26,000 Today

There is a new hit in the bloggy world named Dan. He quit his job to start a blog called "Single Dad Laughing". And while some of his posts are pretty hysterical - Dan also can get into some deep posts that make you really think. Like yesterday's post regarding the Holocaust murders. Startling. Humbling. And def. worth the read.

But as I was scrolling through the images, I couldn't help but think about the other images that we never see.

In Richard Stearns' book "The Hole in Our Gospel" (if you are a Christian, or an atheist, you pick; you really need to read this book) - he speaks of the pandemonium that would ensue if we were to wake up to the headlines "One Hundred Jetliners Crash, Killing 26,500". Think about the implications -- airports shut down, non-stop media coverage, world-wide task forces to investigate the causes. We would hear about who had died, and the memorials to the victims, young and old. And that's just in one day. What if we woke up the next morning to the same news? We would think the world must surely be coming to an end.

ONE DAY = 26,000 DEAD.
TIME WOULD STAND STILL.

To compare visually, I found a photo of the recent Arizona memorial service at the University of Arizona in which the President spoke. You can't even see the entire arena but it is a huge crowd of 26,000 come to mourn the shooting victims.
Now image that that arena were full of children. With toothless grins, skinned knees, wide eyes. Imagine your little boy or girl in the front seat - smiling and waving. Surrounded by your nieces and nephews. Their whole elementary school.

That image is how many children die every day from preventable causes. The number of deaths per day. And not number of people who die from AIDS.... number of people killed by cigarette smoking... but the number of children, just children, who die from preventable causes - every day.

Because of malnutrition. Diarrhea. Poor water. Basic childhood illnesses.

Today.
Tomorrow.
And again the next day.
And the next.

And yet, what have you read in the news about it? Where are the memorial services? Where are the documentaries? Where is the outrage?

People love to point out the bad in the world. How 'bout the good? Be the change. Pick one child to start with. One child that you will take out of that arena. One child that you will provide vaccines, healthy food, preventative medicines, and clean water. An education. The saving grace of Jesus Christ. Just one.

But it's a start. One may just be a number, but to that child, it's a pretty important one.

My other son's mother

I attempted to write a well written, insightful post - but instead deleted it as I want to get right to the point and have you go back and read this post .

We arrived home from a great Labor Day weekend to the following letter from my little boy Amanuel in Ethiopia. "My mother is sick so she can not fulfill any job. My sister and I go to our grandparent. Please pray for my mother to be healthy and then she can grow me and my sister."

This news would not be so upsetting except that Amanuel's father passed away 5 years ago. Widows in Ethiopia often struggle to provide for their children, but through our sponsorship and the help of Compassion, his mother had been able to start a business to provide for her children. So for her not to be able to take care of her children, much less work, worries me greatly. I do not know what his father died of. I just know that I love this child, I loved his mother, and as of two years ago when we met, she was not a Christian.

I pray things have changed. I pray that my little boy will not be one of the millions of orphans in Ethiopia every year due to AIDS. I pray that his mother will recover from whatever illness she has so that the Compassion church project will have more time to minister to her both emotionally and spiritually.

Again, these children are not just faces on a packet. They have names, they have needs, and they have the love of God above - who has asked us to love them too. Sometimes it is easy to live our happy and privileged life in America and chalk the pain, hunger, and sickness of the third world up to just a sad story we occasionally hear about on the news. And sometimes that pain smacks us in the face and wakes us up to the real world. Would you please pray for Amanuel's mother with me?

And more importantly, is God calling you to reach out to a real child, in a real relationship, and be the hands of Christ to them? There are so many children like Amanuel who are more than just statistics. To be a missionary does not require you moving to another continent. Will you?

Blog Rewind : CSP Projects

Originally posted February 2009. To show you what $20 can do: Day 10 of our trip was to be our last. I would love to say I cherished every moment of it - but getting out of bed that last day was tough. I was sick and I was tired. I wasn't able to eat much. And I really missed MY babies. BUT... God in his wisdom, took me back to a place of joy and of rest, knowing that we had come for a reason. On that last morning we visited one last Child Survival Program (CSP) in Addis Abada. At this program were the most beautiful children, the most loving mothers, and a wonderful morning to book-end our time in this beautiful country. Who wouldn't smile when greeted by these little munchkins?? It was here that I met the woman I had spoken of in a previous blog that volunteers with mothers in the community. To hear her talk about "so many disabled babies", and once again, see these beautiful and healthy children - I knew Compassion had made a difference in the lives of these mothers. Just the weight that must be lifted when you know that your child will not starve to death, or die of a preventable disease like diarrhea or malaria, must free these mothers to instead hug their babies every day, without the fear of loosing them. And to know that your baby will have the opportunity to go to school, to learn, to just be a child - is priceless. It is a gift that we take for granted everyday. Yes, I worry about my children. But my worries are more the "what ifs". Sex. Drugs. Pregnancy. Homosexuality. Atheism. Selfcenteredness. Naivete. Most of those worries are for another day and not the survival in the here and now. (Although Braeden likes to test that theory...) In that church, we had a wonderful morning playing with those babies and it really put my heart at peace. If it had not been for our ride to the center through the poverty and the dirt, if we had just been placed in the little church compound, you would never know that we were in a place of immense poverty. Now I don't want to brag about the wonderful thing that the great America was able to bring to those mothers and children. It wasn't like us high and mighty Americans were happy to see what great things our money could do in that barren land. Now follow me here: instead - it was mothers meeting mothers. God's children playing with God's children. We were not giving to them, not blessing them with our presence. God had found a way to level the field and bring His blessings to His people in that land. And we were there to be able to witness that and to see the smiles His gifts had born. To remember with humility that those children are healthy, and smiling, and playing - because God gave to us, so we could give to them. And that was my peace. It's not about us. It's all about His children.

Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

 **90% of Child Survival Project babies meet their developmental milestones on time. **At the first CSP project we toured, over 1000 mothers stood in line for the available 50 slots. **Why not help more? Because we need you to help first. Matthew 25: 34-36,40 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'... "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

What's her story?

Funny how when I'm feeling something - and start surfing adoption blogs - it seems other moms are struggling with those exact same feelings too.

