Update on Program Development
I pray that the sun is shining brightly in your life as a long winter gives way to spring. I wish every joy to you and your family this year. Your faithful friendship to me, and partnership with this ministry, offer great strength in facing the inevitable challenges within every season. Thank you so very much!
We surely are living in a strange period of history. Likely, most of us have been altered in some way by a relentless onslaught of recent crises. I can tell you that Mexico has been, and continues to be, especially chaotic. Though our work there never ceased, we certainly had to make significant modifications to our approaches to ministry. Wonderfully, most of these unexpected changes have turned out to be improvements. You, who so kindly remembered our quiet needs, kept our vital ministry alive to serve. I am forever grateful.
It is now time for Laughing Child to thrive again in reaching the hurting families to which God has called us. You may remember that most every family that we hosted for our healing camp adventures visited from Mexico City. We have chosen to base our Family Bridge Initiative right in the heart of their home city. This will allow us to both build on our long-standing relationships and to strategically expand our outreach to include more families in need.
Thanks to your kind and faithful gifts, we have now advanced from a research and planning stage to active program development. Just three weeks ago we signed a contract and sent an initial payment to a brilliant psychologist in Mexico City. Dr.Judith is writing the main body of two original multi-session workshops. These innovative seminars will be used to create awareness and support for involuntarily abandoned siblings of children living with special needs. Laughing Child believes that every child is “special” and deserves lavish love and attention. Childcare institutions, with which we are working, have acknowledged the need for addressing the complex challenges facing these siblings and their parents/guardians. Our Family Bridge Initiative may be the first programs developed in Latin America specifically designed to support these precious sisters and brothers.
Meanwhile, our Field Director, Dr. Olivia continues to deepen our ongoing needs analysis while building relationships with a broad spectrum of relevant care institutions. These partner organizations offer a variety of care solutions for the families of special needs children. Our gospel-infused workshops will be hosted by these mostly secular institutions. It is thrilling to create content and communities to offer the love of Jesus to whole families of children who are living with special needs which include: Cancer, HIV, Lupus, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Congenital Immunodeficiency Disorders, Congenital Heart Disease, and Down Syndrome.
It is beyond exciting to nurture and grow our ministry in Mexico City. I believe that this is the inspired continuation of our mission to be pioneers for the glory of God and the healing of others in the darkest of places. I can never thank you enough for standing with us through thick and thin. Your love for Father and His children sustains me and propels me to keep my eyes on Jesus and my hands to the plow. Please continue to pray that this vision, born and raised on a remote camp in the mountains, and tested through the turmoils of a harsh megacity, will spread His love and healing to hurting families throughout Latin America.
