lunch at lazaro's

if you are unfamiliar with lazaro, you can watch a short video about him and his family here.

we have had some great times hanging out with lazaro's family recently. kerrie and the kids have really been connecting with their girls and helping with reading and writing the last few times we've stopped by. last week we were able to deliver them 2 sets of bunkbeds that a friend donated (they have 9 kids). the kids were giddy and carmen commented "i don't understand all of this blessing."

last week they invited us to come to their house for lunch today. they were so happy to host all 11 of us (our family and the schmidts). they were literally chuckling with joy as they served the food.

when it was time to leave, lazaro said something that i'll never forget. "we're sad that you have to leave. our house lights up with happiness when you're here." kerrie and i fought back tears...

lazaro doesn't claim to be christian or catholic (basically everyone here is one or the other), which probably means he has in some way been burned by both.

as we continue to build this friendship, my prayer is that he and his family will come to know that - while He may be using many of us - it is Jesus who is blessing them, and lighting up their home when we come.

lazaro

today we celebrated the key ceremony for lazaro's family. it was a great day, but extra special when you know a little bit more about lazaro. check this out...

lazaro was born into a very poor family in the town of buena vista. his father died when he was just a baby. at only the age of 3, his mom died. he was left with his grandma, who was his last living relative. three years later, his grandma died.

at 6 years old he had no one left. living in a place so poor that everyone is struggling for food, lazaro was left alone to fend for himself. from age 6 to 14, he lived on the street, bouncing around finding enough food to stay alive.

at age 15 he married a local girl named Carmen.

today, along with Carmen and 5 of his 9 children, we welcomed him into his "dream home".

the hope that i shared with Lazaro today is that this gift of a new home represents God's love for him.

a love that carried him through a difficult life. a love that never forgot about him and never let him go. and a love that still has a great purpose for his life.

i look forward to a much deeper friendship with Lazaro. but i pray that, for now, he understands that while the home he was given today is only temporary, it represents something wonderfully eternal - the relentless love of Jesus.

click here for a short video of lazaro's story

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison..." 2 cor 4:16-17

proverbs 21:13

"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered."

before/after - marroquin family home

just celebrated the completion of 2 more 12x12 love project homes!

i'm going to try to make short, easy to watch 2 minute videos of the before/after stories with these homes.

each story and transformation is SO AMAZING. please take the 2 minutes to check it out.

CLICK HERE for the marroquin family video.

Maivelyn and Joselyn

a sweet friendship is developing between these girls and my girls. we stopped by today to give them and their brothers backpacks and school supplies, and were welcomed with such excitement. they ran out to hug madi and brooke, and spent the next hour or so playing games, jumping rope, and goofing off.

these are the girls who recently lost their mom in an unexpected death. they now live with their aunt and uncle. i believe our paths have crossed with purpose... we'll see...

i never knew how, but i prayed...

today kerrie and i were visiting 12x12 families (who have received homes through the ministry). as we hung out with one of them, the mom's eyes became red and swelled up with tears. she was overcome with emotion. completely out of the context of the current conversation, she blurted out:

"i have to say something. i am so grateful for my home. i don't have words to say how thankful i am. i have prayed often for a home, but never knew how it could be possible. i never knew how, but i prayed. we have never made enough money to save 1 cent, even when we are all working. but i have prayed."

in tears, she hugged me, then kerrie. i was able to get my emotions in check and explain to her how much we love Jesus, and how God is so good. its all i could think of to say. we explained how it is such a blessing for us to be able to help... how giving always tops receiving!

what was especially neat about this was the fact that this woman has been very shy and stand-offish with us. always nice and cordial, but from a distance.

praise God. i am so thankful for his blessing on the 12x12 love project and the home building ministry. it has truly been amazing to watch Him at work in it all.

merrill lynch family

word of the 12x12 love project reached some merrill lynch executives just before christmas. they put together a campaign and were able to raise enough money for 2, maybe 3, homes for families in guatemala!

this is very short video was made for them. its a tour through the home of a potential family, so they can see the conditions, meet the people, etc...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcidIIczUNI