Lily's kids

Lily's kids

Monday, December 29, 2014

When they leave

When you realize that they really aren't yours.
When you are powerless to protect them.
When you won't get to kiss those soft cheeks again.
When they leave.


Please don't take him away. I trust you Lord but don't put him back into a bad situation. Keep him safe.

How do you trust when the answer is no?

This has been a post that I have had in my head. I can't write about it. It hurts. The injustice and pain that this little boy is going through. When the courts rule in the favor of his family and he goes back to them. It's scary not knowing what he'll face.

Sometimes I feel like I know the better situation for him. Here he will be safe, loved, cared for. Yes he is back with family but his mother proved herself unfit to care for him. Why a second chance? What are they thinking? I was mad. Sad. Hurt. He had been doing so well…

I had prayed that if the courts DID rule in his grandfather's favor, that his grandfather would love and care for him and protect him. But instead his mother comes to pick him up? I was angry. Angry at the injustice of this world and the way helpless children get caught in the middle.

"Trust me. I love him more than you ever could, Lily." Is what I heard God telling me.

But it hurts to trust when you don't want to say goodbye.

"I don't want him to get hurt…"

It hurts when I learn how they really aren't mine. It hurts when I feel helpless and powerless to protect the children I feel called to protect. An empty crib. An empty space in my heart. He's gone.

God DOES love Ariel more than I do. He knows what's best for him. He will protect him.

I loved this quote (can't remember who it's by)
"He will lead them gently through the wilderness of the world."

I may never see Ariel Oliver again but I know that I will never forget that precious boy and how soft his cheeks were when I kissed him every morning as he woke up.

It breaks my heart. Life is hard. But God is a loving and merciful Father in the middle of a dark and violent world.

Please continue praying for little Ariel. Pray that God would transform the hearts of his family and that Ariel would be safe and grow up loving His Savior.

Much love,
Lily Fluharty





Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Navidad

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad!

First Christmas home in a while.

I spent Christmas the past two years in Bolivia.

My heart is a contradiction of feeling so happy to be home and also missing out on celebrating with the kids in Bolivia. It's crazy to see myself here and my mind back there. I still wish I could be in both places at once.

It has been such a wonderful time at home so far. What a blessing family is. And it is wonderful seeing all my extended family for the Holidays. It has been WONDERFUL to eat Christmas cookies, hang up the family ornaments on the tree, gifts, hugs, amazing food… I've missed the little things that I've grown up with…

Time is rushing by. Only a little over 2 weeks before I fly back to Bolivia and to the kids. I miss them like crazy when I'm here. I miss my family when I'm there.

My heart never really stops missing no matter where I am.

But God is faithful. That has been my song and theme the last year and a half and I love reflecting on His goodness this season.

Jesus- prince of peace, Savior of the world, mighty, powerful, all knowing… came as a precious and helpless baby. That is beautiful. He came into a dirty world. Born on a dirt floor with animals nearby. The King of kings. I know it's all been written before but it is beautiful.

Don't forget. He came as a precious baby.

Merry Christmas!!!

Much love and Christmas cookies,
Lily Fluharty

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Lolina

There are no forgotten children in God’s eyes. This is the story of a little girl who was never even supposed to live at Casa de Esperanza. The orphanage isn’t really qualified to take on special needs children but God had a very different plan. Lolina arrived at Casa de Esperanza a little over a year ago. Her story breaks my heart as she was abandoned by her mother at a very young age and left with her elderly father who had very little economically to raise his tiny daughter. Lolina was neglected and often left in a small cage in the small shack that she shared with her father and was often times left without food or care. Because of the four years of neglect and abuse she suffered, we were told when she arrived that she was severely delayed and will never be able to walk, talk or even feed herself. But God does miracles! After several months of love and care, we all watched in amazement at lunch as she slowly lifted her spoon to her mouth and ate all of her soup by herself. And in the past few months, we all celebrated as she started walking on her own. It has been a beautiful evidence of God’s love and power as we have watched a small abandoned child transform into a beautiful little girl with an infectious smile. We continue to pray that God would continue to work miracles and that soon Lolina would be able to talk and also sing praises to her Heavenly Father! These kids are loved by God!

