Answering God's Call

 I know there are many things to catch up on especially after all the generosity I received in the United States, and the new things happening at the Hogar but the Holy Spirit put this on my heart to share.      I am the first to admit that sometimes I forget my children are disabled. I see them for the beauty that lives in them. I see their personalities and often don’t see the limitations of their bodies. This past week I was able to travel to Galilee with another volunteer, Natalia, and meet a friend, Hani, from Nazarath for lunch. While we were discussing my work, he reiterated that seeing their suffering caused him pain.  As always I tried to teach him about the joy that is in them, and I never stopped to actually listen to him. I regret that I tried to change his perspective before hearing it. I don't want people to see my children for what they lack but what they have. I often make light of the suffering of the children to placate the world and show ...

Marhaba!       It has been a month since my last post but it feels like a lifetime ago. We are soaking up the last days of summer vacation before some of the children get back from their families. A little over half our children are able to go home with their families during holiday breaks. The rest stay in the Hogar. With less children, we are able to have more excursions outside the house. This also gives the sisters time to visit their families or just take a few days of retreat in another part of the country. With multiple sisters traveling, this left us a little short handed but it was important for the sisters to rest after the year we've had.  The children were still able to go the pool, park, and an ice cream parlor! We spent many evenings outside praying the rosary which for you may seem like a simple task but with the amount of children we normally have to feed, change and then move outside in their wheelchairs, it is quite time consuming.   ...

Hello again!   I   know I keep saying I will keep up with my blog but due to my hectic schedule I completely forget about it. Well God is calling me once again to share with you, on what He is up to in my life. The biggest news is that He's called me to renew my visa so I will be serving for another year. If you asked me in March if I wanted another year, I would have honestly told you "no". This is a difficult life and I just wanted normalcy for a change. Through prayer, God told me He was not done with me yet. Now I am starting to see why.  This blog also  started as a way to connect to my family wherever I was in the world but now God is asking me to think BIGGER. Without further delay, let's catch you up.      First off, our family at Hogar Nino Dios has grown by 3 new children!! We have a set of siblings Omar and Juan, and another little boy Seif. They are a little more rambunctious than our other children, so learning with them has been a ha...

My birthday in Bethlehem….AGAIN! Two years ago I was blessed to be in the place of Jesus’ birth on my birthday hear God tell me "Happy Birthday Elizabeth, Welcome home." I thought that day was a once in a lifetime gift, but like always God’s plan is always greater than my own. I was planning on settling down in Hawaii for a bit but that day changed the trajectory of my life. Well what I thought was going to be of my life, He's always known that that's not where I was staying. In this life we hear a lot about settling. Settling for a job that pays the bills. Settling for a partner that isn’t who you want but is good enough. Settling for a life that you didn’t want but kind of happened. The thing is though you can never “settle” for God’s plan for your life. He allows you to settle for distractions. He allows you to settle for your own plan. He allows you to walk away from the gifts He has for you. He allows all this because He loves you and wants you to freely choose t...

     One year ago, on December 17 at 2pm I was introduced to Hogar Ninos Dios. It was not only a home for disabled people but for anyone who walked through the front doors. If you are in Hogar, you are family.  I still remember my first day. The first thing I heard was music and children laughing echoing down the stairs. I came in the middle of a Christmas party in which some locals brought the children toys and treats. They also brought much needed household supplies including a mountain of diapers. The greatest gift, to me,  was their presence with the children. They were dancing and playing and just celebrating life. The joy that filled the house, I learned, was not just a seasonal thing, it is something that encompasses the home throughout the year.  I come across a lot of people that look at the children and see only what they lack. You can look at the children and see what they lack physically and mentally. They also lack the opportunities and re...

Greetings from Hogar Ninos Dios: The Home of the Child God. The nuns chose this name because in each of the 35 special needs children (and adults) that they serve are faces of the child Jesus. As many of you know I spent 4 months over Christmas and Easter in Bethlehem working with these children and now I am back! I was never able to fully put into words my time here because I experienced a love that was indescribable. It is a love that is keeps me here despite what is going on between Gaza and Israel.  A little backstory of where I am. I am in Bethlehem The current war is in Gaza but we do not know if it will spill into our part of the country. There have been a few stray missiles (without casualties) but the main bloodshed is on the border of Gaza. Hopefully the bloodshed will end and both sides will work towards a peaceful coexistence.  I appreciate all the love and support I have received over the past weeks. God has sent his angels to guard our home and I am for...