To say that we are excited about our second official partnership just doesn't seem to do it justice...but I can't really describe the emotions behind it all. It was an exciting journey that lead us to a wonderful new part
nership:
Gavin and I got married on September 6th (YAY!) and headed straight to our honeymoon in Costa Rica...We decided that since we were already in Central America, we should see where God leads us, and look for a second partnership orphanage...G
od VERY clearly lead us to Managua, Nicaragua...straight to the city dump, La Chureca and to an amazing organization with two children's rescue homes, one for boys, and one for girls. Below is my journal entry from the day that we left Managua:
Managua is unbelievable- the dump, "La Chureca" is home to nearly 2,000 people- living, eating and breathing in trash- girls being prostituted at the age of seven for first pick of the best trash. Babies crawling around, naked in piles of smelling, burning, rotting trash...and this is life...this is their reality...a reality that is so hard for me to comprehend. Being in Managua opened my eyes to see boys and girls as young as five, knee deep in garbage, holding a long sharp pole, rummaging through rotten food, used toilet paper, coffee grounds, glass, car parts hoping just to make $1.00 a day. $1.00 to please their parents and avoid a beating...although a beating is the least of the little girls worries. Each day they must wake up with the fear and the probable reality of being sold as prostitutes, by their own family members to the garbage truck drivers. The girls are raped and then their "sellers" are given prime dibs on the GARBAGE. Girls innocents sold and destroyed...for trash- and it happens multiple times a day- these girls NEED a refuge, these boys NEED a place of safety away from the beatings. That is the goal of Casa Havilah and Casa Roble. They are a positive influence, a place of solice, of hope, of love, of healing. An answer to the desperate silent cries heard all over the dump of Managua. A cry that we as LUO feel compelled to answer by supporting these houses of hope.
Casa Havilah and Casa Roble and run by a truly incredible missionary family from Talahasee, FL. Gavin and I have had the opportunity to spend time with them and get to know their hearts. The entire family has dedicated their lives to improving the lives of the children in Nicaragua and telling them about the love of Jesus...but this family dosen't have to tell them, the truly LIVE the love of our savior day in and day out, joyfully giving their all to these children.
