Come join a Wednesday Work Crew! Pastor Ken, John J. and Stan- finish up the railing on our deck- leaving Howard below working on the toilets!
Hard to adjust to pulling up to Siempre and seeing that new, big house! The place is a thing of beauty. I know everyone's excited to see it finished. We're already working on filling it. Two new kids at Siempre this week. No clue where their sleeping them- but the tragedy they come from was devastating and I couldn't help but applaud our directors for opening their arms to them. What great motivation to get the job done and kids moved into the new addition.
Our newest kids- sister and brother- are:
Pearla - age 13
Manuel, age 12
Meeting new kids- welcoming them to the home- is both a gift and a jarring reminder of how tough their reality is. Last Sunday evening they laid down in familiar surroundings with no idea that Monday afternoon they'd be placed with us. Manuel is a fun kid who seems to be making friends fast. I'm sure Pearla is wonderful as well- but spent part of our time with her crying... They have grieving to do. I can't begin to imagine their fears, pain and emotional confusion as they begin to join the growing family at Siempre. Praise God for all the wonderful people who join us in loving support each week.
Manuel and some of the other kids fly kites over Siempre- that's Manuel sitting on the fence with his kite higher than all the others. I was up on the deck!
Sickness has hit our Siempre kids big time- chicken pox- and the little kids have it bad- and Alejandra- one of our workers- has it worse! Little Arturo is covered with it- head to toe -and when they took him to the doctor the office was crowded and the doctor said it's a city wide epidemic in Tijuana. School has only met two days this last week. So even our healthy kids can rarely escape it by heading off to class. Just spending the afternoon there is enough to make you itch all over!
Everyone's beat from all the extra care necessary. Then one of our 9 year olds was caught kissing a girl at school! Aracelli looked as if it was the final straw when the principal called and said if they have another "kissing" incident our child will be expelled. The joys of parenting- multiplied by 24 -and they're not even your own kids. Praise God for incredible leadership at Siempre. Keep our kids and our leadership in your prayers. If you've ever felt the need to spend extra time in prayer- now would be a great time to start. A house filled with orphans and abandoned kids, covered with chicken pox and still having the energy to get in trouble at school. Pray for healing for our kids AND leaders. Pray that Aracelli, Alejandro, Bianca, Vanessa and Pastor Israel would stay healthy and have an extra portion of strength and patience. Pray that God would heal Alejandra, Arturo and Lupita, these three are particularly hard hit, amazingly uncomfortable and in need of quick recovery. Pray that God's Hand would move across the entire community. So many thousands living in dirt poverty and very sick and have none of the protection of Siempre Para Los Ninos. Pray that God's healing grace would move today.
Naftali- next to Siempre's new car
Last week Miguel told me that our van continues to have problems because it's being overworked- that they needed a little car to run to the store, doctor, etc... the next day a good friend called and donated a car- before I even asked! God's always doing something good! It's a '92 Geo Metro, runs great, and the kids love the cool stickers and color. It's also a 5 speed and no one at Siempre knows how to drive a stick. Pray for them as they learn!
Special thanks to Ted and Karen Springer who took last weekend to run down to Siempre and shuttle kids to the field trip at Fox Studios. The van didn't get fixed until Monday- and it was needed Saturday -so they came to the rescue! Thanks you guys. The kids had an amazing time at the event and have even been invited to a summer camp sponsored by Genesis. Some of you may not be ready to sponsor a child or become a major financial supporter of Siempre because of other obligations. You can still help out over the summer by donating toward the kids field trip and camp fund. Just mark "summer fun" in the memo of your check and we'll make sure it gets to the right spot.
To those of you that sponsor a child- thanks so much, their lives at Siempre depend on it. To those considering sponsorship, you can discover all the details at siemprekids.org. It's easy, inexpensive and it changes a life forever.
Julia and her favorite- Crystal
We're still working on visa's for the kids, hopefully by July, so some of them will be able to visit us in the states for their best vacation ever! With 24 new children being added in the weeks to come it's easy to imagine how our budget needs will increase. Every donation is life changing. This week I carried down 40 pounds of oat meal, 50-60- pounds of bisquick, a collection of personal care goods that were purchased and donated, a quart of apricot jam Debi and I made, and a truck load of other great stuff. If you've got food- we'll take it! You wouldn't believe the cool things people bring by my office throughout the week. We also carried down birthday gifts for kids with birthdays coming up and a special cake for Aida who turned 12! What a great way to spend a Wednesday afternoon.
Our group photo for the day
I thought I'd spare you a lot of chicken pox photo's. So much nicer to see the group looking healthy, from a distance, on a sunny afternoon. Life is so much better for each of these kids. Night and day for most. The hours of driving, hassles at the border and exhaustion at the end of the day are always worth while. God's given us a big vision to rescue kids and each week I'm reminded that I'm not doing enough... so many more children are living outside the promise and protection of Siempre. My night was filled with images of children living on the streets or in the hills of TJ in cardboard and dirt, suffering high fevers and skin breaking out in chicken pox, without anyone to hold them, love them, tell them every thing would be better... to give them hope, to love and care for them as if they were welcoming Jesus.
We can't do everything- but we can do something- how can we not? Siempre, it means always. It's the promise Jesus gave us right before He ascended to Heaven. Siempre, always, that He'd be with us always. It's the promise He's given us to extend to the over 1 billion children living in dirt poverty around the world. That they're not forgotten. Not even when their sick. That we love them and that we'll give our best to stand with them always, just as if we were standing with Jesus. It's the least we can do. It's what God expects and requires of us. We can start at Siempre Para Los Ninos. It's a beginning. You're invited. You're needed, now, more than ever,
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.
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.