Yazmine, Aunt Beth and Leslie...a sweet union
Alondra and Nancy
Brenda and Holly
The in-house tortilla factory with Holly and Daniel!
Tortillas anyone? Yummy!!!
The Fessenden twins...as cute as ever!
A new angel with Holly and Jackie!
Maggie and Karla
A much needed shopping trip to Sams...thanks to the Sniders.
Tonito and Holly
A picture of sweetness X 3
Belem and Johana...sisters! (Just for you Becky and Keith!)
Leslie and her Aunt Beth
Rosa...the birthday girl at her party!!!
The Birthday Girl's cake!!!
Another new angel at Lily...I don't know her name yet!
A boys bed ready for occupancy...thanks to FBC work crew! But, we are praying that this bed will stay vacant and Angel will be in Michigan soon. We need a miracle...and that is just what God specializes in!
Another bus ride.
Oh oh...it looks like kittens again!
Ramon with some new children.
Karla and Beth...kitchen queens???
Esayla and Brenda ...the hotcake fixer-uppers!!!
Karelly and...Crystal? Is she back? I'll have to find out!
I can't tell you how good if feels to be sitting at my computer and posting on this blog. Although I am not in Mexico physically, my heart has been forever captured by those at Lily.
The reason for this posting is to update you as best I can on happenings and prayer requests. A mother/daughter team from our church (Beth and Holly Snider) recently spent a week down there and brought back many pics from their visit as well as updates. Also, Lauren, Mary Ellen and Vito spent this last week up here in Michigan which brought back many Lily memories. (For those of you who don't know, Lauren and Mary Ellen spent 5 months at Lily volunteering last summer/fall and Vito has spent 6 months down there a few years ago. It was like a Lily reunion, Michigan style... with Ramon and Marta here as well!)
The most crucial bit of information I received from the Sniders is the lack of contributions they are experiencing at Lily. Rosa has mentioned this to me for several weeks, but I did not realize the extreem condition they were in. It sounds like there are not always 3 meals a day for the children and Ed has been going without crucial medication because of lack of finances. I know things have been tight for many of us in the states because of rising gas prices, but we have never gone without...like they are. Just for your information, Ed's medication cost approximately $65.00 per month. If you would like to send money specifically for this, let me know and I will tell Rosa what the money is for.) Please help me pray about this serious situation and let's dig down deep to help them through this rough time. If you would like to send a tax deductable donation, you can make a check out to Lily of the Valley Orphanages and mail it to: Lily of the Valley Orphanages, P.O. Box 1108, National City, CA 91951. It is very important that you specify that this donation is for Lily of the Valley II in Aldama.
The boys dorm is finally completed at they have scheduled their "Inauguration" June 10th. Many important people will be attending, and they are anticipating the Governor's Wife to come as well. This is a big deal because there are some crucial issues that will be addressed between Rosa and the Governor's wife...the main one being the adoption of the Riley children. This precious sibling group of 6 would like to be adopted by the Riley family of Michigan, but the blood mother is trying to thwart the process. Please help us pray that the children will be released and the children will be able to experience a loving family of their own for the first time.
Rosa reported to me the first of the week that they now have the teachers for their school that will be opening up this fall. They are waiting for some officials to come and do a final 'school inspection' and give them a certificate of 'verification' which is the final step needed. They have been very diligent to get this school opened. The children at Lily are often 'labeled' and discriminated against at the public school because they are orphans and that has been the reasoning behind this school.
The orphanage has had many more children come. In the past 6 weeks, they have had more than 23 children arrive. Many of these kids come from such sad backgrounds. Please keep Ed and Rosa in prayer as they care for them.
Also, Ed and Rosa are requesting prayer for dorm parents for the new boys dorm. The Lord provided the property and funds needed for the new boys dorm, now they are waiting for the Lord to send them dorm parents. This is another urgent prayer request.
The progress of the new girls dorm is coming along nicely. Rosa is hoping that the girls will be in it by fall. God is graciously funding this project, which was begun with seeds of faith. Thank you, Jesus!
We have been back in Michigan for 7 weeks now, and our thoughts till go towards Lily several times throughout the day. Our business or house has not sold yet. Normally I would be very anxious about this...but I have a deep peace. God knows our hearts. The timing is in God's hands. If He wants us there, Jehoveh Jireh will provide.
"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.
Summer and winter and spring-time and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!"
The Scoggins will be at Lily next week and Pastor's Daves' church will be down at Lily the end of June-first week of July. If any of you happen to visit Lily, please send me some pics and updates so we can keep everyone informed. Thanks for loving Lily and praying for them.
All for Jesus...
5 comments:
Hooray!!!! I am so glad to get an update. I always enjoy the fotos. it makes me want to go back for a short visit....I always look for my kids....I saw Brenda, and as usual, she is Beautiful!....Thank you Beth and Holly. Wish you had gotten Samuel, guess I will have to go down there myself.....huh??? Thanks again Linda....Great Job !! Fred
Ok those Fessenden twins are sure beautiful!! Holly and Beth...I am so happy that you got to spend time with them. I'm sure they fell in love with you as much as you did them. We are fervently praying for the Riley children as well as the Fessenden children. Praying that God will touch the hearts of the birth mothers and they will selflessly allow someone who is able to love and care for their kids do so. Looking forward to having Brenda, Boni, and Samuel here SOON! Thank you Linda for updating. We will also be praying for the shortage of funds and food at Lily and that you and Gary will find yourselves back there someday soon....In His time! ~Chandra~
So, Lauren and I decided today (my dumb idea, she may argue) that we are going to have 10 days of "I love Louisville".. pronounced "Luvul". We've been pretty mopey (sp?) and pitiful since we left Michigan. It was a GREAT week, but it felt to Lily-like. Thanks for the update. I want to be more specific and faithful in prayer for them, so these lil' updates are helpful in that.
We love, love, love you guys. :) Can't wait to see how the Lord gets you all moved down there and those kids moved up here! Have a great week!!!
one more thing....I noticed Crystal in the picture and wondered if you found out if Bella and Manuella are back too? Hmmm...will be praying about that too. And for the record...us Michiganders are pretty mopey after Mary Ellen Lauren and Vito leaving too :-( We love you guys!
So I looked at the pic again and decided that it can't be Cristal. Her face is a little different and her head was shaved at the same time as Carely. Those would be some seriously powerful vitamins to get her hair that long .:) I wish I could've talked to those Snyder girls a little more about their visit!
Oh wait. I love Louisville, I love Louisville, I love....
-merm
ps- I love that half the people I'd never met before in Michigan referred to me as "Merm". hilarious yet home-like. That blog was the best idea ever.
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