Kyle Cox  - El Salvador trip August 2010

We visited 6 orphanages in 5 days. At the first orphanage I was amazing to see that the girls recognized so many of our team who went to El Salvador last year. These kids just don’t forget and I’ve learned this week that is one of the ways Jesus works. There was a 4 year old girl who had arrived in the orphanage 3 days before we got there. At the beginning of the day this little girl was the saddest thing I had ever seen. By the end of the day she was laughing and having a blast. The nuns told us it was the first time they have ever seen her laugh. God had perfectly planned for us to be there at the right time and He was already working in hearts through love!  The second day what really hit me was when I was hugging and saying goodbye to an 11 year old girl and she told me in the best English she could, "I will never forget you". This almost brought me to tears. Leaving that place was difficult, and I will never forget her or what she said.   On Wednesday things became even more eye opening. We visited a mental institution and an AIDS orphanage. I can’t describe how horrible their living conditions in the mental institution where, but yet they were some of the happiest people I have ever seen. Next we went to the AIDS orphanage. They were so much fun to play with. They all wanted to just get on your shoulders and play Mecca...which later we found out means tag! But the coolest thing about this day was when one of the team members was reading a small Bible to a boy who couldn’t read. The boy was just sitting in his lap hanging on every word. That is a perfect example of Christ’s love. Another that day was when another team member was sitting by a girl in a wheel chair who had been paralyzed from spinal injury. He stayed with her for hours just being there for her, doing crafts with her, pushing her in the wheel chair. This to me was a perfect picture of a servant’s heart and of what Jesus would do.  On Thursday there was a little girl who I was immediately attached to who started calling me papa.  That was tough to hear knowing I’d be leaving soon. It made me realize how much these kids need love and affection. They don’t have a mother or father, but that is why we are here to tell them about their Heavenly Father who loves them so much. This orphanage also had newborn babies who have no home or parents. I know that those babies are loved by Jesus and there is nothing outside of His control and that He will take care of them.  At the last orphanage an 11 girl asked if I would be coming back next year. When I said that I would love to she said that she would not be here and she burst into tears. Once again Christ love moved through her as we shared that He will always be with her and love her and that we will pray for her and that He is our hope. She calmed down some and had a great rest of the day. Christ’s love saves lives, it comforts those who are hurt, and it puts together those who are broken.

On this trip God taught me so much about His love - it literally saves lives. When we preached about Christ’s love and saw these kids smile, it was evident that God was moving through them. In Isaiah 55:11 it says that God will complete His work that is started in all those who hear it. These kids have heard His voice and I have no doubt God will finish what He started in them because He loves them. There is nothing that is outside of God's control and that gives me hope for these kids knowing that HE knows every single hair on their head and HE has a plan for them! I also learned this week to think next time I get hungry and be thankful that I at least get tons of food, or to think when I get angry with my parents that at least I have parents. It was so cool to see these amazing children so happy in such horrible conditions. I have been put to a challenge this week that I would like to share with you ...tell the world that Jesus lives! That should be one of our primary goals in life and this week has opened my eyes and reminded me of this. We live in a world of hate and abuse. Jesus Christ's love is what shines in this dark world. When we became His, we become servants of His and we need to tell the world - whether that means in our workplace, school, or mission trip. So many times in my life I have not taken seriously and I am so blessed that this week has convicted me of this. These kids were amazing. I love them and will never forget them! Christ's love changes lives! I have been truly blessed this week.

Beverly Bullen - Colombia trip June 2009

The summer that I graduated high school I read, “Don’t waste your life” by John Piper. When I read that book God put a fervent desire in my heart to give my life wholly and completely over to God to do with as He would. He stirred a passion in me to do something meaningful something that would impact the kingdom of God for His glory. That same summer God brought a young orphan girl into our life named Mercy. She needed a home and a loving forever family. I knew right away that God wanted me to make a ministry of this precious new sister. And so I spent that year pouring into her the love of God. And then one day my dad walks into the office and tells me about an opportunity he was given to go on a mission trip to Bogota, Colombia with Here I Am Orphan Ministries and I was reminded of what God had stirred in me the summer before. I had no idea what to expect and sometimes wondered what in the world were we getting ourselves into. The first day we visited a boy’s orphanage. It was very awkward and I did not know what to do with myself. And then one sweet shy little boy kept taking my hand every chance he got and started showing me around. He showed me everything but when he took me to one of the rooms where they sleep and showed me his bed and his little backpack that held all the little toys he owned I wanted to cry. That first day he hardly ever left my side soaking in all the love and affection he could. But after that he began to pull away and I realized it was because he knew we were going to leave and wanted to make it as least painful as he could by staying away. It broke my heart. That night I couldn’t stop thinking of all the little things in life I take for granted. Things like a hug or a shelf full of stuffed animals or a pantry full of food or just family. Over the next few days we visited two girls orphanages. I marveled at how selfless and loving these children were and at how even though we had gifts and food and things to give them what they wanted the most was our love. All they wanted was to hold your hand to make you laugh to hug you to see you smile. That baffled me the most. We were there to serve them and give them love and they were so eager to do just that for us. Telling these precious children goodbye on that last day was the hardest thing I have ever done. God stirred a passion in me when I read, “Don’t waste your life” to do something of worth and value for the kingdom of God. And I have to say I am certain I have found that something. And that something is to take God’s love and the gospel to Orphans and God willing bring some home to teach and train in the ways of the Lord.

Rebekah Bullen - Colombia September 2010

My life seemed to me to be useless lately. It seemed that all that I had done in my young life thus far had been without success. I had worked in churches and worked with people in ministry all of my life but no matter how I tried or how much I worked, it didn't seem that anything ever changed. I was without God’s love and power in my life, or so I thought. I had prayed every night that God would show Himself to me and show me that He still worked in power in our world. Then my father and sister went to Colombia on a mission trip in June with Here I Am Orphan Ministries. They came back with the joy of the Lord flowing through them and a passion for God and the children in Colombia that was absolutely contagious. I felt like they had found the place where God was working and where He wanted me to work as well. I needed to go to Colombia. I wanted to find God so bad that I could not sleep. Finally my dad and I went to Colombia in September, 2009. I can’t begin to explain how God met me but He did. And I will not be the same again. I will always be thankful that He answered my prayers.