04.23.08 Miguel’s New House

One year and three months ago, mom was at a prayer meeting down the street.  One of her children, walking through their home with a candle, tripped and the family was homeless.  A niece died in the fire.

One mistake and they lost it all.  No clothes.  No beds.  Nothing.

Miguel is the big brother in this family.  His sponsors - Scott and Melody from somewhere in the U.S. - came to visit Miguel just four days after the house fire.  Total coincidence.  Or was it?

After that visit they and Compassion‘s Disaster Relief Fund built Miguel and his family a new home. It’s not made of wood and corrugated metal like the last one either.  This one is brick.  And painted bright blue.

I met Miguel today - a sixteen year-old almost my height.  His favorite class in school is computers.  And he works some selling food out of a neighbors house after school each day.

I met his mother too - a tiny graying woman with bare feet.  She’s proud of Miguel and her sink for washing dishes.  Her old house didn’t have one of those.

After hearing their story and taking a tour of their home, we stood holding hands by the curtain that separates the “bedroom” from the “kitchen.” And I prayed.  I asked God to do His will on earth through us as it’s done in Heaven, knowing that He already had on this family’s 150 square feet of it.