Tuesday, April 28, 2009

What the note DIDN'T say...



She ran to me with a little note covered in butterfly stickers and placed it in my hands. "Take this to Julie*. I don’t want her to forget me."

I opened the note knowing that I would have to translate it for Julie. Julie didn’t speak Spanish. Yet even without the benefit of the language she had made a special connection with this little girl. A child who once lived as a slave in a miserable shack before she came to Bethesda Home.

The note read:
To: Julie
From: Alejandra
Julie I love you so much. Thank you for coming to share with us at Bethesda Home. Thank you for the shoes. Julie, I will always remember you. Thank you for coming to share with us. I love you Julie.
Julie
&
Alejandra
Friends Forever

What the note didn't say, but what I know is in her thoughts everyday was this question, “Will Julie remember me?”

Julie came with a team of women from her church and they spent just one week with the Bethesda Home children. That week was a special time for the children as they tremendously enjoy all the attention and mother love. Now, they ask about the ladies all the time and they cherish the photos that we put on the wall to remember our time together. And every time I visit, they ask me if the ladies remember them.

Bethesda Home is a home for abandoned and at-risk children. Some have mothers who are prostitutes and drug addicts; some have been rescued from domestic abuse and slavery. Sister Ketty began this beautiful rescue in 2004 and along with the partnership of her local church and other ministries; she has been able to rent a house for these children. The house that they currently live in is up for sale.

Last Thursday I sat down with Sister Ketty after she called to tell me to pray about a meeting that she was to have with the lawyers representing the house. The owners are now giving us two months to purchase the house or they will be forced to take it back.

So today we find ourselves in anticipation of a REALLY BIG MIRACLE. The owners are asking $250,000. This is a very large home and the PERFECT location for the home. We really do not want to lose this house.

Please pray for Bethesda home and Sister Ketty as we walk this journey toward our miracle. Ask the Holy Spirit how you can be a part and then ACT in FAITH & OBEDIENCE. You will never regret it.

I feel a lot like Alejandra. We were blessed to meet some amazing women on the teams that came to visit but there is that nagging question in the back of my mind. It's what the note didn't say. After the ladies left, “Will they remember Bethesda Home?”

PLEASE consider helping us. You can make a secure online contribution by clicking this link http://tiny.cc/BethesdaHome Please note Project #14261 Class #62 in the comment field.

Or you can send your contribution to:
Assemblies of God World Missions
1445 Boonville Ave
Springfield, MO 65802
Mark your check or money order for project #14261 Bethesda Home Dom. Rep.

*some names have been changed to protect the identity of those involved

3 comments:

Aylín Merck said...

Mrs. Rennae... Can I come with you sometime to this home??? I would love to see it!

Beatriz Lopez said...

Querida Rennae,
Nos conocimos hace un par de semanas en la conferencia "Happily Ever After, soy de Argentina. Te acordas? Me gustaria tener mas info. acerca de este ministerio. Tengo en mi corazon las misiones, y estoy orando para ver si esta es la voluntad de Dios. Trabajo para Teen Challenge en Bonifay, estoy muy contenta con el ministerio, pero las misiones estan en mi corazon. Dios bendiga las manos que dan para poder comprar esta casa. Dios te bendiga y te guarde. Betty

Mangu MIssion said...

Betty
Si por supuesto te acuerdo! Gracias por sus palabras de animo. Bendiciones hermana!