This summer, I was often asked by mission trip guests, “What does a typical day look like in a Teen Home of the Hope Program?” Wow, the best answer is actually… “There is no typical day – each one is a new adventure!” As you can imagine, it’s semi-controlled chaos in a teen home on… Read more
Our foster daughters through the Hope Program were not allowed to date during their first year living in our house. Of course, they all quickly agreed to this rule back in August 2008 and then fought for their “right to date” all year long. These beautiful girls, who range in age from thirteen to eighteen,… Read more
I know what people are thinking. Starbucks? What a waste of money. Ok, not everyone. Those who love cold coffee drinks would argue that it’s worth it. The truth is a trip to Starbucks is not something that I make a habit of. An opportunity to connect with one of our Hope Program students, however,… Read more
Prior to my first mission trip to Back2Back Mexico, I asked my friend to teach me a few phrases in Spanish to make sure that I could communicate with the children at the children’s homes. One phrase that I worked really hard on was “Me llamo es . . . ” (or “My name is… Read more
This week I have been thinking about shelter in unexpected forms. Take one of my boys, Homero, for example. When Homero was twelve years old, he came to live at Manantial de Amor, one of the children’s homes in Monterrey. He had gotten into a lot of trouble at various schools and even with the… Read more
School is out for summer! As summer vacation begins, some of the orphans we serve leave their children’s home to temporarily stay with any living relative who may be willing to take them in for a few weeks during the break. I hardly know how to wrap my mind around this reality. It’s difficult to… Read more
There has been a faithful Back2Back supporter, who I’ll call Jill, who has regularly donated money for a little girl named Sarahi. Sarahi lives in the Rio, which is one of the squatter’s villages that Back2Back serves. Sarahi is eight years old and just finishing 2nd grade. Jill has helped to fund Sarahi’s education and… Read more
Recently a new girl came to our hostel (children’s home). Naveena had come from another children’s home about five hours away. School was out for the summer and all the other children had been picked up by whatever family they had to go “home” for the summer. But Naveena had no family to visit. So… Read more
God has a plan and that plan involves us. As we reach out our hand to help others, it’s really God’s hand reaching out. It was really God’s feet that walked into that medical building to check on Ikira, not mine. He reaches when we reach out and He steps when we step. God loves the Nigerians we’re serving (John 3:16) and has a plan of hope that involves Chris and me (and our boys). It involves everyone who will step up and give to this ministry. It’s in these moments that we have such an amazing opportunity to tell them how much our Creator in heaven adores them and wants to have a relationship with them.