By: Ian Miller

     It was the beginning of 2002 when Lenn and Debbie Miller started to feel a calling to help orphans. One verse that especially stuck out to them was James 1:27 "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." They had both been in VS work with YWAM and had traveled to different Spanish speaking countries so Mexico was an interest to both of them.

     That summer, Mommy and Daddy decided that we would go on a trip out West. Grandpa and Grandma Miller live in New Mexico and we were excited to see them again. One of the reasons for going out West though was to take our family to Mexico. We crossed into Mexico for a day and ate at a restaurant, slept in a Mexican hotel and just saw the city of Juarez.

     After out trip out West and into Mexico, Daddy and Mommy felt ready to propose their idea of starting an orphanage in Mexico to our church leaders. Our church leaders felt fine about it, so it was proposed to BMA's mission board DestiNations International. Soon before that, Loren and Donna Yoder proposed sort of the same idea, but Loren felt more of a calling to a church plant. Our families didn't know each other nor of each other's callings to the same place. When the board saw this, they felt the Lord was at work and decided that an exploratory trip would be the next step.

     May of 2003 found Daddy, Loren, and three DNI/DNA board members on their way to Los Mochis, Mexico. They were going to "spy out the land" so to speak and stay with Gustavo and Carolyn. (Gustavo is a Mexican pastor in the Los Mochis area and had suggested a town named Choix as a possible location for an orphanage/church plant. So he was going to show them around.) The week went quickly. When Daddy got home, he told us about Choix, the town Gustavo had suggested, and showed us some pictures. I wasn't too excited about a move though. A move thousands of miles away from all my friends and relatives. Away from everything I knew.

     "Grandpa and Grandma Niehaus are here!" someone yelled. Sure enough, there was Grandpa's truck coming down our long driveway. We all ran out and even before the truck turned off, the doors were opened and we were hugging them. After they were able to get out and get their things, we escorted them up the sidewalk still trying to talk all at once. We were all excited to see them, but were also sad because we were packing up to head to Mexico.

     The next morning, we were scrambling about. Mommy, Grandma, and some ladies from our church were doing the last minute packing of boxes and cleaning the house, while the men were loading the boxes and other things on the huge rack on our van roof. And we children were trying to help but getting in the way more than anything else. Finally, we were done and ready to leave. Then it was time to say our goodbyes. Many a tear was shed.

     "Are we almost there?" There was hardly a more commonly used sentence in the van. It was September 30th, 2003, and we were hot, weary travelers all ready to get to our destination. Daddy finally pulled off the 4 lane highway and onto a smaller road. As we drove along the road, we could only imagine what people were thinking in the villages we drove through. Some stared; others may have pointed.

     Finally, we got to the bridge where Gustavo was to be waiting for us. Sure enough, there he was. We followed him and about 20 minutes later, we were in front of his and Carolyn's house where we were going to stay until we could find a house for rent. Carolyn warmly welcomed us. She was a "Gringa" like us and it was nice to be able to talk in English to someone.

     Our time went quickly at Gustavo and Carolyn's house. We had yummy meals and were almost constantly learning new things and seeing new sights. Finally, we were able to line up a house for rent and get moved in. I still remember the first night when we all slept in Mommy and Daddy's room with the A/C turned on. Even though it was the beginning of October, it was very hot and our bodies had yet to get used to the hot climate.

     Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into one year. It was December of 2004 and we were again moving. Grandpa and Grandma Niehaus traveled all the way down to visit and help us. During our year and two months in Ahome, we had picked up a lot of Spanish, made Mexican friends, and learned to eat Mexican food. But it was time to move on. The move to Choix, although only three hours away, was a big move. Choix was surrounded by mountains with a different flavor of culture. It was almost a world in itself. And we were moving into many uncertainties.

     Choix was really a pretty town. It was very clean and did not seem like the dangerous drug city we were told it was. Most people were friendly too. We had neighbor children coming over soon after we had moved in, wanting to play. Maybe the fact that we were Gringos made them curious to see what kind of toys we had and what we were about. Anyway, we were soon playing “carritos” or “canicas” with the boys and the girls were playing “elastico.” We also started a Sunday School class which started out with only 17 children but has neared 50 already. It was a way to get to know more children and to reach out to families in Choix.