Like the fact of how you can become so engrossed with an adoption in the same way you become obsessed with a pregnancy. Remember?? Searching babycenter.com? Searching baby name sites? Actually reading books about 'What to Expect'? (And then, with Baby #3, just trying to remember when your next o.b. appt. was??? Much less read a book?)

But baby #4 - has me hooked. Reading been-there-done-that blogs. Reading articles. Reading moms-in-waiting blogs. Everything comes back to adoption.

So when I saw a young girl on Compassion's website, a beautiful, 15 year old girl - instead of the usual desire I have to love Compassion kids - this one was different. What if? What if that 15 year old girl was my baby's mother? She was 15. An only child in the home. With a mentally ill mother. And she was above average in high school. Above average.

What about here in the US? What chance would a 15 year old in the same situation have? Yes - she may be an over-achiever but as the only child in a single parent household, much less a mentally ill parent - what are the chances she would graduate? Much less get a college education? Much less live her life to the fullest? She would most likely fall into society's trap - going to work early. Trying to make ends meet. Trying to take care of her mother. But with our nation's package of benefits, food stamps, housing help, disability payments?

Now imagine that same, beautiful, over-achieving child in Africa. Without Compassion - where would she be? What would that child, CHILD, have to do - to make ends meet? Education would be out of the question. A real job would be out of the question. A real life --- or a life filled with heart-ache, most likely abuse, most likely letting her body be used, just to scrape together the money needed to take care of herself and her mother. And then what if that abuse led to an unplanned pregnancy, and possibly a death sentence in an unwanted disease. At 15?

That could be the story of my baby's mother. And as much as I desire to hold my child - never, never would I wish that story on any young woman. Much less a child.

But unfortunately, that is the story of millions of women, no girls, worldwide. Adoption doesn't take away those stories, it just tries to help pick up some of the pieces from those broken dreams. And to make a new dream for that little one who would not have stood a chance after being left on the steps of an orphanage. After her young mother can't afford to take care of her and can't bare to watch her child die of starvation or illness. Adoption isn't a fairy tale. It is a small band-aid to try to fix a huge, gaping wound. A wound of 147 million children as we speak.

But back to that 15 year old Gebreloa. SHE is in Compassion's program. Her schooling provided for. Her health monitored. Her mental wellness and social needs met. The love of Christ introduced to her. So in hope - I pray - that that 15 year old will be a success. Because, with Compassion, I have seen many success stories first hand.

But I also know - what could that above-average 15 year old accomplish with someone beside her? Cheering her on? Encouraging her to stay in school? To better herself for the sake of herself and her mother? Praying for her? Helping to lead her to the strong arms of Christ?

Her story could be so much different. And only someone like you could help write that story. Would you? Gebreola Shiferaw - I'm pleading for someone to sponsor her. She is only one child. But one child that deserves to be a child - and not a mother to my baby or someone else's.

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

To search for a different child by birthday, gender, sex, or country - Click here. There are thousands of other Gebreola's with stories to be written.

Spoiled Rotten

I am such a weanie. O.k., I admitted it. Spoiled South Carolinians who aren't use to having cold weather for more than a week at a time. It has been a month of cold! Do you hear me!?! A WHOLE month. (my apologies to any of my midwest readers as you curse me under your breath).

And today, I can't clean my bathrooms. Because our heat is again on the fritz. The powers that be that designed my multi-level, 3-bedroom house failed to put a system in that has enough power to push warm air from it's location to our bedroom at the other end. So every winter, Tony and I pull out the little space-heater for our bathroom to avoid me shaving off chill-bumps every morning. Cause believe me, that's pain for ya. Anyway, I don't want to dive into water-associated cleaning as our heat pump is wavering around 65 degrees. 65 degrees I tell ya!!! (and again, to those living in -14 degree weather, I really do feel for you).... Tony went out and bought another space heater. No kidding.

The whole neighborhood is falling apart! Just this past week, my friend and neighbor had to come and take a shower as his water heater only warmed enough water for a 2-inch tub-full for their 2 kiddos. Lack of warm water, lack of warm rooms, hmmmm. I think it's some kind of global warming conspiracy.

So my non-warm-water friend and I were talking about just how spoiled we are. And about how when little things happen on our front, it is a chance for God to once again show us, we're pretty darn blessed, or more accurately, pretty darn spoiled.

Last year, I read a blog from Compassion India bloggers with the following photo:
That's a teenage girl, taking a bath on the streets of Calcutta. And I fuss when I may have to take a bath in a private shower, in my own bathroom, with a heater outside the doors and a little shiver.

We fuss when our dryer is on the blitz and we are forced to trek our clothing to a laundry mat a mile down the road. Yet mothers worldwide are washing their clothing in a tub outside their house.

I add an extra blanket on the top of my super-thick comforter, as my bedroom is hovering around 65 degrees. Children are shivering in third world countries, sleeping on cardboard with thin fabric as a covering. No insulation but tons of cracks around the door and floors.

You know I could go on, and on, and on. About the shoes that just don't match. The clothing that is out of style. The cupboard with "nothing to eat".

I know there were a number of you who just skimmed the above statements. Heard it before... but until this year, I had not heard the verse saying that if you have heard, which we all have... if you have seen, which we all have ...

Proverbs 24:12
" Don’t excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn’t know."
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve."

It's not about guilt, and it's not about feeling bad for what we have. But it is about waking up to how blessed we are. And realizing that with that blessing should also be a realization of those less fortunate and a craving to help where you can. Whether it be in your neighborhood, your city, or half-way across the world. We've all heard others harp on helping the needy, but have you actually done anything about it? Besides writing out a check on Sundays and checking that off your to-do list. It's great to tithe but are you really getting the joy of seeing what your efforts are doing if you stop at that? Just saying...

Start with one, just one child, and see what a difference a little effort can make.
Sponsor a child.

Proverbs 3:27-28 "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" - when you now have it with you."

An American Big Sister

I just feel like bragging a little today on my amazing Ethiopian little sisters. First Eyerusalem. Whom I met on my Compassion trip. Words cannot describe how awesome this girl is, or how proud of her I am. Jerry was a Compassion child who has just graduated with her engineering degree. Amazing... Isn't she just beautiful???



