Helpful Little Hands

One of the reasons why having Romon at the orphanage is extremely helpful is because he is a   man. A man surrounded by all female adult workers! So, because he is tall he can change the light bulbs, and because he is stronger, he can carry things easier than us women. One task given to him in particular is bringing in the food after some of the workers have gone grocery   shopping. You wouldn’t believe how heavy some of these items are.

Another great reason having him at the orphanage is the influence he has on the children, the young boys especially. They seem to listen to him without a problem. He plays rough with the boys and they love it. I love watching it too.

So, when Romon went out to help bring in the groceries, out come the others who wanted to do what “Tio” (Uncle) Romon was doing. Or maybe they just wanted to leave the Orphanage gates, who knows. I took a few pictures of them helping the best they could. They’re such sweet hearts. Enjoy!

They think they’re making progress (notice the straining)

I knew Tio Romon would work faster if I helped

Instead of carrying the entire bag, I think I’ll take the easy route

-Melinda Gore

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Weekend in Elkins, WV

Romon and I were invited to stay the weekend at some friends house in Elkins, WV (Randy & Renee). Romon meet Randy and Renee on the missions field in 2001. We all lived in Tulsa, OK together just last year. Crazy to think when God has a plan; it’s usually something you could not have planned out if you wanted to.

In our case, God called us to be missionaries and we are in the process of moving to Bolivia. In Randy and Renee’s case, God called them to be missionaries and moved them to Elkins, WV. They are youth pastors at Summit Church. What a responsibility? But such an honor to be responsible for changing our next generation of adults, leaders, Christians, etc. It is so needed.

Anyway, We were invited to speak to their youth this past Sunday. May is Missions month. They are learning what it is and means to be a missionary and how they can play a role in the Great Commission wherever they are. I think it’s awesome to take young people to other countries to experience life and ministry elsewhere, as they will be this July (Guatemala). It’s life changing for real!

We had a great time and trust that God used us in any way to challenge one more teen to live for him, not give in to the pressures and false pleasures of sin, and to carry a passion for missions and people in their hearts. We enjoy speaking to young people. I love what I do! Thank you to those of you who allow us the opportunity to do this full time. I don’t think you fully understand the impact you make in our lives and in the lives of people we are able to reach out to.

Melinda

Some of the teens- Vertical Youth

Randy & Renee

Taking Action

These thoughts originated from me noticing I need to take action in my own life. I thought about how many people I love who can benefit from taking action as well, so I found it fitting to write today and hope someone is encouraged to change today with me.   (Scriptures found in Jeremiah 1:17-4:1)

Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them.

Wow! What a statement. I’ve been working on some inward issues regarding standing up for what I believe in.  Not pushing my beliefs on people, but  not laughing and condoning sin.  I should not entertain it in fear of being rejected or being called “Holier than thou”.

No one else is afraid to stand up for their rights in their blatant sin. Homosexuals aren’t. So much that if you disagree with their lifestyle you are “discriminating”. So much that it is tolerated in churches, on the pulpit. Time for me to stop walking on egg shells hoping I don’t offend anyone. (I won’t be blasting people and calling people out. I know that we all sin and fall short of God’s glory.  I’m just not tolerating certain things in my life anymore.)

Today I have made you strong… You will stand against the whole land…

I interpreted this as a promise of God to give me boldness to stand up for my beliefs when others around me dishonor Him. Not to say “You are wrong you sinner!” Not to condemn, but to politely say, “I disagree with that, I love you, but I can’t take part in this conversation.” It’s not a huge “Shout it on the mountain top” statement. But a subtle stand that speaks volumes.

The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who taught my word ignored me…the prophets spoke in the name of Baal, wasting their time on worthless idols.

Religious leaders/Christians are not exempt from wrong doings. But so many blame Pastors and the church’s “hypocrisy” for them not living for God. This is a horrible excuse. It shows that some take no responsibility for their actions. It hurts me to see people going in circles still dealing with the same old issues. It’s time to take action.

