Wednesday, by Chris

And we are past the halfway point in Orphanage Emmanuel.

It was perhaps the most powerful day of all for the team, a day of dirt and water.

After another day in the trenches, laying a sewer line and another day working with the kids, Greg Elder preached for their Wednesday evening service.

The service began with team members handing out hundreds of cards prepared by Hillside members with a short message of love printed inside. Christine Edwards led the music and a short drama she had prepared with the medium girls, followed by Greg’s message: Beautiful.

It was a powerful affirmation for these “throw-away children” that they are special and loved, Christine and Mark Holland had prepared a short video of photos we had taken of childrens’ faces, played to Mercy Me’ song, “Beautful,” and Greg followed his message with a simple but effective call to come forward and accept God’s love and forgiveness, and more than half a dozen did. Other team members were there to pray with some of these children that we ourselves have grown to love.

It was also a night for baptisms, and Greg got his chance, with the help of founder David Martinez, to baptize nearly a dozen teenagers.

After the service, Bent and Katrina, two Danish workers who were running the halfway house in Tegucigalpa, helping Emmanuel graduates find jobs, had dinner with us and told of of their work here, including a scary robbery and home invasion. They are back here in Guaimaca after the home invasion in order to give them some time away and rethink the work of the halfway house.

The beautiful part of coming to Orphanage Emmanuel is the variety of work available. School work, helping with the little ones, digging and building....it’s truly a place where any member of Hillside could find a spot and share their skills. We are thankful for the opportunity to be here.