God bless!!! Much love,
Lily Fluharty



Sunday, December 14, 2014

A piece of my heart

I was able to speak at church today and share a piece of my heart for the children at Casa de Esperanza in Bolivia and also share about how WONDERFUL God has been in the past few years. Here it is! :)

1) Can you tell us about your history at SGC?

I came to Sovereign Grace with my family when I was in second grade and pretty much grew up here. It has been such an amazing blessing to grow up in a family where Jesus is the center. I have been so blessed to be able to a member of a church where I can hear gospel centered teaching and be encouraged and led my church family.

2) In general what are you doing in Bolivia?

I am a house mom or “Tia” to the 10 littlest children at Casa de Esperanza. I have three babies, three toddlers, three kindergartners and a teenager in my house. It is definitely a crazy adventure and I learn something new every day about loving and raising so many kids.

I do a lot of little things. Wipe noses, kiss scraped knees, potty train toddlers, help with homework, give baths, sweep the floor for the millionth time, wash clothes, laugh at the goofiness of my little ones... and all those little things turn into one big one. I get to love! Every single day I get to love these precious children. I get to see them grow. I get to tell them that Jesus loves them. I get to teach them a little more each day. I get to hear them call me “Tia Lily” and “Mommy” every single day and I love it.

I can’t fix their colds, their tummy aches, or their hurting hearts. I can’t heal the scars they carry that some of them don’t even realize they have. I can’t fix the desire they will have for a mommy of their own. All I can do is continually give them back to God and love them as hard as I can. I can tell them of God’s love for them and show them my own love. They are not forgotten. They are not unwanted. They are not unloved. They are BEAUTIFUL. CHERISHED. PRECIOUS. And God loves them because they are His!


3) Tell us about what it is like to declare the gospel at Casa de Esperanza.

This looks very different at times. The biggest part is LIVING out the Gospel. God has completely changed my life by saving me out of darkness and  pray that my life would be marked by His love. God is gracious and patient with me as I learn to patiently love and serve in Bolivia.

With the little ones in my home it is daily loving them like Christ loves me. It’s definitely God’s grace helping me learn to be patient with so many little ones, being gracious and forgiving, asking for forgiveness when I lose my patience… But also it is a joy to share with them of God’s love for them. To explain to them that they DO have a loving Father. Every night we have a time of devotions and they love learning about Jesus and how He died for them on the cross.
We sing worship songs in Spanish and they have even learned some in English. Their favorite is “Jesus loves me” and my three year old Peniel always asks me if she should sing in English or Spanish. Before bed I pray with each of them and it has been such a blessing to hear them pour out their little hearts to Jesus.

With the older kids and teenagers at Casa de Esperanza it is very different. Every day during lunch, the kids hear about God’s love for them and the gospel and some of them are very open to hearing the gospel and asking for prayer. But there are others who are struggling with their past and with anger and rebellion. It is God who saves. But God also provides opportunities to speak truth into the darkness. I have been amazed seeing hardened hearts soften as they hear of God’s unfailing love for them. God knows His children and the prayers, encouragement and truth we speak are seeds planted in their hearts.

Another part of my heart is for the other Tias (house moms) working at the orphanage. Many of them are young believers and have not been taught and cared for. Many of them have suffered abuse in their lives and are lonely and afraid. It has been amazing to see the ways God has blessed these friendships that I have with these ladies. God has used me to gently point them to the scriptures and to a personal relationship with Him. There have been multiple times where I will just ask a Tia how they are doing and they will break down crying and ask for prayer. My prayer is that these ladies would cast themselves into the loving arms of their Savior.

4) Can you give us an idea of where orphans at Casa de Esperanza come from?

I have seen so much hardship and pain in the last 3 years living in Bolivia. I have seen children abandoned. I have seen abuse, neglect, fear, shame. I have comforted ladies who had just been beaten and abused by their husbands and boyfriends. I have hugged teenagers still dealing with the affects of abuse from when they were little. I have prayed over sick little ones. I have talked with elderly grandparents dealing with loneliness and pain. I have seen desperation and emptiness. I have seen brokenness. This is the life that the kids are coming out of.


