April 2012

Family and Friends

Thank God for the network of people that we have around us encouraging and strengthening us when we are feeling weak. Can we be completely vulnerable? Good. The truth is that when you venture to build what God has placed in your heart there is adversity. Its never unbearable but it is for revealing our strength. One translation calls Jesus temptation an ordeal. This is defined as An ancient test of guilt or innocence by subjection of the accused to severe pain, survival of which was taken as divine proof of innocence. So God is actually allowing something to be proven when we encounter pain. The severe part is always relative to the individuals level of tolerance. As God is not wanting to eliminate or obliterate us. Think of it more like weight lifting rather than torture. (I understand that some think those are one in the same). With weight lifting there is pain for a purpose. Pain without a purpose is what we should abhor. The sweating and crumbling under the pulsating triggers of the nervous system for something that doesnt last and has no importance is an affliction I wouldnt wish on anyone. But if you tie that same pain to something like LOVE, it becomes a piece of art. This willful choosing of sacrifice for someone you adore is the same thing that runs through Papa Gods veins and it is what He is permitting to be built into us for all eternity. It is the essence of who he is and the extent and boundlessness of His deep affection for us. I naturally have this for my wife and kids but now He is stretching out that fatherly love to cover the least of these. For that kind of pain I will rejoice. Thinking Globally We have been in the process of changing our name and developing our own Non-profit organization. Freeborn International will be our new entity well be transitioning into. We think that this will be the umbrella for project development of restoration homes in other countries, emergency relief for all projects in the case of natural disaster or economic downturn, and most importantly, the micro enterprise and micro financing to develop income within each project to sustain itself and help the surrounding community. Our advisory board has been accumulated and we are enormously blessed to have such incredible people pumping their wisdom into this operation.

The Dream Team The last team meeting packed out our little house. We had each of our department leaders here with a number of recruits. For instance, our psychology department leader brought three women volunteers from the University who were the top of their class in their psychology major. They have already worked with other local orphanages and are excited to work with us. They are also going to seek after help from the media department in the university for things like web design, brochures and flyers etc. Our team is expanding and I have a feeling it won't be long before we have all the people we need and more. Some might be wondering why we don't just take a few kids and start right now, that is an excellent question and one that we also struggle with. The reason is that we want to launch something that will not collapse. We are taking our time and doing it right the first time because we want this to last. And second to that, we cannot afford to be more hasty than God is in this process. He knows our needs and could bring them at any given moment, yet He lingers. I believe it's for our own good.

April 2012

The Only Gringos Our kids started public school here for the first time on Monday. We weren't sure what to expect. All we are going after is for them to be bi-lingual by the end of the year. Like any kid at a new school our kids were nervous, afraid of being bullied and masking their excitement from mom and dad just in case it didn't turn out to be so fun. We stopped at the office and chatted with the principle (with what little spanish we know) and got permission to stay for an extended part of the day to keep an eye out for our littles. After all the parents left and we saw that it was totally safe and that they were in good hands, we left them there since it was a minimum day anyways. Upon coming to pick them up Dylan (our oldest and most dramatic child) said that he was bullied and had a terrible day. Lucas reported something similar that kids were making faces at them and harassing them. Macy reported something different. "I had a great day." Being concerned and confused we went to talk to the teacher to find out exactly what happened. It turns out that our kids were the most popular kids on campus because in the entire history of the school there had never been kids from another country, and especially white skinned Americanos. Our kids stood out like a

white shirt under a black light. The so called "bullying" was actually fascination. Everywhere my kids went they were followed by a crowd. The mexican children didn't know how to talk to my kids so they resorted to making faces and laughing. I can see how this would be confusing to my kids. Macy, however, loved all the attention. They take the placement exam on Friday. The school doesn't need them there before then. All of a sudden my kids all can't wait to go back to school (although that might have to do with them hating their daily chores at home).

We could use your prayers more than ever. We have taken on a load that we cannot do alone. We need God and we need people to play their part. Something tells me that this is what the normal Christian life should be. A pulling away from independence and a leaning on one another.

April 2012

If you donate to us through Bethel church, please take note of these changes. Bethel has now changed their cut off date for donations to the 25th of every month. So anything you donate to us after the 25th- we will not receive until the following month. A lot of people have thought since we are from Bethel and sent from Bethel, that we are financially supported by Bethel. We are NOT financially supported by Bethel. We are living by donations from family, friends and churches. So keep us in prayer. Much love, The Freeborns