January 2010

January 2010

Dear Friends,

We hope you had a blessed Christmas and New Year! This is such a wonderful time when you are surrounded by family and friends. But the holidays can also be a sad and lonely time for so many people in the world. My husband, Enrique, never experienced a happy Christmas growing up with an alcoholic father. Every year, his father got drunk and made Christmas a miserable time for the family.

Enrique never had a relationship with his father growing up, and ten years ago, a few months before we were married, he had to physically remove his father from the home where they had lived for so many years. It was no longer safe for his sister and mother to live with him. Enrique struggled to forgive him. We prayed God would do a miracle in his life.

When our first child was born, Enrique’s dad longed to be part of her life so he quit drinking! As our family grew, he reached out to the children, and now they call him “Abuelo.” He even came to our Bible study meetings. His heart had been so hard for so many years, but God begin to do a work in him. This last year, he has been extremely sick from years of drinking and smoking. Several times, we were not sure if he would live. Enrique rushed out to the hospital to pray with him on many occasions.

This year at Christmas we decided to invite him to stay with us. We fixed up a room, and the children made cards and gifts. We had twelve children in our home this year. On Christmas Eve, we all sat around the Christmas tree while Enrique read the Christmas story from the Bible. As I looked around, I was amazed at God’s goodness and mercy. Enrique’s mother was there too. For Enrique, having his parents with us on Christmas Eve was the best gift he could have gotten.

Each child shared about what Christmas meant to them and the most important thing was just being together. Enrique’s fathers eyes filled with tears as we shared. We saw a softer side to him and he was so grateful for his time with us and the children. As Enrique drove him home a few days later, he said, “You know it is hard to change, but I want you to know I am trying.” “Dad,” Enrique said, “I am too. We all have to work on things every day.”

God is forming and molding us every day, and He never stops. And He can change anyone! Sometimes we have to take a long look back on our lives to see how much we have changed and see what God has done. After Jesus was born, the Bible says “Mary treasured all these things in her heart and meditated on them.” To meditate is to reflect and look back on all God has done. It is being aware of what has happened. Sometimes life can get busy, and we don’t take the time to reflect on all He has done. However, if we look back—our lives are really a miracle!

We appreciate your love and support and standing with us. We would like to ask for your prayers for Nini’s sister, Hillary. Nini has been living with us for two years now. Hilary still lives with their mother. They live in a small, one-room house in a very bad part of town. She stays with us some on some week-ends and most holidays. Hillary’s mother drinks too much, and it has been hard on Hillary. We need God’s wisdom in knowing how to best help her and her mother. Hillary is in need of so much love and guidance. We appreciate your prayers.

In February, the children will start a new year of school. Every year, we help many children to be able to get uniforms and books for school. All children are required to wear uniforms. February is a very expensive month for us with so many extra school expenses. Please pray we will have the resources to continue to help these children to get an education.

Words really cannot express how much we appreciate all you have done to help us and the children here. We pray you will have a joyous and very blessed New Year!

Love,



Enrique and Charlyn Mejia