We’ve been silent on the blog {and everywhere else} lately.
It has not been due to a lack of stories to tell or thoughts to be shared. How we’ve longed to tell you how we laugh till our sides hurt when Daniela breaks into dance, one leg always moving faster than the other, causing her to spin endlessly in circles. Or how we inwardly cheered when Fidel worked up the courage to say grace on his own for the very first time.
We’ve honestly,well, just been super duper busy.
The past three months have been a trip. We’ve made mistakes, laughed till we cried, crashed with exhaustion, sobbed, stretched, and grown. It’s been a huge learning curve as Jesus takes our carefully calculated plans of what this daycare ministry is supposed to look like and molds it into what HE wants it to be.
Daycare.
We use this word often. A considerable part of what we do falls under the umbrella term “daycare.” But sometimes it just does not sit well with us. We love daycares, and we LOVE the idea of daycares as ministries. But when trying to describe all that God has called Roots & Wings to be, the word “daycare” is sorely lacking.
Daycare is not all that we are and does not fully describe what Roots & Wings is and hopes to become. We LOVE children and we focus in large part on meeting their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. But God has called us to do so much more. We want to see a lasting change in the lives of our children, and in order to do that, we HAVE to place an adequate focus on their parents. And let us tell you, it is not easy. Parent’s lives are messy. They’re difficult. They’re never easy to influence.
But we have to try. Last month we began holding regular “parent classes,” where we hope to educate our moms on topics such as nutrition, discipline, hygiene, budgeting and so on. Our hope and prayer is that through educating each mom, the quality of life will be raised for not only their child, but for their entire family.
Still, education isn’t enough. So many of the families that surround us live in utter hopelessness. Resigned to a life of poverty and pain. It is both frustrating and heartbreaking at the same time.
We long to bring them hope. Roots & Wings seeks to encourage both child AND parent to dream big and believe that they can attain those dreams. We desire to help parents renounce the belief that they are stuck in their current situations with no way out. To see their own potential and realize their goals.
But not only that, we want to build a bond and relationship with them. Let them know that they too are loved. And valued. And cherished. And most importantly, we hope to guide each of our little ones and their families toward a relationship with Jesus, the greatest source of hope. To put their trust in Him and hold fast to the wonderful plans He has for each of their lives.
**Pssst… check out our handy dandy sidebar for our most current prayer requests. We will attempt to update these often!
Also many of you have asked what items we still need in the daycare. The list is constantly changing, so we’ve added a Needs/Wants list for you to peruse if you’d like to send us a gift. Thank you, friends!
