The Beginning
This month I’d like to share with you how Legacy Left came about and why it’s so important in the lives of the children we work with. About six years ago, a young man who worked with us in Jerez took us down to the river that runs through town. He wanted me to meet a family who lived in an adobe house on the bank of the river. I was so shocked when I got there. I had never seen people living like this. They had a mud home, six children and two adults were living there with dirt floors, no running water. The oldest boy was eleven and the youngest was one. Their dad was 70 years old, and their mother was in her forties. They had such a look of hopelessness in their eyes—I’ve never seen such emptiness.
We started taking food to them each week and visiting with them. Then shortly after we had begun building their trust, a church group from Octavia, Oklahoma came on a mission trip. Throughout that week they had the opportunity to go down and work with this family. Our ministry was small, and we were new at this, but they were able to connect with this family. When they returned home, Patrice (the pastor’s wife) and Ed (the pastor) really felt a need to help this family. Patrice came up with a plan called “My Very Own Child” to help connect families with each of the children in this family. The people in the States each took on one child to sponsor, support, pray for, and love. Ed and Patrice sponsored Guadalupe, the eleven-year-old boy.
A year after knowing this family, we were able to rent a home with their sponsorship, and the church provided furnishings. The family moved into their first real home! I remember the night they moved in: I stood in the hallway watching as Silvia, the only girl, put her clothes in her closet. For the first time, she had a room with a real bed, clean sheets, and a place to call home. The next morning was a reminder of how we have so much we take for granted.
At 7:00 that morning, Luis (her brother) came knocking on my door. He said there was a
big emergency at the house! The hot water had broken! On the way over I went over all the things that could be wrong. I figured the wind had blown out the pilot light. When I got there I checked the propane, lit was full. The pilot light was still lit. I asked Luis what he meant by saying it was broken. He said there was no more hot water! After I asked him a few questions, I realized he had been in the shower for over an hour and used all the hot water! He had no idea how it worked.
It’s the simplest things we take for granted.
After they had settled into their home, the children began coming to church. The following summer, we had a Vacation Bible School. All the children came each day. Their mother, Enriquetta, stood outside the window listening. At the end of the week she told us she wanted to know who Jesus was—she wanted to know Him as her Savior. After she accepted him, the thing I remember most is the amazing transformation. For the first time, she had a real smile. There was a glow about her and a love of life we hadn’t seen in her before. Her interaction with her children completely changed. We could see her loving her children, picking up her littlest boy and holding him with compassion. You could just see the change coming over her.
Watching Guadalupe and his brothers and sister grow was so encouraging. He became interested in bettering himself. He won an academic award at school for the most improved student in the state of Zacatecas. He also won an award for a drawing of his family holding hands in front of their house! The ministry had made a great impact on his life. It’s more than just making sure they have food and clothing. It’s the personal relationship of investing into their lives, and showing them Christ that really made the changes in Lupe’s life. He has been working for the ministry full-time for almost three years. As we shared the story with you last month, after Lupe was saved, he began asking about what Christ wanted him to do with his life. He surrendered to full-time service, and is now attending a Bible Institute in Monterrey. During the summertime, when Lupe is out of school, over the next three years he will be the campus pastor at one of our feeding centers. When he finishes his schooling (in three years) he plans to come back to Jerez and pastor if that’s what God allows him to do!
It all began with one couple having a vision to invest into the life of a child, and dreaming up a program (My Very Own Child), which in August of 2007 became Legacy Left. At that time we began bringing children other than the river family into this program. It’s obvious to us that Lupe’s story is going to be repeated many times over.
Looking Forward,
Mike Denton
Founder/Director
New feeding center up and going
On Thursday, July 24th 2008, The Pearly white doors of the newly finished Feeding Center was opened to feed children. Located in the colonial, Santa Rita, this feeding center is the product of the hard work of many people. It took weeks to remodel and prepare the building, months for the children in Santa Cruz to get sponsored, and years to build the relationships within the colonial.
