True Orphans

Serving children in distress I've learned an entirely new language filled with adjectives and identifiers used to define the state of a child at any given time in their heart break. "True Orphans" is the toughest spot for any child to be in: no one left, no family that claims them, sometimes- everyone dead, more often- completely abandoned. The infants in this little video are True Orphans: no first name, no last name, just weeks old... now in our care. Holding them today- again I realized what a miracle, a gift from God, their presence with us at Siempre is and how thankful I am to share in this incredible work.

You're invited... to "come and see" what The Lord is doing at Siempre. If we don't, who will love these children? They need care for a lifetime- they need immediate attention today- without your support... who will protect and keep them?

join us...

New Property... New Promise

This little video shows our new property at Siempre Para Los Ninos, our children's home in Tijuana, Mexico. New property holds so much hope and promise. The building we'll put there- Lord willing, (and I'm pretty sure He's always willing for us to help those who are hurting), will be a home to 36 children- 18 infants from birth to 18 months and 18 from 19 months to age 3. Hopefully they'll all find homes with "forever" families... those who remain will join our Siempre family.

This year is the 5th anniversary of Siempre. We've had several babies... they're still with us... big kids now. The complete focus of our new work will be to rescue babies- they're the most vulnerable in society when life falls apart. We can't rescue them all, but this is our start. You're invited. When you're ready for change the best way to achieve it is to make and keep a big promise. We're promising a new home. God is too good.

blessings,

Eric

it's my new favorite picture because...

Abbie and Vanessa

Every Wednesday afternoon, almost without fail, I have the opportunity to take a pretty wonderful group of people to Siempre Para Los Ninos, our children's home in Tijuana, Mexico. The first thing I do is hand off my camera to one of the kids to take photos for my email updates. Kid's use to fight over the camera... now, not so much. Some weeks pleading is required to get someone, anyone, to assume the responsibility.

I don't blame them. I can't stand looking at my one afternoon a week at Siempre through a viewfinder instead of out on a bike ride with the kids or just hanging out. Some weeks, dozens and dozens of photos are snapped- I'll use 3 or 4 -the rest stay in exile on my hard drive. Each week, it seems that a new photo captures my heart - usually because it captures the very best of Siempre. This photo definitely fits that category.

Life isn't always pretty... it's a hard lesson every child abandoned into the loving arms of Siempre was forced to learn the hard way... watching a family, friend, a stranger... walk away after signing them into our care, for the rest of their lives. Life can hurt. Every child at Siempre knows this as well. There's not a child on the planet who, having been abandoned- for whatever reason -by their biological family, doesn't lie down at night with dreams of reconciliation, of a fantastic return, of some sign that they really were loved and cared for...

Hope! That's why I love this photo. Hope, through times of hardship and heartbreak, somehow, miraculously, God restores Hope. He's too good... He's God. This snapshot of a fleeting hug between girls born thousands of miles apart- totally different tragedies -today, loving one another like sisters is one small part of the miracle God invites us to share when it seems that life has slipped away and there's very little left to live for... hold on! Hope- just like Abbie and Vanessa have found -is waiting.

"God's not slow in keeping His promise, He's patient..." Wait on God. He always delivers. Hope, restored, is His specialty. He did it for Abbie and Vanessa. He can do it for you. Don't give up. Hold out for REAL Hope in Him. It's on the way.

That's why I love this picture. Besides, aren't they great looking kids?

many blessings for new hope in our lives today,

Eric

You're Invited! Samaritan House @ Siempre Para Los Ninos

Samaritan House Walk Through 8-6-08 @ Yahoo! Video

Wednesday afternoon we'd been hanging out with Siempre's kids when I suddenly remembered my camera was still in my pocket! No photos! I quickly handed it off to the children and asked them to take a few quick shots. When they were done, I asked Pastor Israel to walk me through our newest building, our newest ministry - Samaritan House @ Siempre Para Los Ninos. What a blessing.

The video's nothing special... but the images... your work... your investment... your gift to a community in poverty, the children of Siempre, the church and so many others waiting to serve. Thanks so much. Some day our new missionary will live in the missions house 3-4 days a week and travel the rest of the week in the US telling the story of Siempre -inviting people to come and serve at Samaritan House @ Siempre.

Until then... it's still me doing the inviting... Debi and I are going down Labor Day weekend. No big hotels, big plans or big expenses... just work. We'll stay in Samaritan House- bring sleeping bags and blow up mattresses to set on the ground. We'll wrap up the last days of summer the same way we opened our summer- working at Samaritan House. In the evening we'll head out to Rosarito for dinner- we might even bbq. We plan on having fun! We plan on serving Him.

Best part of the whole deal? You're Invited!

Watch the video- the song is Healer, by Hillsong. Then email me- or call -we'd love to close out the summer with you.

blessings,

Eric

after 5 years of work...

Siempre Para Los Ninos - September, 2004- the gray building was our first church, built in 2001, replaced with the new beautiful church in 2006. The little yellow house was Pastor Israel's old house, replaced in 2007, with his beautiful upstairs apartment. That's Siempre... the little flat roofed building in the back of the shot. This photo was taken from just about where the newest building, below, now sits.