…To an image…they say, ‘You are my father.’ They turn their backs on me, but in times of trouble they cry out to me… But why not call on these gods you have made? When trouble comes, let them save you if they can!

I think we have all been guilty of this in one or more occasions. Not worshiping other gods intentionally, but we make our jobs, our selves, our families our god. Why do we do it? We go along living our lives as we wish, then call on Him as a last resort. Why do we only call on God when we need him?

Why do you accuse me of doing wrong? You are the ones who have rebelled,” says the LORD.

My mom made me clean my room before going out to play when I was younger. I had to let God in on my plan. “Okay God, I’m going to take a nap and when I wake up I expect my room to be clean!” I woke up to see my room in the same messy condition and blamed God for not letting me go outside to play. Sounds ridiculous, I know.

I love this scripture because it describes our generation. We are so quick to blame God for not seeing results, as I did as a child. We are expecting too much from a God we do not acknowledge in our everyday lives.

I would love to treat you as my own children! … I looked forward to your calling me ‘Father,’ and I wanted you never to turn from me…come back to me, and I will heal your hearts.” Yes, we’re coming,” the people reply”.

“If you wanted to return to me, you could…and stray away no more.”

Some people seem to never escape what they think is a string of bad luck. Let’s take responsibility for our own actions, or lack of actions. Return to God! As the scripture above says, If you wanted to, you can return to Him and never turn away from Him again! He wants to heal your hearts. Respond like the people of Israel, and say, “Yes, I am coming…”

Melinda

Wake Up!

We see pets at the animal shelter and “Awwwwws” fill the room. We want to pick them up, pet them, and in many cases take them home. These pets are 100% taken care of, some cats have expensive bells around their necks, exquisite scratching posts, while dogs have a wardrobe full of clothing to call their own, costly doggie beds and collars, and expensive purses to carry the puppy around in. Our pets eat 2-3 times a day with humans waiting on them hand and foot. (I know this because I am a dog lover and have had my share of dogs).  We sacrifice our bed and couch space so that our cats or dogs can sleep comfortably. Not once do we expect to receive praise from others for caring for our animals. We live selflessly for our pets. It doesn’t surprise me to know that “Americans spend more money on pet food in a 52 day period than they give in a year”.  I can’t help but wonder why do people have a greater passion for pets than actual people? We’ll never admit it, but we invest in what we believe in, the numbers don’t lie.

Every 2.2 seconds another child becomes an orphan. The total number of orphans worldwide is projected to reach 44 million by 2010. Now, if only we can have the same genuine concern for people in need than we do for animals in need.

I know that before we became missionaries, one reason we decided to start supporting orphans was because we knew of a reliable organization that really takes care of the children’s needs with the funds we donate (House Of  Dreams Orphanage in Bolivia). So I want to assume that most people do not give to others in need because they do not know the need and how they can help. I want to say it’s a safe assumption, but unfortunately it is not. Some do not give because they do not have the money, others have good intentions but never get around to it, others simply because they can’t see past their own needs and/wants. I’m sure there are other reasons, but you can fill in the blanks.

At the moment I feel frustrated, angry, disappointed in whom? Christians….the body of Christ. It is asleep, ineffective, useless, concerned mainly about its building fund and personal wants (not always necessarily a need).  Non-Christians are not exempt here. To think we have become so consumed with ourselves at the cost of others.  Why is it that only when there is disaster every few years like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and  the Earth Quake in Haiti  do we care enough to give a few dollars and offer up a few prayers for people in need? Even after that, a few days or a week later, their suffering is long forgotten.

Here is their reality: daily they suffer. I mean real suffering, not the suffering a person experiences when they refuse to get a job in order to get  “free money” then spends it all on appearances and fast food. I mean the suffering caused by being trafficked, molested, raped, hungry, (fill in the blanks). How about those children who lack a family, a hug, or hearing the words “I love you”? Things we all so easily take for granted. People are in need, and if we are in the position to meet a need, we have to ask ourselves…why haven’t I?

