because they were dressed as superheroes. Spiderman, Batman, Buzz Lightyear and Superman spent the evening eating French fries, climbing up the slide and showing off their best superhero moves.

That trip to McDonalds was a mere 18 months ago. Now, when my husband dresses up as Spidey and jumps over the wall with his can of silly string the boys are excited, but they’re old enough to know that he’s not really Spiderman. They know it’s my husband, not because of his voice or his build, but because they recognize (of all things) the soles of his tennis shoes. At the same time, while they’re not too old to show off their superhero moves, their superhero costumes hang, perhaps permanently, in the closet all four boys share.

Fantasies and costumes aren’t the only things these not-so-little boys have outgrown. In many ways, they’ve outgrown their own home. These boys were never meant to remain there permanently. They belong in homes with families and mommies and daddies. What’s more, at ages 6, 8, and 9, these boys want just that: a mom and dad. I hear this desire in their voices when they tell us that they want to come home with us. I see this longing in the tears that pour down their cheeks when we leave. 

My stomach literally aches when I think that one of these days I will visit Guatemala and I won’t see the superheroes waving at me when we pull up to the gate of the baby home.  But, at the same time, I praise the Lord because their absence will mean that Buckner has had success in finding them foster or forever families. Although I will miss them more than I dare say, I thank God that He placed these children in Buckner’s loving care and that He blessed me by letting me know and love the littlest superheroes of Guatemala City. 

Please join me, Buckner, and the boys as we ask God to use His super power to provide families for these special boys in Guatemala. 

Rachael Brown is from Terre Haute, Indiana.

By Janet Gerow

At first I thought the hardest thing was actually going to Vietnam. The trip was originally planned to go to China, and when we were re-routed for Vietnam due to a swine-flu fear in the other country, I felt rushed and not sure if I was spiritually ready to give my all to the Vietnamese people.

That feeling left as soon as we touched down in Ha Noi. The hardest thing was leaving Vietnam while knowing that the need is great and yet not knowing when I, or another group of Christians, would go back.

It was amazing to watch the children patiently, obediently wait to receive something of their very own, a gift, totally free. They did nothing to receive it besides just be themselves. It was such a joy. It mirrors our free gift of salvation that Christ offers to all. It is hard to explain in words what it was like to watch each child wait with hope and anticipation and then see their face light up when you bring the shoes and put them on their feet.

It’s better than a toy or candy. The shoes will last for a while and each step they take in them can remind them that they are loved, they are important, they are special, just because they are who they are.

I was able to learn so much on this trip. We were blessed with many people along the way who helped us learn the Vietnamese culture and this was a great help in knowing how to reach and to work with, play with, and love the children, elders, and teachers/directors.

This trip also opened my eyes to see a great need and how I personally may be able to do more for the people of Vietnam. I believe we were stretched and strengthened in many different ways, but especially learning how to show and live Christ without being able to say his name because it’s a communist country.

I strongly believe the people there knew there was something different about each one of us and I pray as other Christian groups visit Vietnam, we will see more and more hearts open to receiving the Word and this dark land will begin to shine brightly for Him. May we continue to remember the people of Vietnam and the government, that they will one day (hopefully soon) allow christians to share and teach about Christ. But until such time, let us serve faithfully and lovingly in obedience to the agreements that have been made with the Vietnamese government, so the doors and opportunities will remain open and increase.

Janet Gerow is from Orlando, Florida and traveled to Vietnam in September 2009 with the Shoes for Orphan Souls team to distribute shoes. Take a trip to deliver shoes with Buckner!

By Jenny Pope

About 100 kilometers east of Addis Ababa is the city of Nazaret, the third largest city in Ethiopia. More than 1 million citizens live here, including an estimated 7,000 teenage prostitutes. This is the reason Buckner/Bright Hope started a job training program here three years ago, and the reason why so many young women’s lives are being transformed.

Today I saw more than 125 young adults, ages 16 – 28, being trained in unique job skills – wood working, welding, plumbing, hair dressing, and masonry. They train for eight months and then spend the ninth month doing on-the-job training, working for a business for free. It’s this “real-world” model Getahun Tesema, Buckner/Bright Hope director, says is critical to the program’s success.

