Enrique’s Story
Four-year-old Enrique was abandoned at a playground in Mexico by his grandmother. Her reasons and circumstances remain unknown. After spending the night alone on the playground, a kind person took him to El Oasis, an International Children’s Care (ICC) children’s village in Baja, Mexico. There, he was raised in a loving home with Christian house parents and other orphaned “siblings.”
In this video, Enrique shares his story of life at El Oasis. He expresses gratitude to the donors who made it possible for him to grow up in a nurturing environment, receiving the love and guidance given to every child there. Thanks to these donors, El Oasis provided loving house parents, education, a safe place to sleep, food to eat, and medical care when needed. Without their generosity, Enrique’s story might not have had such a happy ending.
Christmas at El Oasis
As a child at El Oasis, Christmas was a special time for Enrique. He recalls the joy of giving to other, less fortunate children. In the video, he recounts how much he loved seeing the smiles of the children who received the small gifts they had wrapped and brought to share. He learned the truth of the biblical teaching: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
The Macedonian Example
Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the churches in Macedonia:
“My friends, we want you to know that the churches in Macedonia have shown others God’s gift of undeserved grace. Although they were going through hard times and were very poor, they were glad to give generously. They gave as much as they could afford and even more, simply because they wanted to. They even asked and begged us to let them have the joy of giving their money for God’s people. And they did more than we had hoped. They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do.” (2 Corinthians 8:1–5, CEV)
Paul emphasizes that the Macedonians, despite their poverty, gave generously and joyfully. Their willingness to give stemmed from first dedicating themselves to the Lord. They strongly desired to experience the blessing of helping others and contributing to God’s work.
The Blessings of Following God’s Leading
Enrique was blessed through the gifts of generous sponsors who cared enough to make a dramatic difference in his life. Although he was not raised in wealth or luxury, he experienced great joy in giving small gifts to others.
Similarly, faithful donors who support the orphans at ICC receive the blessings of joy, happiness, and peace that come from following God’s will and listening to His voice. May we all experience that joy and peace this holiday season as we listen to our Creator and follow His leading.
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