Children like Victoria...

I wanted to introduce you to someone. Someone who I don’t want to be overlooked in this world.
Someone who I don’t want you to say you didn’t know about.
Someone who I don’t want you to just read about, then click the page and go on with your every day life.
Someone who needs you to know she exists.

I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you. John 14:18

I believe with all my heart that Jesus keeps his promises. To you, to me and to children like Victoria.

I believe that the very reason He went to the cross, was to take our place and to make a way for us to be adopted into His family- so that we wouldn’t be left as orphans- with no hope. Because we couldn’t do it on our own- and neither can Victoria.

Victoria is one of the newer babies that reside at Eagles Nest orphanage in Guatemala. Victoria is special not because she is missing part of her ear, not because she is having seizures and they don’t know why, not because she is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen- but because she is a child of God and her life matters just as much as mine- and just as much as yours.

Victoria’s story is one that has the finger prints of God written all over it because it is a story of hope. Hope for the future, hope for healing and hope of knowing the one who created her.

It is believed Victoria was most likely relinquished by her birth mother because of her special needs. Victoria is missing her left ear and has a partial right ear. After some testing it was discovered that she does have her ear canals but it is still not confirmed whether or not she can hear for sure, although observations suggests that she may not.
 
Victoria is tiny- weighing in at only 6.8 lbs at age 3 months. Yet despite her special needs, despite her having seizures-she is a fighter. She is beautiful, she has a purpose and she is a child of God.
 
The other day someone told me they would ‘love to help support the Lords mission work in Guatemala but their money was tied up in other things’. A few minutes later they were talking about the doggie day care they had put their pet into so it wouldn’t be lonely while they were at work. Now, don’t get me wrong- I love dogs and all. But I couldn’t help but to think that often times we have our priorities messed up. And the worst part is, we don’t even see it.

So I’d like to challenge you.

Challenge you to sit down and look over your checkbook. Nobody else has to know, nobody else has to see- just you and the Lord. And I want to challenge you to be really honest with yourself and be honest with God- because he already knows it anyway. Could you possibly give up eating out once a month and help be a sender instead? Could you forfeit having your nails done? Could you maybe give up a couple trips to Starbucks a week and instead bring hope to children like Victoria? I guarantee you if you invest in His kingdom the reward will be so much greater than any dinner out you have ever eaten. Bold on my part to ask this of you? Perhaps, but I know Victoria is so worth it.

My prayer for Victoria is that while she may not ever hear a word a say to her- she will HEAR the VOICE of God through our actions. Mine and yours. Some as goers and some as senders.
  
If you’d like to help us bring the love to Jesus to children like Victoria please consider partnering with us through prayer and financial support of just $25 a month.

Prov. 19:17 When you help the poor you are lending to the Lord--and he pays wonderful interest on your loan!

The above post was written by Amy.

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Everything below is from Lorraine Patterson at All Are Precious In His Sight.

Today is the last day for me to host the Back the Block Blitz, so you won't hear from me again after this post.  Thank you so much for allowing me to hijack Amy's blog, and thank you for backing the Blocks!

If you haven't any charity in your heart,

you have the worst kind of heart trouble. 

~Bob Hope

(Just in case you didn't know, this blitz is in memory of our 4-year-old daughter, Chrissie, who went to heaven on May 19, 2010, following open-heart surgery.)

I am so excited about the 33 pledges made thus far to "Back the Blocks"!  So grateful for all those who are praying, sharing, sending, supporting, encouraging, and backing the Blocks.  Many thanks to all who have made their pledges.  This is the last day of the blitz, so spread the word!

Regarding Bob Hope's quote above, I believe the very worst heart trouble is when we don't have Jesus living in our hearts.  That's a heart problem that affects your eternal life, but it's something that can be easily repaired.  Through the blood shed by our Savior, all we have to do is ask Him to take up full residence in our hearts in order to repair the very worst heart trouble.   If we have Jesus in our hearts, we should have MANY charities in our hearts as well.  One cannot be like Jesus without having charities in our hearts.  Yet, there are so many people who call themselves Christians who are not really living for Jesus.  My heart aches because not too long ago, I was that same "Christian", and oh how I was missing out on something I never realized.  Before God began His circumcision of my heart, I never really lived my life fully for Jesus.  I mean, I loved God and believed Jesus was His One and Only Son, but I didn't really KNOW Him, nor did my life reflect Him.  Today, I still have such a very long way to go, but I am so very grateful for the continual circumcision of my heart, and I pray more and more "Christians" will pray for God to circumcise their hearts as well.  This transformation is definitely not something I could do on my own, but our gracious Father is so very capable.  He is the best heart Surgeon available, and the results of a repaired heart by our Jehovah Rapha is priceless, beautiful, and so very worth it.

As I continue to read, review, and reflect upon all God did during Chrissie's 31-day battle after her open-heart surgery, I'm learning so much.  I thought that journey was supposed to be all about fixing Chrissie's heart, but that was only one piece of the puzzle.  God intended for that journey to be about fixing broken hearts of His treasured ones around the world.  God used Chrissie's battle to bring so many people closer to Him, to begin relationships with Him, to repair relationships with Him, and to renovate many hearts around the world, as our Jehovah Rapha performed open-heart surgery on thousands of people, through the testimony of one little girl, who was once a forgotten orphan.

My prayer right now, on the last day of the "Back the Blocks" Boss Your Heart Memorial Blitz, is that God would repair many more hearts for His glory.  I pray His children will be willing patients of our Jehovah Rapha's, allowing Him to renovate their hearts to be more like His.   I pray that God will examine every  heart and make it more like His.  I pray that the world will know by our actions (love is a verb) that He is the One who has shaped our hearts. 

I pray that today, after you read Amy's message above, that you will ask God to examine your heart (and your checkbook), so that all of our hearts may look and feel more like His on this very day.  Jehovah Rapha is able.  No heart repair is too difficult for Him. 

Please spread the word TODAY to help build the team to "Back the Blocks"!  Click HERE to make your pledge.  Be sure to click HERE to leave a comment after you make your pledge so I can update the tally/counter/ticker.  Let's see what God does on this last day of the official blitz to get 147 families to "Back the Blocks"!  Spread the word! 

Thank you, again, for putting up with me during this blitz, and thank you all for your support of the Block family!