From the Desk of Betel

In 1962, almost fifty years ago, God moved the heart of a man to begin to care for children on the streets of Juarez who had great need. In 1973 the same man decided he no longer was called to care for these children. God's heart was still the same, and He in His great mercy had already prepared someone else with the heart to serve and continue to care for the children, for the heart of God had not changed.

The Lord pressed on my father's heart to continue the work to care for the need of the children. For over 45 years my father Josue Lopez gave his life and heart in serving the Lord in the daily endeavor of administrating and caring at Hogar de Ninos Emmanuel.

After 40 years and 70 years of age and health issues, someone else assumed the position to continue the work. God's heart was still the same and His priority was the care of the children. Just like in 1973 when it seemed like Emmanuel Ministries was going through a crisis because of the decision of one man, in March 2008 we felt like we were in crisis again.

As humans we can make so many plans and assumptions. We picture our future in certain ways. March 19th changed all of that for me as a person and for everyone around me. Many of us thought that the ministry was in grave danger and could suffer greatly or even come to an end, at least that was my personal fear. I did not understand God's heart quite yet. But the reality is that no matter who the leader is, it is God who is in charge and it is He who runs the ministry and He has made it clear that His heart has not changed. I have learned that as long as He desires this ministry will stand for the purpose of caring for those most vulnerable, for those young hearts and souls. For it is His desire that they come to the knowledge of His love and His sacrifice and His mercy.

God gives us the privilege to choose to serve Him each day and manifest His love and kingdom through our work. Each day we have that choice to make, to commit to care for the day to day needs of the children, for their food and their dress, and their education. But most of all I believe, He wants us to care for the salvation of their souls. He wants us to share with them about His love and His destiny for each and every one of them. So today I stand as a person who has been given the opportunity to serve Him. What a privilege and what a responsibility it is. More than anything I am grateful that He has given me this opportunity for just a time like this. If I were not to be here, God would provide someone else. I know that with conviction in my heart. But He is giving me the opportunity and I humbly ask for His strength each day that I may serve Him in that which He has called me and that my service may be pleasing to Him.

I ask you to join me in this daily committing, in this daily calling to obey Him, to love Him, to serve Him and honor His heart's desire to care for the children for His heart does not change. I have been thinking on how to begin this report. As you can imagine I have written it in my head several times. It has began with a verse, then a song, perhaps a deep thought. Trying to convey in written form what we have experienced in the last year is quite a challenge. Every time I start it all goes back to the same word "faithfulness". I even went back into boxes of old annual reports, searching for the right things to say, but as I looked over report after report, after report, all it did was once again show me the faithfulness of our God.

This ministry has not been about a man, or a clinic, or a school, or ballet, or a tractor, or a building, or a project, it has been a testimony of the faithfulness of God. During this season we have shed many tears: tears of sorrow and sadness, tears of fear and doubt, tears of discouragement and a feeling of betrayal. But I must say that the tears I have shed the most have been those of thankfulness, thankfulness for the Lord's faithfulness, for His mercy, for His love, for His grace, for the awe of being in the presence of a King who has been faithful for over 45 years and whose heart for His children has not changed since the foundations of the earth. I stood before my King and in humility begged for the opportunity to serve Him. So here I stand today with a grateful heart to Him and to you for standing in the gap, for wanting to obey the Lord and for your faithfulness as well. For here we are today with a new reality of His mercy and a new opportunity to continue to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him and, in the process, to show His love to those who need it, those whose hearts need Him, our children at Emmanuel.

In Christ's Service,

Betel Lopez