God is moving mightily among us here at OHI. On December 11, 2010 at 6:00 pm we will host Share the Hope, a gala dinner and auction to promote the ministry in Colombia. Please mark your calendars for this important event! More details to follow…
This morning we had breakfast with the board of Fundacion Tayakai, our partners in Colombia. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, dream building, organizing, and good old fashioned communication. We have many miracle projects that have come out of our meetings this week that we have to get started on. I will use my last post to tell you all about them and how you all can help. But for now back to this day. After our breakfast we took a tour of some beautiful old buildings near where we were having breakfast and when we came back to the breakfast room the Goddaughters were waiting there for us. Such a joyous reunion ensued that it is hard to put into words. I can still feel the arms tight around my neck and feel the kisses on my cheek. We spent the rest of the day touring old town Bogota with the girls and generally having a marvelous time. We stopped in a restaurant and had a late lunch and enjoyed wonderful fellowship. Our two translators, Alexandra and Nep, were absolutely wonderful. Finally it was time for the girls to return to the orphanage and we said our sweet goodnights. The board sat up very late strategizing and talking about the new developments God has sent our way through this trip. This entire trip for me has been a miracle. I know I keep using that word but I literally saw the hand of God everywhere building a team between Orphan Hope International, Fundacion Tayakai, and ICBF. At the same moment the spiritual warfare with the forces of darkness was intense and at the same time the fingerprints of our Father were on everything. It was amazing. I hesitate to use a very personal instance to show what I mean but I think it will illustrate very well what this whole trip was like. At one point in the trip, we were in a meeting that could literally make or break our future ministry in Colombia from man’s perspective. I was suffering horribly with my Systemic Lupus and had been the entire trip. My kidneys were aching fiercely and I had been passing blood all day. I am sitting in this meeting and each of us is sharing and I am praying like crazy that I can make it to the end of the meeting and I get a text from my wife alerting me to a turn for the worse in a situation where we are helping an abused girl and my daughters are out on the streets looking for her. About five minutes later I get a message on my phone from my bank alerting me that my direct deposit paycheck didn’t go through and automatic payments are being cancelled and my account is in the red. It was pure grace alone but I literally chuckled, looked heavenward and smiled, and went on with the meeting and God gave us some amazing things in that meeting. I know a few stories from some of the rest of the board that happened that night that are as astounding as well but I will leave those for them to tell someday. My point is that God is mightily at work in Colombia and Satan is not happy about it but he is ultimately powerless to stop it so his only recourse is harassment and as long as we remember where it is coming from and that greater is HE that is in me than he that is in the world, we can smile and go on. Praise Jesus!
One of our strategies for this trip was to scout out a new orphanage to visit on the mission trip in January. The previous day when talking with ICBF they told us about an orphanage in the mountains outside of Bogota and so we went left out of the hotel on this morning headed for this new orphanage. As we wound our way up into the mountains the scenery became wilder and more beautiful. We came to a police checkpoint and after several minutes of sitting there with the police talking back and forth with our driver, Sandra went to go see what was going on. Apparently our van did not have an updated inspection and since we were traveling through a secluded area the police were afraid that the van might break down and there would be a whole van of Americans stranded in the mountains of Colombia. Not a good idea. Sandra told them of our mission and that we had an appointment with this orphanage and we really needed to get through. She is very persuasive. So the police decided that they would let us through and that one of the officers would escort our van to the orphanage in a prisoner transport van that they had nearby. So we set out again for the orphanage with our police escort with flashing lights leading the way. We hadn’t gone two miles when sure enough the van broke down on the side of the mountain. We all piled out laughing and shooting pictures like total tourists while Sandra went and negotiated with the officer and some of the men tried to see what was wrong with the van. It had thrown a serpentine belt and was not going anywhere. Finally, the police officer agreed and we piled into the prisoner transport van and headed for the orphanage once more. I can only imagine what the children thought when we pulled up to the orphanage, lights flashing, and the new people who were coming to tell them about Jesus piled out of a police van. It was hilarious.