July arrived at Casa de Esperanza. I have never seen a little girl so closed off and afraid of life. Her mother had given birth to her when she was twelve years old and two years later, at fourteen, had committed suicide. July, at two years old, was left living with her elderly grandfather who could not care for her. For the first few months that July lived with me I rarely saw her smile or play. She would look up at me with her giant brown eyes and just watch me. But slowly God started to work in her little heart. As little July slowly adjusted to living in a place where she was loved and cared for and safe, she slowly started to heal.   God’s love is so much stronger than any fear or pain. His love overcame death. His love saves. His love heals. His love is life. I literally watched July transform and blossom. God doesn’t just love us, He gives us life! I remember the directors and the older kids saying things like, “Wow, I have never seen her smile before!” and “Look, July’s laughing!” It was unbelievable and still is to watch God’s love transform lives like July’s. The love we give out is just an overflow of the love that the Lord gives us. It is such a blessing to share that love with these beautiful children and see them bloom and grow.

And in spite of all the pain and fear these kids have experienced, I have seen a love and care far greater than I could ever imagine. I have seen God give hope and a new life to the desperate and broken. I have seen God give strength to the weak, and life to the dead. I have seen time and time again that Jesus is the way the truth and the life.

5) Lily, now that you have been in Bolivia for three years what are your great challenges? How has God met you in these challenges?

There are definitely struggles to living overseas. I am away from my family and church family, dealing with a new language and culture and learning how to love hurting children. I get tired. Really tired sometimes. Trying to sleep through the night with 10 babies and toddlers is not always easy. There is so much to do and it can be easy to be more occupied with getting everything done rather than enjoying each day God has given me with these kids. Being a mom isn’t easy.There are always a hundred things to do and a million distractions that keep you from doing them. So many times I fall into the trap of doing things in my own strength. I try to be a good Tia and keep a clean house and forget to rely on Christ. I forget to rest in Him. I have had to realize that I can’t do it all. I’ve seen that in my weakness, God’s strength is all I need. And the craziest thing is that I’ve learned to rest in that. I don’t have to be perfect. I’m going to mess up. But I know that God’s grace is sufficient. He is slowly conforming me to His will.

6) Lily can you tell us what God has been teaching you during your time in Bolivia.

What I’m doing isn’t because of me. God has been so gracious to use me to love these kids. I lose my patience and fall short but God picks me up and reminds me of the gospel. That I am His and that He has died for me and that nothing can take me from Him. I am His forever and ever and I can rest in Him knowing that He loves me and loves these kids. Sometime’s I feel broken by my sin and impatience but I cling to the cross and God’s grace and Christ’s blood. I don’t deserve this love but cry out in thanks for all the love God gives. I am loved and cherished. A daughter of god and His love for me is unending. Why should I doubt or fear with that love surrounding me?

I have seen God’s faithfulness again and again. There are hard days and trials but I know that God is using these struggles to mold my heart. These struggles hurt. The tears come but God uses them to wash away old hurts and frustrations. These trials are bittersweet. In the midst of them there is pain and I have to continue to cry out to God for strength. But as the trials pass, I see the sweetness of His love for me as He reminds me to be strong and courageous because He is with me. I have a long way to go. I have a lot to learn. God continues to lead and guide me. I can rest in Him because I know that He will never leave me and has me exactly where He wants me. I can trust Him in spite of the hard moments and trials. I rest in my Jesus because He loved me first and every day I want to fall more in love with Him. Every day I want less of Lily and more of Jesus. My life isn’t about me or even about loving orphans. It is a story of amazing grace. Of God sending His son down to change my life and also the lives of 70 kids. As I stumble along, I can feel Jesus smiling down on me, delighting and rejoicing over me. How amazing! The way I l love these kids can’t even compare to how much Jesus loves me, keeps me and delights in me.

7) As we have spoken the past few weeks you have mentioned your affection for SGC. Explain this.

It is seriously so awesome to come home to Sovereign Grace Church. Living overseas, I feel like I have two homes and always miss a part of my heart no matter where I am. When I’m here in the States I miss Bolivia and the kids like crazy and when I’m there I always am missing my family. But coming back here to Sovereign grace is like coming home. Every Sunday while I’m gone I miss worshiping alongside you all and the preaching. We are so blessed to have pastors who really lead us and preach the gospel to us every week. I am so blessed by you all.

  1. How can we be praying for you as a church this next year?

First that God would continue to lead and guide me as I serve in Bolivia. Pray that God would continue to give me strength and joy and that He would be my everything.

