What to do?

After such a wonderful day in Puerto Vallarta we wondered what the Lord had planned for us in Mazatlan!

So that evening we were sharing with the two couples we ate dinner with each night about our day in Puerto Vallarta and how it would be great to do it again in Mazatlan, but we did not have any contacts at all there.

In steps Felix, our waiter for the week, who just HAPPENS to live in Mazatlan.

Is God amazing or what?

Felix tells us there is an orphanage just down the road from his house and he has time off ship the next afternoon and he would be happy to bring us there!

Really, seriously, no way!

So we invaded on Felix (who speaks wonderful English) and his wife, Silvia (who speaks only Spanish) on their day together at home.

And we drove about 1/2 hour to his quiet little orphanage.

Where we met this wonderful woman who has spent the last 42 years of her life caring for orphans in this orphanage!

Sorry to say I can not remember her name---Maybe that will be the next miracle the Lord will provide for us---a better memory! LOL

She has watched many generations of children come and live their live out her at this home and go on to live wonderful productive lives.

Again, sadly for us, but very happily for the 35 or so orphans of this home, the children were all privileged to be in school on this morning.

We were blessed by a tour of their clean home and grounds. And privileged to leave a package of pencils and colored pencils for the children when they got home.

The children of this home were not adoptable, and would be cared for and loved by the staff till they left for university.

David was pleased to see these two plaques on the wall. They are for two of their students who have participated in the Rotary Student Exchange Program.

As many of you know, we hosted an exchange student from Germany through this program a couple of years ago and this past year David was in charge of the program for his local Rotary.

It makes our hearts glad that some of the 'fatherless' are able to partake in this program as well as the privileged.

One of the blessings of this journey for us was seeing how well the children were cared for in this situation. Though I do believe all children deserve the blessing of a family, I know that is not always possible. It is wonderful to see children cared for in their own culture in a loving, safe atmosphere.

Our children's orphanage was not at all like the one I saw. I found myself crying and realized that it was both for the joy I felt for these children and the sadness I felt for the many to whom this is not a reality.

May our hearts always plead for the fatherless before the throne of God.

Since our time at the orphanage was shorter than we anticipated, Felix took us on a tour of HIS town. You could tell how proud he was of it.

We saw the Mazatlan that most tourists will not see.

The busy city streets that almost look like home.

The small shacks along a back road that are the size of our shed.

The modest homes on bumpy dirt roads.

The amazingly large resorts.

And of course the wondrously beautiful beaches and ocean.

Felix has been serving on board cruise ships for 19 years. They have a 10 month contract followed by 2 months off. He has been all over the world, but has spent little time at home.

He is thinking of starting a touring business in Mazatlan instead of signing up for another contract.

He was touched by our visit to the orphanage, that though it is around the corner from his house, he had never been too.

Maybe the Lord is working in bigger ways---tours to include a visit to an orphanage to touch many hearts?

You would not believe how many people we shared with aboard ship that asked how we had done what we did and that they would like the opportunity to do more than feed their own pleasures at port.

Maybe.

We picked up Felix's son to drop him off at the University, on our way to downtown to catch another bus back towards the ship.

On the way back we saw this beautiful church building.

I was saddened to feel the oppression in my spirit of the many seekers in this building. I found myself lost in prayer for the lost of this city.

Thank you God for giving us eyes to see, and hearts soft to hear your longing for the lost.

And as we journeyed away from this beautiful city, we again were overflowing with thankfulness.

The privilege that was ours to watch the Lord work in our lives, and touch our hearts.

And He tops it off with one of the most beautiful sunsets as our ship sailed out of harbor!

Isn't that just like God!