Jerry used part of her small monthly stipend from Compassion to help start a ministry called Moriah. This is a picture of her with 3 of the boys from her home. Boys who were found living on the street. Stop and take that in, these boys were.... on.... the..... street. Can you even imagine? Moriah provides the boys with a safe place to live, a caretaker, clothing, food, and an education. It baffles me how when I speak to others here in America about helping a child, I so often hear "Well, maybe later. We just are too cash strapped right now." O.k., I understand. I use to think the same way. But now here is a girl, from the projects, who receives a small allowance from Compassion once a month. And used part of it to start an orphanage. Puts things in perspective, doesn't it??


Jerry helping another Compassion project. Building a youth center I think. Building a youth center??? Yeah, I would soooo be able to do that. Or not.
And my dear sis Masresha. Masresha was also a Compassion child who graduated with her degree in accounting and is now helping a mission's organization in Africa. Masresha was my translator on my trip and again, words can't describe the heart these girls have. Masresha is using her salary to help put her two younger sisters through school and eventually college. In Ethiopia, you have to pay school fees to get an education, something many families can't afford. So while Masresha's sisters were not Compassion assisted, in a way they are, through Masresha's faithfulness.

Masresha helping out at a Compassion project. Um, she graduated. So she's just sharing Christ's love with other little ones.

Former Compassion child, now accountant, and now wife!! Congrats dearest Masresha!!! So beautiful!!!





Make a difference in the life of a child. You never know how many people the ripple effect will touch. I am so blessed to know that these beautiful women are so excited about my new Ethiopian daughter. Their prayers mean so much to me. And it amazes me when I hear of all the people they have told our story to and have praying for us in Africa. I can't wait to be able to see them again in a year or so. And look forward to being able to assist Olivia in keeping in contact with her 'family' in her home country. God is so good in his amazing planning.

Psalm 68: 5-6
"A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in His holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families..."

Proverbs 22:6
"Train a child in the way he should go
and when he is old he will not depart from it."

No Words Needed

I'm pretty much brain-dead at the moment in regards to my writing skills so thought I would let other people speak for me:

First - my little buddy in Colombia, Hector. We have been sponsoring Hector through Compassion International since he was 4 years old. Toooo cute. We received this letter (in his own handwriting) today:


"I wish that peace and love of God be always with you and your family! I am so glad to be writing you again! In the school I've been learning English and I have already know how to say some words. Do you speak Spanish? Which words do you know? Do you like my country? In the project I am learning about Jesus and the Bible stories. I memorized the Psalm 100:3 and Proverbs 14:30. Have you ever read them? My tutor says that I am going to become a preacher of the gospel and that I am going to teach the Bible very well! Do you like to teach? Please pray for my family! Hugs and Kisses to you! I drew something for you with all my love. I hope that you like it! I love you so much! Blessings! Love, Hector"

No words needed but : Compassion works. Compassion changes lives. What are YOU waiting for? Sponsor now.

Life recap: A Prayer and a Postcard

I wrote this for my Compassion Coordinator this week and thought I would share with any new readers too. May be old news for you, may be a wake up call that someone needs, so I'm sharing:

Two years ago, I was the mother of three children under the age of 7. My youngest had just turned one. My husband was involved with our church band, the local Christian radio station, and numerous other outreach projects. I was a mom with a part-time job. A really glorious calling, but one that can often feel very monotonous. In addition, I was a mom who kept the church nursery. Again, a valuable job, but often very lackluster. While I saw others as the hands and feet of Christ. I was feeling like I tagged along as the little toenail. I’m there helping, I just didn’t feel very important. A little toenail doesn’t seem to make much of an impact on anyone’s walk, much less my own.

I specifically remember telling my husband that I was going to pray for God to lead me to my purpose. That selfishly, I wanted to have my own ‘outlet’. Something I could do occasionally on the weekends by myself, while he stayed home and watched the children, of course. A chance to be an adult and speak to other adults. So selfishly, with only my own desires involved, I prayed for God to give me a new calling a little higher on what I considered to be the totem pole of service. A couple days later, I received a postcard in the mail asking me to consider being a Compassion Advocate for children in need. We had sponsored a little boy for about two years and I loved the work Compassion was doing. So why not? It just seemed to be an affirmation. I immediately called and asked to be considered.

To recap, I am a mom. I am not a public speaker, or a writer, or a salesman. I am just selfishly needing to escape the house for ‘me’ time. But yet, God saw a chance to grow me. To bring me out of my shell and challenge me to step out in faith in ways I had never been asked to before. I started out small, working concerts and events. This volunteer stuff was fun, it was fulfilling. But soon it was time to put my big girl pants on and try to save the world on my own, one child at a time. I write up my nice little presentation, have my pictures and videos ready, and spend 10 minutes in front of some of my church friends at a home study group, in terror, with my knees knocking louder than my voice was shaking. But I got through it. With no children sponsored but several accolades of “good job” and “really interesting”. But hey, it was just my job to plant the seed. I shrug it off and think, “next time will be better”.

I try again, this time with my Dad’s Sunday school class. I travel two hours to present in front of 15 people who magically have invited every other Sunday school class and now appear to be about 100 all staring at me shaking in the front of their sanctuary. I present, I play my videos, I show my pictures. I get no children sponsored. Again, “good job, very interesting.” I travel home wondering where I went wrong. Lord, you must have picked the wrong person for this job. Others don’t believe things can change. They don’t see the need. I see the veil of distrust rise as soon as I mention the words “child sponsorship”. There must be another way to help your children. Somewhere along that two hour drive, and amidst those two shattering disappointments, God had changed the focus from “me time” to “His time”. And I hadn’t even gotten the memo yet. God was planting the seed but it wasn’t in my audience, but instead was growing inside of me.

