As we shared previously in our September update, the Lopez Ordoñez kids have had a great year where they have progressed a lot.  Despite a few challenges, specifically for Marlin, the kids all passed their year of school and are looking forward to the coming year which starts this month.

Josue is doing so well that he no longer needs to be in specialized classes and he is very excited to move into regular classes this year.  Marlin will be studying online in the same program as Luis.  They will be guided in the process by Gerson and Crystal who were living with them and caring for them for all of 2016.

Sadly, Gerson and Crystal have had some health and financial issues they have been struggling with that recently led them to make the decision to move away from the home where they were living with Marlin, Josue and Luis.  The home was not in the best condition and Crystal spent a lot of the year fighting different illnesses which were partially caused by exposure to the weather from the home they were living in.

Crystal has gotten a full time job with another ministry but the home they are currently living in is 45 mins to 1 hour away from where the kids live.  Due to legal restrictions Gerson and Crystal are unable to take the kids with them.  But, thankfully the kids will now be living with Pastor Jorge and his wife Shirley in their home.

Crystal and Gerson will still be helping Marlin and Luis with their schooling and will also be helping over the next year with some of the expenses for the kids.  It is a very difficult situation in that Crystal and Gerson have a deep love for the kids and did not want to leave them but they also had to be realistic about what they could and could not handle.

This change is a difficult one for everyone involved and we ask that you continue to lift up Marlin, Luis and Josue in your prayers.  They have dealt with a lot of hurt as well as feelings of abandonment from different struggles they have had with their family.  They did not receive the news well when Gerson and Crystal explained it to them.  Please help them to know that they are not loved any less or any less valuable.

Please also pray for Gerson and Crystal as they transition into their new home, serve in the new roles that God is calling them to, and seek the Lord in what His purpose is for their lives now that they are being led somewhere else.  Please also pray for complete healing for them physically, for emotional healing from the hurt of having to leave the kids, and for them to get to a healthy place physically, emotionally, financially, and in any other way they may need healing.

Please pray for Pastor Jorge and his wife Shirley as they transition into having 3 more children to care for in their home.  They already have 3 children of their own so they are taking on a great responsibility.

Finally, we ask that you would pray for all of us at Servants who are involved in the kids lives.  That God would show us how we can best serve and help with the kids.  Several of our missionaries have a close relationship with them and we all want the Lord to continue guide us in how we can love them well and draw them closer to Him.

Thank you for all of your love, prayers and continued support of this family.  If you would like to send a message to them to encourage them during this time you can do so through the mySARF website or by writing directly to Melissa@Servants.org.

In December we had the blessing of having a friend her with us who is a professional photographer.  He was able to take pictures to bless the families and here is one of the family that we would like to share with all of you:

Back left to right: Luis, Josue, Crystal, Gerson and front left to right: Marlin and their Aunt Sandra.