I have not wanted to write this blog.. It is hard for
me to say but the time has come to share the changes that are taking place with
Chubby Cheeks. While I have been saddened I am also excited to see how God has
already provided and I look forward to the future….
I will be leaving Costa Rica shortly. My family and I find
ourselves in a position that had made it so that we must relocate back to the United
States. When this became very evident I
struggled with deciding what to do about Chubby Cheeks. I have only just began I thought. Am I to
quit now? Then I began to pray about what to do. Xenia has been with me from the
beginning. She has gone with me every
time with the exception of when I had teams. But I knew she would not be able
to continue with this alone as she does not have a car and has many other
commitments. Then I began to think about Hazel. Hazel I have mentioned to you
earlier as who helped me translate the literature for the packets. She has also
been a sounding board from the beginning.
Hazel had her first child in one of the social hospitals here and we
would swap “war stories”. She gets its, she understands, she has been in these women’s
shoes. However, Hazel was very involved with young life as a mentor to teenage
moms so I wondered if I should even approach
her. She had already gone with me to a visit and seemed to enjoy it so I prayed
about it and decided to ask if she would be willing to be the “middle man” in
Costa Rica. The day I was going to ask she told me before I had a chance to say
anything that she had stepped out of her role with young life. That it was not
what she needed to do at this time and was praying about what God had for her
next. At first I thought “oh no” there is no way she would want to do this. After
all she had just stopped the other. But
I decided to put it out there
anyway. I said there could be a variety
of ways she could be involved depending on her. If it was a matter of just
delivering the kits to the hospital for them to pass out, to going herself whatever
she felt comfortable with. While the preference would be of course that they
are hand delivered just knowing that we have that open door and can get the
kits with the literature into these mothers hands is what matters the most to me. She said she would pray about it and talk to
her husband. It was a couple weeks later
when we went on another hospital visit that Hazel told me she would be willing
to continue on in my stead and make the hospital visits. Later when I talked to
Xenia she said she would continue too by accompanied Hazel. This made my heart glad. I bought them both a
pink polo shirt which I will have monogrammed with “Chineando Chi Chi” the
Spanish name of the ministry. While I was sad to not be buying myself one I am
glad to know that while people continue to participate in the donations, Chubby
Cheeks will continue on. I will post
later on potential changes of how you can continue helping. For example, Water
bottles will not be included in the packets rather they are purchased here and carried
separately. We have done this the last few times so that we can fill it up with
water at the hospital and give It out to those who did not bring one with them.
Also, I will be constructing the packets
in the United States and then mail then already completed here. I will be able to be more active in spreading
the word State side in hopes to receive more involvement from churches and
individuals. I will be continueing this blog with reports from Hazel and Xenia
and of course be making personal visits whenever my family and I can return to
Costa Rica for visits. During the visits
I like to ask Xenia to pray before we begin as she is a prayer warrior and also
it is a good testimony with the volunteer ladies that guide us. Then as we enter each room I give a short
hello and introduction. However this visit I asked Hazel to then give a short
conclusion and goodbye in each room. I was very pleased to see how beautifully she
did. I look forward to us working together even from afar. I hope that as you
read this, if you have been a part of making this ministry possible that these
changes do not keep you from continuing with us but instead help spread the
word so we can reach out to even more.
