beauty for ashes

This is taken from the most recent Love in Action Partners update, written by Pastor Chuy who runs the home for elderly where I'll be serving once in Tijuana:

"As many of you may know, we suffered a great tragedy at El Refugio. At least that is what it has seemed like to us. We had to evacuate El Refugio on November 13th after two small upstairs rooms caught on fire. Moving 134 elderly, many of whom cannot walk, was not easy! We moved them to a large gymnasium where we were given shelter for one night until we were able to move them to a rehabilitation center with the women and men split up between two locations. This rehab center is an hour away from El Refugio and from my home. It has not been easy to commute every day and it has been 2 very long weeks! After moving them several times and having to turn to you and the community for support, we still have much to do to get the place ready for them. The fire department is instructing on what to do before returning. We are installing all new electrical wiring, and a fire system. This has to be done before they return. Many are crying, wanting to come "home" and that breaks my heart. Please help us pray that all this be done fast.

BUT in the mist of it all we are seeing God working! God is using this disaster for reuniting family members. There have been a total of 23 elderly who have been reunited with their families! One particular story is Renato who had wandered off one day from his home and never found his way back. Eight years ago as I was driving home one night, I saw him sitting on the sidewalk. As I was driving away, God told me to go back and take him to El Refugio. I turned around, got out of the car, and asked him if he needed help. He said he was very hungry and that he did not know where he was. I took him to El Refugio and that became his home. Eight years have passed and due to the publicity that El Refugio got during the fire, his family was able to recognize him on television. His family had moved from Tijuana to Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas seven years ago and had never been able to locate him. His family took him home! In all, 23 elderly have been reunited with their families through newspaper and/or television. What began as a disaster has turned out to be the happiest of days for many of our elders!

I want to express my eternal gratitude to each one of you for your prayers and generous donations during this difficult time. It is not easy seeing everything we have worked so hard to achieve go up in flames, but the Lord has plans and they are plans to prosper us and give us a future. This He has done! In the ten years El Refugio has been in operation. we have never experienced anything like this."

"...to give them beauty for ashes..." (Isaiah 61:3)