Lily's kids

Lily's kids

Sunday, December 29, 2013

2013- a year flown by

2013 has been a year that I can't even find words to explain.

It's been a year where I have grown so much in my walk with God.

It has been a year where I have learned to trust Him with each moment and each day.

It has been a year where I have become a Tia to 10 little ones.

It has been a year living in green mountains and sunshine.

It has been a year where I have laughed at my mistakes and grown from them.

It has been a year where I have learned to forgive and move on and keep loving.

It has been a year where I have seen so much of myself and seen so much of God's grace.

It has been a year of delicious bolivian food.

It has been a year of missing my family.

It has been a year of continuing to work on Spanish ;)

It has been a year of wonderful friends.

It has been a year where God continues to ask me to trust Him.

It has been a year where I look back and smile.

It has been a year of laughter, tears, smiles, joy, and love.

It has been a year of tucking little ones into bed and whispering "I love you".

It has been a year of cleaning and re-cleaning and washing clothes by hand.

It has been a year of HARD work.

It has been an adventure.

I am so amazed at how God has shown His love to me this year. He has grown me, changed me and continues to do so. Praise HIM! I do not deserve His love and grace but am so thankful for it each new day.

2013 has flown by.

Coming back to Bolivia, becoming a full time Tia, Having little Lily named after me and being her "god-mother", trips to waterfalls and rivers, pizza with all the kids, having all the little ones move into my home, 2 months in the States with my wonderful family, being a missionary with Cup of Cold Water Ministries, coming back to Bolivia for the 3rd time, my second Christmas with the kids and seeing God work miracles.

So much has happened in this past year and I give ALL glory to Christ! All that I write, I write to point to HIM. We are sojourners in this land. How quickly the time passes.

I am so excited to see God work in this new year. 2014. I pray that each day would be for Christ. That God would work in this family of Casa de Esperanza. That God would continue to grow me and strengthen me in Him.

Thank you all so much for your love, prayers and support for myself and also for the children here. They are too precious to be ignored.

Sending so much love from all of us to you!

In Christ Jesus,
Lily Fluharty

and also...

Betty, Febe, Andres, David, Ely, Ismael, Javier, Juanes, Peniel and July




Saturday, December 28, 2013

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!! What a wonderful Christmas we had with all the children and staff. It was such an amazing time to celebrate Christ's birth and to be together with the entire family of Casa de Esperanza.

God works in amazing ways and truly provided for the kids this year in a miraculous way. There was no money for 150 Christmas gifts needed for all the children, staff and graduated kids who returned to celebrate. But God is bigger than budgets and the large amount of money needed and blew me away as He provided through my church with double the amount needed. God is bigger than my doubts and my limited expectations! Praise Him!

All the children opened up their presents with HUGE smiles on their faces. All the little ones received toy cars and animals, the boys received awesome new skateboards which they are putting to good use (I have almost gotten ran over too many times to count) and the older girls got new towels and waterproof watches. Lots of smiles and laughter on Christmas night.

Some of the highlights...
*The boys waking up early Christmas morning going, "Tia Lily! It's Christmas!!!"
*Javier eating his "potato juice" as he called it (mashed potatoes)
*Peniel carrying her present with the BIGGEST smile on her face
*Watching all the boys MASTER their skateboards

Huge thank you for everyone who donated for the children's Christmas gifts. It is such a blessing and I am so encouraged and humbled to see God blow our prayer out of the water and provide double of what was needed. Thank you!

Much love from Bolivia and sending lots of hugs and kisses from the little ones.

In Christ Jesus,
Lily Fluharty




Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Journal entries 2

11/7/13 David is in the kitchen dancing and drinking hot chocolate and my heart pretty much just exploded as I watched him sing. All the good moments, hard moments- I will treasure forever.

11/8/13 For the Least of these
I am told to love them and care for them
To leave my parents and sisters for them
To work each day until I fall into bed exhausted
To love until my heart explodes
To continue learning
To make mistakes and by God's grace learn from them
To give up comfort
To be under constant pressure
To forgive
To teach
To hug and kiss
To sing, praise and pray
I am called to serve them
I am called to live for Christ
I am called and by God's grace I hear
By God's grace I answer yes

Once again the lights went out tonight during dinner which results in screaming kids grabbing for me.

11/12/13 God- Take all that I am because nothing matters at all in comparison to you. It has been a very difficult few weeks. But you answered and proved your faithfulness and love over and over. Oh God use me how you choose and change me more and more into your likeness. I need you. I want more of you. I adore you. Open my eyes and my heart. Let me see my sin and hate it. Let me see more of you and give me grace. Thank you for your forgiveness. Humble my proud heart, gentle my stubborn spirit, quiet my frustrations. Give me joy each new morning and let my song be in you alone.

11/13/13 Just heard Andres say, "David, come and look! My pee isn't white, it's another color!"

11/16/13 2 Choronicles 16:9- " For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." New favorite verse. The Lord gives me strong support! I want to trust Him with my ALL. I want a heart that desires Him alone.

11/18/13 This evening we put on the music "If your happy and yo know it... SCREAM!" and Eli and Febe were definitely happy because their screams hurt my hears. Eli has the LOUDEST and most screeching/ blood curdeling scream ever. She has the perfect scream to drive me crazy.

11/19/13 Beautiful morning. There is absolutely nothing like the sunrise in mountains. Doing battle with Febe this morning who is a sloth. Love this part of the song "I know that you are for me. I know that you will never forsake me in my weaknesses." What a beautiful promise. The Lord is on my side!

11/20/13 Actually slept really good last night which was amazing. But Peniel woke up four times screaming and pretty sure she was having bad dreams. Gonna wake up the troops in a few minutes. It's always so weird reading my journal from one year ago. The time passes so quickly and I am so glad that God continues to lead me and bless my time here at Casa de Esperanza. When I first came to Bolivia almost two years ago, I never imagined myself sitting here in my home with ten kiddos and being able to speak fluent Spanish, with a little baby named after me and so many kids etched deep into my heart. God works in mighty ways and changed my ticket from Africa to Bolivia because His plan is perfect. He put me in this house of little ones for a reason.

11/22/13 "Whatever you do for Christ, throw your whole soul into it" -Charles Spurgeon
I love that quote. There are times when I am exhausted but I know God has called me here to live and love. I am so forgetful that my strength comes from God. I can't do this on my own. I need my sweet Jesus. I am so blessed by my life here and my little ones and my big ones and my friends here. Oh how I love Bolivia.

12/3/13 Sitting here writing and Andres is hanging with me. "You can go play" I told him. "No, I want to be with you!" he told me. Oh he melts my heart. "Are you tired?" he asked me and when I told him, "No, I just have a headache." Andres looked at me really worried, "Oh, did you hit your head against the wall?" Made me laugh out loud. "No, it just is hurting."

12/5/13 Today there was a mini hurricane and the giant tree in front of my house blew down. After the wind died down Andres walked out to the porch and listened to the rain and the thunder in the distance and raised his arms out and moved his fingers like a music conductor as he yelled "Boys and girls, PRAISE THE LORD!"

12/8/13 "Come, my soul, pluck up courage, and put down thy feet in the blood-marked footprints which thy Lord has left thee." C.H. Spurgeon