Fields of the Fatherless Blog

...introducing Maria.

2008-04-23T01:07:00.000-07:00

So i’m finally taking a minute to throw in a different point of view on farm life here on Carreta Quemada. For those who don’t know me, my name’s aurora and I’ve been now living on carreta quemada for 3 months. Just a short summary of how I came to be here: I had graduated from the University of West Virginia in May 2007, with a Bio degree and a Spanish minor. Not knowing if or how I would use my education, I just knew that I wanted to do mission work and learn some spanish. I read through and hunted for non-profit organizations in a missions catalog and whatever else I could get my hands on. After half-heartedly picking some out, I decided I would spend some more time working in summit county where I had spent my high school years. To make a long story short, by a divinely-guided chain of events, I heard about and came to learn about Fields of the Fatherless. After reading about it and meeting Gary, Kathy, Josh, and Abbie, I felt sure about wanting to go to Uruguay. It was the only direction I had felt sure about for the past few years. And since I’ve been here God has only been moving and shaking me more and reaffirming the sureness I felt. I only wish this perpetual smile on my face, and vibrant glow I bathing my heart could be conveyed through words on a computer screen, or even a photo.... i have already drawn so much closer to Jesus under Kathy and Gary's guidance, and have already shed off so many layers of muck that had been keeping me from fully embracing the love that's there for the taking.

but anyways, just wanted to introduce myself because i will be blogging some here. here on Carreta Quemada, we usually get slapped with a nickname once we arrive. i have been appointed "maria," which refers to the character Maria in the Sound of Music....as the song goes,"how do you catch a cloud and pin it down?"

El Hogar

2008-04-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Another blessing that the Lord has provided is a connection with the ministry of El Hogar. El Hogar means "the home", in Spanish and it is home to many abandoned and orphaned children,(21 at present), as well as several elderly folks whose families are either unable or unwilling to care for them. El Hogar is approximately 25 minutes from the farm in a town called Ecilda Paulier. It is not an institution, but literally a family where the children call Kurt and Bilda, (the couple who head the ministry), "Mama" and "Papa".

The ministry has been operating for many years and was started by Ursula Dueck, (Kurt's mother) back in 1966. Many young women have grown up in the home and now live healthy, devoted lives because of the love, care and discipleship they received at El Hogar.

We had the privilege of spending Christmas eve 2007 with their large family and have enjoyed getting to know them all. We have also been able to host the children and adults at the farm for soccer, swimming, berry picking and horsebackriding, as well as have helped provide food for them from our garden and sheep herd. We hope to continue developing our relationship with them as our ability in Spanish grows. We are impressed with the evidence of fruit in the childrens lives, and are amazed at seeing the work of God transforming lives that would have been in a place of despair, if not for the love and care of God and a new family.

A Father to the fatherless...God sets the lonely in families. Psalm 68:5,6

Moving Day

2008-02-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

What a birthday present! On October 23rd, (Josh’s 12th birthday), we moved onto the farm. It was one of those days where you feel like you are in a dream and you don’t want to wake up. The farm was in the height of its spring glory; baby lambs, wild flowers, sweet fragrances, and green everywhere. We walked and rode horses all over the farm and drank it all in, in awe of God's faithfulness and His beauty.

Lord, you establish peace for us, all that we have accomplished you have done for us.

Isaiah 26:12

Vino Nuevo

2008-02-21T11:39:00.000-08:00

After getting to Montevideo, we were graciously hosted by Kari Ahola, the pastor of Vino Nuevo, and his family. We stayed there for one week while we got things in order for the first closing on the farm. We rested up, worked on our Spanish, grew more accustomed to Uruguayan culture and enjoyed several ministry opportunities for our whole family and Gideon, who was part of our team at that point.

Vino Nuevo is a diverse church in the inner city, ministering to people from all walks of life. We encountered various people, from business men, to homeless youth, from sweet, little, old, ladies to transvestites; all who need a real God who can change their life. The church houses. and works with young men who are on the streets and need freedom from drugs, alcohol, and other problems. We are looking forward to seeing how God is going to work to connect us with this ministry, and what His plans are in these new relationships.

Arrival Day

2008-02-20T11:15:00.001-08:00

We're here! After 24 hours of travel time, from our previous home in Summit County, Colorado, we arrived safely with all of our luggage. We were waved through customs without any problems and greeted by our new Uruguayan friends who have helped us a great deal through this process.

"If I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." Psalm 139:9,10

The journey

2008-02-20T09:47:00.000-08:00

God has taken us on a journey of the heart, as well as a physical journey. The journey of our hearts has been going on for some time. God has been clarifying our purpose and has given us a vision to make disciples----disciples who are committed to making more disciples and bringing God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.

