We could barely get in the place yesterday! It's looking messy around the house! Robertson's doesn't deliver cement into our village- the slab is mixed by hand and poured in sections.
Greetings!
What an amazing afternoon we spent at Siempre yesterday. Ken, John and Stan had been down again, building an interior support wall and doing other work in preparation for the new addition. It's getting so close to being ready for us to descend on the place and everyone at Siempre's getting excited.
This is where our new addition goes- first and second story!
Looking at all the bags of cement and the tons of sand and gravel I was incredibly thankful that we're paying someone to do this part of the job. They expect to have the slab ready for us by tomorrow, (Friday), but hey, they also said it would be done last Monday. This is why we start planning months in advance. Flexible is the first word we learned working in Mexico. "Flexico." It may be over $4,000- in concrete but without a secure foundation everything else we did would be in vain.
God must be planning on filling the new beds before they're in place. Two new kids were added to Siempre Para Los Ninos this week. Their mother, a prostitute in TJ, abandoned them at their grandmothers. She is very poor and can't care for them. A friend brought them all to Siempre where they were warmly received.
Our staff have huge hearts and they take our name as their purpose statement: Always for the Children. They've yet to turn a child away that I know of. Our new kids are Jesus, about 4 years old and his little sister Crystal, approximately 18 months. We're so close to out of room that Aracelli has Crystal sleeping in their room.
Jesus
Crystal
Something about having a kid name Jesus become homeless and needing our help really hit me. He's a sweet guy. After we had carried in everything from the truck, he watched as an ice chest of meat was unloaded along with many other food items and bags of clothes and he quietly said to Debi, "Is there anything for me? I'm a good boy." Debi said as she heard the translation it was hard to keep from crying. I had the much easier part: hugging each of them, giving a warm smile and saying, "Welcome to Siempre Para Los Ninos our family in Mexico!" And I can even say it in Spanish. Every time I welcome a child their eyes become windows to their young souls and it's as if you can see right into their desire to be loved and given safe refuge.
I can hardly believe we've been given this opportunity to help rescue lost children. The love and dedication of our staff and volunteers that come down with us each week overwhelms me. The generosity of the many who give to keep the doors open inspires me. God's great grace in trusting us with these, His kids, humbles me. We're blessed beyond measure.
Joy taught the kids how to make little pizza's this week. She had packed ingredients for what seemed like hundreds of the little things and the kids spent an hour making, baking and eating them. We either spoiled their dinner or made their dinner. Either way it was a great treat and with all the work going on, compounded by the noise of kids with very little place left to safely play outside, they were greatly appreciated.
Aida and Joy get ready to pop some pizzas in the oven
Can't imagine what it's like to live in that little house with 23 people in it. Just 4 toilets and 4 showers. Less than the normal appliances most of us would have in our own homes, servicing 5 times as many people all in only 2,000 sq ft. It's always active, always noisy and always on the go. Now that we've had teenagers we've asked how they're handling any possible crushes that might come up between the kids. Aracelli became very serious and said she's sleeping with one eye shut and one eye open! I don't know how they get any sleep at all. Yesterday with the construction, kids playing, the dancing, none of it seemed to bother the youngest kids. Before we left all of them had dropped right off into very sound naps. Maybe it was the pizza!
Arturo's crib is right in the front room... "Noise, what noise?"
Pastor Israel, Alejandro, me, Crystal, Aracelli and Cynthia
Each week we cover "the business" of Siempre. This week we had to do it outside because of all the noise inside. Eva, one of our newer girls, had the camera and clicked this shot. Our leaders are doing an amazing job. Please keep them in your prayers. Little Crystal hasn't slept at night since she's been with us- pray for Aracelli, she's beat! Pastor Israel's working with our neighbors on cleaning up our property lines- some of them have encroached on our lot with their fences- plus he had the city come out and inspect their goat pens. They also ended up inspecting Siempre. We can stay, the goats, however were evicted! Alejandro is working hard to provide well rounded leadership and the kids look to him as a father figure. This is a HUGE job. One of the girls moms dropped in for an unexpected visit this week. Good for her, hard on her daughter. When she decided to leave her daughter clung to her wailing, crying, telling her how much she missed her. Alejandro had to physically pull her off her mom and carry her into the house. Keep them in your prayers.
Most of our kids have at least one living parent. They constantly have to deal with the reality of being placed at Siempre. Most of us can't begin to imagine their pain, loss, sense of abandonment and heartbreak. That having been said, it feels so much like a family down there you'd think they're all related. This week as we prepared to leave little Jesus asked, "Is this my family?" Praise God we're able to hug each child and enthusiastically say "Yes! Welcome Home!"
some of our "family" in Mexico- this weeks group shot.
If you haven't signed up for Memorial Day weekend- do it today! Time is short! It's going to be an amazing building event. ALSO- Saturday, May 21, here at Central Community, we're having a rummage sale to help raise funds for Siempre. What a great time to clean the garage, surrender the storage, clear the closets, donate that old car or boat and give it all to us to sell! You get a cleaner, lighter life and the kids are lifted up. Or, if you'd like, join us for the sale and buy some more junk to clutter up your garage. Friday night the 20th we're having a pre-sale event. $5- admission gets you in to take a look at all the good junk first! You're invited. Email me for more info- just hit reply.
Almost forgot! Memorial Day Weekend a group of us our playing golf at the Marriot's course Friday morning, before we start to build on Saturday. Some of us our taking Thursday and going down early, others are driving in Friday morning, you're invited to join us. It's an incredible course with tough, perfect fairways, ocean views and a signature hole to rival any in the nation. Again, if you're interested, just hit reply and ask away. It would be great to spend a little "free" time with you before the work begins.
siempre,
Eric M. Denton
5623 Arlington Ave.
Riverside, CA 92504
951-689-5806, office
951-907-9100, cell
You can support a child on a monthly basis and begin to build a lifetime relationship or support Siempre Para Los Ninos for a day, week or month. Without you our doors would close. To learn how you can rescue kids in poverty go to siemprekids.org it's easy and can be auto deducted from your bank account or from your credit card. Or give me a call with questions. Or mail your donation direct. Make checks payable to Siempre Para Los Ninos.
We've still got $10,000- to match before May! WE CAN DO IT! -
It only takes one gift to put us over the top today!
You're Invited to Our Memorial Day Building Weekend
click this link for more information
Don't forget to sign up for our Memorial Day Building Trip! Without you the new work won't be accomplished. Discover the joy of building hope.
I'm open to speak to your church, club, group or business concerning Siempre support.
PS
I add everyone that crosses my email desk to this list. If this is your first unsolicited update- welcome! I'm more than willing to accept your rejection if it means one more might join me in loving these kids. If you prefer not to receive our weekly updates just let me know. No problem.
Thanks so much to those of you who forward this to your own friends, family and associates.
Thanks for being part of our growing support system.