Samaritan House @ Siempre Para Los Ninos - as we wrapped things up Sunday night of Memorial Day Weekend, 2008.

Building dreams with your life requires time, patience, hard work, faith and most of all God's Grace. Without The Grace of God to guide and undergird us in our work, where would we be?

Occasionally we'll take someone to Siempre on a Wednesday afternoon and they're overwhelmed by our 12 or 13,000 sq ft of work - at work for God in the little community we serve on the edge of Tijuana, Mexico. Looking at it all, getting to know the kids, our staff... shaking their heads, they'll say "How'd you do it?"

Smiling, I usually think of the five years of work before Siempre was ever built. I reflect back on names and faces of people who worked hard, gave sacrificially, drove trucks filled with food, tools, luggage across the border in the middle of the night when customs agents decided not to let it in. I remember the first families we built for, their children, the mom raising her kids under a tree... what it felt like to give away a home... the miracles... Pastor Israel and his family, Alejandro, Aracelys, Hernan, Alejandra, Bianka, Brenda... Mickey... so many miracles... most of them with names and faces.

Then I remember... we didn't do it at all- God did -we were just blessed to be used by Him. In those first 5 years we never imagined what these last 4 years have brought into our lives... so many wonderful children... the miracle of Siempre... it means always.

Sometimes, when people ask what we'll do next year, I get a little anxious and again I remind myself- this is God's Work -we'll do whatever He has in store. He hasn't failed us yet. Most people go a lifetime without ever genuinely experiencing the opportunity of sharing a work that's guided by The Hand of God... to know that they played a part in something that pleased Him in ways that we can't begin to imagine. To be touched by His Eternal Spirit in our work- and know it -know HIM- His presence in all we do.

At the end of each two day building trip we get a little cocky and say "We Built That!" and it feels great! But the longer we serve Him the easier it is to see that He's been using us to build all along... we've been tools in His Hands... He built that! and He invited us to share the miracle.

Miracles still happen. Some of us just take 5 years to see them coming. Now that Siempre's up and running you can come and share the miracle any Wednesday afternoon. Lord willing, we're going this week. You're invited!

siempre,

Eric

or check it out at siempre's web site

Together... WE CAN!

Memorial Day Weekend, 2008... siempre fiel... always faithful. Enjoy the video.

siempre,

Eric

a few "raw" reflections

I took the little video at the start of this blog, Friday morning, May 23, 2008 - as they prepared to unload materials for our Memorial Day Weekend build at Siempre Para Los Ninos in Tijuana, Mexico. The photo was taken Monday morning, May 26, 2008 -shortly after we dedicated the building... 2 days, 3500 square feet, months in the planning, tens of thousands of dollars in fundraising... today, not completely finished but pretty darn close... not furnished or painted... but ready for the pioneering groups who'll be the first to lead mission's trips to Samaritan House at Siempre... it's hard to imagine another Memorial Day Weekend is behind us.

When we built our first church it took months to actually have a congregation- today -that little church has been torn down and rebuilt as Pastor Israel leads a thriving, growing congregation... they're planting a new church on their own in a new community. It took months after we built our children's home, Siempre Para Los Ninos, before we had our first children- today, our directors, Alejandro and Aracelys have their hands full with over 30 children, a full staff and face the challenges of who can get into Siempre... Don't know how long it'll take us to find a new bridge building missionary to live in the apartment we built atop the new building... or how long until each week is filled with work groups... but I know it will happen... God is faithful... even when we're faithless... but we're doing our best to remain faithful.

Watching the faithfulness of the workers- listening to the witness of their faith in a hammer's fall, the swoosh of a paintbrush, the constant cry of our generators producing electricity for the worksite... I was blessed just to partner with so many fantastic people... people with a heart for God, a heart for children at risk, a heart for people living in poverty... we had such fun... we shared a miracle... hope you can catch just a bit of it in the video and photos.

many blessings... many thanks...

siempre,

Eric

A Firm Foundation

He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. Jesus Luke 6:48

We built a house once that was hit by a flood. I drive by the house and the foundation weekly... they're about a mile a part. The house sat in a newly developed ravine where the poor of Tijuana were buying lots from the Mexican government. Central Community spent $15,000- in materials and a weekend in labor building a beautiful home to shelter a family. Several years later the 100 year rains hit- washed down the ravine - filled the house with mud in the middle of the night. The family escaped in the darkness, moving with the mud flow out the highest window. They spent weeks cleaning out the mud and eventually a truck came and lifted their home and planted it on higher ground.

The foundation, built firmly on the rock, still remains.

For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Jesus Luke 14:29,30

I took that photo yesterday at our children's home in Tijuana, Mexico. Lucio and his employees are midway through completing the foundation for our new building. They've laid every foundation we've built on for the last 6 or 7 years. Their work is strong and secure to work on... Me? I'm at the spot I always get to in the final days before our Memorial Day Building trips... I know it's going to happen, we've got over 9,000 sq ft of building on our campus as evidence to God's faithfulness- after this weekend we'll be well over 12,000 sq ft of building to serve our little community, to house the children of Siempre, to invite people with heart and passion to come share The Lord in serving the poor. Even still, must be my personal insecurity, I dread the thought that someone might look and say: "This fellow began to build and was not able to finish."