We spent some wonderful time with the children and officials in this beautiful, breathtaking little town called La Calera. The views were stunning and the needs were great. We too soon had to leave because we had a big dinner planned with the officials from several orphanages in Bogota for that night. As we drove away from one of the locations some cute little boys were peaking through the fence, waving and asking, “Are you coming back tomorrow?” Of course we couldn’t but we will visit them again in January.
That night we hosted a very nice dinner with the officials of two orphanages in Bogota and shared our presentation and answered many questions. There was much support and excitement from all in attendance and even a few tears as we talked about the children and about Jesus and about many things. It was a fantastic evening and I believe all felt the presence of the Lord and all sensed that we were on the cusp of something huge for the children and the people of Colombia. We went to bed exhausted but praising God that we were so blessed to be a part of this work.
First, let me say that this trip was dedicated solely to meeting with different parts of the Colombian government to establish official relationships with them and Orphan Hope International and our Colombian partners Fundacion Tayakai.
Much preliminary work went into making this trip possible. I want to give a personal thanks to our entire team who worked very hard and sacrificed greatly to make this trip a reality.
We arrived Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 9:00 pm and were greeted by Sandra, Antonio, and Chris Dinkler who was already in country on business. We arrived at the hotel, spent some time in prayer where we asked God to be our vanguard and to go before us and prepare the way. Then we bedded down, ready for a big day the next day at ICBF, the department for family welfare for Colombia.
The next day, Thursday, September 16, 2010 we arrived at the national headquarters of ICBF around 8:00 am all decked out in our suits and ties and the ladies in business attire. I know that we were all praying hard as we walked into the building. Our party included Orphan Hope board of directors David Richardson, Chris Dinkler, Bill Byrd and his wife Sandy, Shoby John and myself. Also included were Antonio and Sandra of Fundacion Tayakai, Alexandra Vanegas, Orphan Hope Assistant Secretary and Translator, and Nep Reyes, Orphan Hope Advisory Council Member and Translator. Our first meeting was with the adoption leg of ICBF and the Assistant Director of Adoptions led the meeting. She and her team introduced us to the inner workings of ICBF. This presentation lasted about 2 hours and was very informative and helpful. We had prepared a 30 minute powerpoint presentation of our ministry and had also brought bound printed copies of the presentation because we were not sure if we would be allowed to present and we wanted to have a leave behind for them. As God began to open doors and open the hearts of the officials we were meeting with the opportunity arose to give our full presentation and we did so. We shared about our vision for mission trips, padrino plan, adoption awareness and someday adoption agency, safe houses, and English program. We also were able to share that it was the love of Jesus Christ that filled us and overflowed out of us for the children, people, and nation of Colombia. At the end of the presentation the Assistant Director of Adoptions for the whole nation of Colombia said, “Well, I want to say that I love it. I am very impressed and I think your vision is the same as our vision. We welcome your ministry.” We couldn’t have been more excited and relieved to hear that. We broke for lunch praising God for His help and blessing.
When we returned from lunch another segment of ICBF began to present their inner workings. Suddenly an official stepped into the room and said that the General Director, the highest ranking person in ICBF wanted to meet with us. Word had already reached her about who we were and what we were doing. We all trooped upstairs to the executive conference room and there we met the Director of Protection who oversees all of the orphanages in Colombia and then in walked the General Director and we all sat down. Just as the meeting was getting started in walks Marley one of the Goddaughters who we have been on many trips with and soon to be adopted by our dear friends and Orphan Hope Advisory Council members Curt and Tonya Currie. As it turns out Marley and the General Director are friends. So the General Director turns to Marley and says tell me about these people and Marley starts to cry and says, “They have the love of God and when they come to the orphanages they bring this love and they have changed my life.” Wow! What a way to start the meeting. Then for the next several minutes we each get to tell our story and how we became involved and we were briefly able to present our ministry. When it came around to Bill and Sandy Byrd, they began to cry as they told about what God did and is doing in their hearts and nearly everyone in the room had tears in their eyes. It was a wonderful meeting. The General Director asked us if we were a Christian ministry and we said yes and then she further asked us if we were an Evangelical Christian ministry and we said yes. When we were all done answering her questions and presenting the ministry she smiled and said, “We are very excited about all that you are doing and want to do in Colombia.” “I have three points that I want done in reference to this ministry.” “1. I want you to work with my office at the national level on all of your programs. 2. I want to send a delegation from ICBF to Texas to meet with all of you and see your community and find out about you. 3. I want us to draw up a legal 3-way agreement between Orphan Hope, Fundacion Tayakai, and ICBF to clarify how we are going to work together to make your vision a reality.” She also told us that she would communicate with her counterpart in the U.S., Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to let her know that we would be working together on these issues.