So in September of 2008, this little toenail started feeling the call to go to Africa. I tell my husband, “I think God wants me to go to Ethiopia.” To which he replies, as the father of my three children, “absolutely not.” For a couple weeks, Ethiopia is everywhere I turn. In every news story I read, flipping through the channels, and occupying my daydreams and quiet times. Again - “I think God wants me to go to Ethiopia.” And he responds, “Well, if God wants you to go, I guess you’d better go.” I pick up my teeth from the floor and realize I am going to Africa. We pray together, “God, if you want me to go, you need to provide the funds. Because we don’t have them.” So I write that $350 check, my first ever step out in faith, and wait for it to grow, preferably within the next month, when the balance was due. With support letters written, we watch as God provides my needed amount of $4080. In one month, with $10 to spare. I book the airline tickets and my knees start shaking.

Just to recap again. I am a mom. I have never traveled west past the Great Smokey Mountains. I have never traveled east past Myrtle Beach, S.C. But I’m boarding a 16 hour flight, on my own, with about 25 other Compassion sponsors, to Ethiopia. Because God wanted me to. Wow. And that seed grows a little more.

In Ethiopia, I meet laughing, smiling, Compassion children singing praises to God within the block walls of their safe, little grassy compounds. The centers reminding me of little Gardens of Eden in the midst of the dirt, the dust, and the tin-roof shacks. Round faced Compassion babies, healthy and happy, tightly holding the fingers of their smiling mommies. I meet Compassion college students, counting the gift of Christ as their most precious gift, above the food, the clothing, or even their education. Children smiling as they tell us about their sponsors or run to show us their letters or pictures, hidden as treasures in the midst of their small, one or two room shanties. Praising God for the blessings he has given them. But on the other side of those block walls, I see the hunger in the street beggar. I see the pain and blood on the scraped up knees of the disabled baby, dragging himself around as his mother is out working at the flower plantation for less than 90 cent a week. I see the hopelessness in the child living on the street, hiding in the shadows of a shade tree.

I return from my trip a changed woman. Realizing that this world is so much bigger than baseball games, PTO meetings, or trips to the grocery store. Realizing that even as a small appendage of the body of Christ, He is big enough to equipt us to bring His light even to the darkest places on Earth. If we just step up and allow Him to “send me, I will go.” Whether we ever step foot on a distant soil, or just allow our words to travel across an ocean to inspire another of His children. Those children are given the hope that they can do more, be more, and achieve more – all with the help of the One who needs no help. Made strong with the strength of the one who fashioned every distant star and galaxy. And how awesome it is that He allows us to be the carrier of that message. It’s not about how many children I get sponsored this month, or even this year. It’s the fact that God is able to change a little child from scared and timid to strong and bold, ready to proclaim His power and His love. And that little child was me, I just hadn’t gotten the postcard yet.


** As an addendum: the journey that God has placed me on continues. I will be returning to Ethiopia, God willing, within two years. This time with my supportive husband beside me on that 16 hour plane ride. But this time I will not only be introducing him to the land and the people that God allowed me to fall in love with. But to also bring back our infant daughter, another gift that the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear that He has prepared for us. So please pray for our continued journey and God’s provision in bringing our daughter Olivia home to her family soon. And to think - it all started with a prayer and a postcard.

A Public Announcement

So yesterday I spent the entire day hanging out at our local Christian radio station helping in their Compassion telethon. Sadly, the phone only rang about once every hour or so. And with three phones sitting, it made for a pretty slow day (but great conversation among the volunteers!) They ended the day with 29 kids sponsored which is not too bad considering it takes me a good 3 months to convince one person to help one little child in need.

With a slow call response, the radio personality asked me if I would come in and tell my story of how Compassion changed my life. Sure! I can talk in a microphone to 10,000 people, as long as I don't have to look into their eyes and imagine them naked. (I really hope you get that reference to public speaking or else that last line just looked a little warped.)

As we are walking down the hall, I ask her if she is going to tape it, and she replies, "oh no, we're live in about 4 minutes". Oh still my beating heart.... We start by talking about when I first sponsored (4 years ago), when I became an advocate (2 years ago), and what I love about being a sponsor. We could have talked for an hour on that subject but she pressed on. She then asked me about what happened to me a year ago and my feeling called to go to Ethiopia with Compassion. And then went on to - "and what new news do you have THIS year?" to which I was able to answer that I felt God leading me back to Ethiopia, but this time to take my husband, and bring back my little daughter. Wow. I just announced it to Columbia. Guess that would be considered a bit of accountability now wouldn't it??

The point was to show others how sponsoring a child can completely change your life. Which is completely true. You go into it thinking that you are helping a little child, but later realize that the entire experience was meant by God to open your eyes to His will and your own purpose to be the hands and feet of Christ, as we are commanded. The blessings you receive from sponsoring far outweigh what you think you are giving. And this isn't just me talking, this is every sponsor I have spoken to who allow themselves to totally give themselves to the sponsor process through letter writing vs. just writing a monthly check and forgetting about helping the child through encouragement and love. It's Christ's love God wants us to give to these poor children, not the check. (But the check helps too..)

But as I exited the booth and was chatting with the other station employees and discussing the interview. We laughed that now people would NOT be sponsoring as they would be scared it may lead to the adoption of another child from across the world. Which also may explain why we had a meager phone response yesterday. I am SO sorry Compassion International.

On another note, I have started drawing some girlie art and finished my first display piece for Olivia's nursery. Man, if this girl keeps getting people to draw for her, she may not have an inch of paint showing!

Understatements

It would be an understatement for me to say that Compassion International is doing a 'good' job at it's task. It would be an understatement to say they are a 'good' organization. It is also an understatement to say that I'm 'glad' I was led to join with them on their journey in fighting poverty.

A good job is an A on a physics test. An unbelievable task would be to score perfect 100s for 8 years straight on every test you have ever taken, physics and algebra included. But Compassion has done just that. Charity Navigator is an independent auditing company that analyzes how wisely a charity utilizes the funds it receives. For EIGHT straight years, Compassion has scored 4 out of 4 stars. Yes, I know, last year I was bragging about seven. But eight?? Just this year, Compassion has scored higher than the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and the Boy Scouts. And they are still in the top 1% of ALL charities. How about that for the over-achiever? Yet still, I just heard another person tell me that their family member thinks these 'child sponsor things' don't work and are just for stealing money. Huh???? Don't think I have heard anyone question giving money to the Boy Scouts lately.