Roughly three weeks from the rental of the building, we were ready to open the doors, but a lot had to be accomplished in those three weeks. Two walls were busted down in order to provide the space needed. If it wasn't for the brut strength of the mission groups, and Chivas, the job couldn't have been done. A steel barred window was removed in order to provide a serving window. A brand new 5 burner stove was made and placed into the center and a gas line installed in order to cook. The floor in the front room was tiled and the ceiling painted to provide a top notch feeding area for the kids. The entire building had to be painted including all the walls, ceilings, doors, and windows. The outside had an amazing face lift with a fresh coat of paint on the doors, windows, and front of the building. Plus a new sidewalk, front pad, curb, and rock garden were added to vamp the look. A fresh coat of cement was applied to the roof in order to stop leakage and keep the inside looking amazing!
We Would like to throw out a special thanks to Great Life Church mission group and First Presbyterian mission group from Branson. With out all of your hard work and support, the feeding center would not be feeding children. We fed over 70 mouths at our opening and know that once word gets around that the feeding center is now open, more children will be coming. First Pres got a special treat when we provided paint for them to put their hand prints on the wall in the feeding area. It was the last, and best, touch to the feeding center.
Also, a special thanks to all of you who worked hard to get the kids in Santa Cruz sponsored, and to those who are sponsoring kids. We got the chance to see kids eyes light up and their lives changed because of your support.
Regular daily feeding starts August 1st. David, a long time worker and huge asset to the ministry, along with his wife, Claudia, will be running the center and getting it off its feet. Please feel free to check the Legacy Left myspace because a lot of fun and exciting things are happening with the ministry and we want you to be right there beside us as we continue to move forward. The Legacy Left myspace also has a picture album in order to view some amazing pictures of the newly opened Feeding Center. Just click on "Pics" under the profile picture on the main page, and then scroll to the album named "Feeding Center (Santa Rita) and open it!!! Thank you for all of your love and support. God Bless
Leaving a Legacy (Daily Journal Entry of Faith 5) Summer 2008
Brandi's Blog
So the past few days have been super exciting for me. If I couldn't have been here all summer, the last four days would be what I would want my week to be. The group here was so lucky to be here for everything that happened. Let me tell you, it has been an amazingly rewarding and awesome experience. Tuesday we went and bought a goat to feed a rancho, it was incredible. I had never seen a goat die, and I know there is no such thing as animal heaven, and I know that God put them on the earth with the intention that they would be our food. I am perfectly comfortable with going up the street to our local Krogers and buying prepackaged meat. Here people actually prepare their own meat. I couldn't help but think about how far this one goat would go to feed children and families that would otherwise not be able to eat that night.
Wednesday we spent the entire day focusing on the rancho where our favorite Mexican, Juan, lives. Santa Rita (or Santa Cruz depending on who you talk to) is one of the most "doomed" communities. We are trying so hard just to show them that they are beautiful and that they deserve so much more. Something that they have never heard before. So Wednesday morning we separated by sizes clothes that we've had for a while, loaded them up into the trailer, and headed for Santa Cruz. We got there, and barely had time to set up the clothes in a halfway orderly fashion before people started gathering to pick out clothes. Everyone who came got new clothes, and it was so crazy, we went back that afternoon for the classes and games, and they were all wearing their new clothes. It was rewarding to be able to give children and adults alike clothes they would not be able to get otherwise. Kids who'd been wearing hand me downs their whole lives got something they could call their own. The gratitude in the faces of the children and the moms and the dads was so sincere. If only I could capture those moments and send them to you, so maybe you would be able to see too. That afternoon we went to do pottery and dance, and I went to the pottery class. A little boy made Mindy and me hearts out of clay, and we played for a while, then we all loaded up in the car. On the way back to our hacienda we ran into Mike and the portable feeding center. We pulled a U turn and went back a third time to Santa Cruz, this time to feed them. As we pulled up, the kids just kept playing with us, like we'd never left. We passed out plates, and fed them the goat that God provided. After a full day at that rancho, we bid them farewell, and went back to the house for praise and worship, and much needed sleep!
