This is the 5th year Miami has hosted ACU students for Spring Break, and this year the group focused their efforts on His House, a faith-based children’s home just north of Liberty City.  Although the group was not able to work with the children (security clearances could not be obtained in time), they were able to serve in tremendous ways to help this organization serve the fatherless and abandoned children of Miami.  His House has over 80 children on site, and some 350 in foster care.

As with many charitable organizations, keeping up with donated items is an ongoing task.  When the group arrived, the donations room was so packed it was difficult to walk through it.  They cleared out all the items that would not be of use for the children at His House, and organized the remaining items.  The plan is to make a boutique where the children can come each month and choose clothing and other items.

The other major task was Building 32.  This building was even more jam-packed with stuff, mostly furniture and large items.  The building was desperately needed as another home for children, so the stuff had to go.  Everything was loaded onto trucks heading to the dump, other area churches, and items that could be used at His House.  I was amazed at how much heavy lifting this group of mostly women was able to accomplish.  ACU girls are buff and tough!

While the benefits to His House were huge, the impact of His House on these college students was ever greater.  Various have indicated that they would like to return to Miami and work either at His House or in some other capacity in Miami.  Come on down!  There is plenty to do and the workers are few.  Thank God for raising up workers from ACU.  Slow clap for ACU! (I apologize for the veiled reference — the group knows exactly what I mean!)

Orphaned children can find a home at His House.

There is a Christian School on site, with teachers and support from Dade Christian School.

On our tour of homes, we were impressed by each house and room.

Teenagers are two to a room,

and younger children are four to a room.

The donation room!

Building 32!!

The buff and tough, hard at work.

More than one student in the group said this was their best campaign experience ever.  I agree!

While many kids come to Miami for raucous partying, we have some godly, faithful kids in our Christian universities and campus ministries who choose to spend their Spring Break helping others. We hosted two groups this year, from Abilene Christian University and Lipscomb University. The ACU group divided their week at three sites: Palm Lakes Iglesia de Cristo, Habitat for Humanity, and Community Partnership for the Homeless (CPH). With Palm Lakes, they handed flyers and bottles of water to announce the inauguration of this new Spanish-speaking congregation in Miami. With HFH, they painted the walls of ReStore, a store that sells donated and left-over goods to help fund additional housing projects in Miami. Community Partnership for the Homeless is one of the country’s premier shelters for the homeless that is actually helping people overcome homelessness. The group painted in the parking lot and organized playtime with the kids.

I’ve touched base with each of the three organizations, and they spoke glowingly of the quality and caliber of the ACU students. I’m sure this good testimony is multiplied countless times throughout the country and world. We have some great kids in our fellowship who are making a powerful impact in today’s world.

Thank you, guys! ¡Que Dios les bendiga!