“They must get to know the real world,” he says. “They must know the market, understand the industry. This experience will help them to negotiate a good salary and give them good exposure to the real world.”

Many of the students end up being hired by the business they trained with. Others go on to start their own business with financial help from Buckner/Bright Hope.

I spent a good amount of time today interviewing the beneficiaries of this program, many of whom are orphans or live in severe poverty. They all have a certain amount of hope, and optimism, about their future. Many have already scouted out the market and are confident their line of business will help them provide for their family.

One young lady, Ejigayehu Asseya, is studying wood working. At 20 years old, she is responsible for providing for herself and her sister. They are both orphans.

“I was suffering a lot to get income for myself and my sister,” she explained in Amharic. “I have so many dreams to change the life. After completing the program, I will have a chance to go to university. The money I make working wood will help pay for my school.”

I asked Ejigayehu what her life would be like if she hadn’t been given this opportunity, and she immediately became quiet. She looked down at her hands, up at me, and down again. She spoke in Amharic, which I do not understand, and yet – I knew exactly what she was saying.

“I would be somewhere awful, doing things to make money, bad things,” she said. “But here I have already been rescued. And I am happy.”

Nigussio Chequalla, 28, is another young man benefiting from the wood working training. Nigussio was born with a physical disability that prevents him from walking or running well. He graduated from high school six years ago, but was unable to find work because of his condition.

“I have no father and no mother. They have already died,” he said. He went on to explain that he lives with his extended family, who for the past six years have treated him as a slave.

“I was abused,” he said in Amharic. “I was made to work very, very hard in the house without any pay. If I wasn’t given this chance, I would be destitute. There was no one to help me. But here it is like close family.”

According to the staff, now that Nigussio is learning a trade at the Buckner/Bright Hope training center, his extended family is treating him much better in hopes that he will one day take care of them financially.

Birtukan Taffa, 23, is learning the skill of plumbing. Birtukan has nine sisters and one brother, and she is responsible for providing for all of them. Her mother is dead and her father is “retired” and cannot work.

“I have a plan to support my sisters and brother when I complete this program,” she explained. Before entering the program, she was working as a day laborer and taking work wherever she could get it. Now, she is certain she wants to work as a plumber because she has already scouted the market and knows that there is a great need for plumbers in Nazaret.

Birtukan gave me an encouraging message which I promised I would share with others.

She told me that we should continue to do this program, because it is a good program that helps a lot of people. She said that there are many people who are in a worse situation than she is, and they need help, too.

As I think about what she said, I can’t help but think she’s talking about her own sisters – nine new faces the streets of Nazaret might claim. I am hopeful that with Birtukan’s training, she will be able to not only provide for her sisters and brother, but serve as a role model. And in doing so, the power of this program can become exponential. As she is empowered to provide, she will empower her family to do the same.

Ten new productive members of the Nazaret workforce, thanks to one life-changing program. Yes, Birtukan, I think this is something we should continue to do.

Jenny Pope, Buckner publications editor, traveled to Ethiopia in June 2009. This is taken from her blog entry during the trip at blog.itsyourmission.com.

(El Paso, TEXAS) — We were in border towns, known locally as colonias, meaning poor neighborhoods. Poor. A colonia begins as nearly nothing. Homes are made of wooden palettes and cardboard. Again, no exaggeration.

The people construct their homes from anything they can find and slowly build them. The two colonias we visited were old, so we saw more RVs with rooms built onto them, protruding to the side. But the RVs looked as if they might fall apart at any moment.

Many had old tires on the roof, which were full of water and attracted mosquitoes, but they are a necessity to keep the roof from blowing off. Jorge Zapata, Buckner Border Ministries director, said that people in the colonias would most likely never leave. They would continue to keep building add-ons to what they had.

