WET, COLD ASHES

NOTE: This is an update to the previous post, WHAT ONCE WAS, AND IS NO MORE

More rain! The ashes, wet and cold, are all that's left of the home that once was. The dog continues sleeping near the ashes ... waiting. Little Alex cried because he couldn't get his sister out; she was strapped into a car seat and was too heavy to drag out. Abigail cried too, because she would have no Christmas.

And still it rains.

Last Christmas there was a fire too, taking the lives of all three children. We had no opportunity to give them a Christmas; maybe that's why we put so much effort into giving little Alex and his sister a big Christmas.

Inside Alex and Abigail the wounds aren't yet healed ... but for a few hours we saw them forget that tragic night.



Toys, smiles and even laughter: It was Grandma's little house and everyone was there.



Grandma's house is full; a welcome shelter from the wind and rain outside. Getting to and from that house is a slippery struggle in mud three inches deep.

When the rain lets up and our income allows it; we'll be starting on the building.

WHAT ONCE WAS, AND IS NO MORE

It was another Christmastime fire. Saturday night. All that remains now is a cold, wet miscellaneous patch of ashes over a cement floor ... and a heart broken family.

Hours before, it was a little building with a family of five, now it's a family of four; little two year old Yanely is missing; missing forever ... a little cross and flowers mark where she was found.

That rainy night, Mom was at work, father left to get some milk for hungry Yanely. A fire started; seven year old Alex did his best to save his sister Yanely but by then it was too hot! He, and his four year old sister Abigail, made it out in time ... watching as their sister burn to death.

Spectrum Ministries will be there to rebuild the building, bring blankets, beds, clothing and refurbish as best we can.

Tomorrow we'll give Christmas gifts for little Alex and Abigail ... but we can never replace cute Yanely

"Felez Navadad" Joyful Christmas? I don't think so. Better said perhaps; A Happier New Year.

HAVE A MERRY LITTLE HONG KONG CHRISTMAS!

Here's a Christmas exercise you might want to try in your home. Quietly take baby Jesus out of your Nativity Scene and see how long it is before someone recognizes that Jesus is missing.

Might be quite some time.

Just an example of what's happening all over the world this time of year.

We've drummed Jesus out of the picture! Rat-a-tat! Rata-tat-tat-tat!

Joseph and Mary sit there quietly looking at an empty manger. The wise men still hold their gifts. The animals are milling around while the angel flutters above. All is calm and all is right.

The songs, the color and the food along with family fellowship carries the Christmas celebration doesn't it,

Is Jesus really that important to Christmas?

How many years has the real Jesus been missing from your Christmas and mine?

Yesterday at the orphanage I dared to take baby Jesus out of his manger and tenderly look at him, then I turned Him over, only to discover that ... surprise! Baby Jesus was made in China! How discouraging! I never realized that Jesus was plastic and made by a Chinese engineer somewhere in Hong Kong ... You see ... I always thought Jesus, the supreme man, was created by the supreme Creator, called to pay the supreme price resulting in salvation for us all. What a gift!!!

Fortunately to many of us, Christmas remains as His day, not ours. He gets the focus as He should. He gets the gifts. Above all He's not Chinese plastic but the living King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

SOMEWHERE ON A DARK CORNER

I was in my car tonight waiting to turn right at the corner; ready to merge onto the busy boulevard. I looked to my left, then to my right and to my left again; judging the speed and space of the oncoming traffic. Then again to my left and quickly made my right-turn. As I was turning, I glanced to my right and saw this man standing on the edge of the corner. I swear I didn't see him. I could have hit him he was so close. I continued on down the road re-thinking the incident.

It's funny what a glance can tell you.

Here was a tall slender man in baggy clothing with disheveled hair staring straight ahead.

A person of the street ... quietly playing out the pain of his consequences.

One of the many invisible people; people you don't look at, you look through. This man, like thousands of others, was lost; alone; unloved. A man who's lost his very being. He's lost his direction, his dignity, even his manhood.

Living, yet dead from the inside out.

I wondered how God saw him ... and then I wondered how God saw me.

But for what reason do I, as a Christian, exist, but to meet the man on the corner.

THE TIJUANA TOOTH MOUSE

I felt a persistent tapping on my leg and I looked down to see this little girl with a wide smile looking up at me. A shy smile of expectation! She held up a little wad of toilet tissue, "Here Brother Von!" ... I took this little tissue package and carefully opened it up; just as I expected, it was a little tooth. Her tooth. She eagerly pointed to the empty spot in her smile and held out her hand.

You see in Mexico they don't have a "Tooth Fairy" ... they have a Tooth Mouse, and this rather poor Tooth Mouse is pretty stingy and a bit irresponsible! So they have learned to look to von for compassion. A rather tall old Tooth Mouse with glasses.

Years and years, and years ... and yes, years ago, I decided to give a little Mexican kid a dollar for their tooth. Actually, if I would have kept all of the teeth I've gained through the years, I would easily have a five gallon drum full of kids teeth. Often the child will wait, saving their tooth, for three or four weeks before seeing me again ... but there it is; their little tooth and a proud expectant smile.

I wonder why they think I want their tooth?? Gratitude? Seldom; it's just a dental exchange. Better yet, it's a dollar!

As money in Tijuana gets more difficult to find, I've seen some changes come in this "Von" tradition. For one thing more kids seem to be losing their teeth? On occasions kids are taking teeth from their buddies mouth. (On the spot cash!) I draw the limits at bloody teeth.

I've had kids try to pass off realistic stones; even dog's teeth from a well dead dog three blocks down the street.

The kids in their poverty get very creative!

I've spent years learning to be alert and discerning in giving of any kind! (The Tooth Mouse insists they have to point to where the missing tooth came from.)

The latest scam, is getting a molar, chipping it in half and trying to pass it off as two teeth.

Observation: poverty eventually trickles down to the small kids, the "Tooth Mouse" ... and Brother Von.

RAUL'S BIRTHDAY BASH

At the orphanage last Tuesday I heard quite a commotion so I walked over and opened the door to the big room. Little Raul's birthday party was in full swing. He was six now and his buddies were giving him a full on party except a little short on decorations. The dozen or so who were throwing this party had it complete with colorful balloons bouncing around everywhere. Not an adult was in sight, this was kids to a kid thing. I'm sure the singing of Happy Birthday could be heard for blocks. Then they all gathered on one end of a big couch and gave little Raul presents.

I saw two of them; briefly.

It seemed they had collected some of their own toys and wrapped them for the occasion. I don't know if you have ever seen presents wrapped by boys nine to eleven with whatever paper they could find ... Functional, unique, adequate. That about covers it.

Oh yes, they were wrapped with love.

Little kids, on their own making a party for another younger little kid, now that's rare.

Raul was in his glory opening his little secondhand gifts as quickly as possible . The first was a slinky with sort of a broken back. I couldn't quite see the other gift in a small box, but Raul was one little happy boy.

I can't say I was invited to the party, but I sure enjoyed it.

There was something good, clean and loving about it.