The Blesser becomes the Blessed 

By Darin Brown, Pastor of High School Ministries

View Pictures from Jeff Calbalka's 12/23/07 Faith Testimony right HERE.

We were approached by Dianne Orth many weeks ago about hosting a family from Ecuador for the Children’s Heart Project. We were nervous about the commitment. We are not financially able to do as much as we would like to but we have a house with spare bedrooms so we decided to “go for it” and be a blessing to this family with a large need. We were excited to be a blessing to someone else.

On November 3 we met our family and the interpreter at the airport and we had butterflies in our stomachs! All of the “what ifs” that we were thinking were dissolved once we saw them and exchanged hugs and smiles all around. This was going to be fun.

Our kids played, wrestled, ran around, and screamed. We had a new extension to our family. We were feeling blessed. But wait, we were supposed to be the ones blessing another family.

We sent Ariana off to the hospital to get her heart repaired and with the aid of Jeff Cabalka and Dianne Orth, the transportation needs and hospital visits were easy. Thanks to Angie Lash who coordinated meals from the care email list. They were such a blessing in the process. Wait, we thought we were supposed to be the blessers and now we are getting and feeling blessed again.

Now Ariana and her mother Alexandra along with their interpreter Eunice are back in our home to recover. It has been so much fun getting to know them and their story. We had the privilege of hosting Mel Graham of the Billy Graham Association and Chairman of Samaritan’s Purse for lunch at our house. We are getting to know more about the strong faith of this mother from Ecuador. She has relied so much on God to provide for her and her daughter. The Haugens helped us navigate through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend as we hosted my family for the first time. It has been nice to be a part of a team from Calvary, to be an answer to prayers, help get this little heart repaired, to give and minister to others and meet their physical needs.

We hear that the dad, back in Ecuador, was very concerned that his wife and daughter would be placed with a family that would care for them. Our family, as well as our church family, has been blessed to have the opportunity to care for and pray for this family from Ecuador. They couldn’t be more loved! Jeff Cabalka will escort them back home on December 10. Thanks to our new Calvary family for all the help.

 

From left:Ben Orth, Jeff Cabalka, Dianne Orth, Rebecca Orth, Eunice Ron, Allison Cabalka, Conner Cabalka, Ariana and Alexandra Ortiz, Debbie Brown, Tyson Brown, Peg Hammond, Darin Brown, Avery Brown, and Logan Brown (in front is Leslie, a friend of the Cabalkas who baked the birthday cake for Alexandra.

Note: Calvary will host two children, their mothers, and interpreter from Mongolia who arrive on February 23.