June 2020: Sheyla's Story & COVID-19 Update

I was 17 years old when I moved to Tijuana, Mexico to serve The Mission. For the first several months I didn’t have a specific role; I did whatever needed to be done. That included anything from picking up garbage to cleaning outhouses. Eventually I became the primary care-giver of 22 girls in the orphanage. I cared for them five days a week, for 24 hours a day. Since I was ten years old, I had dreamt of having an orphanage that would love kids unto their complete healing. When I finally had the opportunity to take a step towards that dream, I felt unequipped. I decided to dig in; my “yes” to those girls and to my dream was strong. I learned that in the midst of feeling unequipped, God will equip you with all that you need. It was a challenging season but it is only because of my continual “yes” to those 22 girls, that I am where I am today.

Looking back, I can see that it wasn’t just one “yes” to taking care of them. Each time one of them woke me in the middle of the night or threw a fit, I got to say “yes” all over again. One day, when I felt particularly overwhelmed, I heard God say that consistency is what I could bring to The Mission and to my girls. Consistency in my “yes” to serving Him and my “yes” to caring for them.

When you say “yes” to partnering with God, it isn’t a one and done sort of thing; He requires all of you. All of your life, time, finances, dreams, relationships...the list goes on. Every time you are confronted with a challenge, you are also confronted with an opportunity to surrender to Him once again as you say “yes” to leaning on His strength and not your own. The fruits of that season were not only the skills I acquired but the lives that were transformed around me. Because of my “yes” and consistency, I have Sheyla. She and her two sisters [three to six years old] arrived in 1995. They were brought by their biological mother because she did not have the means to care for them.

[Sheyla, her husband and son]

When they arrived, the girls’ hair was so unkept that they had dreadlocks full of lice and feces, along with open sores on their scalp from untreated ringworm. They were incredibly malnourished and ready for family. I specifically remember getting to give them their first bath. As I washed the caked-on-dirt off of their bodies, cut their hair, picked out lice, gave them clean clothes and care bears; I knew that they were mine. This was what my strong “yes” and consistency could bring. I was their house mom for one year and then eventually began overseeing the entire orphanage program. In 2008, I began leading The Mission as a whole, alongside my husband. Sheyla and her siblings were with us for many years; well into their teenage years.

Each of them were flower girls in my wedding. Now, 25 years later, Sheyla’s step daughter is in the high school and I get to snuggle her baby boy at church; we are still in relationship.

The consistent “yes” that I gave to those girls 25 years ago, not only transformed me but transformed them as well. I got to love them when their biological mother couldn’t. When Sheyla came to enroll her step daughter in the school, she proudly walked around our campus telling her, “This is where I grew up.” That is something we are extremely proud of. Our team has created a home and family for children, not an institution that they are ashamed of. What a beautiful experience it was to see the girl I first met in 1995, when she had dreadlocks full of lice, now married with three beautiful children. Not only that, but she was proud to call The Mission home and us her family. That is what my consistent “yes” was for. At times, it can feel that what you are doing isn’t “significant” but if you stay the course you will get to see the fruit of your labor and the manifestation of your dream. You get to see your Sheyla, 25 years later.

Genea Horner
Senior Leader of The Mission

Genea has been serving The Mission full-time since she was 17 years old. She is now co-leading the ministry with her husband, Jimmy. To see more stories like Sheyla’s, follow Genea and The Mission on social media @geneamarie and @themissionorg.