And to say they are doing a 'good' job - here's the latest proof of how great a job they are doing:
I was so excited to get the following pictures of my beautiful Ethiopian sister.

So here's the journey = born in poverty, enrolled in Compassion at the age of 8, saved at the age of 13, and now, as a successful young woman with her ENGINEERING degree, Eyerusalem has graduated and will go on to rock this world with her passion and love for Christ. Read Jerry's own story here.

And me? Am I glad that I got an email years ago which made me wonder, what am I doing to further His kingdom and help others??? Or that I got a postcard a couple days later telling me about being a Compassion Advocate? Am I glad I had so many people turn me down on child sponsorship, giving me that look which says, 'good for you but I'm just too busy / too cash strapped/ too uninterested / too skeptical to help out a child in another part of the world? Yes - I guess I am. I'm glad I saw the skepticism so I could go see the miracle for myself in Africa.

So what's stopping you from doing something that will not leave you with a 'good' feeling for helping, but leave you with an unbelievable experience in being the hands of Christ? Stop being a skeptic of yourself and your own abilities. God didn't create you to live within the boundaries of your comfort zone. He created us to be exceptional; kinda like an organization which can bring a girl out of poverty and turn her into an engineer who has brought 32 people to Christ. Just sayin..

Wish I could tell you

I'm Speechless....Yeah, I know - not me. Just in case you haven't guessed, I am a blog freak. I spend most mornings browsing anybody and everybody's blogs. I think one of the reasons is because it is kind of like a pretend world. You get to peek into others lives and experience their experiences without the pain or the emotions involved. (Usually) Since my trip, I am often clicking around on blogs about missions, about Africa, about Ethiopia. Once I see an interesting title on someone else's reader list - I jog on over.

Well this morning, that lack-of-emotion thing? Yeah, it flew out the window. I clicked from somewhere and wound up at this amazing post which hit me in the face:
Blessings from Ethiopia - I Wish I could tell you

From her post:
Loving the fatherless. Loving the abandoned. Loving the seemingly hopeless. The narrow road requires sacrifice.The narrow road. It's lonely. It's long. It's difficult. It's full of suffering and struggle and sacrifice. But isn't that what following our Jesus is all about? If you're following a Jesus that doesn't demand sacrifice of all earthly endeavors, than I don't know what Jesus you're following. Didn't Jesus, after all, sacrifice all earthly endeavors for us? What did He sacrifice so that He could love YOU? How much more, then, should we sacrifice in order to love Him? And if loving HIM means loving the unlovely and the unloved, then what does it mean if we live in comfort while the unloved go on unloved? While the orphaned stay orphaned? While the street kids still roam the streets?

Ouch. Guilt. And I'm not really sure that the writer meant to inspire guilt. She meant to inspire action. Which is what I am guilty of with most every post I write.

Let me side-step by showing you a picture I took last week:

This is exactly one week after a mani/pedi I received as a birthday gift from Tony. It was really, really sweet, and very appreciated. The massage was like HEAVEN. But in that 2 1/2 hours I spent at the spa, and got to feel like a queen, about $150 had flown out of our checking account. And one week later? The crick in my back had returned and my fingers were in the sorry state you see above.

And we do this EVERY DAY. The flowers we buy and forget to water, that are dead in a month. The video game for the kids, that is scratched and thrown away in 3 months. The mega-sized package of pork chops that gets thrown into the freezer, pulled out in a year with frost-bite. The huge dinner we make, but then end up throwing away left-overs as everyone gets sick of it.

Do I think God judges us for wasting money? I don't know. But I do know, to put myself in the place of a parent : when I give my children allowance money, or birthday money - how do I feel when they buy $5 worth of candy and eat it all by themselves the first day? Or buy silly Pokemon cards which are left out in the rain? Ticks me off. Stupid purchases! Why not spend your money on something that will last? Or a game where you can share the enjoyment? At least something you could learn from!

So what does our Heavenly Father say or think when he sees us spend the money he gave us on painting our fingernails red, only to have them chipped and broken in a week? (Stupid purchases. Why not spend your money on something that will last and can be enjoyed by others? At least something you could learn from!)

While on my trip, someone mentioned feeling guilty for all that we have. The country coordinator - a man managing 8,000 Compassion children but who had once grown up as a poor shepherd - told us: "Do not feel guilty. God blessed you so that you could bless others. You are doing what he wanted you to do. If you had little, you would not be able to give."

So I wish I could tell you that we are selling everything and going into missions - but I can't.
I wish I could tell you that I'll stop buying shoes I don't need or another pair of shorts - but I can't.
I wish I could tell you that I have all the answers and have God's will figured out - but I can't.

All I can tell you this morning is that I'm speechless. So now where do you go from here?

The Power of a Potty (or Power of a Smell Part II)

Let me start by explaining my absence in blogging... one word: sleep. I have figured out that my body actually likes this phenomena and have temporarily adjusted my 1 am bedtime. But don't worry, I'm sure my mind will once again race and I'll be back at the computer writing out meaningless babble more frequently. That and the fact that I am DVR watching one of my two TV shows I still allow myself to watch - "So you Think you can Dance?" It's a sin, I know. Cause one shouldn't covet. And not only am I wishing my body could do the things those girls can do, but I'm wishing my rear could just fit into some of those costumes. But then again, I guess that would involve exercise, which we all know I am allergic to.

*If you are wondering, the other show would be American Idol. Can't sing, can't dance. So why not torture myself watching people who can? I made a moral decision to refrain from my old favorites of Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, etc. - as I can only take so much political correctness packed into a prime time hour. Can't say I have missed them much either.

So finally to this post - I am SO proud of myself. The city girl has done went and gone country. Or back to the country I guess. (O.k., so I've never really been city unless you count the 3 minutes we lived in Columbia.) For July 4th, we decided that since all family was MIA, we would look into campgrounds. As long as they had showers and bathrooms, I was game.

At the last minute, some friends invited us on an annual family camping trip. And the worry begins: What if there are no bathrooms? what if they don't like us? What if we starve because I have no idea how to cook without my internet recipes???

