El Sauzal News

Cincuneta años. Fifty years. Today boasted a special milestone for El Sauzal: Papa Ramon and Mama Magdalena’s fiftieth wedding anniversary. A celebration was held and overflowed with guests who came to celebrate with the two who have changed so many lives.

Ramon now pastors a church on the Nequa Indian Reservation near to the orphanage, but his impact in the community reaches beyond that church’s walls. He has planted many churches in the community, including the church the orphanage children attend. Not only has Papa Ramon been a Shepherd for the community, he has guided and raised generations of children at the orphanage.

Of Ramon and Magdalena’s fifty years of marriage, forty-two have been spent shepherding the lives of children through El Sauzal Orphanage. In the book of Ephesians, Paul tells us that it is a great mystery that God has made the earthly institute of marriage to image the heavenly love Christ has for His Church. Papa Ramon and Mama Magdalena have been blessed by the Lord to share half a century together, and God has used those years to bring many children to Himself through lives lived in obedience to the Gospel. Christ has sacrificed Himself to make us God’s children and continually keeps us as His own; Ramon and Magdalena have lived lives that mirror this truth by working tirelessly to keep the orphanage open and being parents to all of the children who have benefited from their love.                       

-Patty Siegmund

Remembering Isela
On January 19th, (Juana) Isela, the Orphanage’s cook of many years, was in a tragic automobile accident.  Isela, her husband, and their two youngest sons were driving along the steep, curving road that connects the toll road to San Antonio de Las Minas.  Their car went off the road, falling about 280 feet and crashing against the big rocks at the bottom.  Isela was thrown from the car and passed away.  Her husband Jose Luis and the two boys, Natan and Jacob, were injured, but not seriously.  The older children, America and David, were in school.
The news deeply shook the Orphanage and the little community of San Antonio.  Many people attended Isela’s wake and church and graveside ceremonies.  Grown Orphanage kid Norma came forward to fill Isela’s role as the cook.
Across the border in the United States, the news spread quickly.  We posted the information on Facebook for the “Friends of El Sauzal Orphanage” group and sent out a mass emaill.  Quickly, messages from across the U.S. and Canada came pouring in, expressing sympathy, prayers and support. 
We miss Isela greatly, but we are joyful that she is in heaven, and we will see her again.

We have a new nanny, taking care of the older girls.  Roy Ketring interviewed her and wrote the following article: 

Flor Johanna Orozco López is just 20 years old and has been working at our Orphanage for only two months.  She has in such a short time endeared herself to the girls that she takes care of some of whom are about her age. The Espinoza family speaks highly of her.  She is a committed Christian as is her entire family.  She accepted Jesus into her heart when she was 14 years old. 

Johanna has been working since she was 14 years old to help her family pay the bills.  Her father is a construction worker and during inclement weather there is no work for him.  Johanna continues to help her family financially by sharing some of her salary that she receives working at our Orphanage. 

Before coming to our Orphanage, she had saved up money for a long time to pay the cost of tuition to enter the university but she did not pass the entrance examination.  It is not uncommon for bright students to not be able to pass the State’s entrance exam.  The examination contains numerous unrelated superfluous questions that are designed to fail most of the applicants.  The State school system is inexpensive as compared to private schooling and the entrance examination is designed to eliminate as many as possible. 

She used the money that she had saved for school for dental work on her teeth and has braces.

Johanna was working at a factory before she came to the Orphanage.  A girlfriend told her about this place.  She told me she really likes kids and really enjoys her work here. This will be evident to all who should be privileged to meet her.

I asked her, “What would you like to say to the people that help this place.”  Answer, “That they are very good people with noble hearts not because of the money that they donate but for the love and affection that they give.  I thank them for this.” 

I asked, “Would you like to return to your studies?”  Answer, “Si, I would like to do this some day.” Her long term dream is to become an architect.    

Do you know how long it is that you would like to stay here working with the kids?  Answer, “A long time, I really don’t know how long.”

What goal or dream do you have for this place or for the children?  Answer, “To help them with their studies. I want for them what they want.”

She is a fresh breath of air with a smile that reminds me of sunshine and joy.   -Roy Ketring

Josue and Lilia are excited to adopt!

