New beginnings and finishing races

You know the saying "April showers bring May flowers"? Well, in my pocket of Guatemala, Rainy season doesn't really get started until May!

It still gets you thinking about the idea of seasons though. Everyting has it's time, and throughout life the seasons tend to cycle.

In the last month I've felt the rollercoaster of this through unexpected loss, joy filled new birth, encouraging deeper growth, business and slowness.

There is something to learn in each of these, but the more seasons I see the more certian I am in the profound goodness of God. Over the losses and over the joys.

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Our church does something kinda neat-- Instead of having a womens bible study, a mens gorup, youth, and all the things, they only meet once a week so that folks from the chruch can be active in community in serving otehrs and discipleship.

One group started meeting with Checha, the oldest of our kids who lives in the home with the the other young adults. This is so exciting for me because Checha loves these times.

The other adult/kids listen in to level of their abilities and enjoy the visit. The staff working that day also chime in as they go about their work.

A few months ago, Checha asked about baptims, as our church has had many folks accepting christ, rededicating their lives to him, and being baptized. The group meeting shared with him, and one in particular of the ladies working with the adults took time to share with him in detail, answering many questions he had about baptism.

Our pastor often shares that it's like a wedding band-- without it, you are still married, but the band is a symbol of somethign deeper. It's the same with baptism.

So, a few weeks ago, Checha decided to be baptized! He shared that where he lived before, he believed in God, but in more recent years, he has grown to understand what it is like to have a relationship with Christ.

I think there was soemthign in my eyes because they wouldn't stop watering!

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The next high moment is one I'll always celebrate- Carissa and Stevie had their baby! My beautiful new niece, Ashoka Dillon.

Her parents share why her name is so meaningful as Ahsoka is their rainbow baby and to us is a reminder of hope. Sorrow will pass, God has got us in his hands, and her second name Dillon means faithful.

I think she is the perfect reminder of that- Sorrow will pass. God truly holds all this in his hands.

It's also pretty cool to have a neice who is a Jedi!

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On a much heavier note, we lost our Walter this month. He had been with us since 2017, and was one of our adult kiddos.

Walter was full of joy and loved to laugh. Some might have thought that he didn't know what was going on around him, until he would burst out laughing at something that jsut happened-- sometimes laughing when someone fell or got hurt!!

Like so many of our kids, God taught me deep truths through Walter.

Walter came form an orhpanage known for it's neglect and abuse, which ultimately led to it bruning.

The day he arrived, he was brought in an adult sized, standard wheelchair- meaning the fold out type that has no seatbelts, can't tilt, and has no coushins or stabilizers for kids with special needs and special twists in their body.

He had a feeding tube, but no marks on it to share what kind it was inside or how to change it.

He was brought at about 3 in the afternoon and we were informed that he hadn't had breakfast-- meaning he hadn't eaten at all that day.

Further, they did not bring any fomrula for him, supplies to access his tube, or even know what he ate or how much. Then they left.

I was livid.

One of our team drove me quickly to the bodega where I could search for supplies, and I ranted about how inappropriate and dangerous it was that he haden't been given anything to eat, or even supplies to feed him when he arrived.

Then God taught me my first lesson form Walter.

My friend asked me how old Walter was. I ansered 14 years old.

Then he asked- "you're telling me that God has already taken care of him for these 14 years-- Don't you think God can take care of him just an hour longer until we can find a way to feed him"?

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Sometimes I get so stuck on the problem that I forget what God has already done. I forget God's faithfulness- he has already come through, so why would I doubt him to provide yet again?

When I get stuck so deep in what's wrong, I can't see what's right- this joyful young man is safe and will be loved from here forward, no matter what came before.

We see a lot of loss here. But God is so faithful right in the middle of it.

He is so near.

This life, this work is so hard.

But as Ashoka's name reminds us, this sorrow will pass. He is faithful, and in his faithfulness, we hold hope.

God has been so good, so near in the middle of it.

I would walk through the deepest of hurts if only it meant he would be so near in it.