To Trust God
“And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?’”…Matt. 8:25
In this verse, Jesus asks the question and reveals the answer: to the degree that we trust God, we experience His beautiful peace. When our faith is smallest, fear quickly tries to govern our perspective, our emotions, and our outcome. The disciples were “of little faith” in this passage of Scripture, and therefore, afraid; but when we trust God, all of our fears diminish. The Bible says that we cannot do anything without God…and that He is in control of our lives. If you are walking in fear in some area of your life this month or are struggling with a particular issue, I advise you to meditate on the Word of God. NOTHING is impossible for God. He can do all things, and He tells us that all things are possible to those who believe (Mark 9:23). He has orchestrated this newsletter message to be on my heart so that you would read it and be encouraged to believe Him. Trusting God is simply believing that He loves you, He is GOOD, He has the power AND the desire to help you, and He will do it. Christians are called “believers”, but sometimes we are more like “unbelieving believers” (even the words cannot co-exist in the same sentence) We trust many people and institutions more than we trust God and His Word.
We need to lean on God for help with everything in our lives. God wants us to put Him first and to put our confidence and trust in Him for everything, at all times. I want you to know that Rosa and I totally depend on the power of God to sustain us. It is because of God’s mercy that we do what we do, and He supplies everything needed to help the children of Peru to have food and all of their utilities paid, and to provide Will with the opportunity to attend his college classes. God does all of this through people, and He is using YOU all to provide for these things, for which we are very grateful! Your participation in what the Lord is doing in Peru is God’s means of provision for His work there. Thank YOU!
Last month we traveled to the orphanage and are happy to report to you that all of the children are well. We are very pleased with the way the directors are organizing and implementing new projects. There are now 70 children in the home, and the doors remain open to all who come. One of the recent additions to the orphanage is 14-year-old Jesus. Previous to his arrival, Jesus was living with his siblings and mother in the streets of Lima, in extreme poverty. His mother daily sold candies so that she could purchase food for her children, but there was never enough to sufficiently feed them or provide them with a roof over their heads. Jesus’ father did not accept any responsibility for his son’s wellbeing, and nobody else offered any means of support for Jesus’ struggling mother, who eventually sent Jesus’ siblings to live in a different orphanage and then sought refuge for Jesus within the walls of Santa Maria Children’s Home.
When young Jesus entered the orphanage, he had some challenges to overcome. He did not like being in an unfamiliar place and had experienced such dramatic changes in “his world” that he was very unhappy. Now, however, he loves being in the orphanage and feels very comfortable there. He is at a 4th grade level educationally and works hard to make up for the lost years, hoping to catch up to others his age. Jesus loves playing soccer and works well with others. He never misses a meal and enjoys the blessing of having his very own warm bed with clean sheets and a blanket. This is what your giving means! For this teenage boy, it means there is a HOME that he can call his own and a bed waiting for him each night. It means food, love, joy, friends, education, health, and a chance to be a kid while he still is one. It means HOPE. Thank you for making this possible for 14-year-old Jesus and all of the other street boys who might arrive on the orphanage doorstep tomorrow…or the next day…or the next…needing the same security and refuge that Jesus has found. They will be welcomed in because your giving keeps our doors open. God BLESS you for what you are doing for God’s kingdom. We deeply appreciate you all!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,
Tony and Rosa Rivera
Home of Refuge International, Inc.