The following story was written today, by Roy Ketring, the Orphanage’s American liaison. 

At the end of October 2005 DIF, the Mexican Social Service, brought two new born baby boys to the Orphanage each less than a week old.  One baby was abandoned in the hospital by his prostitute mother and the other baby was found in an Ensenada Catholic Church’s bathroom.

Josue Espinoza, Lilia his wife, and his two daughters Keila and Karen who live with them made the decision to not put the babies in the Orphanage’s Nursery where all other babies have been placed.  Rather they took the two infants up to the Director’s Apartment where the family lives and began raising the boys.  They named the boys “Josuecito” and “Ruffito” after Josue and his son in law Ruffo, Erika’s husband.

Shortly after the babies arrived Keila began to call Josuecito her child and took care of him and Lilia chose Ruffito as her little boy.  It wasn’t long and the entire Espinoza family had fallen in love with the babies and considered them as part of their family.  They then began a quest to adopt them.  They were aware that DIF has a policy prohibiting someone from hand picking a child for adoption.  Yet they tried anyway but were denied even though their track record for taking care of abandoned, abused, and needy children was impeccable.  Even the local DIF Supervisor tried to get the DIF Board to make an exception for Josue and Lilia. 

Then in May 2006 DIF came and took the children and gave them to other adoptive parents.  This ripped the hearts out of this family all of them including Ruffo and Erika.  (We wrote about this in Baby Josue and Baby Ruffo leave the Orphanage and Saying Goodbye.)  I was advised by an Ensenada attorney that they could fight DIF and win the boys back but Lilia said, “No” to my suggestion.  She said they did not want to jeopardize the lives of the children that they were already caring for or perhaps cause DIF not to bring other needy children to the Orphanage resulting in a hardship on the kids.  While they were still experiencing the pain of loosing their boys they put the Orphanage children and any future Orphanage children’s needs above theirs with their decision not to fight DIF. 

Josue and Lilia then decided that they wanted to adopt one or perhaps two baby boys to fill the void in their lives.  This decision brought back joy to this family.  They have been attending mandatory classes, had their apartment inspected and have been completely scrutinized by DIF’s adoption authorities.  Josue told of stories of Lilia asking for exotic foods like someone pregnant.  She would smile ear to ear every time he would say this in front of her.

Even Ruffo was smitten by the baby boys.

God has honored their obedience as Josue told me today, on this day of LOVE, February 14th, that they have been approved to adopt and the woman who gave them this news also said, “you are going to be the first to receive a child” and then pointed her finger towards the sky and continued saying, “because you have a lot of help from up there.”  Another woman who with her husband were also approved for adoption said, “remember me because you are going to be first to receive a child.”

Yes there is a lot of help from up there and joy abounds in the Espinoza home tonight.  Thank you Jesus for answering their prayers.  (To be continued when the baby boy or boys arrive…)

Maria and one of her daughters

One of the Orphanage’s nannies, Maria, has an unusual problem.  (You can read more about Maria and her work.)  Maria, a Mexican national, lived for years in California.  Her three young daughters were born in the United States, and are therefore U.S. citizens.  This is a reverse immigration issue.  Roy Ketring describes it here:

Many of you are aware that Maria’s three girls were born in the United States.  This being the case Maria is now having difficulty with the Mexican School System because her girls are not registered in Mexico as Mexicans.  Additionally she can not obtain the required school insurance for the girls or any other Mexican health insurance for them.  Maria is a Mexican National and has investigated with the Government what is required to obtain dual citizenship for her kids.

It is possible to do so at a cost of approximately $600 US dollars.  Her husband has returned to California and if she can not solve this problem she and the girls will also have to leave the Orphanage.

I asked her what does she want to do leave or stay.  She said she wants to stay at the Orphanage that she enjoys the children and as you all know she becomes deeply attached to them and loves them like her own.  I heard several of them refer to her as Tia and some call her mom.  She also told me that she is deeply grateful to Josue for taking her in when she arrived at the Orphanage gate desperate for a place for her girls and for employment.

If you would like to help register Maria’s three daughters as Mexicans, see our Donate page.  Please specify that your donation is for Maria.  Any funds the Orphanage might receive in excess of this need will be used for other Orphanage expenses. 

“And my God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:12