“The King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (Matthew 25:40)

I encourage you to wake up! Become aware of the issues around us. Begin to live selflessly. What greater pleasure than to serve others in need while at the same time, serving God? There is so much freedom and pleasure in doing so.  There is a surplus of needs. There are also people and organizations willing to help, but need your funds, time, and/or commitment. Find one! It won’t only change the person’s life you are helping, but surprisingly…it’ll change yours. It has mine.

Melinda

I’m READY!!!…Aren’t I?

After a short 3 month visit to Cochabamba, Bolivia, i found my self nestled in the mountains of  West “By God” Virginia.  This i the place where i spent the first 18 years of my life, most of my family lives within a 3-hour radius so i should be excited to be able to spend a few months here….right? I have found myself spending countless hours thinking about “when I get back to Bolivia.”  When sharing this a lot of people have asked “You love it there, huh?”  The answer to that question is not so simple, I do indeed love Cochabamba, but that’s not the reason I want to get back, but rather because that’s where I feel God called me to be.  As most of us know,  there is no better place then the place to be then in the will of God.

But if God wants me there, then why has he not sent me there yet?  I had asked myself this seemingly a million times, my initial thoughts were that I was waiting on Him… (insert Revelation here). I had been doing nothing to better myself for the life that was ahead of me, nothing to make myself stronger, i was simply, waiting. And i was simply…unprepared.

One day it came to me all at once, I was asking God “why” and thinking about how our steps are ordered by God when it clicked I wasn’t waiting on God, he was waiting on me… i immediately repented and without further thought, changed my daily habits and changed my mindset.  If I wouldn’t have realized this I may have died waiting on God! Thank you God for GRACE and MERCY!

-Romon

A Hand Full of Maggots!

Every Thursday at the House of Dreams is trash day. You can hear the garbage truck coming before it turns onto the street do in large part to the bell that they ring letting people know to bring their garbage out for them to throw into the back of the truck. At The House of Dreams, when a trash bag(wal-mart sized bag) is full, they are taken out sat sat down by the door on the inside of the gate, where they sit util trash day. Just like everyones garbage, the bags have everything from paper, to food remnants inside of them.
A few Thursday’s ago, when i heard the bell ringing, i ran out to begin to start grabbing as many of the 20 or so bags as i could with some of the other workers there in the house. A few bags in, one was untied and the contents had spilled over onto the ground. it looked like just leaves in the bag so i quickly began to grab a handful and throw them in the bag. on about ummmmm say, my second handful, i felt something a “little” different. as i threw the “leaves” in the bag, it felt like barely anything left my hand. what do you know i was right?! I looked down at my hand to see what was stuck to my hand and to my surprise, my hand was FULL of maggots. First reaction is to obviously shake them off, brush them off, whatever it takes. i shook my hand once, then stopped…as nasty as that sounds considering there were still about 15-20 maggots squirming around in my palm and in between my fingers (yeah right in the little pocket in between your fingers where your palm and fingers meet so that you have to manually take them out almost one at a time). I looked at the maggots crawling over my hand and realized how blessed I am.
I am in the middle of a land which is foreign to me, I don’t speak the language, away from everything I know with no “source” of income(yes i know God is my source, but you know what i meant), and one of the biggest “problems” I’ve had to date was those maggots all over my hand. What a blessing! Maggots still in tow, I saw one of the kids staring at my hand. I looked at his wide-eyed face and realized some of the torment that some of these children have gone through all before the age of seven, which is how old the oldest child is. All types of abuse and neglect, spending days and nights on the street with nothing to cling to but siblings who are of a similar age, not knowing where the next meal will or won’t come from, just to name a few of the scenarios.
I now began to smirk at the fact that i had a hand full of nastiness, which by the way i told the story, seems like would be turning into flies by now, but it was really only around 30 seconds that they were on my hand. How small of a problem when put into perspective? I was really on the verge of freaking out in the midst of all these little, yet big overcomers?
After this “epiphany”, I actually kinda like maggots now. Probably the most life-changing thirty seconds of my life.

-Romon