And so we labor on.

Pastor Ken's in Mexico today, putting the final touches on every last detail. He and John Juhl have gone over every possible plan, ordered lumber, nails, counted windows... Ken and I spent part of our morning yesterday doing one more run down on the finances- "if we have to build with just the money we have... if we raise x more dollars... if we meet all our goals..." We're giving it our best shot. Our workers will give 100%. Workers from the community will come along side us for the weekend and give it all they've got. God will under gird and in miraculous fashion- Monday morning of Memorial Day weekend we'll dedicate the new building. I'm sure of it.

That doesn't mean my mind doesn't ponder all the "What if's...?" A list too long to continue.

I was there Wednesday afternoon- I saw it with my own two eyes, stood on it with my own two feet: we have a firm foundation. It's almost complete. That can't be taken away. Property's paid for, foundation's paid for and almost ready, God's opened the door... now we're ready for builders.

Floods will come. Challenges and trials are part of life. The foundation remains and Siempre sits on high ground- The Highest -God's Firm Foundation.

I'm more excited than ever to be a part of all God's using us to do in service to lost, abandoned and impoverished children in TJ. Our new building's an open invitation- beds for 64 workers, a dining hall and kitchen, showers, and an apartment for a new missionary... we're praying that you'll come and fill it up with people who long to share a new work, bring a new hope, reach out in new ways... but build on a firm foundation.

Siempre. It means always. I can't wait for Memorial Day Weekend! You're invited to share the miracle. It's a James 1:27 kind of thing. We're building on The Rock - what we do in the lives of these children for God will never be undone. I can't believe God's invited me. Hope you'll join us.

siempre,

Eric

Golfing for God... well almost

Saturday morning, April 26th and I'm getting ready to head out to fundraising golf tournement for our children's home in Tijuana, Mexico - Siempre Para Los Ninos.

Siempre's 2nd Annual Golf Classic - dozens of people have been working for months to make sure it all comes together just right. 100 or more golfers will play and hopefully many more people share in the silent auction and dinner afterward. It's a GORGEOUS DAY - sunny, clear, desert like heat... everything's in place for an incredible success.

Now it's in The Hand's of God.

The money for this year's golf classic will help pay for- or even better, completely pay for, our new building at Siempre on our newly acquired property. Thought I'd write about it for awhile, thought better of it and decided to post this little video I shot last week instead. Hoping you'll join us in our work someday. Hear people talk about working together... covenants... Siempre is the result of what happens when people stop talking... and really work... promising to give the results in service to God. Churches from as far away as Florida, Ohio and Washington have spent days or weeks at Siempre. Pastor's and churches from all across Mexico have visited and held meetings at Siempre. Children, Siempre's Kid's, are the better for it all.

Check it out. If you'd ever like to get down to some really good work for God- James 1:27 kind of work - the kind worth giving your life to, contact me. We're hiring a missionary.

blessings,

Eric

all I want for Christmas

Debi and Christina - Christmas, 2007

Christina "Petunia." That's what Debi always called her when she lived at Siempre. Her young mother was in the crisis of her teen years when in tears and heartbreak she left her only daughter with us... signed away her birth certificate, entrusting her to our care.

We all fell in love. Christina's a very special kid: cute, charismatic, loved by everyone and always quick with just the right word to say... the kind of kid who could be president of Mexico some day. When her mom showed up pregnant again, now married, and wanting her back over a year later, heartbreak- and hope -moved throughout the household.

Debi and I spent our Christmas day driving across Tijuana at sunset with Alejandro and his family looking for Christina's new home, fearing the worse, hoping for the best. God answers prayer. Her mom, now 20, is fantastic and is married to a hard working young man. There's a new little brother- a cute guy -and the family recently received the gift of a home built especially for them, a cute litte 400 sq ft bungalow, by a local Christian ministry. Christina had all she wanted for Christmas... all any abandoned child wants for Christmas... to be home with her family- safe, secure and loved.

Her step dad's paying for school, she loves her new teacher, she's gaining weight, and before we left her grandmother and uncle stopped in with Christmas gifts. It was all Debi and I wanted for Christmas- to see that she's doing well, that she's safe, warm and loved. Sitting at the border for almost two hours waiting to get back into the states, we didn't complain- some things are worth the wait.

Siempre, it means always... when a child's given into our care, we plan for life... and when something wonderful happens... something we're not prepared for, like a mom getting her life in order and desperately needing her daughter back- we want to be ready -to continue to lend support and love as a family begins to build new hopes and dreams. We left with warm embraces against the cold night, well after sunset, Christina's family thanking us and inviting us to return whenever we could. It was just what we'd wanted for Christmas- just to see that all was well -with our own eyes, and God gave us the desires of our heart.

I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and received more than you ever imagined in the day. May these final days of 2007 be filled with miracles and wonders as we prepare for the year to come.

blessings,

Eric