Also, that God would continue to work in the lives and hearts of the kids and Tias working at Casa de Esperanza and transform their lives by the gospel. These kids have a gone through a lot of pain and only Jesus can heal their hurting hearts. Please pray that they would turn and cling to Jesus who loves them far more than we can.

I also have a more specific prayer request… I get a message on Thursday telling me that the grandfather of one of the little boys in my house, Ariel, is trying to get him back. Ariel arrived several months ago at Casa de Esperanza and has really adjusted well after being taken out of a dangerous situation from his mother. I have never met his grandfather and so I don’t know what the home situation would be if his grandfather ends up getting custody. Please be praying that God would protect Ariel. I selfishly don’t want to see Ariel leave Casa de Esperanza but I want God’s will and I know that God loves Ariel far more than I ever could. So pray that God would protect Ariel and that whatever decision is made, that it would be the best thing for him.


So blessed by my church family and by all the support I've received in the past few years. God is good and all the glory to Him!!!

~Lily Fluharty








Saturday, December 13, 2014

12.13.14

Been wanting to post all day…

mostly because it's 12/13/14 and I love days that make sense… :)

I'll have a longer post coming tomorrow! I'm very excited
to share a little bit of my heart and what God has been doing in
the past few years in front of my church tomorrow. So blessed
by my church family.

I am missing all the kids like crazy and the SUNSHINE! Why
is Minnesota so cold?

But also it feels amazing to rest and recharge and sleep in. I was
talking to one of the boys from CDE the other day on Facebook
and when I told him about sleeping in he told me in English…
"You stink"
and when I told him about delicious Christmas cookies he said…
"very stink!"
Oh you gotta love good English! :)

Excited to see God to continue to work and display His love.

Much love and Lord willing a new post tomorrow!!!

~Lily

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Sponsor me!

Lolina
Brayan
We are looking for sponsors for all these kids!!! They aren't just faces… they are precious and need so much love and support!!!

Jessica and Emanuel







 Caleb








Are any of these precious faces melting your heart? We are looking for sponsors for ALL the kids at Casa de Esperanza. For $25 a month you can make a lasting impact on one of the kids lives. They are adorable, hilarious and they will change your life! Seriously! Please consider sponsoring one of these kids!!!!!  

email me at …

cdesponsorbolivia@gmail.com

Much love,
Lily Fluharty




Monday, December 1, 2014

Where home is…

Have a million things to write and stories to tell but can't find the words…

It's crazy not being there… not folding a mountain of clothes and snapping pics of the baby on top…

It's really hard to go from being responsible for 10 babies and surrounded by 60 more and never being alone to being back home on vacation. It definitely feels good to relax and enjoy time with family but sometimes I feel restless.

I miss the craziness of living life so hard I crash into bed at night with feet so tired they hurt and falling asleep before my head hits the pillow.

How can something so good like coming home be so hard? It's a good hard. It's a hard that's even hard to put into words. My life over there is so different. I am the same. But it's just different. 

In a way it is more exciting… just gonna be honest… I mean, I've never carried a sheep here in the States… haha… 



But living overseas isn't all fun and a cool vacation getaway. It's hard. I've made a new home that will never be fully home because I've left my other home behind. It's a new home that will never fully be mine because even though I love it, I can never really be Bolivian. It's like being stuck in between. Coming home I realize that I don't fit in where I used to. And in Bolivia there aren't lots of tall gringas (pretty much any white person) walking around the small town where I live. 

I've seen God do crazy things. He has shown His faithfulness again and again. And as I have fallen in love with 70 beautiful children, breathtaking mountains, a different way of life, a new language and so much more… I have fallen deeper in love with my Savior. I don't have to belong to a country. Or a culture. I don't really belong anyway. Wherever I am, I will always miss one of my homes. But I think that's the way it is supposed to be anyway. Because one day, I'll go to be with Jesus and know that I am HOME.


I've realized that home isn't where you were born, or raised. It's not where your family is. It's not where your ministry is. It's not where there are 70 kids screaming your name. It's not where you feel safest or most loved. Home is resting in God's perfect plan. Resting in His love.

Thank you all soooo much for your love and support. I have been so encouraged and blessed.

