A Very Special Couple…”For the Long Haul”
“Tony and Rosa, we are with you for the long haul.” Those words were spoken to us in 1997, nearly 20 years ago, during a time when we felt the vision consuming our hearts to rescue orphans and to love the u
nlovable, but we also felt a tremendous need for people who would come alongside us and believe in the work to which God had called us. Finances seemed an unending (and most times, insurmountable!) challenge, and we experienced feelings of real loneliness in the ministry. Who else cared about children in Venezuela eating from dump trucks and labeled as “society’s discards”? Though determined to do whatever it took to see the work through and to rescue children, one reality presented itself time and time again: we could not accomplish the work all by ourselves; we truly needed others who would walk with us on the
journey. Knowing this, God began bringing people into our lives that would join us. A turning point took place when God orchestrated our paths to cross with those of Derin and Barbara Carmack from Denver, Colorado. Shortly after meeting, Derin and Barbara began to not only financially support our vision to rescue children; they also spoke wisdom, life, and encouragement to our hearts, which filled us with tremendous faith and hope for the ministry. “…We are with you for the long haul”, Derin told us. Little did we realize what a faithful couple God had brought into our lives, or how many years that statement would encompass. For the next twelve years,
Derin and Barbara consistently and sacrificially gave to the Home of Refuge, ensuring that the children’s needs were met. On August 5, 2009, Derin went to be with the Lord, but Barbara has faithfully continued to live out the powerful words they spoke in 1997, and to this day she has financially and prayerfully given to this ministry! Our hearts are grateful and humbled by such a demonstration of God’s faithfulness. While there is no way to count all of the children that have entered God’s kingdom as a result of their giving, one thing is for certain: this ministry is still in existence and impacting lives today because of their faithfulness. (Thank you, Barbara, for who you have been in our lives and for the beautiful testimony that your giving has become. We deeply appreciate you!)
An Update on Ever and the Home
Ever has adapted well to the home and is relating to the rest of the children. We rejoiced to see the joy in his heart, captured in a recent photo that was taken one morning while he was playing and talking with the others. Ever participated as much as he could in the summer classes that were being offered at the orphanage, but they have now ended and the new school year began last week (it is fall season in Peru right now). Thank you for praying for Ever during this transitional season for him. It is an amazing opportunity that he has been granted, to be rescued out of dysfunction and abusive conditions and to be welcomed into a home with open arms and warm hearts. Your giving is what opened that door for Ever. Your support is making a difference in his life.
We would like to buy shoes for the children because they just started the new school year and are in need of decent shoes to wear to classes. We know that the Lord will prompt many of you to respond to this need, and we thank you in advance for your obedience to God’s voice. In whatever measure God enables you to share with the poor and to give to the orphans, you are investing into His eternal kingdom. His heart is towards the poor. He promises that your rewards for giving to Him will endure forever…for the “long haul”, as Derin would have put it.
May the Lord grant you eyes to see His faithfulness that surrounds you and His opportunities that await you.
With gratitude,
Tony and Rosa Rivera
Home of Refuge International, Inc.