Needless to say we walked out of the meeting without touching the ground. God has opened for us a very large door to be able to minister to the children, the people, and the government of Colombia and this was just the first day!
Almost minutes after our fifth trip to Bogota in June we began planning the launch of an organized ministry to take the lead in organizing and promoting what God was leading us to do in Colombia. Two weeks after we arrived back in the states we had a meeting and chose the name Orphan Hope International. We formed a board of directors which included David Richardson as president, Chris Dinkler as vice president, Bill Byrd as treasurer, Shoby John as secretary, and me as spiritual director. We elected two officers, Sandra Patricia Forero as vice president of Colombian affairs, and Alexandra Venegas as assistant secretary and translator. Many nights were spent at Bill and Sandy Byrd’s house hashing out all of the details of organizational structure of the ministry. Sandy always fed us like kings and we always had fun fellowshipping with one another so that made the chore very enjoyable. We also added and continue to add advisory council members including Luis Escobar, Curt and Tonya Currie, Dave and Gail Beach, Nep and Dona Reyes. God continues to send us wonderful people with varied talents and gifts to assist us in blessing the children of Colombia. We have established a website at www.orphanhopeintl.org and we have a presence on Facebook as well. Our vision statement reads, “Positively transforming the lives of orphans and those who minister to them through Christ-centered Mery Missions, Padrino Program, Adoption Awareness, and Haven Homes. You can read all about it on our website. We have also helped to establish an alliance partner organization in Colombia called Fundacion Tayakai. Tayakai means Me in a native dialect of Colombia. It brings attention to the fact that these children are people. Through these two entities we hope to greatly impact the nation of Colombia for Christ in the years to come and rescue many sweet little children and bring them to the savior. To God be the glory!
Here are some of the reasons we are so passionate about this…
Facts and Statistics
It is estimated there are between 143 million and 210 million orphans worldwide (recent UNICEF report.) The UNICEF orphan numbers DON’T include abandonment (millions of children) as well as sold and/or trafficked children. The current population of the United States is just a little over 300 million… to give you an idea of the enormity of the numbers…
According to data released in 2003 as many as eight million boys and girls around the world live in institutional care. Some studies have found that violence in residential institutions is six times higher than violence in foster care, and that children in group care are almost four times more likely to experience sexual abuse than children in family based care.
Every day 5,760 more children become orphans
Approximately 250,000 children are adopted annually, but…
Each year 14, 505, 000 children grow up as orphans and age out of the system by age sixteen
Each day 38,493 orphans age out
Every 2.2 seconds another orphan ages out with no family to belong to and no place to call home
Studies have shown that 10% – 15% of these children commit suicide before they reach age eighteen
These studies also show that 60% of the girls become prostitutes and 70% of the boys become hardened criminals
Another study reported that of the 15,000 orphans aging out of state-run institutions every year, 10% committed suicide, 5,000 were unemployed, 6,000 were homeless and 3,000 were in prison within three years…
An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked every year; (THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2005)
2 million children, the majority of them girls, are sexually exploited in the multibillion-dollar commercial sex industry. (THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2005)
WHY COLOMBIA?
