Ernestina and Mis Pequeñitos

I had the opportunity to celebrate a dear friend’s birthday a few weeks ago and it made me think…”I’d like for everyone to have the blessing of knowing her a little too!”

So, I’d like to introduce Ernestina. A sweet friend and the heart and mind behind “Mis Pequeñitos” (My Little Ones) feeding program in Pantanal.

 

Ernestina helped Heather and I a year ago with the preschool program (Can you believe that was this time 1 year ago??) that we had in Pantanal.  Since the preschool program ended, Ernestina shared her idea of having her own feeding program out of her mom’s house.  We were able to be involved by sharing materials we weren’t going to be using since the preschool wasn’t going to continue.  (Cool to see how God intertwines plans and uses things in different ways!)  And so began the beginnings of “Mis Pequenitos”!  Now it is one of my regular weekly ministries and it fills my heart each time I go!

Upon coming back from holidays in the states last year, Ernestina had organized her ideas a little more and we began going around to different businesses, schools, and non-profits to find a way to fund the program.  At this point, it was being funded by what could be collected, but she had kids coming to the house she grew up in twice a week.  It began just Mondays and Thursdays for kids between the ages of 3-5 (along the same lines as the preschool we had before).  

One thing to know about Ernestina is, she has the softest heart!  And she couldn’t stand the idea of turning kids away so she began to rethink the structure and include kids that were a little older.  At this point, a retired missionary couple who also live in Granada, and who I’m blessed to work with, Darrell and Linda Hinson, had been praying for a local ministry to support and when they looked more into Ernestina’s feeding program, they found that was it!  

So, with the consistent support from Darrell and Linda’s non-profit, The Pearl Foundation, Ernestina added another day to the feeding program to have it be on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.  Her idea was that we could have tutoring for the older kids, writing and reading lessons for the little ones, and a bible lesson and activity for all of the groups.  She also wants to teach English, and with the World Racers that were here last month we were able to structure it a little more and do lessons with them!  

That’s how it got off the ground, but God began writing this story for her long before I met her.  She tells it as one that starts when she was a little girl, hungry, at the same house she now feeds almost 100 kids every week in Pantanal.  She says she remembers sitting out front of their house and praying that God would bring someone with food or something to help them, but no one ever came.  But because of the hunger she experienced as a little girl, she can now relate to each child that walks through her front door waiting to be fed.  And because of the work The Lord did in her life, she not only feeds them physically, but she feeds them spiritually with a bible lessons.  Another piece I love about her ministry is that her family is involved.  Her sisters help her cook, her mom helps serve, and her nieces and nephews are there participating faithfully each week. 

These kids are better off because of the dream God put on Ernestina’s heart and her obedience to follow His call. My time here is sweeter for knowing her.  My ministry is richer for participating in the work she’s doing and my heart is fuller for her friendship and the love her family showers over me every time I walk into their home.  I’m forever grateful. 

So, pray for Ernestina please.  And pray for Mis Pequenitos.  

And if you feel led to support her, you can mail a donation to:

The Pearl Foundation

PO Box 161301

Boiling Springs, SC 2931

Or here is a link that you could give online through Paypal http://pearlfoundationnicaragua.org/.  And I so encourage you to consider partnering with Ernestina and the work she is doing!

Until next time…

Much love!