7th Trip To Bogota, January 2011 Day 5

We have not had internet since Thursday night so I am catching up today. Friday morning’s devotion covered another P from the life and ministry of Jesus, Purpose. Christ’s coming had many purposes. John Piper has written a book entitled 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die. But the two that we focused on this morning were preaching and adoption.

Mark 1:38 He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.”

Mark 3:14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach,

Jesus came to preach and He sent each of us to preach the message of the good news of salvation as well. This is one of the main focuses of the Mercy Missions pillar of Orphan Hope International and we have enjoyed seeing God bring many souls to Himself this week in groups and one on one.

The most amazing purpose for Christ’s coming though is the adoption of a bunch of rebels into the family of God.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name… AMAZING!

Eph. 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will… AMAZING!

Jesus’ primary purpose in coming was an adoption… yours and mine!

That is another pillar of Orphan Hope International, Adoption Awareness. John Piper calls the adoption of orphans by Christians in our world today, “the living gospel” and I think he is right.

Adoption is a scary word for many Christians and frankly it should be… it is literally laying down your life for another…

I had so many wonderful conversations with so many girls and workers. God is moving mightily here. Praise His name! As I walked to the park with a cute little girl named Marcela, I asked her what her dream for the future was. She said she wanted to be a defender when she grows up so she could help lots of children. A defender is the legal representative from the government that oversees the care of each child under protection by Colombian child welfare. I told Marcela that I was very proud of her and that I believed she could, with God’s help, do that very thing. As we walked farther I explained to her about faith and about the narrow way and the broad way and about how Jesus would hold her hand and walk with her as she put her full faith in Him.

Another blessing for me this day were the prayers of the righteous availing much, my brother in the Lord… Goliath… I mean Chris Dinkler, and my other brother in the Lord, Shoby the masseuse. The schedule of the last several months and the lack of rest on this trip pushed my Lupus over the edge today and by the time we got back from the park I was very ill. All of my joints were so inflamed they were nearly completely immovable and I was in excruciating pain. As I sat in a chair in the shade praying for help our Venezuelan Evangelistic Dynamic Duo, Nep and Dona Reyes walked by and I called them over and asked them to pray over me. They are familiar with my predicament and have prayed for me before. They immediately came over and laid hands on me and prayed a beautiful prayer in Spanish for God to give me strength and take away the pain. Within a few minutes I was feeling much better and was up moving around and then went on to enjoy the rest of the day with the girls. Later that night Chris, who is 6′ 4″ came over and picked me up, all 250 pounds of me, like a doll and cracked my back really good, then Shoby came by with a little massage tool and worked my back over good with it. None of them knew what I was suffering or what the others had done for me but God sent them one by one to bless me and keep me going. I know many of you were praying for me all week as well and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My treasured Goddaughter, Ginary, surprised me with something beautiful today. She came up and gave me a big squeeze around the waist and said, “Guess what?” “I am starting school next week.” I hugged her up and said excitedly, “I am sooo proud of you Ginary.” She giggled and hid her face in my chest and said, “I’m a good Goddaughter” she said. I said, “You are the best Goddaughter in the whole world.” She giggled again. You see Ginary is 16 years old and completely illiterate. She grew up in the city dump scavenging for scraps. At age 10 she got a job as a maid. The lady beat her severely and at 12 she ran away and ended up in the orphanage. I have been after her ever since becoming her Godfather over a year ago to go to school and learn how to read and write but she was always too embarrassed to be a 16 year old first grader but after coming to America and spending 3 weeks with us and meeting many of our friends and family she was so encouraged that she wants to get educated and make something of herself now. Praise God. Ginary walked by not long after where I was sitting with one of our team members, Patti Hammond. Patti looked at her and said, “that girl looks like a classic model” “she has the posture and the beauty.” I agreed and then shuddered to think what would have become of her in two years when she was turned out on the street but for the grace of God, our family, and Orphan Hope International.

I was able to love on and listen to Marianna’s heart more today. She is a precious, precious girl. I would take her home with me right now if I could. She cried and cried and hugged and kissed me and told me she wishes I was her Papito.

There are so many here like her. I wish I could adopt them all. I have enough love for them all that’s for sure… actually I’m just the conduit… it’s His love for them flowing through me that I feel… and it is beautiful… and it makes me love Him more.