The next day was just as busy as the previous. We started out downtown with the mission group for a little shopping. I had a couple errands, my first was to find adhesive to put the rear view mirror back on the window in the van. I stopped for a frappachino, and asked for directions. The man told me to go up one block make a right, and go three more blocks. Four blocks later I had still not found the shop, so again I stopped to ask. One of the men recognized me from one of the ranchos, and escorted me to the auto parts store. He helped me find what I needed, and as I was thanking him, he kept stopping me and thanking me for everything that we were doing. It was incredible that we touched his life to the extent that he would walk with me five more blocks to the store and help me out. After the market, we shucked corn to be cooked and taken out that night to the gang area. After that and lunch, we headed out to the dump, where there were so many people who's job was to go through the garbage just to find something, anything, that they could use or eat. We passed out water and skittles gum, and they were so grateful. They all looked like they were parched from being out in the sun. Any of us could've very well been born in that very same position. It's sad and frustrating that anyone would ever have to live like that. We left the dump and went to Monticillo and played soccer and busted a pinata. When that was all over we stopped by the house, then went to play with the wonderful kids at Caprovi. That night after dinner we took corn to the kids and people living in the gang area, people who've lived their whole lives in that area and in that life. That was the last night for the mission group, so they packed up that night, and loaded up to leave that next morning at 5:30 am!!!
The girls, Logan, Darren, Cody, and I have spend the past two days relaxing, cleaning, and preparing for Great Life to come in. We went shopping, swimming, and watched movies, and it is just about time to go prepare dinner for the incoming group. I'm super excited about what this next week will bring!!! We'll write again soon! Be praying for our ministry, and for us, as we are down here partying it up in MeXiCo!!! Thanks for your love and support!
<3 Brandi
Leaving a Legacy (Daily Journal Entry of Faith 4) Summer 2008
Dusty's Blog
Today's date June 28th we are four weeks into the summer and it has been a bit of a roller coaster thus far leaving us a little tired and a little sick, but we have seen God do some amazing things in the last week.
June 20th we arrive at the border to pick up Great life and we also say our goodbyes to an old chiva and his youth group. We have a few hours before great life arrives so we do as any chiva would do, we went to Mcdonald's and ate some sweet Americana potato sticks it was splendid. We got back just in time to see the group had arrived at the hotel. (Also somewhere inside those two hours another chiva arrived for the summer we named him Jeremy. He has been a treasured addition. )
We Quickly got luggage prepared and loaded for the trip the following day.
The trip to Jerez was uneventful just the way Mike likes it. We make it to Jerez by seven or so on Saturday have a top notch meal and hit the sac. Sunday we went to market and went to church, had a pretty killer kickball game the teams were the david's vs. the Goliaths this time goliath won. After dinner the girl chivas took over the kitchen Holding it with water anyone who tried to enter left soaking wet. Nevertheless the chiva fellas were not happy so a plan was formed for one chiva to go in with an air mattress for a shield, once in he would take a girl chiva captive and toss her in the pool this plan worked to perfection on 2 of the 3 the chiva fellas felt it a victory and moved on. That very same night we were able to secure a house in Santa Rita ,also known as the prostitute area, the house's purpose is huge because it will serve as a stationary feeding center and church. It is so amazing to me because God took back a plot of ground in the devil's territory and would not take one if he did not plan to take back more and more ground until that whole place is changed. That concludes Sunday.
