The "new" team has arrived safe and sound!

Click any picture to see a larger rendering. The text and the photos come from Larry. ~Steve

At some point in the middle of the night two jet airliners crossed paths somewhere over the continents of North and South America. One was returning “team one” safely home as the other was bringing “team two” to the worksite, which is at a girls’ orphanage in a small town called La Pintana just outside of Santiago, Chile.

My name is Larry Hillhouse and I’ve taken over the job of sending you these emails keeping you abreast of what is currently going on here at the hogar. I want to thank Jennifer Imes for doing such a great job of keeping us informed of team one’s progress. I especially appreciated the “remake” of Rick trying to catch the bus. I remember journaling about that event last year. It’s great to have a picture to put with it now. Thanks Josh and Seth for the wonderful pics.

For those who are new let me recap briefly about our mission. The Hogar de Ninas stands for the home of the girls which is a polite way of saying “The girls’ orphanage.” Our mission here this year is to construct an educational wing that will allow for the girls to obtain an occupational education.

It used to be that they could no longer stay at the orphanage once they’ve reached the age of 18. I learned today that they can now stay much longer as long as they are receiving a continued education. Because of this year’s project we are actually seeking to bring back some of the girls who have had to leave on account of their age. If they’re not working at a decent job or continuing with a higher education, then they’re probably just living off the streets and the hogar would be a much safer and healthier place for them to live, and learn, etc.

The most important part of our mission is about what we call “being flexible”. That term certainly has its place on the worksite but it takes on a whole new meaning when God intervenes. As the days progress and we become more familiar with this environment and the people we’re working with, and the people who are watching us, it becomes more apparent that we must become submissive and vulnerable to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I believe Jesus is here. We certainly have opportunity to represent Him here. In the Gospels recorded in Scripture we read how Jesus Christ the savior frequented places just like this looking for someone to save. We have no special powers or abilities to save anyone. Jesus is the only one who can do that. But God did give us some powerful tools to help us point the way. His word (the Bible) is what we’ll use to start each morning coupled with testimony, worship, and praise singing. Then we will pray. I ask you to pray with us where ever you are; when you get this message, or tonight before you go to bed, or in the morning when you awake. Whenever you think of us, the orphaned girls, or Vision for Chile in general, please remember to say a prayer of praise for the safe traveling, for the many new faces, for all that team one has accomplished prior to our arrival, and especially for the opportunities God gives us to be His representative here.

I shall journal again in a couple of days with a new update and pictures of our progress. I hope you find these words encouraging, enlightening, and bringing you into this experience with us for we are one body made of many parts. We are His church in action. Whether you are here or there doesn’t matter. This year, it’s our turn to be here. Whose will it be next, and where?

Praise God for His infinite grace and outstretched hand…

Love in Christ,
The Chile Team (two)