I remember years ago someone asked me if I could do any type of ministry anywhere, what would it be? My answer was to open a home for teenage pregnant girls in Latin America. This answer came years before God had opened my eyes to foreign missions. God brought to my mind a statement I made when we were first married living in Friendswood, TX. "Oh good, Casey, it is mission Sunday. We don't have to go to church". Never would I have dreamed that the Lord would have ME living in South America and personally be a part of opening a girls crisis pregnancy center home. Well, after many years of having my eyes opened to a world other than myself, God put into fruition a desire that He placed on my heart almost 10 years ago.
We came to Ecuador to work with kids at risk, young men who had lived on the streets. We served at Casa Gabriel for 2 years and then God led us to Inca Link. Inca Link has many ministries in 4 different countries, but they were starting one here in Ecuador that peaked my interest. They were planning to open a teenage crisis pregnancy center home. What? Really God? Did you really put that desire on my heart knowing that it would actually happen someday? Yes, He did and the doors to Casa Elizabeth opened in December of 2010. Look at the timing - we joined Inca Link in November of 2010. I love how God works!!
Dan and Trish Franklin with their three girls came from Cananda to Ecuador to give a year to help start this home. Trish has served in a crisis pregnancy center in Winnipeg for many years and brought great wisdom on how to care and counsel these teenage girls. Their family lived at Casa Elizabeth and were the first houseparents for the girls. They will be heading back to Canada next month and will be missed here.
There have been 4 girls who have called Casa Elizabeth their home. I don't think I could have ever been prepared for some of these precious girls stories. There was one fourteen year old girl who had been taken out of sex trafficking and placed in a foundation. Once she had her baby, she came to live at Casa Elizabeth but did not stay long. Her mother came to pick up her 14 year old daughter with her newborn baby but only to take them back to this girl's "boyfriend". Our hearts were broken and our hands were tied. I still pray for this beautiful young girl and her baby and wonder where they are.
The other story is why I am writing this blog entry. All of the girls have stories - we all have stories. Our youngest mom who has lived at Casa Elizabeth was 12. She was rescued from her home where she was being sexually abused. She came to Casa Elizabeth not talking, and I just think of how she left last week. She was a different person - happy, singing, playful and joking. In April, she went to the hospital for preclampsia and had to stay for a week. One day her blood pressure shot up, and they had to take her baby at 30 weeks. Carlitos Jose did not survive. The next day was her 13th birthday and what a party in her hospital room. The room was filled with balloons, hospital staff, Inca Link family, and birthday cake. One of her doctors brought his guitar and sang a song to her. You would not believe how many people were in that room celebrating the beautiful life of our youngest mom.
None of us were prepared that the funeral for her baby boy was to be the very next day. There were not many of us there but so much love. Casey carried the little white coffin, Gustavo had beautiful words and scripture to share, we sang, and then a few others shared words to the mom. God provided His strength for this girl who 2 days before had a c-section and who has a disability where it is difficult for her to walk. God gave her the strength to walk in the rain up a long hill in the cemetery to where Carlitos Jose's body would stay. We know that her baby is in heaven and because of this baby, our mom now knows who Jesus is. Her baby helped to rescue her from a horrible, abusive situation.
This sweet mom has been living at Casa Elizabeth until last week. The lawyer who has been working this case decided she had to live in the same province of where she had been living. The person who had abused her is now serving 25 years in prison. Two people came to take her to her new home last Monday. She cried and was sad, but I know that God has always been with her and will continue to be. We plan to give her a few months to get settled into her new home and then go visit her. All of us miss her so much. She is one precious and very special girl!
We still have the privilege to see the other girls who called Casa Elizabeth their home and be a part of their lives with their babies. Casa Elizabeth is God's ministry, and I wait in great expectation of what He will continue to do. I praise the Lord for allowing me to be just a small part of what He is doing.
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