Much love,
~Lily Fluharty

Friday, November 28, 2014

Thankful

Just a little bit of what I'm thankful for…


God- my creator, faithful Father, Savior, Shepherd, Love, wonderful councilor, truth, my king
God has led me through mountains and valleys and I have learned over and over again in this past year of his love and faithfulness. I can not even imagine my life without my Jesus and am so blessed that by His grace He saved me from a life of darkness.

My families… I have two now…

My parents have been such an amazing blessing to me. I have seen them selflessly serve God and each other and also encourage me to follow God's plan no matter the cost. I love them and how loud and hyper they are and how they point our family to God.
My sissies… well there's not enough words to describe them… loud, hilarious, beautiful, hyper, caring, artistic, talented, Godly… so blessed by my beautiful sisters and their love for our family and most importantly for God.

And my Bolivian family. My 69 kids. The staff. My heart has exploded time and time again for these kids and I am so blessed that God has brought me to Bolivia to love on them and get loved back. I have learned soooo much and have grown. I am blessed to be a part of Casa de Esperanza.

I am also so thankful for my church family and the opportunity to worship alongside them for the next month at Sovereign Grace Church. I have missed living life together with them.

Plus there are tons of other stuff I'm thankful for…
FOOD-pizza, steak, chocolate chip cookies, mountain dew…
Warm blankets in winter
fast internet
bracelets
Psalm 37:1-4
American candy
puppies

And lots of other random and beautiful stuff…

So blessed by God's love and grace!
So thankful!!!

Thank you ALL for your love and support and encouragement these past few years. I am so blown away by God's unending goodness to me.

Much love,
Lily Fluharty

Monday, November 24, 2014

Highlights!!!

It's honestly very hard to process the fact that I'm home. It feels like life paused, I showed up on my doorstep and now I'm waiting for it to go back to normal. How do I process 16 months away from the States? The only thing I keep turning to is how faithful God is and has been these last 16 months. It has been an amazing adventure and I am grateful that God directs my steps.

Here are a few of the highlights…

*Watching July transform from a scared, hurting little baby to a laughing, happy little girl. Love wins.

*Lolina learning to eat by herself, then walk!

*Eating Capybara

*Waterfalls with my gringo group and bridge jumping with the teenagers

*Loving on 70 beautiful children

*Milking a cow!!!

*The teams from Sovereign Grace

*My mama and my sissie coming down to visit me!

*Beautiful sunrises and sunsets

*Pizza on Sundays with the teenagers

*Seeing God's faithfulness time and again

*Bacteria in my stomach and the exciting hospital trip to Caranavi… well not so much a highlight but it was an adventure…

*Fighting a fire!

*Devotions at night with my babies

*Carrying a sheep through the mountains of La Paz

*Learning, growing, laughing, trusting, working, LOVING


I want to thank all of you for all the support, prayers and love!!! God has been soooo amazing and I am so excited to see Him continue to work in and through me and the ministry at Casa de Esperanza. All the glory to Him!!!!!!!

What can you do??? We are looking for sponsors for the children! For $25 a month, you can sponsor one of these BEAUTIFUL kids and make a lasting impact on their' hearts. Please consider!!! For more information or to be connected to your' sponsored child, please email me at

cdesponsorbolivia@gmail.com 

Much love,
~Lily Fluharty








Sunday, November 23, 2014

Home in my other home

Wow… I don't even have the words to write this post but here it goes…

I'm home… well at least in my other home.

How do you explain leaving one place you love with people you love to go back to the other place you love with the other people you love? Haha…. it's pretty confusing honestly.

Came back to the States for about a month and a half for vacation and even though it was really hard to leave my kids, it feels good to slow down, spend time with my family and recharge.

It's crazy going from nonstop work, early mornings, being responsible for 10 kids, never being alone, bolivian food to being home with my family and pretty much nothing to do except for enjoy my time with them and relax. Honestly, it feels great… but it's still hard.

The morning I got home I got to Skype with some of my kiddos and it was amazing to hear them all screaming, "Tia LILY!!!!!" I miss the chaos. :)

Even though there is culture shock coming home and it can be emotional and hard to figure out, I am so blessed by this opportunity to be home and spend time with my family and also worship alongside my family at church. I have missed my church soooo much!!!

I have lots of pics and posts coming soon!!! So excited to see God continue to work and guide my life. His plan is always faaar better than anything I could imagine. Love this journey He has me on…

Thank you all for your love and support and prayers!!!

Much love,
Lily Fluharty