it was a crazy one.

This is Nayeli, she is the one who was given away to family member

This is Dynady the 8 year old with our friend, Christina who goes with us each time.

Sweet Josue, he is 2.

This is Nayeli and Dynady last year when they still lived with their mother

This is all four of the children together.  The one on the right is Michelle who is 6.

All of these kids are so precious to us and for reasons that I would rather talk about privately, they should not be with their mother Fanny.  There were two nights in a row when we left late at night sobbing because of their situation.  Fanny came back after not seeing her children in months and demanded the three of them back.  In summary, the night ended with physical fighting, the police, passing the children out of windows, and finally hiding them.  The children stayed with us for that night and the whole next day.  The next day consisted of Katlyn and I going with Milades into town to try to win custody.  We were sent from place to place and were finally granted temporary custody until a formal investigation could happen.  We were overjoyed.  Yet all of that changed within hours because when we went at night to drop the children off, we had found out that Milades was severely threatened by Fanny and her only option was to give Fanny back her children.  Milades agreed that to save her own life, she would let Fanny live back in her old house which is right across from Milades where she could still watch out for the children and make sure Fanny does not give the kids away again.
Yet, Fanny is their mother.  She can take them when she wants. The child protection system and the situation is so awful that the only hope is that The Lord changes Fanny's heart.  That the Lord will help Fanny to stop the destructive life she is living that that the four precious lives of these children are protected.
Pray for Nayeli who is still living with another family.  Pray for Josue that he will trust and become a carefree two year old again.  Pray for Michelle who cannot understand the situation.  And please, pray for sweet Dynady.  She is 8 and knows more than she should ever know.  She has seen her mother do things that are hideous.  She has had to care for her siblings and meet their every need in ways that an 8 year old cannot.
The rest of our time in Porvenir was so good at times, but the gravity of this situation was stressful and awful in so may ways.  We were so blessed by so many families feeding us and taking care of us.  The last day we had goodbye parties and goodbye meals.  Each time leaving gets a harder because I love the people in such a deeper way, especially Milades family, yet it also gets easier because I know I have no choice but to start planning my next trip.
As I get ready to go back to school I feel overwhelmed.  My heart is heavy and I know it is the same for everyone else who went on this trip.  My heart is aching for these four children and for Milades.  I know that the Lord is good and I trust he will protect like he says he will, but it still is scary.  The first night that things calmed down with Fanny and the children, Milades asked if we could have a worship night.  We sang and we prayed and it was so genuine and good.  I knew in my heart in that moment that the Lord would protect the children while we were gone, but now that we are gone, it takes a little more convincing and a little more prayer on my part to have a peaceful heart about it.
I hope to soon put up more pictures one pictures get loaded on the computer and I hope to talk more about bible study and the kids camp and building the tables and all of the amazing things, but I feel right now what is most important is to ask once again for prayer.  I pray that you will remember these four children's names and Fanny and Milades and write them on your heart and commit them to prayer.  They sure do need it.