Siempre Update May 15, 2009

Central Community Christian Fellowship

the reasons we build

you're STILL invited!

this week at siempre

Foundations are Forever

Look closely and you'll see men at work, preparing our new land, the piece we'd wanted so badly, we'd prayed for... completely cleared, plumbing in, gravel, sand and new dirt being compacted and by the time this email is read the slab has probably been poured. There are two ways to look at a little photo like this: 1. That's a lot of money being spent in a small time village outside of Tijuana, or 2. That's a great start on Beginnings@Siempre Para Los Ninos - a place where infants will take refuge and find a home for years to come. "To see the good that you ought to do and fail to do it- THIS is sin." God opened this door to share in the great work of opening our arms to children and now infants at Siempre. This year marks our 10th year of Memorial Day Building projects and our 5th year of building at Siempre. These "foundations," children loved, lifted up in their time of distress, sheltered, fed, given a home, an education, a family and an invitation to faith will last forever. A "mega- church" in Southern California canceled their Memorial Day Weekend missions trip to Mexico last week. They normally take 400 workers across the border- this year they refunded the money of just 40 saying it didn't make common sense financially to go. They're right. It doesn't make "common sense" but it sure makes Kingdom Sense. We sent their leader a note inviting any of their people who'd still like to go- to join us -I hope they do. We're down by over 50% in our numbers of workers. Money's never been so hard to come by to see the job through. Ken's spent more day's driving down alone and giving long hours of labor- on the site and meeting with lawyers -then on any of our projects. Jesus said: "Let the little children come unto me and forbid them not for of such is The Kingdom of God." How can we not go? Our name, our promise is ALWAYS for the children... not just in good times when we have more than enough... but ALWAYS. I'm more excited than ever about this years building team. Small as we are we have people joining us from as far away as Minnesota and Vancouver. We have families who attend "mega- churches" and those who serve in churches doing their best just to get by and keep their doors open. And we have a core group from our founding church: Central Community, who've opened their arms to others to share the task every Memorial Day Weekend for 10 years... it's how we're the church at work. I know I've already said it- I'll say it again -You're Still Invited! Builders are needed now, more than ever before. Infants are waiting to be rescued. Lives are on the line. The Foundation being set this Memorial Day Weekend is forever... and you can play a part in it.

Infants without names... what do you call them? How does one assume the great responsibility of naming a child placed in our care? What will their last names be if no one ever adopts them? Siempre's director, Alejandro, told us the story of getting the babies- how hard the people of DIF were working -how many babies they had to care for... I could only think of how many never find the shelter of their care in Tijuana, a city of millions, adding nearly a thousand new residents, almost all of them living in poverty, every single day... what happens to those babies? Telling the story of these new infants during my message last Sunday, talking about infants without a name... a woman in the church began to raise her hand like a kid in school... it's been 25 years since I taught public school but it must be ingrained deep within... mid-message- I turned and "called" on her: "Yes Jeri, do you have a question?" "I know what we should name the little girl!" she said excitedly, "Grace!" Suddenly, it seemed so obvious, the series I'm preaching, leading into Memorial Day Weekend is titled: Waiting for Grace. Grace had arrived... we just had to recognize and name her. Sharing the story with our leaders at Siempre they immediately agreed that Grace was her name: Graciella in Spanish. We then held the baby boy and as Dr. Ricks suggested Jesus and Alejandro tried out Salvador- Consuellos, the infants primary care giver, asked if we could name him David... said he seemed like a David to her... and so his name is David. God moves... we've prayed that God would give us the opportunity to help rescue abandoned babies as part of our work... now we've held them, named them... they're part of our lives and resident in our hearts... He's given us the Grace we were waiting for. God moves and He changes us forever. Grace is waiting... she's perfect, safe and at home at Siempre... Grace is waiting to change your life. God moves. God's moving. Don't miss this moment of grace.

"But now we have been given a brief moment of grace..." That's the OT prophet Ezra speaking... (Ezra 9:8), some of my favorite words in the Bible... this life, this opportunity, this open door is our invitation to celebrate all we are in Christ, in love, and to acknowledge that today is but "a brief moment of grace" that quickly passes away. Today our door to serve, to give, to love is open... and the rewards... so far beyond anything we've been prepared for outside of His Grace. Dr. Ricks handed out candy to the kids, walked through Samaritan House to visit Ken and see how far we've come, visited our new property and finally, saving the best for last, he gave each of our new children, Kimberly, David and Grace their first well baby check ups at Siempre. Standing close by, watching little Grace clutch his finger as he measured her reflexes, I couldn't help but smile as Dr. Ricks laughed a wonderful laugh of joy and Grace. Ten years ago he and his wife Mary were on our very first building trip... now, ten years later, he was able to put his calling to work for Christ at Siempre, a labor he's shared since day 1. I thought of so many of you who are anxiously waiting to return, to build, to share the lives of these infants... I prayed that I had the opportunity to be there and hear you laugh when you held them in joy and that in ten years the door would still remain open... and then I caught myself, remembering Ezra: "we have been given this brief moment of grace." We don't know how long it will last, we have today to give our very best... to build a foundation at Siempre Para Los Ninos that will last forever, with arms open wide, always for the children. I'm thankful to share this work with good people like you. It's changed my life. It never embarrasses me to ask for money or to invite you to share the weekend to come- even at this late date -I know it can change your life as well, if you'll only let it. The door is open... today.

Siempre Para Los Ninos