We're here in Chihuahua where we first came to Mexico 3 or 4 years ago with our church to help an orphanage among other ministries... I was hoping to get to contact Suzanna who ran the orphanage when we were here last, but the mission we came with, COI, no longer operates here. The school we're at does alot of orphaange work, but did not know her and our contacts for her had dried up.
So I tried last Tuesday to see if we could remember where she was. we go to the area the Mission centre was at- where we slept and ate and drove form there down tons of streets, looking and looking for her to no avail.
We tried again last Thursday after classes to try out another route. We drove for over an hour, asked people who may know and came up empty handed again. we were told of a new orphanage- a larger one down the way and so we tried to find it only we got very lost. The only thing that helped me as it was getting darker was the mountains are always on one side and the highway on the other so I turned up a random street, frustrated, on my way back to the highway to go home.
Suddenly, Sharlene yelled out-- "There it is!!" It's pink now, but there are kids clothes hanginig on the patio and 2 vans and a SUV out front- that's it!!" we did a U-ey and came back and then recognized the neighbourhood- the little hardware store, the unfinished building, the tire shop and the house across the road with the palm tree in front- we had found it!! I had given up after several hours of trying and we drive in front of it "by accident" on te way out when we were no longer looking for it!! I still am a bit freaked out by it!!
We went in to visit and after about 3 minutes of explaining who we were, It clicked and Suzanna came and gave us all a big hug. There are 35 kids in the orphanage now and they have 2 large vans along with the old SUV they had. Not all was well though.
Suzanna explained that she had had a difficult year as both her mom and dad were sick for qite some time last spring and they both died within days of each other last July. In August her brother died and in December her son did in the US- he was 33 years old. She had obviously not recovered fromt he first 3 deaths and the 4th has been overwhelming for her. Her sister came to visit and they immediately embraced each other and cried in each others arms. Sharlene hugged them both and prayed for them as all 3 cried in each others arms. After a while we talked a bit about other things and what we had been doing. The home was in a bit of a shambles and it looked like she needed help just to be encouraged.
We returned the next day with the lady that we are staying with. Hopefully she can make a good connection with suzanna and maybe give some help through her church. We played with the kids, sorted laundry (mountains of laundry every day!!!) and talked and sang together. It was a good time and we're looking forward to going back on the weekends while we are here.
Thanks to those of you who prayed we'd reconnect with her- I think we were the encouragement she needed that day- She was happy to here her Loon Lake friends had been praying for her, were concnerned for her and hoped to somehow make a connection again with her. For those who were with us, it won't surprise you to know that Tim's name came up the most "oh you were here with Tim's group??" Many would like a return visit from Tim!!
The language learning is going well. We are seeing progress and are glad for 3 day weekends as there is lots to study and solidify before starting again on Monday. Shar and I do 6 hours a day whilel the kids have 4 hours. The other 2 we are in class the boys either go to the park, watch a movie or visit with their teacher- who has 3 kids around ours ages.
Believe it or not there is a bit of culture shock to get used to- we are right in an urban neighbourhood so the noise is tough to get used to- including the neighbourhood dealers who live next door. Today is mothers day and a typical mothers day night/early morning consists of seranading mom between 1 and 5 am. The mariachi bands were busy last night- but the most "emotional" of singers are the inebriated adult kids coming by cranking up the CD and singing loud enough to wake permanently sleeping... it was a rough night last night!!
Taco stands too=- there are NO taco stands where you can just go get a $1.00 taco- only taco restaurants where there are multiple different types of taco-like fast foods for exhorbitant prices. We're used to going for tacos for 5 and spending between 10 and 15 dollars. here it's more like $30-40 which means not many tacos for us!! It's hard to beleive we're in Mexico and craving tacos... On a good note- one of the taco restauraunts has a HUGE playplace with a min-soccer field and wireless internet access. We have interneat access at school- but only for about 10 minutes before and after class- so only about enough time to asnwer a couple emails...
thanks for praying- things are progressing- please continue to pray that that continues on in the coming 3 weeks!!
God bless!!
Mike for the family
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