     During our first few months in Choix, Daddy looked into property for the orphanage. He biked all over trying to find the best possibilities. He even rode to “El Fuerte” a city 40 minutes drive away. It was a little more civilized but I didn’t care. I clearly liked Choix and was not excited about the possibility of leaving it. I wasn’t the only one. Most of us were getting attached.

     At the beginning of 2005, a few months after we moved to Choix, Loren and Donna Yoder and their family arrived in Ahome. They had been planning to move to Mexico at the same time we did. However, it appears like the Lord had other plans. They could not sell their house until almost a year later, so they didn't get to Ahome until we had moved to Choix. Looking back, we feel that may have been a blessing in disguise because if we had been living in the same village studying Spanish together, we may not have been pushed to speak Spanish as much and learned less.

     It was the beginning of April of 2005 when 2 men from our mission board arrived. They had come to help make the decision of which property to purchase. Daddy took Loren, José Maria, and Victor (2 Mexican Christian men who we know pretty well) along with the two board members to check each property before they had the meeting to decide which to purchase. I awaited their decision with anticipation because I already knew which property I liked best and was hoping they would pick it. It was about 1 mile out of town, close enough to be convenient, yet with a country feel. I liked the fact that there would be 70 acres to explore and build forts on. Then there was the run down house that with some renovation would be pretty nice. The meeting was a success in my mind because they picked the one I wanted.

     June and July of 2005 saw big hurdles. First there was the big legal process of purchasing the house and property. Then there was the lining up of a contractor to renovate the house. And on top of that was the preparing for our furlough. We finally did leave for furlough and had a fun two months reconnecting with friends and relatives. We also brought back with us the orphanage’s first single worker. Jessica Beachy was from our church and had baby-sat for us from time to time so we sort of knew her.

     After furlough, Daddy, Jesse, a neighbor, and I started to add a couple rooms onto the house which was to be the orphanage. We actually just closed in part of the porch (which was pretty big) and made two rooms out of it. Then we built a bathroom upstairs.

     It was December, 2005 when we moved out to the orphanage. It was an exciting day. After 2 years and 2 months in Mexico we were finally situated in the orphanage and ready to receive children. A month later Loren and Donna moved to Choix after their year of language study, and started to rent the same house we had been renting. Then they started holding Church services in their house which was also exciting. At the orphanage we were just waiting for the children to arrive.

     Now we are nearing the end of 2009. We have seen much change. Rod and Christa Schwartz joined the Mexico team October, 2007. Various single workers have come and gone, with 6 presently working at the orphanage. At the beginning of 2006, our first child came to the orphanage. Now there are 16.

     The church plant is growing as well. One service is held in Choix in Loren and Donna's living room and another is held in a village named San Pedro on a believer's front porch.

     At times we get discouraged. Other times we have triumphs. But that is just apart of missionary work. Ultimately, may our goal be to reflect the Heavenly Father to those around us and have His Spirit working in and through us. May that be how all of us live.

By: Johan Horst

     Morning starts between 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. when the alarm goes off. This is not for the boys to wake up. Usually this just means they are now allowed to get out of bed. We (the workers) if not already awake, now need to get out of bed so there is supervision over the boys.

     Around 7:50 a.m. we head down the road to the main orphanage house where all our meals are served. If I say house, it is about the aforementioned establishment if I say dorm, that is where the boys live. It is about a 2-3 minute walk and is a trip that is done quite a few times a day. Breakfast is around 8:00 a.m. and is started with a devotional Then, everybody digs into their cereal.

