Man of Peace

Over the hills, under the trees and through the woods, to Maxi’s house we go!

When Orphanos partner Man of Peace resumed their educational programs & Christ-centered care in Ecuador earlier this year, they had one 12-year-old in mind: Maxi. The kind, charismatic, soccer-loving boy was moved out of the city and into the countryside when the pandemic hit and had been isolated from friends and education for months.

They navigated “dirt roads” through valleys, across rivers and over hills to reach him. Imagine the surprise for Maxi and his family as the friendly faces he had not seen in months came to greet him. A monthly newsletter update from the Man of Peace team tells it best:

“We spent the afternoon catching up and listening to how the past few months have affected them. When we asked Maxi what he’d been up to he repeatedly answered with, ‘coloring.’ It wasn’t until later that we realized the coloring he had been doing was a coloring book and crayons we had gifted him some time ago. It was one of the only possessions he had with him all this time.

As a result of our first visit, we now drive in daily to pick up Maxi and bring him to classes. If it weren’t for Maxi, we wouldn’t have anyone to start soccer matches after class or to remind us how much time is left until we drop the books and get kickin’.

Through Maxi, we are realizing we have a lot to learn about love. It’s going to take a lifetime to figure out how to love people well, but so far, we’re learning that love isn’t just a word. Love often requires climbing mountains & crossing rivers daily (literally or figuratively), and standing on your head trying to keep the attention of one very special young man. We don’t have the energy to love like that, but God does, and when we ask Him to fill us, we find there’s enough to share.”