We drove around the Sparks colonia on Friday. I took two or three pictures, but that was all I could stand. It felt a little sickening to take pictures of their poverty to show everyone back home. No electricity. No water for some. We saw several outhouses on the properties. There is a recently-passed law that mandates that any person receiving electricity must also acquire running water as well. That’s good right? Yes, but that means purchasing a septic tank, which costs between $1,100 – $3,000. Most of these families make a minimum of $7,000 annually. So they go without either.

Some residents, like an elderly woman whom we were told about, work hard and save to pay off the land they live on, so they can finally call it their own. When she went to make her final payment and requested the title to the land, she was informed that the land had already been sold to someone else. The land owners (dueños) will sell the land to two or three different people. The first buyer might not make the payments and then disappear, so he sells it again, etc.

You may say—they came to America, they can work. Yes, they can. But the border town areas have some of the lowest-paying jobs and lowest wages in the United States.

Without getting into all of the political issues and controversies that are tied to this area and what is going on there and before you may begin a list of “buts,”— but they can work, but they should abstain if they are living in poverty, but they should strive for a better life—think of it this way: It was worse for them in Mexico.

I was very blessed to be able to go and feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity.

The trip was wonderful. It wasn’t long enough in some respects. It opened my eyes. It lit several fires. It showed me ugliness. I saw a beautiful culture and people who are so easy to fall in love with. I saw God working. I was challenged.

We all need to do something. We all need to go somewhere. There is work to be done. There are things to be given of ourselves. There are children to adopt.
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Buckner is now accepting story submissions for Buckner eNews Now and the Buckner Web site from people who have participated on mission trips or local volunteering.

Send your story in a Microsoft Word document to news@buckner.org. Include your name, city and state in the subject line along with the title of your submissions. Stories should be no longer than 1200 words. (ex. Your Perspective – John Doe, Houston, TX)

Send any photos as jpegs. We can accept anything up to 10 MB in one email.

For the past few years I’ve been putting together Christmas gift boxes for orphans in Peru. It’s a shoebox that I would fill with pens, markers, notebook, hair bows (for the girls), games, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. But probably the most important thing in the box was a letter to the child and a picture of me. We were told that the letter with a picture helps the children realize that these gifts are coming from ‘real’ people. I really didn’t think much about it but I did what they recommended.

Then I was presented with the opportunity to be part of the team to deliver these boxes to the children – and I jumped at the chance. We went in early December, right before Christmas.

Meeting the children was incredible. We received a hug and kiss from every child – hundreds of them throughout the week. At each orphanage we played games, told a story, did crafts and of course, gave them their Christmas gift box. We had a lot of fun.

During our last day in Lima, we visited a girls’ home called Santa Rosa. As we were getting ready to leave, a young girl came running up to me. She was waving a picture and a piece of paper. When I looked at the picture I realized it was a picture of me – but not the one I put in the gift boxes this year. It took me several seconds to realize that was the picture from my box LAST YEAR. She kept the picture and my letter from a year ago – and she had written notes on them. We were both so excited, that we couldn’t stop hugging and smiling at each other. Her name is Today and she’s just a beautiful young lady.

It was at this point that I realized how important it is for us to continue to deliver the love of Jesus Christ to hurting children. We may think it doesn’t have an impact – but I now know that it does. These children want to be loved and want to know there are people out there that do love them.

Luke 9:3 from “The Message” really says it all. Jesus commissioned His disciples to preach the news of God’s kingdom and heal the sick. He said, “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment.”

You are the equipment! It’s awesome to realize my arms, smiles, words, and love make the difference. We can’t stop loving on these children – they are God’s children.

Suzy Hemming traveled with Buckner International on the Christmas mission trip to Peru in December 2008. Suzy’s church, Christ Church in Plano, Texas, has been putting together Christmas boxes for the last three years.
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Buckner is now accepting story submissions for Buckner eNews Now and the Buckner Web site from people who have participated on mission trips or local volunteering.

Send your story in a Microsoft Word document to news@buckner.org. Include your name, city and state in the subject line along with the title of your submissions. Stories should be no longer than 1200 words. (ex. Your Perspective – John Doe, Houston, TX)

Send any photos as jpegs. We can accept anything up to 10 MB in one email.