By: Phil Monk

Two nights ago I was praying with Julio as he was going to sleep. I said to him “why don’t you start the prayer tonight Julio?” and he jumped in. As Julio began to pray, I was touched by his heart for God. He’s a 13 year old boy with special needs, but also with a special calling on his life. Julio was born with cerebral palsy and hip dysplasia. Today he is full of faith.

As Julio prayed I realized something that even moves me now as I type. His vocabulary, while praying, is more extensive than when he typically talks. I heard him use words I’d never heard him say before. He prayed that the doctors who will operate on him will know God. That they would know that God made the earth, the United States, and all who are in the world. It touched me to see the depth of his intimacy with God as he spoke to him as to a trusted friend. Not being able to read much, write well or do great in math, has not kept this little guy from developing a personal relationship with a big, loving God. He loves Jesus, going to church, listening to songs of worship and listening to the bible. Julio is kind to all.

My wife Patti and I met Julio and most of the children we now call our family when we first visited Guatemala in 2013. At the time we didn’t know that we would be moving here a year later as missionaries. On our short one week trip we saw so many needs in the orphanage and in the villages in this region. Our hearts broke. I often remember how a few days before we were to fly back to the USA as our week trip came to an end, that a child from the orphanage asked us “when are you leaving?” That question carried with it the weight of a 20 pound hammer. As we answered “in two days”, the child’s countenance dropped heavily, like a mudslide falling down a mountain. The temporary happiness, excitement that had been expressed the previous days, disappeared. The child was saying “oh, you’re leaving too”, but without words.

It broke us.

We saw so many children whose needs for love was great. Children who, because of terrible circumstances, were not being raised by a mommy and a daddy. We prayed. We asked God to show us his will in this. He brought to our minds James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” How simple, how revolutionary. We prayed and spoke to Carlos Vargas, the founder of Hope of Life International. Together we sought God’s solution for these children.

Through God’s grace and the generosity of supporters, we witnessed the orphanage begin to transform into a family-style care model where many of the children now live in families, with a mommy and a daddy. This beautiful model is happening at Village of Transformation and Safe Haven Village, both located campus here. The impact of children living in families is immeasurable, yet we see so much transformation in the lives around us every day. God clearly intended for children to be nurtured in the context of a loving family. Miracles take place every day. We are honored and humbled to be a part of this work.

My family and I have been serving here in Guatemala as volunteer missionaries since 2014. We are privileged to raise 12 children in total right now. We have 9 Guatemalan children from the orphanage, and we moved here with our 3 American boys. While technically not adoptable, we love and care for our Guatemalan children as our flesh and blood. It is a blessing to pour into their lives day in and out.

We’ve seen many wonderful displays of God’s love through the American church in this region over the last several years. The good news is preached, the hungry are fed, the naked are clothed, the sick are healed. Wells to provide clean water are installed, schools and church buildings are constructed, vision is poured out and turned into reality. In a country where there is so much malnutrition, poverty and abuse, the work accomplished through Hope of Life is hitting the problem head-on.

And right now our family is in a special season as we see the opportunity for our little Julio to have his big surgery in the USA to correct his hip dysplasia. Julio’s second and third surgeries are scheduled for the end of March 2018 to correct his femur and hip socket, and to rotate his femur so his leg angles properly. Both surgeries will be intensive and bring about great change. This will be Julio’s third trip to the states to treat his leg and hip and we have seen so much change already. We are so thankful for friends and family who have given financially, lent vehicles, and kindly housed us in the USA while making this happen. God’s presence is truly manifested through love.

After these next surgeries, Julio will be unable to put weight on his right leg for three months. He will then have another three months of therapy to relearn how to walk. Please pray for him to heal well, to understand the importance of this surgery, even when it is difficult, and to be diligent in his studies, especially in reading and math. God has special plans for Julio. He is a kid with a big heart.

We are so thankful Julio’s surgeries are being provided by Shriners Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia at no cost. That said, the expenses for travel, meals and lodging related to his care are our responsibility. We would appreciate so much your support to help meet the expenses involved with Julio’s medical care.