Compassion making a difference...

This is an email we sent out to those who pray for us and chose to post. It gives light to the last post and the Nov 9th, 2006 post. And of some have compassion making a difference...

Another problem this week, it began in school; a rumor that girls had been abused....and one girl told another and...then back to ours. You get the Idea. When they came home all were crying. I feared something like this would happen. (Discretion here is rare). It underscores our need for a school. We dealt with that issue, but the whole rest of the day was problem filled. Chasing container paperwork that was mailed to the wrong place, Scriptures at port tomorrow, more problems with our truck motor still not done(only 2 months), Carlos taxi broke down before picking up the kids, where to meet for church, Our tent tore taking it down in a place making it unusable, Locating someone to repair it, finances and much more.

The end of the day Lisa an I were talking with Julie(8) and Iris(8). Iris was in tears talking about how the words in school hurt, then began showing her scars from being beaten by her grandmother and mom(more new information), when Julie suddenly opened another volume to the mountain of abuse in her family. We had hints of some, but never confirmed. Karen(5) was raped, (the others finally revealed it) By the grandfather as well as the father and so was Julie. Karen for a year, Julie for 2-3 years. They had seen them rape numerous little girls and women in the barrio as well. Ad to that she shared Alba was also sold to men and teens as young as 13-14 for a beer or cigarette by her mother...even more so than her father. Now it’s known the reason her mother changed her mind and wanted her back home last year, after she came to stay with us for a short time, before Christmas… No beer/Cig money (Can I scream now) Alba came in and openly shared more info never before discussed with anyone. When asked did it happen 1-2 times?…no, 10-20 times?, no, 100s of times in the last 5 years.(not including all what her father did who is now locked up for 20 + years) Alba opened up even more and finally allowed some very difficult questions and lots and lots of weeping. She did a lot of healing last night. The reason she did not want to tell me is she had, in a small way, come to like it and was very confused and ashamed why. We had seen this in her but she never shared it till last night...After was a long discussion and loving teaching time, though it was on issues I would rather live my whole life and not ever mention. The LORD again gave wisdom beyond my ability and allowed illustrations that revealed and taught and soothed much. Cutting the filth from the good with the skill of a surgeon, way beyond the skill of a mechanic that uses a hammer like me. She went to bed after giving and receiving tight hugs, smiling and giggling. A far cry from when we began. Amen
The LORD can and does heal. Even a broken spirit 12 year old little girl who was diagnosed with AIDS and HepC, who no one wanted or was willing to care for.....but us, by Gods Grace.

I was not able to sleep because of these issues and prayed instead. Not sure to reopen this mess with the authorities, or if the authorities would even do anything. They did nothing previously (even though they knew about it). That is, until we stepped in. It took $$ last time to get them to act, and cost a small fortune. I paid for everything last time; testing and forensics, doctors, court cost ect. I even had to paid for the police and lawyer’s cell phones and to top that they wanted gas for the police truck to arrest the father. It was only because we sold our cargo trailer in the USA a week before this exploded we were able to do what we did.

We have no desire to inflict more pain on the children as this would do, nor spend more money on this. And the children ARE and feel safe. We woke the girls early this morning to pray with them…it was a very sweet time. The boys wandered in about 10 minutes later to also pray before breakfast.

Not sure how LONG a holy and righteous God will hold his wrath and return, but when one of his 12 year old children’s only vision of love and worth, is to be raped, abused, used and literally tortured repeatedly. Then begins to desire it because it is the only affection she has known; And her younger sisters following close behind... it can’t be long for many verses come to mind.

Very Unworthy to serve the LORD. Thank you for placing us at such a time as this.
Barry Ritchie