But - truth be told - we had an excellent time. There were about a zillion kids for the children to play with, and they pretty much made themselves invisible in the woods, streams, and on the field playing ball. I actually got a book read which was a major accomplishment. We even did fine in our tent, my first tent experience.

Our new friends had planned a birthday party for the 3 kids that had birthdays that week and the boys had an excellent time playing party games. However, I was emotionally damaged by the disguises as they brought back memories of my four-eyed elementary school pictures. And the nose - my grandmother once asked me where I got my big nose from, no kidding. It still hurts to think about. With the big noses, I can actually see a resemblance of myself in the boys.
(Minus the furry eyebrows. I didn't grow those until after high school)

The kids then got to hit their first pinata. Do my kids never get out of the house? Where have pinatas been all our lives??? (If you look closely, the Hawaiian print shorts up front belong to little Braeden's behind. Smart boy - if you're too short - just leap over everyone else to snag some candy!)

I also learned that my middle son is destined to be a pyromaniac. At least he wasn't one of the kids putting crawdads on stakes to watch them roast alive and later eat them. Ewwwww. To go along with his new pyromaniac status, a tattoo was in order. I might give him the goth clothes and the black eyeliner for his next birthday if his interests persist, supportive mother that I am.


So I know you are just itching to know - what about the POTTY?? SO - we were lucky to have little quaint "potty houses". Let it be known - I have squatted in the woods plenty of times in my past. From my childhood on the farm, to some pretty wild ECU Pirate football games and Jimmy Buffet concerts that I would rather not think about. So being able to sit vs. squat was high on my list of luxuries.

These little potty houses were quite charming with their expertly designed sunroof and matching his/her labels. Also expertly designed was the depth at which the hole under those toilets was dug. About 1 foot short of "being within the point of gagging you from the putrid smell". Their smell was so inviting as to waft it's way down the hill to where you were camping, just to remind you that they were available. How sweet!

Those pottys got plenty of laughs and jokes and was the general conversational starter in meeting our new camp associates. And what a great 'IN': we would talk about our facilities and the conversation could quickly be turned to how NICE they were in comparison to the outhouses I visited while in rural Africa. Which then led to my trip, which then led to my volunteer work with Compassion, which then led to Compassion's amazing work in leading children to Christ, one child at a time. All because of a stinky potty. Funny how God can use anything to spread His word isn't it? I think I may have 2 children sponsored as a result.

Maybe I should look into doing a workshop to train other Advocates? Not many people can make that leap from toilets to Christ. I may have found a new calling....
Sponsor a child through Compassion , without having to see and hear about my potty experiences... Believe me - you don't want to know.

what's a girl to do??

yeah, since I have nothing else to do, right?? A small business, 3 kids, and a home to run really don't count much in the scheme of things I guess....

So on our date of the month, T and I were sitting outside of Starbucks solving the problems of the world and I told him that I just have this feeling that I am suppose to be doing something bigger. Don't know what that is though. And therein lies the problem. It just seems like SO many things are flying in my face and through my mind. Touching my heart. Pulling at my heart. So many blogs have hit home, so many news articles have gripped me. But where do you even start?

I have cried over a description of an African hospital's conditions; dirty bed sheets, unwashed instruments, babies brought in wrapped in dirty blankets that would be in the NICU in the U.S. Unresponsive and lifeless 6 year old brought in by her father to wait in the waiting room.

I have been upset over 'houses' or shanties bull-dozed in the slums of India, with children left to sleep under bridges or on the street. The father is sad that in the little shanty, they didn't get bit by the rats "as much". I have been worried about the rising food costs and increased rate of hunger all over the world, with children starving as I am seated comfortably outside a hamburger joint with a fridge full of food.

But where do you even start? And Compassion. I LOVE Compassion International's work and saw the amazing results that they are able to achieve, with God's help. But what if my trip to Africa with Compassion was just a springboard? Just to learn to open my mind up to the bigger picture - beyond ballgames and American Idol?? It just seems that something bigger is on the horizon that I can't see yet.

And remember how God seems to send me perfectly timed emails (and this one too)? Well, this morning I get this devotional:

"When God calls us into service, often the timeliness of our response is a measure of our faith. Procrastination is a sign that we are not trusting that God will lead the way and guide our paths. Procrastination leads to confusion and indecision, giving the enemy an opportunity to work at convincing us that we are unworthy, unqualified and incapable of carrying out God's will. As a result, we become paralyzed with fear, doubts and insecurities.

Stepping out in faith requires us to fully rely on God, and not on our own assessments of our abilities. Philippians 4:13 reads "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Do you believe it? Is God calling you to a task that is beyond what you think you are capable of; one that may require you to make sacrifices and choose God's plans over your own? Are you willing to say, "Pick me!" and then depend on His strength and sovereignty to carry out His will?

Dear Lord, give me ears to hear Your voice and to know when You are calling me to serve. Help me to put my faith in You, and not in my own abilities. Fill me with a desire to serve in whatever way You have ordained for my life, and bless me with the opportunity to use the spiritual gifts that You have equipped me with. Help me to have confidence to move forward in faith because of who You are, not because of who I am. Pick me Lord! In Jesus' Name, Amen." (Tracie Miles, Encouragement for Today)

So now I am convinced I am suppose to DO something, just waiting on another email to clear that something up (which I guess would be the definition of procrastination - 'waiting'). Any helpful suggestions would be great!!

In the meantime - step out in faith yourself by starting small. Under the age of 18 to be exact. Start by letting God 'pick you' to be part of the bigger picture and touch the heart of a little child. Help to make that one less baby to die before the age of 5. One less child to grow up without an education. One less mouth for a struggling family to have to feed. Sponsor now.

Even in this economy, Compassion's sponsorships have still increased when compared to last year. That IS the hand of God at work. He loves these children - be the hands of Jesus and help to show that love, one child at a time. Don't procrastinate...... that's my job.

Year To Date PAID SPONSORSHIPS:

This time 2008 = 6,924

Current 2009 = 8,706

Compassion....again

Funny how all roads lead back to Compassion for me, isn't it??

