After the initial realization that I would be working with two children, I recalibrated my expectations as a mother. A totally different set of issues changed the scene. Jorge* continued to struggle with respiratory issues and developed pneumonia and asthma, which required much attention to keep him from going to the hospital. Leti* basked under the attention that she received from her teacher, who came faithfully, teaching her to read and write. I took over the care of Jorge but explained many childcare ideas to Leti. We began a rhythm, which will be greatly changed soon.

Talking to Leti about her growing-up years gave me a glimpse into the lives of some of the children we would minister to. With a better understanding of what these kids endure, those of us at Shadow would be better equipped to facilitate the process of healing.

“Leti, why are you taking those scraps of meat out of the garbage?” I asked as I watched her pop them into her mouth.

“It is a sin to put them there,” she said. I learned that it was rare for her to have meat when she lived in the village. It upset her to see those little pieces thrown into the garbage. She went on a crusade when she saw food items being put into the trash and announced that we needed to give them to the hungry people on the streets. This was a great idea, but not easy to put into practice.

I probed into Leti’s memory banks about her mom and family life. She shook her head and said she didn’t remember much about her mom before she died. What she knew came from other members of her family. Leti described a loveless existence with her grandmother, who became her primary caretaker after her mother’s death. Someone told her that coffee usually filled her bottle, because the lack of money prevented the purchase of the badly needed milk. Her grandmother had a distillery for making alcohol, which brought in a little money for supporting the family. She gave Leti the alcohol to drink, along with her diet of coffee, bananas, and, at times, tortillas. At the age of ten, Leti’s grandmother died, and Leti shuffled between an older sister and her aunt in a life without love and care.

The wounds ran deep in Leti’s heart. We spent hours talking and praying about the Lord Jesus and the plans He had for her life. Leti wanted Jesus to be Lord in her life and hung onto every word shared about Him. As she poured out her fears, I found myself relating to some of the things she experienced. She confessed that she didn’t have anyone in her life, except for Joanne and I. I had, in times past, feared being alone. I understood the seriousness of what she shared. Leti had never received any signs of affection from anybody until she came into the orphanage. I couldn’t believe someone had lived sixteen years and never had a hug. I felt a tear in a portion of my heart.

“Leti, you are a child of God. Now you have a testimony of how you were lost, and He found you and brought you to this place.” Thank you, Lord, that you put the lonely in families. “One day, you will be sharing this hope with others when the Lord brings them across your path. Your testimony will show the power of His love for you. He brought you to this place of refuge for your healing and to prepare you for your future,” I explained. The Holy Spirit moved greatly in this young lady, as she exposed more of her heart. My words were reinforced by counseling from a pastor, his wife, and Joanne. The Lord had her surrounded by love, but just like with anybody else, there would be times of progress and times of stepping backwards.

We shouted “hallelujah” when James Project of Latin America/Shadow of His Wings Orphanage became a legal association in November 2001, and the doors to the orphanage opened. We followed the next steps to make ourselves known in the court system, in preparation for receiving children. This would definitely not be an easy path because of the lack of fluent Spanish. Lord, I continue to need your help with all of this. You will make a way for me to communicate with the judges, because you said you would give me everything I needed when I answered your call.
*Name has been changed.