April 2015 Newsletter
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
La Roca Ministries isn’t just a church building where ministry occurs, it’s a church body that extends past the walls and goes out into our community. We are the hands and feet of Christ and His love truly knows no bounds. Nothing can stop the love of our God and so nothing shall stop us either.
As children play and laugh loudly at the House of Grace Kids Home, joy will surely overflow anyone’s heart that has been there. Their Joy is a testimony to how God deeply cares for each of us more than the lilies of the field. The children swing and climb on the playground as others kick the soccer ball back and forth for hours on end.
This month of April the kids have spring break from their schools; which means 2 weeks full of extra play time and craziness before going back to school. Each child here at the House of Grace is cared for deeply and loved by each of the staff. Jose, Mireya, Debora, and Isela all do an incredible job running the kids home and investing their love for Christ into the kids.
In addition to the staff at the House of Grace; Victor (brother to Yadira) has been helping out and staying there some evenings when needed. Though his sister is now married and lives elsewhere, Victor still helps out and returns to the House of Grace with a tremendous love for these kids.
Many of the children at the House of Grace have been with us for several years, some of them for most of their lives. We never deny a child when they need a home, no matter how full the house seems to be. Salvador (Chava) has been with us since he was one and half years old; he is now nine years old. We are the only family he has ever known or probably ever will know. Every child deserves a family, deserves to be loved, and deserves to feel safe. In James 1:27 we are told to care for the widows and orphans. This is something we strive to do.
Healing Hearts Across Borders continues to come once a month and set up a clinic at the men’s and women’s shelters. With a team varying from doctors to pharmacists and some med students; they help tend to our needs and care for each of these individuals with
love and compassion. Not only do they help out at the shelters, but beginning in May they will also be starting a clinic at the dump; which will be a huge blessing. Another blessing in regards to the dump is that we have received the one thousand dollars we needed to start construction on a bathroom there and we have wasted no time getting started.
In the past 6 years our ministry has gone from having the rehab ranch, our old church building on F. Martinez, and other small ministries, to now having up to 30 kids in the house of grace, a full time dump ministry, a much larger more suitable church building that houses over 200 men every night in the shelter and now also a women’s shelter that houses up to 12 women. Through our faith in Christ and with your help this has become possible. Fifteen years ago when we first started, all of these things were merely a dream. What God has shown us, is that having faith as small as a mustard seed doesn’t just move mountains but also rearranges whole landscapes. God has begun to work in La Roca Ministries and in the continual provision of donors who place their faith in the almighty God who cares for each of his children alike. Thank you for all of your desperately needed prayers and for being part of the La Roca family!