The boys are now doing a weekly Bible study about the book of Daniel with some other 6 little pre-teen boys. Bless those 2 moms who take them all in for an hour and a half every week. I'm brave, but not THAT brave! They are even shooting their own movie each week so I'm sure this is going to be one to remember, especially when they are oh, 18, and I'm feeling like showing it to their prom dates...

So last week during one of our daily studies, we had to discuss the meaning of 'compassion'. And thank goodness after 2 years of drilling that word into my little ones brains, they actually were able to answer that question pretty accurately with, "it's when you feel bad for someone who needs something." Woo-HOO!!

This evening, after game #2 in our season of #469 games - Seth's team just creamed the poor little opponent. I'm talking 24-2 and the other 2 runs were made in the last inning when all our starters were either deep in the outfield or on the bench. Walking away from the field, Seth looks up at me with pitiful eyes and says sadly, "I really felt sorry for the other team." I told him I was really glad to hear that, that hopefully he will always feel that way and know not to make fun of others who are trying their best. And that my little soon-to-be-too-cool-to-talk-to-me boy child, is Compassion. Thank you Jesus, they are listening at least some of the time to my incessant babbling....

From Abraham

Just in case you haven't been convinced YET about the effectiveness of Compassion (and I'm not talking about the economic success stories, but instead the Heavenly ones..) Another of the translators from the trip, Abraham, has wrote me as he felt led to share his testimony with me. Which I now feel led to share with you. I did run that thought by him and he enthusiastically agreed, but did ask me to clean up the grammar errors, so here is the edited version. I'll let him speak for himself and let you be led to do with this info as God wills it.


Today I am inspired and encouraged to share my life testimony with you. The following is what God did in my life through Compassion. I was born on July 14, 1984 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I am about 24 years old now and I am soon to be 25. I am the first born of my family. I have one brother and one sister. I think my father married my mother at an early age as she was not mature enough for marriage. They divorced after I and my sister were born, and after many discussions, they remarried again and then my brother was born on July 10, 1993. After that, they divorced permanently. Now my father is married to another lady and is living in one of the country sides of Ethiopia, which is about more than 500 km away from where I live. By the way I don't know who my father is, as from my early ages I was living with my grand-father and grand-mother. From an early age of 2 or late 1. My parents were not in agreement on the place to live, so they were most of the time fighting. And after my mother divorced, she joined us in the home where we are living now (my grand-parent's home).

This is a little bit about my mother and father and let me tell you how Compassion impacted my life. My families were very poor, meaning they were from the poorest of the poor. It was really very hard for all of us to survive as it was very hard for all of us even to eat three time a day. Forget the clothing and the school fees, it was so hard for all of us to eat three times and be satisfied. No one was permanently employed and even those who are employed were daily laborers. Their pay per day was less than 1 USD. We (all of my families including me and my mom) would gather fire wood and sell the fire wood so that we could support our selves. Life was becoming so hard and so harsh for all of us. My mom couldn't bring fire wood as the goverment wouldn't let her. And this was the time that my mom heard about Compassion and went to get there to get me registered. The first time she went there she couldn't get me registered, as the due date had passed and the quota had already been reached. So she was hopeless and helpless to feed me and others too. And at the time we are very much in need, God brought me another opportunity to be registered in Compassion, when I was a grade 2 student. And through the project, each things which were important for growth were fulfilled. We were given the chance to have food supplied every three months, cleaning materials, clothings, school fees, and we also were given the chance to have recreation program and so on. By the way my family was a large family. In a single room there were more than 8 members of the house. And as I told you, almost all of them were unemployed.

God started to lead my life to His ways. When I started to get those things I started to be encouraged. God brought me to His ways. My families were from the Coptic Orthodox faith. And I was not in Christ. I was a demon possessed boy. When I was a grade 8 student I was converted and God brought me to Christ. And I was released from the spirit when I was a grade 10 student. And I started to live a safe life in Christ. Then I started to learn the basics of Christianity and I went through baptism on June 04, 2002. I started to serve God as a youth Bible Study leader. And also I was serving on an Evangelism team which served in reaching the lost ones. The other thing I was doing was teaching my peers, or leading them in Bible study.

When I was about to join University, I heard about the Leadership Development Program (LDP). I applied for the program and with God's help, I joined LDP in October 2006. There God was inspiring me to do a lot. In LDP, I was fully sponsored. Meaning my school cost sharing was covered, school fees were covered, and there was also pocket money. And beyond that, we were inspired to be a leader. There is something that I want say here. That is about John the baptist's ministry and its relation with compassion's ministry in my life. As you know he was paving the way for Christ. As John the baptist was doing, in my life the Child Development Sponsorship program was paving the way for Christ, for me to be converted and to accept Christ as my personal Savior. And the other thing, LDP was paving the way for me to be a servant leader. Now I believe that God is making me a fulfilled Christian Adult and now I am a servant leader. Thank God He did this in my life. Now in my family I am not the only Christian. My brother, my Sister, three of my aunts, and my nephew are now converted. They accepted Christ Jesus as their personal Savior.

In my Campus I was serving as a fellowship leader.I graduated from Campus in June 07, 2007, and from LDP in November 17, 2007. My degree is in Forestry. For one year, I was teaching kids. And now I am working for Compassion as a Sponsor and Donor Ministry Associate. And also, I am serving as a youth Bible study leader and on a committee of LDP Alumni. This is a little bit about my life and what God has done in my life. So please be encouraged through this life testimony. Be a defender of the poor and speak up for those who can not speak for themselves. God Bless you very much for the ear that you gave me to hear my life testimony. You are doing great thing. There is a reward for you in the hand of God. And so sorry for the poor English that I use. I will try to share with you more about the vision that God gave me some another time.