Monday is when all the craziness began. We are getting ready to go to the dump so a few of the ladies go to get some stuff to paint the girl's nails at the dump. We decide to pick them up at their house just like a lady though they are not ready. Somehow in the frenzy trying to get to the van as Stacey was shutting the door it catches her finger and cuts the very tip off. Mike was not present at this point so the so the chivas stepped into action. Luckily there was a Physicians assistant in the group who knew how to handle the finger. We quickly got her to the hospital. Mike arrived shortly there after to take care of the bill and all was history including the tip of her finger so sad so sad. The rest of us went ahead to the dump and passed out water for the adults and marbles for the kids. It was a humbling time for all of us. Later that afternoon we went to Santa Rita and taught dance and pottery. It has been awesome to see some of the roughest boys in Santa Rita sit patiently and form a piece of clay. It gives my heart hope for that rancho. After devotion the group went on to pass out corn in the gang area. A few of us chivas stayed behind to encourage one of our brethren who was little down. We had just got him cheered up when we find out one of our chiva ladies is missing we were sad angry and worried all in one. She ends up being okay but in all she was missing for over two hours it was crazy. That concludes Monday.
I am sorry to say for Tuesday and Wednesday I have no info, sometime early Tuesday morning I came down with a wicked virus and let's just say me and the toilet were inseparable. In all ten chivas came down with the bug 6 guys 4 ladies. Coach quarantined us pretty well and only two out of Great Life's 26 got it so that was good.
Thursday I was feeling much better. We took the group downtown to shop for souvenirs and such it was totally fun. Our main goal on Thursday was to use the portable feeding center in caprovi. While feeding there we really wanted the youth in the mission group to really connect with one kid. While feeding there I saw something amazing. I saw a quiet awkward kid take and feed a three year old girl and then I saw him do the same thing with a 4 year old boy. It was so amazing to see him pour the love of Christ in there life.
The feeding center mentioned earlier, we have been able to clean it out completely and begin dreaming about the interior design. However even a week ago whenever we were looking at it we were wondering how we would financially take care of making it operational. Well God did an amazing thing at the beginning of this week with just giving us the building, but he did not stop there by the end of the week he gave us the finances we needed to make it operational.
So thank you all for your prayers
Leaving a Legacy (Daily Journal Entry of Faith 3) Summer 2008
Mindy's Blog
This summer is so different from all the rest. My first summer was all about being broken and remolded and for me not to be so concerned with my purpose and just let God use me. My second summer God used to direct my paths and to get me on a new and better path by my letting go of certain people and things. This summer I can't even explain yet...Its only been a week and a half and I've enjoyed the Herschend group (getting to see Sherry) and I'm enjoying Tim's group. Seeing old chiva Tim married and working is awesome. I love seeing and playing with all my boys and girls down here, but this summer is just starting of so different. I know God has something really amazing in store for me and is gonna teach me a lot. He has been laying a verse on my heart...Isaiah 43:3. It is showing me to forget the past because the Lord is preparing new and amazing things. This summer is a definitely new and I can't wait to see what God has in store.
Please be praying for us...that we all focus on Him so that we don't miss out on what He has to show and teach...
Mindy Lou
Leaving a Legacy (Daily Journal Entry of Faith 2) Summer 2008
By Merlyn
Today is my second day in Jerez, Mexico. The past couple of days have been really great because I know this is where the lord has placed me now. There is truly nothing more satisfying than being in the perfect will of God, because in that place there is no fear or worry. I am confident that the lord has brought me to Jerez for a purpose, and he will surely carry that out. I didn't really know what to expect for this trip. All I knew is that I was coming. The past two, days we've had the privilege of going to some ranchos and playing with the kids. We played soccer, had piñatas and painted little girls fingernails………which was my favorite part. The girls seemed to really like it. One girl asked if she could paint my nails and I said yes……..that was allot of fun too! The first day, the language barrier was difficult to deal with. I would love to take these kids aside and tell them how much Jesus loves them and I would love to just talk to them freely. However, I learned that actions truly do speak louder than words and that I can show them through my actions that they are loved. During my free time I've been able to read the word of god and spend time with the lord. I want this summer to be a time of great spiritual growth in my life. Being away from my family and all the comforts of home allows me to depend completely on god for everything I need and I absolutely love that. He is teaching me that he is all I need. I am excited for everything God is going to do this summer in my life and in the lives of the people of Mexico.
