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Honoring Veterans of Military Service
This month we will honor those who’ve served this country in the military. Veteran’s Day is a reminder we need to be grateful to those who are willing to protect others with their lives.
We who are part of the ICC family owe a special debt of gratitude to those of our family who’ve chosen to serve. Milton Casasola is one of those. He grew up at the Los Pinos Children’s Village and is currently serving in the U.S. Navy.
It seems to be a common occurrence with Milton Casasola. When he tells his story, listeners seem unable to understand how a homeless, fatherless, child from Guatemala could rise through the ranks of the U.S. Navy.
Milton rose from an enlisted sailor to his current rank as a Lieutenant Commander. This is especially remarkable since a fatherless child was considered to be of no value in Guatemalan culture even amongst Christians.
Yet, when you hear Milton’s story, it does seem almost impossible for someone from a fatherless home, who grew up at the Los Pinos Children’s Village in Guatemala to succeed in his adopted country until you do hear Milton’s story.
Milton came to Los Pinos because his family was cruelly broken apart during the Guatemalan civil war. His father, a local business and civic leader was kidnapped by rebels and never seen again. His mother, Florencia, having moved to be near her family, learned of Los Pinos from a friend.
The friend suggested to Florencia that he contact the administrators of Los Pinos to inquire if they would care for Milton and his siblings. This way she could get training or schooling to support herself and her children.
While temporary care of children was not the purpose of Los Pinos, the administration at Los Pinos, as well as Alcyon Fleck, felt it important to provide these children a home. And so Milton and his elder brother came to live at Los Pinos.
Los Pinos was Milton’s home until only a few weeks before graduation from high school when an event occurred that Milton could not have anticipated.
With only weeks left in the school year, and graduation looming, Milton’s mother visited from Los Angeles. She said she wanted to attend the graduation of her two sons. It was then she announced her intention to take Milton and his brother to the U.S. Milton’s mother had acquired U.S. passports for both he and his brother.
After graduation, she took them to Guatemala City for interviews at the U.S. embassy. There they received their visas. Needless to say, this turn of events was not what Milton was expecting.
Milton knew little of the United States much less, Los Angeles. His plan was to attend college in Costa Rica. Never had he expected his mother to return and take him away to the United States. Yet days after his graduation, Milton was living in Los Angeles.
Soon after Milton and his brother were taken to the United States, he realized his choices were limited and the military offered a stable path for a career.
Seven years would pass before Milton was once again in contact with Mrs. Fleck and his family at Los Pinos. During that time he joined the U.S. Navy, attended college, and began his rise through the ranks. Milton would become the youngest person to reach the rank of Chief Petty Officer. From there he would be commissioned and continue to advance to his current rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Most important was his education at Los Pinos. Early on, Milton was behind in his education. But, his determination to excel helped him to skip a full grade only a few years later and to finish his schooling with top marks.
Upon entering the Navy, Milton recorded excellent scores on his initial aptitude tests. Milton credits this to his education at Los Pinos and ICAP.
Another important value Milton learned at Los Pinos was the value of hard work. Life at Los Pinos was simple. Milton describes it as living on a large, country farm. He worked on the farm in the morning and then attended school. He also helped with campus maintenance and construction projects all done by manual labor.
Physical conditioning gained from working the farm and maintaining the Los Pinos campus, the need to walk the mile-and-a-half to the farm, then do manual labor, walk back home, then walk to school, and then walk back home, stood Milton well during basic training.
Even though Milton came from humble beginnings, his desire to learn, his willingness to serve, and his commitment to Jesus have provided a truly amazing and fulfilling life for himself and his family.
So, it is not where, or how, we’ve begun our lives that matters. It’s what will be read during the final accounting of our lives that determines the benefit of our service as citizens of The Kingdom. How we’ve chosen to serve our brothers and sisters.
Christ gladly gave his life for ours. Through our service to others is how we understand the importance of His gift by giving in kind, of ourselves, to benefit others.
And this is why each November we honor those who served or have served the citizens of their homeland. Because they willingly chose to be in harm’s way for us in the same manner as our Savior did for us at Calvary.
During this November, please spend some time thinking about the people who serve their country. Because they have placed their lives in danger, and even given their lives for those of us, their fellow citizens.
“This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others!” 1 John 3:16 — GNT
Thanksgiving Blessings Within the ICC Family
Editor’s Note: It’s the season to be thankful for all that God has done for us. And within the ICC family, we have much for which to be grateful. God has blessed and protected the children and caregivers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world.
The children are growing and thriving in spite of the chaos that exists in communities that surround them. Truly the Children’s Village model of care is a blessing for them as they prepare themselves for the future.
Following are reports from two children’s villages that demonstrate how much we can be thankful for.
Left Caption: Your support of the children enables them to learn about Jesus and make decisions for Him that will affect their eternal destiny. Thank you!
Right Caption: Thanks to your support, the Los Pinos family is healthy once again and able to celebrate life in their homeland.
Patmos Children’s Village
Baptisms at our projects are some of the most inspiring and joyful occasions. We often consider that our mission is aimed at saving the lives of children twice — in this life and for eternity. We are thrilled and thankful when one of our children makes the decision to surrender his or her life to Jesus.
Désiré, project director at the Patmos Children’s Village, sent some photos of a recent baptism held in Lake Kivu. He shared that our campus chaplain conducted a two-week evangelistic campaign at the Patmos Children’s Village church. The theme of the campaign was “Young [people], remember your Creator during the days of your youth.”
This Thanksgiving, the ICC family can be grateful that this campaign resulted in 17 of our Patmos youth being baptized. This included 9 girls and 8 boys. Praise the Lord!
Not long ago, the Los Pinos Children’s Village was struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. This could have been disastrous to our ICC family there. However, through God’s providential care and the quick action of staff members, a great tragedy was avoided.
Life is mostly back to normal now, and recently the Los Pinos family celebrated Guatemala Independence Day. The project administration feels that such celebrations contribute to the overall development of the children. Included in the event was a delicious meal as well as a special program highlighting the beauties of Guatemalan culture. The children enjoyed learning interesting facts about Guatemala’s independence.
One of the Los Pinos staff members recognized just how important the children are to this ministry. She stated that “children are the engine that drives [Los Pinos}, and their joy fills our hearts.”
This Thanksgiving, the ICC family can be grateful for God’s providential care of the Los Pinos family through the pandemic and for the energy of “His Kids” which is the engine that drives this ministry forward!
Thankful for YOU!
As our ICC family pauses to consider what we have to be thankful for, we want you to know that YOU are one of our most treasured blessings.
This work of ministry on behalf of orphan and abounded children would not be possible or as pleasant without YOUR kindness and generosity.
This Thanksgiving, on behalf of the children who appreciate you very much, we are thankful for YOU.
In August, we began the Summer of Hope Matching Challenge. As of Oct 5, you completed the challenge! The full $65,007 has been donated. Thank you.
The children are deeply grateful for your loving support. Without you, these children would be without homes, without families, without love. In fact, many would not be alive today without your incredible love and generosity.
Thank you so much for making sure the children will continue to receive the loving care they deserve.
P.S. Fast Fact: Nearly 40% of 2020’s donations were given during November and December. Your end-of-year gifts are crucial in meeting the needs of the children.
P.P.S. Wonderful Opportunity. One of our ICC Families let us know recently that they will be starting a matching grant challenge for the Thanksgiving/Christmas time frame. You can take advantage of this opportunity now to ensure the matching challenge is reached by December 31.
Thank you for blessing the children through your support.
For details scan the QR code or visit ForHisKids.org/christmas-care.
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