We became a legal orphanage, prepared it to rescue children from the streets, and nothing happened. The courts did not know of our existence, and it became our responsibility to get the name of the orphanage into the court system. We sent out invitations to judges, social workers, and court officials to an open house. We invited them to view the facility, listen to our vision for the children, ask questions, and make comments. Since I couldn’t do much communicating, I shyly stood behind Joanne with a big welcoming smile for the few women who responded. The introduction process to our mission worked, and the calls for child placement began to pour in.
At this time in Guatemala, the government changed the process for putting children in orphanages. Due to illegal adoptions and corruption, all children were now processed through the court system. The old process allowed a homeless child to be placed into a Home without any question of legality. But now, for the security and safety of the orphaned and abandoned children, a stricter custody process was implemented. Learning the policies and procedures of the court system in working with children moved to the top of my list. Lord, I don’t know how to pass this obstacle without your help. Send me the people I need to show me the way through this third-world system, and give me the ability to comprehend the Spanish.
The call from the court came, and my heart jumped. They had a thirteen-year-old girl named Xiomara*. Could we come to the court and pick her up? With plans in place, a board member, our Spanish helper, and I went to the court. Taken back by the number of people who lined the walls waiting for their turn with the judge, I kept telling myself that with God’s help we could do this. The noise of screaming kids and loud voices bounced off the concrete-block walls, and the court official had to yell the name of the next person to enter the offices. I held tightly to the documents that showed the legality of the orphanage and that we had government approval. It took effort to get the attention of the court official within the mob, but in a short period of time, I had a court order for temporary custody in one hand and the hand of Xiomara in the other. I floated out of the building thinking that we had reached a major goal. We had our first official girl!
We returned to the orphanage, and later that afternoon we received a second call for two more girls—sisters. My last visit to the courts had been successful, and I knew this one would be too. I didn’t realize these trips would be filled with emotion. I walked into the office of the magistrate (changed to the title of “judge” a year later), and my eyes swept the scene in front of me. Two girls tightly held each other as they sobbed. On the other side of the magistrate’s desk appeared to be family members also crying and moaning. I glanced at the magistrate, who nodded in the direction of the girls. I immediately put my arms around them, pulling them into a hug. Their response broke my heart as they literally clung to me.
I found out that the mother had brought Lorena* and Mari* to the court because of sexual abuse from her boyfriend. The unsuspecting girls did not know the reason for the “visit” to the court. Right before I walked into the room, the magistrate had told them they would have a new home with us. Lord, have mercy on these children. They are the victims, and I see the pain in their eyes. With heavy hearts, the girls and I went to the orphanage, where we began intense counseling.
Still wired from the experience of the day, I evaluated my emotions. I had felt so prepared to work with these children. I desired to help them feel that they were now part of a family. Suddenly, I felt very inadequate. How could this mother give up her children for a boyfriend? This showed such rejection. How would I help bring healing into these three lives that I was now responsible for? The Lord reminded me of the power of love. These abandoned children needed to feel that love and know that they were safe. They needed to know about God’s plan for their lives.
*Names have been changed.