This desire grew in Gary as he led a discipleship group in our home and also made numerous mission trips to different countries. He also had several significant, spiritual dreams where God spoke to him about going and meeting the needs of hungry, hurting people.

In October of 2005 when he had returned from a trip to India, the leadership at Agape Outpost, where he was serving as assistant pastor, recognized the call growing in Gary’s life to “go”. They offered him a 6 month paid sabbatical to seek the Lord and follow His leading. What a huge blessing to be able to rest and seek and hear God.

In February 2006, Gary went to Uruguay for a spying out trip. He found that it is a country that is largely unreached. As Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk say in their book Operation World, “Uruguay has been characterized by secularism and hope in man for over 100 years.” It is …“the most secular state in South America.”

In addition, he found out that Uruguay has many fatherless youth and children who are ripe for the gospel. A vision began to form of a place where the fatherless could experience restoration, and be discipled to know and love Jesus Christ and to pass this love on to others in their own country, and beyond. A farm setting seemed the perfect situation, as Uruguay is an agriculturally based country and Gary had grown up on a farm and farmed professionally for 13 years as an adult.

We had not communicated this to any of the believers in Uruguay that Gary had met when he went on his first trip. However, the pastor’s wife of the inner city church that Gary had connected with wrote in one of their newsletters that one of their “dreams” was to have a farm on the outskirts of Montevideo where the young men that they bring in off of the streets could go for restoration and discipleship. Another trip in August of 2006 with Cathy, confirmed the call and vision as we were able to further develop relationships with believers in Uruguay and looked at farms.

We developed a board of godly men and women, applied for a 501c3 tax exempt status for the ministry that God had put on our hearts and in March of 2007, we received notification that Fields of the Fatherless had been approved by the IRS. In March, we also visited Harvest Farm, a ministry outreach of Denver Rescue Mission, and gleaned many things from the staff there.

In April 2007, we went to Uruguay once again with our children and other friends. The purposes were to have our children get acquainted with Uruguay and to locate a farm that we could raise funds for and purchase. We looked at farms for several days with a real estate agent and didn’t find anything appropriate. All of the places we saw had very small accommodations and would require a lot of building and upgrading to make them livable. Building in Uruguay is very expensive and is heavily taxed.

Then one morning the Lord spoke in a whisper in Gary’s spirit and said, “I have a farm for you.” That day, the real estate agent came by with a CD of pictures of the most beautiful farm we had ever seen. It had just gone on the market. It was too good to be true! We went and visited it and saw that the pictures didn’t do it justice. God’s glory was evident in the beauty and peacefulness of the 140 acres. The buildings were in good condition and met our basic needs. There was even a swimming pool and soccer field with goals! The only problem was that it was listed at a price $200,000 above what we were considering. The asking price was $350,000.

We had been asking God that we would not limit Him. We were being put to the test. Could this be what God had in mind for the fatherless? We decided to step out and pursue this property and ask God to protect and provide for it.

After writing a newsletter sharing about our trip and the property we had found, many generous donors gave to Fields of the Fatherless and we had $125,000. At the beginning of July 2007 we made an offer for $220,000, with $110,000 up front and then another $110,000 in one year. The offer was turned down and the realtor told us that the owners wanted something closer to $300,000. With our existing funds, we felt we were unable to make another offer.

Then in mid July, we had a phone call from a supporter who offered to back Fields of the Fatherless with the additional funds needed so we could purchase the farm and then pay back the funds as they come in! We saw the Lord’s hand in this generous blessing, and immediately put in a higher offer on the property and requested all of the furnishings and farm equipment along with the property.

To make a long story short, during a period of 3 weeks where there were other offers on the property, and a lot of prayer, we made an aggrement on August 14th, 2007 to purchase the property for $320,000 including furnishings and farm equipment.

We sold, stored and gave away our possessions, turned our business over that we had recently developed during our sabbatical to friends, visited with family and friends, and on October 14th, exactly 2 months after our offer was accepted on the property, we moved to Uruguay!

“Do not move an ancient boundary stone, or encroach on the fields of the fatherless; for their Defender is strong. He will take up their case against you." Proverbs 23:10

Thank You Father for taking up the case of the fatherless. Thank You for allowing us to be a part of bringing restoration to them and for giving us this vision. Thank You for protecting, providing for, and delivering this property to be used to minister to those You love.

Welcome

2008-01-19T10:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome, Bienvenidos!

Come sit down and enjoy the view, as we share some stories with you about life in Uruguay, and the process of how we got here.

We hope you will see the goodness and faithfulness of God as we tell some of the old, as well as new stories to you.

The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. Psalm 145:13b