Popcorn Theory

"You can't help everyone. 

But you can try to help the hot ones who pop right up in front of your face."

~ Lee Ann and Sean Tuohy from In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving

I guess I am falling prey to the whispers, not from my almighty God who hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors and the sinners, but from the evil one.  Yesterday if you read my post, some friends and I met some special orphans on the beach.  Immediately I went into "how can I help, what can I do" mode.  As I am rushing around with my mind constantly scheming on ways to help these boys, I hear a critical voice say "How can you really help, there are so many of them, they are all a bunch of thieves, you are going to get ripped off or hurt, who are you anyway, why are you so special, why do you think what you do is important or can make a difference".  I am reminded that in life, and especially in ministry, or even just as a Christ follower, we should be wired to help "the orphans and widows".  How often to we turn another cheek and get distracted with the busyness of the world?  My friend sent me the quote above this morning, which I love!  It was just the remedy I needed for my negative thinking.  A divine message from God that I am on track with loving His people well.  I also love what Katie Davis , who is a missionary in Africa and author of Kisses from Katie, writes about in her book "During the first few months I lived in Ugands, in fall of 2007, I wrote "Sometimes working in a Third World country makes me feel like I am emptying the ocean with an eyedropper".  How can one drop out of an ocean of water make a difference?  Well when that dropper full represents a person, a human life, it can be a big difference!  It only takes one person, believing in another person to change a life!  I can't be hung up on what I can do, but faithful that God can do much more through me to fulfill HIS purpose.  Katie goes on to say later in that chapter "And if one person sees the love of Christ in me, it is worth every minute.  In fact, it is worth spending my life for."  Here is a link to Katie's blog and her book.

So here is an update from yesterday.... A bunch of us went to the beach to find the boys again.  Whitney and I walked the beach looking for them.  We had told them we would be back around noon, but it was around 2 when we finally got there.  We walked and were harassed by every restaurant owner who wanted us to sit in their chairs and drink their best pina coladas (which they offered both with or without alcohol).  Looking back now I see a firestorm of spiritual warfare trying to keep us away from those boys.  We kept firm, saying no thank you and continuing to walk.  When we were walking back we found Elvis, Samuel and a new friend sitting at one of the restaurants sharing a dish of noodles and rice and a Coke.  They passed the plate around the table sharing the food.  The sweet things even offered us some of their food.  We had a bag full of more food.  We had a hot meal of lentils, rice, protein and vitamins from SERVE International's feeding program (you may remember the million meals that came to the DR a few month's back), a few bananas and guayabas (a common Dominican fruit) that we planned on giving them.  They asked for some of the food and each took a banana.  Elvis talked about how hungry he was during the recent storm Isaac.  There weren't many people on the beach so he couldn't beg for pesos as usual.  He usually gets about 100 pesos a day (about $2.50 US) and can buy some food.  After they finished eating we went to join Whitney's husband, his cousin Austin and our other Dominican young friends who were playing ball in the ocean.

I took a quick dip in the hot water of the ocean that was usually cool and refreshing and then I had to leave to get my kids from school.  Everyone else stayed and played then later Whitney and Dave went down the beach to find a man they had met the day they originally met these boys.  He owns a restaurant and he allows some of the orphans to sleep on the floor of his restaurant at night.  Whitney, Dave and I discussed about asking him if he wouldn't mind cooking up the feeding program food (you just need a big pot and water) and feeding the boys.  The boys we had already met and any other boys that happened to show up.  I had my doubts if he would even want to.  I hoped he would.  In ministry it is always better to be able to equip and supply the locals with things to help each other than it is to have an American swoop in and save the day with our resources.  We have the food, we can get it to the restaurant owner and he then can help his own.  I haven't met him so I am not sure if he is Dominican or Haitian.  I don't know if he is a Christian or not.  He is at least a man who cares for these boys.  These lost boys.  These forgotten children.

So we were so excited last night that we found one way to help these boys.  God had placed the right people in our paths.  Food is great, but that is not all they need.  It was great to see them climb all over Austin in the ocean.  Typical boys they wanted to be physical.  Really physical.  There were times we thought we had to rescue Austin.  I yelled out "Just say 'No mas por favor' if you want them to stop" which means "No more please" but he said, "Don't worry I almost have them".  Boys will be boys I guess!

I had reached out earlier in the day to some friends here in the DR that run a boy's home in San Pedro.  I was thinking this could be perfect for these boys we can find a place safer for them to live.  Immediately I wondered if they would even want to go live in a place like this.  This place I speak about is 4 homes with 8 boys in each home with a set of house parents.  It is different than an orphanage.  Although they don't have parents or a house to sleep in, they have each other and it is what they know.  I knew there was one house that already had 8 boys.  Our friends who are the directors had been looking for a set of  house parents, but I wasn't sure if they had their prayer answered yet.  There was a lot that was unknown but I needed some answers.  Well I heard back and the one house is indeed full.  There are new house parents (thank you God) but they aren't taking any new boys during the transition of the new house parents (which is totally understandable.  Now the big bummer, they only take boys that are 4-8 years old, MAYBE 10 if they feel it is the right thing.  Our boys are much older...they are 13.  Sigh.  Frown.  Bummer!  

Please pray for another opportunity.  Please pray for guidance from the Lord as to our next step.  Pray for Elvis and Samuel and Jooney (I think that was his name, Whitney is much better with names than me).  Pray for all the lost boys in Boca Chica.  To be continued.....

Thank you!

In His Grip,
Jodi