Heavy Heart

I have started writting a new blog 3 different times... They're saved, unfinished, on my desktop.

But today, my heart is heavy with concern... and cannot wait to post a well thought out reflection on all that has happened in the last few months.

Instead I will only share my concerns, so that you may join with me in prayer.

Some of these are legal things, and I can't share all the details or names. But here are the situations that have left me overwhelmed by the need for God's intervention today:

I have a boy who is here in the albergue because of abuse. He is young, and was badly abused, along with his two sisters. The home environment has not changed. The mother and uncle (who both live in the home and are supposedly the primary care givers, but in reality the main sources of abuse) are both mentally handicapped. As an attempt to begin receiving child support (money) have appealed to take the children home. The judge granted this appeal – to a mentally handicapped man who is on record for abuse. We, here at the orphanage, are trying to react and stop this, but in reality they could show up ANY minute and take those three home again.

I trust God, but I DO NOT TRUST the Peruvian system to protect these children. I am afraid. Please pray that we can get the judge to reverse his decision and keep these children here – safe.

One of my little guy's has been struggling with what I can only describe as depression. He is only 4, but has already been through so much. His mother is dead, and the night she was shot he spent in the desert in her arms as she died. His father is in prison. His aunt and uncles come to visit, but not regularly. But because of these visits he can not be put up for adoption. He is sad. He needs a family. He needs healing. Please pray we can love him and minister to him effectively. Pray for healing.

Today the Peruvian (irresponsible) agency in charge of deciding kids fate - Do they go in adoption or not – will come to talk with one of my boys. Based on the discussion they make today they will decide whether this child (who has been in the albergue for over 4 years already) will stay here for the next 11 years or have a chance at a forever family. They have already informed us of their desire to remove him (and his brother and sister) from the adoption list and leave them here until they each age out because of past situations in the family. One wrong comment from the kids about loving their mom and they buy themselves 10+ years in an orphanage. Pray that God be in that meeting – guiding the mouths of those children and the hearts of the Peruvian officials to a decision that is actually BEST for the kids, not just easiest.

There are so many other needs and reasons to pray for my boys... and all the kids here

(like the fact that we've had two of our girls test positive for tuberculosis in the past week).

Today, I ask that you please lift these up in Prayer. God is bigger than the Peruvian government... And he has a plan for each of these precious children.