     After breakfast the boys have jobs at the house like: sweeping the walkway around the house, washing/drying dishes, and sweeping the kitchen. As soon as these jobs are done we head back up to the dorm. Mondays and Fridays, the boys shell peanuts that the orphanage uses to make peanut butter or uses in cooking. Tuesday through Thursday the boys go out on the property to work. Depending on the time of year the work varies. In spring there is brush to be cleared and fence to be fixed. Once the rains come it is time to start planting sesame seed. For the next couple months the crop of sesame keeps the boys busy, keeping the weeds down, finding ant hills and poisoning them, and eventually cutting and harvesting the crop. This type of work is done until it is time to go down to the house for lunch.

     Lunch is served at 12:30 p.m. and afterward the boys help with dishes and kitchen clean up. Around 2:00 p.m. we head back up to the dorm. The afternoon is school time for the boys where they do PACE's. Twice a week they have special classes which include science, reading, and music. School is over by 4:00 p.m. and the boys have free time until supper at 6:30 p.m. If it is Monday or Friday the boys enjoy playing soccer for an hour and half before supper.

     For supper we once again make the trek down to the house. Following supper, kitchen cleanup is done and the boys have free time until 8:00 p.m. when we head back up to the dorm. Back at the dorm the boys take turns getting showers and preparing for bed. Lights go out around 9:00 p.m. until the next day starts.

     On Wednesday evenings prayer meeting is attended by all and the Sunday morning church service as well which is held in Choix, at Loren Yoder's house. Also at Loren's house there is a Saturday morning children's class where there is singing, bible memory, and a bible lesson. Following there is a snack and games.

     Workers live with and take care of the boys. The workers responsibilities include but are not limited to: working alongside the boys, playing with them, administering discipline and in general just plain supervision. If there is one word to describe it, parenting comes to mind quickly. All in all, life is never dull with five boys to spice up life.

By Rachel Wengerd (Ex-worker)

The morning usually starts off with birds chirping to each other outside of my open window, waking me up to a breathtaking view of the beautiful mountains all around us. I soak in a few quiet moments and then wake up the four children (Maria, 13; Rosalina, 14; Maria, 11; Fernando, 8) that are under my care. Often they wake up and chatter loudly and happily, trying to catch up with each others lives since last night. Meanwhile in another part of the house Suzanne, the other caretaker, is getting her two children up and at it. And so our day begins.....
At eight the whole crew at the orphanage gathers together at the main house for a short devotional and a breakfast of cereal. Breakfast clean-up has different children attending to various job-duties. Once completed, the boys all head up to their dorms and us girls get organized for our morning work.
Forenoons are the busy times here and usually include laundry, helping mend a fight, make a meal for the 27 people that eat here every meal, help restore peace in another fight, fix an ouchie, clean, mend (pants~ there are a lot of active boys!), help the girls get their jobs done, love and listen to the children’s needs and problems and excitements, and try to enlarge my halting Spanish vocabulary.
Laundry gets done four times a week. We have two washers, which helps speed the process of washing mountains of dirty clothes. We also try to conserve our water so that means re-using it a few times when washing. After we're done with it the boys put it in pails and water different plants and trees so they won't die from the hot Mexican sun.
Whoever is on for lunch prep gets going on that right after breakfast. Since it is the main meal of the day it often takes most of the forenoon to prepare. If it doesn't there's always something else to do, such as make granola or prepare some things for supper or sweep cobwebs or supervise the girls cutting squares for the quilt they are making.
At 12:30 the boys all come down from the dorms. The little cow bell that's on top of the fridge gets rung to signal that lunch is ready and our morning's labors are eaten up and enjoyed (hopefully) by all. Lunch clean-up supervision is part of my responsibility so I round up the wash-er and dry-er for that meal. After a few complaints that the water is too hot and pleadings for the leftover crumbs from the dessert we get the dishes washed and put away in their proper places.
The next part of the day is spent doing school. Suzanne and Gina are the teachers for the children down here. This is also the time set aside for my language studies or for getting a much wanted nap in. Every personal worker gets off 2 hours a day so that is usually taken sometime in the afternoon as well. At times I will use that opportunity to bike the mile and half into town to make a phone call home and use the internet.
Every Monday and Friday evening we have soccer for the children here. The neighbor children often join them for a hot, dusty, energetic game before supper.
Every Saturday morning we load up the whole orphanage family in Lenn’s van and drive to Choix for the childrens' class at Loren’s house. They enjoy a Bible Story lesson, snacks, and playing together. Church services are also held in town every Wednesday evening and Sunday morning.
But lets get back to finishing out our day.....Debbie, Lenn’s wife, is in charge of getting our 6:30 supper on the table. After everyone has had their fill they move outside for another hour or so of playtime before they get called in at 8 to start the process of getting ready for bed.
Normally, I spend a few minutes with each of my children before I tuck them in. Each one has their own special thing they like to do or say before they go to sleep. This has also been some of our most bonding and special times together. After many good nights, hugs, kisses, and I love you's everything is strangely quiet. I grab a few moments for myself or then crash into bed to prepare for another day.

