We Need a Home

As we have been proceeding forward with our plans for Lupita’s Hope Women’s Home, and Hope For Families Foundation, we have been very encouraged to see how God has been moving on the hearts of dear friends, here in El Salvador, to begin donating items we will need in order to furnish a separate home.

We have realized over the course of this year, that opening up a second home to found the women’s home, is the best decision.  At first, we thought that we would just use our private home.  Lupita and Keyri (pronounced: Katie) are living with us as our first participants in Lupita’s Hope.  Everything is going well with them here, but, it has shown us the importance of having private space for our family.  Especially while we have children still in the home.  On the one hand, it has been a blessing for all of us, extending ourselves for others, sacrificing and putting others ahead of our own comfort, and even our privacy.  Lupita is really part of the family, as we have known her for about seven years, and we completely trust her in our home, with our kids, and with our stuff.  But, as the home grows, and we have women staying with us whom we don’t already have a long-standing relationship with, things could get a little dicey.  So, we have seen the wisdom of having a separate home.  Both David and I have felt that God has put this into our hearts very strongly.  At this moment, we do not have funding for a separate home.  We have other women that we are praying about opening our doors to.  For instance, Mayrita.  Mayrita is a young lady, (18), who lives up in a high mountain village.  She is from an extremely poor family, whose father abandoned them, and whose mother died.  She helped to take care of her little brothers and sisters as they were growing.  Our friend, Marina, who is a missionary here in the country, has been reaching out to this village for years.  She has been pouring into Mayrita’s life and has recently helped her graduate from high-school, with honors. She had to travel far to attend school.   She is a hard working, precious little gal, who speaks so softly that I must strain to hear her.  When she talks about her life, tears stream down her face.  Her life has been very painful, but, she has come to know her Savior, and she has abandoned herself into His arms, and loves Him with all her heart. She is praying that she will have the chance to realize her dream of going to study at the University. We are asking God to provide what we would need to invite her to our home, to help her continue her education and give Mayrita and her family a chance for a better future.  Mayrita is just one example of many that we would love to reach out to.
Our dear friend, Kelly Moreton, who recently left El Salvador, called us the week she was leaving and said, “Hey, I have a lot of stuff I am needing to give away before I leave, and I was wondering if you guys could use it for your ministry?”  We went to her apartment, and we were overwhelmed with the amount of awesome stuff she wanted to unload on us!  It was incredible, and we felt as though it was another way God was saying, “Yes, you are doing the right thing.  Keep going, and I will provide!”   

To open the home we estimate that we will need to raise approximately $6,000 to buy all the furniture, appliances, and supplies.  We are estimating that it will cost $1,700 monthly to operate the home in the beginning.  We are confident that God will supply all our needs as we go before Him.  Please keep praying with us.  

Lupita has a New Job

Last week, Lupita began training for her new job at The Blue Door Café!  This sweet, little coffee shop is owned by some friends of ours from Union Church.  Lupita is very excited to have this opportunity and is learning the coffee biz very quickly.   Of course, this brings a whole new dynamic to our home.

  We are caring for Keyri when she works; about 20 hours a week.   The owners of the café told her that when she needs to, she can bring Keyri with her to work.  So, we are taking it one day at a time, and so far, so good. 

Last Friday, we dropped Lupita off to work and Keyri was NOT happy about leaving her momma there.  We worked through that with LOTS of tears, and she ended up having a great night.  Little Keyri is used to things going her way.  Unfortunately, here in El Salvador, most parents just indulge their children in order to keep the peace.  They don’t know any other way.  So, little by little, I am trying to help Lupita see the wisdom of a different path of parenting.  It is hard for her.  It is revolutionary for her to actually say ‘no’ to the little princess!  Or to make her eat her food at meal times instead of picking at it, leaving the table, and eating candy. She doesn’t take naps, or have a bedtime.  Lupita doesn’t realize that she can discipline her to lay down when she says.  She tells me, “I guess Keyri isn’t tired.” Ha! Oh, I could go on and on!  But, I am trying to (patiently) give her advice and guidance in order to not overwhelm her.  The fact that we are now going to be caring for Keyri while she works much of the time, means that we will have to work as a team, and that means being on the same page.  PLEASE pray for wisdom for me as I navigate this area of ministry.  It has not been easy.  Lupita has always been teachable, so that really helps.  When I have suggested she try something, she jumps on it, and seems very pleased with the results.