"Seeking to bring spiritual emotional physical healing to the children God brings us."
"Seeking to bring spiritual emotional physical healing to the children God brings us."
Vision
"To be a home where children can receive physical, moral and spiritual help, where their wounds can be healed."
care
Seeking to provide genuine care for hurting children.
Adoption
Helping children find a forever home.
education
Equipping children with educational skills needed for life.
Want to be part of what God is doing in Light of Hope? Join us through your prayers!
Mission
"We seek to be a Christian refuge for the children God sends us, reincorporating them into their family or into an adoptive home."
Want to join our sponsor-a-child program?
Want to join our sponsor-a-child program?
Get to know our team!
Get to know our team!
About Us
In 2002 Loren and Donna Yoder and Lenn and Debbie Miller each approached DNI about work in Mexico. They had a similar idea-an orphanage and church plant. Loren’s had more interest in the church planting side, and Lenn’s in the orphanage. At that time, neither family knew each other, nor had any idea of their similar visions. The board saw God’s leading hand at work and approved opening a new mission in Choix, Mexico.
Lenn’s moved down in 2003 and began language study while the Yoder’s waited for their house to sell. After the Miller’s finished language study, the Yoder’s moved down and started their year of language while Lenn started looking for property for the orphanage. The property was found, and construction began.
At the beginning of 2006, the orphanage opened its doors and received in first child. Around the same time, the Yoders began holding church services in their living room.
As the years have passed, the team has grown considerably. There are now over 10 single staff working at the orphanage, caring for the children. The orphanage has its own school and teachers where the children receive an accredited education and supplemented Christian curriculum.
Location
El Mochiquito is located in Choix, which is about 500 miles south of the US-Mexico boarder, and 150 miles away from the west coast. Choix is not a very big town, but with around 12,000 people, it is the largest in the county. Scattered throughout the county are many villages, ranging greatly in size. There are approximately 100 villages with at least 50 habitants and many smaller settlements that can hardly be called a village. The county’s total population is a little over 30,000.
Climate
For those who aren’t accustomed to the heat, the most comfortable time of the year is during the few winter months (December-February). The nights are chilly and crisp, dropping down into the 40’s, while during the day it warms up into the 70’s. As the winter turns into spring, the days get warmer and warmer, sometimes climbing over 100. But, the nights still cool down, making it easier to sleep.
May and June are the hottest, driest, months of the year, temperatures sometimes reaching 110. On the worst days, even the nights feel stuffy and don’t cool down. The parched ground awaits the summer rains. Farmers watch expectantly as the clouds start to billow over the mountains. They burn all the piles of brush in their fields and prepare their horses, plows and seed. The evening horizons are illuminated with electrical shows and rumbles are heard in the distance. This is a sure sign that the rainy season is just around the corner.
At the end of June, the first storm finally arrives. The wind tears through the trees, and takes down any dead or weak branch. Here and there, palm and aluminum roofs are blown off if not secured well. Dust and sand and dead leaves are flung everywhere, as if an invisible giant was sweeping out his house.
Then, the rain comes. It starts with a few drops which turns into a sprinkle. Then the clouds open up and it just pours. The wind pounds the rain against the windows which finds a way inside and puddles on the floor. We all scramble around, finding rags and floor towels to sop up the water before it turns into a stream.
Finally, the storm is over. We step outside and look at the night sky. Lightning illuminates the stormy sky, hiding the twinkling stars. Even the moon has to wait behind the curtain. But by morning, the sky is usually clear and sunny, only to last until the next storm front.
The rainy season pitters out near the end of September. During those 3 months of rain, the land is totally transformed. Plants spring up everywhere, and Choix changes from a desert to a jungle. October and November are still hot months, but not as muggy. As the year nears a close, the weather starts cooling down, entering the chilly winter months again.
Economy
The main sources of legal income in this area are cattle ranching, mining, and seasonal crops. During the rainy season, many plant crops like sesame seed, watermelon, and peanuts. Those who have a lot of money buy the crops cheap from the farmers and store it in storage buildings. Then, when the price for the crop goes up, they sell it and earn more money than the farmers themselves.
Around 20 years ago, a huge dam was constructed near Choix. The lake behind the dam produces a lot of fish and brings some tourism to the area for bass fishing.
Of course there are the illegal jobs. A huge percentage of Choix is involved in the drug realm, some planting it, others smuggling it. Then there are the hit-men who do the dirty work and earn high wages.
Violence
Over the decade or so, Mexico has made an effort to crack down on the drugs. As a result, the violence has escalated at an alarming rate. Fear and death are destroying Mexico’s families as many perish at the hands of the drug-lords.
However, the drug-lords have not harmed us and usually will not harm anyone who is not in the drug world scene
Adoption
Adoption - Our Change of Vision
Now, our vision is to take in children and still minister the love of the Lord to them. However, we see our job now as just a step in the process towards seeing as many as possible adopted into Christian homes. Interestingly enough, it was social services that helped bring about this change of vision.
Social Services On Board
A while ago, social services lawyers from the state headquarters visited our orphanage (as well as all the orphanages in the state) to find out which children were being visited by relatives. Their goal was to prepare the paper work (and see the process through completion) for the children who haven’t been visited regularly to become adoptable. Close to half of the children at our orphanage fall in that category and could possibly be adoptable within 6 months.
It is amazing to see the ways the Lord has opened the doors recently. The lawyers are doing all they can to help move things forward, and we have been blessed with extraordinary favor with the local judge (which is very important!).
Children Belong in Families
This is exciting for us. I’m convinced that until these children BELONG to Godly families, they won’t thrive like we desire. I read “Orphan Justice” by Johnny Carr (which I strongly recommend), and he states, “Man made orphanages to care for children; God made families to care for children.” I realize that sin has changed this in many cases. However, even though we are Christians running this orphanage, we can’t come even close to being as effective in caring for a child as a godly, adoptive family can. Studies indicate that children are more likely to succeed in a family over an institution.
"Fish" out of Water
We’re still trying to improve our care, and we should. But I’m convinced that they won’t truly thrive until we find them little ponds. The ponds are homes. Not just any pond will do. They need ponds with the elements that will enable them to thrive. Those would be Godly homes. Christian homes. Many of these children are broken. They don’t need broken homes. They need wholesome homes.
The Orphanage's New Purpose
This gives us purpose as an orphanage. By children coming here, we get to look and pray for these ponds (families) to take in these “least of these”. Most—if not all—of the children at our orphanage will not be wanted by non-Christian families who look for babies, not older children that already have negative tendencies. They will take a lot of sacrificial giving. However, I believe we need to share our stable, non-broken homes with the broken children of this world and minister the healing of Christ to them. When we do this, I feel we are inviting Christ into our homes in a more tangible way (Mark 9:36-37).
Anabaptists & Adoption
As conservative Anabaptists, we have our weaknesses. However, we do have strong convictions against divorce and re-marriage and have many strong homes with strong marriages. These children need commitment, security, and a Godly atmosphere. They have incredible pains and wounds from the past to work through, but until they get into a secure, godly atmosphere, it is hard to make any headway. I feel we have homes and families to offer where this healing can take place.
The Legal Process & Cost
To adopt is a huge commitment, but we feel it is worth the challenge. If you want more information on the procedure, or want to talk about the possibility of adopting, please contact us at: [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!