By: Suzanne Miller

A school day at the Casa Hogar, is never boring with 5 very energetic students. School lasts from 2:00p.m. to 3:30p.m. or 4:00p.m., with my sister Regina and me helping the children with their PACE work. Here, I'll let you sit on a banquito (stool) in the corner, and listen in on school today, to get a glimpse of what a school day is like, but you must be quiet.

"Ok, go get your school books, it is time to start school," I say. After messing around some, Roxina and Maria are getting up to get their PACE's, with Marichuy on their tail. Rosalina is waiting for them on the couch, because of her broken leg. Regina ushers Maria and Marichuy outside, while I gather Roxina, Rosalina and Fernando into the house to do a lesson with them out of the A.C.E. Learning-to-Read program in Spanish. I now have the song on for the lesson's animal.

"Turn it up. I can't here it," says Roxina.

"I can't understand it," adds Rosalina. We put our ears close to the speakers, and play the song over again. This time they understand it. We are now ready to read about the animal that begins with the letter we are studying that day. After stumbling over a few difficult words from the story in Spanish, it is time for them to answer questions about what happened in the story. Now we are doing other activities with the letter we are learning that day.

"Ok, it is time to read these few words," I tell the twins. Roxina groans.

Finally, we have finished with the reading part, and the twins did a good job at reading today. What a relief. I start reading the Bible story to them, stumbling some more over difficult words, with Rosalina telling me the right way to say it.

"Time to start your PACE work," I say.

"I need my colored pencils," says Rosalina.

"I'm sorry, you can't go in the room right now," (because Rachel might be sleeping) I tell her.

"Who's pencils will I use then?" she asks.

"You can use your sister's." I respond. She reluctantly obeys.

"Suzanne, can you correct my school now?" asks Roxina.

"Just a minute. I will be right there," I respond. They at last are settled down, and started on their PACE's, without much help being needed.

"You may go outside and play now," I tell Fernando. Fernando sits in on the twin's lessons, because he is not ready to do them himself yet. He eagerly gets up and goes outside to play.

Meanwhile, Marichuy is reading something from her book to Regina. Here, we can move outside, so we can hear and watch better.

After listening to Marichuy read her story, Regina gets her going on another page.

"Regina, I don't understand this math problem," says poor Maria, getting frustrated. Regina comes over and helps her. Maria finally has the answer, and sighs with relief. After finishing her difficult Math, Maria gets to go on to her favorite subject, Spanish (which would be English in the States). After zooming through Spanish, she is now on her last PACE for today, Social Studies. Marichuy is done with her PACE work also, having finished the same subjects as Maria (but in a different grade). There are a few people trying to finish up before Bible class with my mom. Here comes my mom now, and everyone has finished their work.

My mom is starting the Bible on tape. The children start to pictures from coloring books while they listen. After about 15 minutes, we turn the tape off. The children put their books away, and a few of them - full of energy- race outside to end the school day at the Casa Hogar.

Note: Suzanne and Regina work with the girls and little children in school. Lenn works with the boys. But, Ian has Science and English class with all the children on Wednesdays, and on Fridays, Donna Yoder has Reading class, and Rod Schwartz has Music class.