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Watching the kids at play, one of our
first time visitors looked at me so seriously and
said: "I was adopted. My birth parents abandoned me
as an infant. My parents adopted me and I've never
felt any kind of urge to look for the people who left me.
Watching these kids, I realize how easily it could've
been me." It could have been any of us... as children
abandoned through poverty, death and disaster,
laughed and played all around us, I couldn't help but
look at Vanessa, her story's so heart rending. Just
like in the novels, "It was a dark and stormy night."
Siempre's doors were closed and everyone was in
bed when Vanessa's mother abandoned her: filthy,
starving, scared... Mom came prepared, birth
certificate, legal documents and ready to sign her
daughter's life away and then she was gone. They fed
and bathed Vanessa all night long... scrubbing her
skin until it was pink... washing her hair over and over.
No matter how much they gave her, she cried to eat
again. It seemed there was no end to her hunger.
Weeks went by and she wandered around Siempre
with little vacant eyes, Seasons changed and she fell
in love with the people who had been loving her. No
family connection... no one ever visited or called... it
was as if she'd been blown in with the storm. Then
her birthday approached- a Wednesday -a woman
visited for a few moments and said she had a gift for
Vanessa, in her arms a beautifully decorated store
bought cake. Then she left. Alejandro said- "That's
Vanessa's mother." We've not seen her since.
Looking at the children again, I thought of Vanessa's
mom, of her Mother's Day. If anyone
will remember her? Thought to myself: "Could've
been me."
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I'm a pretty good story teller. That said,
when I look at pictures of the children, becoming
young women, in the care of Siempre... it all seems
like a dream... it couldn't be possible that God's given
us Grace to share these lives, to build this work, to
participate in it's growth, to know each child by name...
God has blessed us with blessings "pressed down
and running over." People tell me they want to "feel"
God. I invite them to join us at Siempre Para Los
Ninos.
God's Working. It's not all been easy or without
concern. There's been an incredible amount of time,
effort and money that's helped fund God's Dream for
the children of Siempre. There's no way that we're
somehow past all the challenges. In the current
economy, numerous families in financial crisis have
cut back their giving to Siempre and we've had to dig
into reserves to make monthly budgets. The new
building's paid for the property's purchased- all by the
generosity of great people like you, who could have
spent your hard earned money on something else, but
instead, chose to fund the dream of a world where
children don't go to bed hungry, frightened,
abandoned, abused, alone... but instead they have the
promise of Siempre - it means always -always safe,
always well fed, always secure, always loved. Jesus
was pretty direct when it came to kids, He said to be
good to them... because they're the stuff of The
Kingdom. And that's the dream we share for
Siempre... it's a Kingdom kind of dream... one big
enough for children everywhere... one that allows
people like you and me, those of us who've been so
wonderfully blessed, to be a blessing. Thanks so
much to each of you who've given so generously to
insure that each of these children grows up in love.
May God richly bless you as you continue to be a
blessing. Thanks just doesn't seem to do it... but
thanks.
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Competition! We first built in our community because there'd never been a church. We no sooner built then a couple of other churches started up. We built our medical clinic and now the Mexican government's opened a medical clinic in town. Dr. Ricks didn't have many patients but we're still the only medical clinic with a pharmacy and free medication. How fantastic! Start something new and other's want to come along and the entire community's improved. Who know's what will happen in the years to come as people from across the country come and visit, work and share the dream of Siempre. It'll only draw more attention to children fighting to survive in poverty and give us the opportunity to share in The Healing Grace of God. Looking forward to a Great Memorial Day Weekend - hope you're planning on joining us.
siempre,
 Eric M. Denton
Siempre Para Los Ninos
email:
eric@siemprekids.org
phone:
1-951-689-5806
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