There are many reasons and ways that God has clearly led us to minister in Colombia. Here are just a few:
In 2010 Colombia had 577,000 orphans. (Children on the Brink) Note: For a little perspective, Orphan Hope International makes approx. 4 organized trips to Colombia per year. We minister to approx. 500 orphans per trip. At that rate it would take us 289 years to just see every orphan once. Colombia, is just one country in Latin America. Latin America is just one of three regions of the world, along with Asia and Africa, where the orphan problem is rampant. Asia and Africa have a vastly larger orphan problem than Latin America.
Colombia has been under the scourge of a 40-year civil war. This, along with the drug trade, has caused violence and consequently a rise in orphans in this country.
Girls, especially orphans, are abducted into child soldiery and sexual slavery and are sometimes forced into armed service by their parents as a form of ‘tax payment’, as happens in Colombia. (THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2005)
In Colombia, for example, girls as young as 12 are reported to have submitted sexually to armed groups in order to ensure their families’ safety. (THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2005)
Interpol estimates there are 35,000 women and girls trafficked out of Colombia every year for the sex trade, with estimated profits of $500 million, making Colombia second only to the Dominican Republic in the West. It is beyond comprehension the horror that these women and girls face as they service on average 40 clients per day. (Interpol)
1.2 million children are trafficked every year world wide; this is in addition to the millions already held captive by trafficking.
The average age of a trafficked victim is 14 years old.
One can only imagine what will happen to the sweet, pretty girls that we meet in the orphanages when they are turned out into the street at 18 years of age. This is why we have made safe houses one of our four main priorities is so that these girls are not on the street and vulnerable.
Here is what God says about orphans…
God Loves Orphans…
Deuteronomy 10:18 “He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.”
Psalm 10:14 The unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the helper of the orphan.
Psalm 68:5-6 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely;
Jeremiah 49:11 “Leave your orphans behind, I will keep them alive; And let your widows trust in Me.”
Hosea 14:3 “For in You the orphan finds mercy.”
God Defends Orphans…
Deuteronomy 24:17 “You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge.
Psalm 10:17-18 O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear. To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.
Psalm 146:9 The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
Proverbs 23:10 Do not move the ancient boundary Or go into the fields of the fatherless, 11 For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.
God Commands Care For Orphans…
Deuteronomy 14:29 “The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
Deuteronomy 16:11, 14 and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite who is in your town, and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your midst, in the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name. 14 And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns.
Deuteronomy 24:19-21 “When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. “When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. “When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow.
Deuteronomy 26:13 “You shall say before the LORD your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion from my house, and also have given it to the Levite and the alien, the orphan and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed or forgotten any of Your commandments.
Job 22:9 “You have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the orphans has been crushed.
Psalm 82:3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.
Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.
Jeremiah 7:5-7 “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.
James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
God Opposes Harm Of Orphans…
Exodus 22:22-24 “You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. “If you afflict him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
Deuteronomy 27:19 ‘Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, orphan, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Job 6:27 “You would even cast lots for the orphans and barter over your friend.
Job 24:3, 9 “They drive away the donkeys of the orphans; They take the widow’s ox for a pledge. 9 “Others snatch the orphan from the breast, And against the poor they take a pledge.
Psalm 94:6 They slay the widow and the stranger and murder the orphans.
Isaiah 1:23 Your rulers are rebels And companions of thieves; Everyone loves a bribe And chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, Nor does the widow’s plea come before them.
Isaiah 10:2 So as to deprive the needy of justice And rob the poor of My people of their rights, So that widows may be their spoil And that they may plunder the orphans.
Jeremiah 5:28 ‘They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.
Jeremiah 22:3 ‘Thus says the LORD, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.
Ezekiel 22:7 “They have treated father and mother lightly within you. The alien they have oppressed in your midst; the fatherless and the widow they have wronged in you.
Zechariah 7:10 and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’
Malachi 3:5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.
Will you help us?