The hot, dry winds whipped through the colonia, tearing at the canvas roofs and rattling the makeshift walls. Aracely moaned in pain on the dirt floor of her homemade shelter. Dehydrated and weak, her failing kidneys sapped her of all strength. From the violence of her childhood with an abusive father to the trauma of her marriage to a drug-addicted husband, Aracely had already survived many trials. She and her two children had endured homelessness and extreme poverty, and now her health was failing, and hope was dim.God can reach us in our most desperate moments. For Aracely, God’s goodness transformed her and her children’s lives drastically. Our Homes of Hope team met Aracely on that dusty day in a colonia on the outskirts of Ensenada. They recognized the urgency of her situation and processed her Home of Hope application as quickly as possible.
When the first day of the build arrived, Aracely battled through her illness and put her hand in every part of the process. She reveled in choosing paint colors and making decisions about the layout of the house. Often she burst into song as she tidied, painted, or hammered that weekend.
Despite her joy, the build team took note of Aracely’s frailness and asked about her condition. After learning of her kidney failure, some of the team members asked if they could pray for her. They moved to a quieter section of her property and sought God for her healing. Suddenly Aracely burst out, “I feel God’s touch!” A deep peace settled over her. She soon received the keys to her home, the symbol of a new hope for her family and her future.
Weeks later, Aracely greeted our follow-up team in front of her home. “I don’t have any more pain!” she declared. “On top of that, I have the most beautiful house in the neighborhood.” Aracely’s health continues to improve. She and her children connected with ENVIA, a Bible study and life-skills program that is offered to Homes of Hope recipients. Each week she shared her discoveries about herself and God with the group.
This is God’s redemptive story, He sees us in our time of greatest desperation. God reached Aracely. God healed her body and provided a safe home for her family. We are overjoyed that we got to be a part of that process.
~ Hano, Leah and Family