Ethiopia - Day 10 - His Little Children

Back on track: Day 10 of our trip was to be our last. I would love to say I cherished every moment of it - but getting out of bed that last day was tough. I was sick and I was tired. I wasn't able to eat much. And I really missed MY babies. BUT... God in his wisdom, took me back to a place of joy and of rest, knowing that we had come for a reason. On that last morning we visited one last Child Survival Program in Addis Abada. At this program were the most beautiful children, the most loving mothers, and a wonderful morning to book-end our time in this beautiful country. Who wouldn't smile when greeted by these little munchkins?? It was here that I met the woman I had spoken of in a previous blog that volunteers with mothers in the community. To hear her talk about "so many disabled babies", and once again, see these beautiful and healthy children - I knew Compassion had made a difference in the lives of these mothers. Just the weight that must be lifted when you know that your child will not starve to death, or die of a preventable disease like diarrhea or malaria, must free these mothers to instead hug their babies every day, without the fear of loosing them. And to know that your baby will have the opportunity to go to school, to learn, to just be a child - is priceless. It is a gift that we take for granted everyday. Yes, I worry about my children. But my worries are more the "what ifs". Sex. Drugs. Pregnancy. Homosexuality. Atheism. Selfcenteredness. Naivete. Most of those worries are for another day and not the survival in the here and now. (Although Braeden likes to test that theory...) In that church, we had a wonderful morning playing with those babies and it really put my heart at peace. If it had not been for our ride to the center through the poverty and the dirt, if we had just been placed in the little church compound, you would never know that we were in a place of immense poverty. Now I don't want to brag about the wonderful thing that the great America was able to bring to those mothers and children. It wasn't like us high and mighty Americans were happy to see what great things our money could do in that barren land. Now follow me here: instead - it was mothers meeting mothers. God's children playing with God's children. We were not giving to them, not blessing them with our presence. God had found a way to level the field and bring His blessings to His people in that land. And we were there to be able to witness that and to see the smiles His gifts had born. To remember with humility that those children are healthy, and smiling, and playing - because God gave to us, so we could give to them. And that was my peace. It's not about us. It's all about His children.

Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

Please remember, that for more children to be released from poverty, in Jesus' name through Compassion's assistance - the current waiting children need a sponsor. You will not miss the money. You will not regret your decision. You will not be throwing your money to the wind. There is no greater gift than to be able to be a part of God's blessings. Sponsor today. Partner with Compassion in helping to lead a little child to spiritual, physical, emotional, and social health. Matthew 25: 34-36,40 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'... "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Teachable Moment

My latest "wild hair" actually had a really good result so I wanted to share with you other moms. I'm all for having those 'ah-ha' moments with my kids where you can just see the knowledge seeping in their little brains.

So last night, in honor of Compassion's Global Food Crisis Day, we did the following:

I made baked fish, rice, steamed cabbage, and spiced lentils. I was kind of going for an international theme.

- Addison got her normal plate of a spoonful of each food. Cause who really wants to make a toddler mad on purpose!!
- Braeden got a small spoonful of beans and rice only.
- Tony and I got HUGE platefuls of everything, with 2 pieces of fish each.
- Seth got an empty plate, poor Seth!!

The kids had been complaining for about an hour that they were hungry but I just kept putting them off, not wanting snacks to ruin their dinner experience... So we sit down, join hands and pray (with Tony thanking God for our food and how he takes care of all our needs. And to help us to understand how blessed we are.)

Immediately Seth gets wide eyes and asks, "where's mine?" Me - "well, I'm sorry, but you don't get to have anything tonight." "So I don't have to eat?? Yeah! I'm going to get a cupcake!" Me - "No, no cupcakes either. I'm sorry, you're going to have to go to bed hungry tonight. That's all the food we had for dinner, we just didn't have any for you."

At which time Braeden is piping up, "I didn't get any fish. Can I have some fish?" (My weird child loves fish AND spinach,.. go figure.) "No, sorry bud, Addison, Daddy, and I are the only ones who can have fish."

Addison is just chowing down like she hasn't eaten in days!! Just shoveling it in while the boys look at me with questioning eyes. I really wish I had video of it because she couldn't have shoveled any faster. And lately she has been pretty picky. I was floored she ate the fish and the lentils without whining "I don't liiiiiiike this." Way to make my point little one!

I go on to explain that today is Global Food Crisis Day. And I wanted them to think about God and his children in the rest of the world. That Addison has just enough food to fill her up. Braeden has very basic food, just enough so he wont go hungry, like many children in the world who don't get to have nice foods like hamburger, steak, or chicken every night. And Seth, poor Seth... He doesn't have anything to eat for supper and will have to go to bed very hungry, like many other children this very night. Does that seem fair?

"Mommy and Daddy have sooooooo much. We live in America and God has blessed us with so much food and the money to buy that food. We really, have too much to eat. So what do you think God would want us to do with all this extra?? "

(Now here was where the lesson kind of fell apart a little... The boys decided that they should just come take our food, or steal it. O.k., so save the teachable moment on stealing til another day....)

Bringing them back - "Do you think that God may have given us so much so that we might share it with you? Maybe that is the reason God blessed us in America so much. So that we would share it with his other children that don't have enough." So we feed the boys off of our 'bounty' and lesson is learned. I hope.

Here's the thing - since coming back from my trip to Ethiopia - I have struggled with America a bit. And from what I hear from others who have done missions, it is something that most have to deal with when they come back from seeing the rest of the world. The week after, you feel like you are completely alone in your thoughts and why is it that no one understands what you do?? How can we be so blind and not see? Why is it that the American mind-set is that, "I made this money... I deserve to have this.... or this..... or this..... It never ends, this list of our "needs"

We have SOOOO much. To look in my closet and see my 20 pairs of shoes made me roll my eyes. To look in my children's closet and see 25 long sleeve shirts and about 20 short sleeves each, just made me sad. BUT.. as the head of Compassion's Ethiopia office had told our group, we were not meant to come and see to feel guilty about what we have. God gave us those as gifts. Instead, what we have, we need to remember is a gift and realize that He did not mean for those gifts to line our pockets and cupboards alone. So instead of feeling guilty or feeling sad when looking at what I have, it is my responsibility to not only share with others, but to teach my children to share. And to teach them that we don't have to eat steak every night, or have the newest and latest, or the best and the most. And if I do my job as a mother to help them learn those lessons through little, teachable moments while they are young - then I know my Heavenly Father, the one who gives me every blessing, will be smiling at me and know He has taught me through my very own teachable moment.


** After dinner, as we were cleaning up, my great-sport-husband who had gone along with my madness, whispers - "yeah, those lentils... don't let 'em find their way into this house again..."