Happy New Year and a Million Thanks!

Happy New Year to everyone reading this blog. I pray that 2010 will be even better than 2009, and I pray that God would continue to do great works this year. Here in Peru I spent New Year's at Scripture Union's Casa Girasoles in Ica. We had a really fun time with all of the kids. Augusto hired a clown, and he did a great job with the kids. We set off a bunch of fireworks as did the rest of the country of Peru. Right when the clock hit midnight the whole city of Ica was filled with the booms of fireworks. It almost sounded like we were in a war zone. After the fireworks and the clown show Augusto opened 2010 with a short Bible study. He talked to the kids about the importance of loving each other, helping each other, and encouraging each other as a family. One other tradition here in Peru is that they make a big doll out of old clothes that represent the old year gone by. Sometimes they decorate the doll with symbols that represent the old year, but our doll was simple. He didn't even have a head! As we begun to burn it, though, the boys had the perfect idea for burning a symbol of the old year gone by. All at once they ran and got all of their old homework and notebooks and set them ablaze on top of the doll. It was a huge fire! To finish the night we sang a few praise songs together, and then it kind of turned into open karaoke. I lasted until about 3:30am, but some of the kids stayed up singing until 6:00am! I have posted a few pictures below, but I encourage you to take a look at my entire photo gallery on Flickr by clicking here.

Clowning around for New Year's

Lighting the doll on fire

Goodbye 2009!

I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who took the time to think of me this holiday season. I arrived back at my apartment yesterday for the first time since Christmas, and the doorman greeted me and said, "Billy, thank goodness you're back. Your mailbox is overflowing and we don't know what to do with it all." In total I received more than 40 Christmas cards from the USA, Canada, and Scotland! My mom reminded me the other day that I have now spent pretty much all of the big holidays away from home this year for the first time. It wasn't easy, and I missed friends and family. But what a blessing to have friends here in Peru to celebrate with and to have friends from home constantly encouraging me with cards and notes! I was really overwhelmed as I stayed up until 1:00am last night opening and reading all of my Christmas cards. Thank you so much!

I also have to give props to my mom and sister for sending me the most creative Christmas greeting of the year. They sent me shortbread Christmas cookies, and each cookie had a letter on it made out of sprinkles. I had to promise not to eat any of the cookies until I decoded the message. My sister didn't trust me, though, so she sent on blank cookie to eat while I was working on the message. You can see what it says below!

Thanks Mandy and Mom!

Prayer Request
As I reflect over the Christmas season and the great encouragement that I have received from friends and family, I cannot help but think of the kids in Scripture Union's homes throughout Peru. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this time of the year is particularly difficult for the Girasoles because as everyone begins to focus on family, the boys are constantly reminded that they don't have a regular family. For me it was difficult to spend Christmas away from family, but I can't imagine the heartache of having to spend Christmas knowing that you really don't have a family that loves you. Some of the boys have been noticeably depressed over the last month, and I know that a few of the boys in our homes have chosen to leave the program over the past month--at least in part, due to the depression that comes with the season for them.

Pray that God would give the children strength to continue to move forward this year, and pray that God would work in mighty ways in the lives of these kids--even the ones who have chosen to leave to program to go back into the streets. Pray for me and even more so for all of the full time staff at our boys' homes. Pray that God would use us to speak truth into the lives of these kids as the world around them fills them with the same old lies-- "You don't matter to anyone;" "You are worthless trash;" "No one cares about you or about what happens to you." Pray that God would break these lies in the lives of the children, and they they would be filled with His unending love. Pray that they would find true healing in the only possible place--a personal relationship with Jesus.