How beautiful are the feet....

I've already emailed this out to a bunch of people, but wanted to share it here too. Mercy House is an organization working in Kenya that is also based in the Dallas area by us (Every Orphan's Hope). We run into them often at conferences and try to stay updated on all God is doing with them in Kenya.

 $10,000 was raised in one day for this woman's surgery. So encouraging to see this unity and giving when someone's in need!

Watch the video - it's quite the tear jerker but is such a beautiful story!

http://www.mercyhousekenya.org/blog/2012/10/28/violet039s-storybeautiful-feet.html

Proverbs 31:17

 

Photo Credit - Philip Thomas

 

Novo Studios - http://www.novo-studio.com/

Why We Put Walls Up

 

 

This summer I learned about walls being built. Not those ugly, figurative walls that we so often hear about. These walls were quite the opposite - beautiful, physical walls that God had instructed to be built by people of His Word, following His will in their lives.

 I spent my summer reading and studying the book of Nehemiah. And I also lived and served in Zambia this summer. In both places, God called and His people answered.

 As I read Nehemiah, I had a wonderful, tangible picture right in front of me. You see, Nehemiah is about the Jews traveling back to Jerusalem to build the protective wall that had been destroyed by the Babylonians around their city. Jerusalem needed protection and the Jews were willing to sacrifice, labor, and pray so that a wall could be built. The nation came together and served one another and throughout the process, lifted up the city to the Lord. A people once disgraced, now found purpose and pleasure.

 Nehemiah 2: 17-18: Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace. ” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me .... They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

 Fast forward a couple thousand years to the year of 2012 and you would find a group of humble people in Zambia with a similar mission. Walls needed to be built for protection. Not just physical protection but emotional and spiritual as well. These walls would be for a family - a beautiful "mama" and 8 children who had come from backgrounds we cannot imagine. Before my eyes, men and women gathered to serve and answer the call the Lord had given them.

 This group of people had traveled from thousands of miles away. They came together, served and lifted up this house to the Lord. They sacrificed, labored and prayed as they placed brick upon brick. And the walls were completed because they had a purpose and found pleasure as they served the Lord. Where there was once a barren plot of land, now stands My Father's House #8.

Nehemiah 4:6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

Oh but these walls were and are so much more than physical! They protected a nation and will protect a family. They serve as a place of refuge and safety. Inside, the Lord is worshiped and praised. And children who were lost and hurting, now have a safe place to call home.

Nehemiah 6:16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

 Likewise, we pray the same for House #8 in Zambia today. May the Enemy retreat in fear as it is made known that these walls were built with the help of our God.  Thank you Lord for being faithful from generation to generation, and offering your children purpose and protection. May we continue to build in your name!

My passion for the adventure

My heart was captured 7 years ago.

Everyone has that place where they know they belong. At this place, you know this is where you were created to be. What you were created to do. And these are the people you were meant to love.

For some, it's a homeless shelter, serving those who live on the street. For others, it's the classroom, teaching and molding sweet little lives into who they are meant to be. But for me, that place is Africa and I figured it out 7 years ago when I made my first trip.

Since that initial trip in 2005, I've graduated college, pursued a career as a financial advisor, moved several times, and got married. But never once did my heart forget that place or those people. So I went back to Africa, researched, read, and prayed for opportunities to connect my heart to what had captured it - the passion for Africa and it's people that God had given me.

And then this last fall, God answered some HUGE prayers for me. And in walked Every Orphan's Hope. God alone arranged it. He worked magic. I still wake up and pinch myself, remembering how God has connected my daily work with my heart for Africa.

And why do I tell you this? Because in 3 weeks my husband and I will be landing on that soil where my heart belongs and I'll be thanking God again for allowing me the adventure.We will be in Zambia for a month and can't wait to serve alongside the Every Orphan's Hope interns, our Zambian staff, and several other teams that are going over.

Thank you for your prayers as we head out. I'll do my best to write and capture all that we see and experience. I know a lot can happen in a month and I'm so excited to see these kids again!

A Mother's Day Gift that Keeps on Giving

With Mother's Day quickly approaching, I typed an email to our Zambian staff, asking how we could best serve our Mamas at Every Orphan's Hope. We have so many supporters that not only have a heart for the orphan but also have a love for the widow. We call these supporters 1:27s - people that not only hear the Word, but do what it says. They look after orphans and widows.

Many times I find questions in my inbox asking what we recommend sending overseas to bless the Mamas as well as the children. While we have great ideas for what to send the kids, I thought I'd pass the question on so that we could ask the Mamas personally what they would like to receive. Oh, what I would have given to be the one to ask them the question and to see their faces light up with possibilities! It must be similar to how we feel when Christmas is around the corner and we are asked to come up with a Santa List... the endless, fun possibilities!

So Mary-Ann, our Lusaka house coordinator, talked to all of the Mamas and had Humphrey, our IT/transportation manger, email us this response:

First of all thank you for every thing and for the work you are doing, Mary-Ann talked to all the mamas about the kind of gifts they would want they all agreed on sewing machines, they will also need fabric, scissors, and different type of thread. having sewing machines in the homes will help a lot even to the girls then they will know how to sew that will be a great achievement.

Thank to all willing sponsors may the good Lord Bless them.

Thank you.

Humphrey

The email touched my heart in so many ways! Maybe it's because my own mother is a seamstress and I've seen the joy sewing has brought to our home growing up. Or maybe it's because I know these little girls will also get to learn from their Mamas, as I did from mine, how to sew a straight seam and how to mend pants. These Mamas and girls will now have a skill set that can develop and be practiced over a lifetime. A skill set that one day could even bring in some income if necessary and bless the next generation to follow. A gift that will keep on giving for years to come.

Some of you have a passion for sewing, knitting, needlework, etc. We would love to hear how you've used your passion to bless others. Maybe you belong to a sewing circle or a quilt club. Or do you have friends that are passionate about these things too? Now is the time to share what EOH is doing and to bless our Mamas as Mother's Day is approaching. For only $150, we can purchase a sewing machine for a Mama and an entire house. With 11 finished homes, 1 under construction and 2 more planned for the near future, we would love to have enough funds to buy a sewing machine for each house. Also we are collecting thread, scissors, needles and any other sewing accessories that can make this wish come true.

So as Mother's Day approaches and we turn our attention to the special women in our lives, pray about gifts that keep on giving. Our own mothers have given us life, endless love and skill sets which shape who we are today. Let us show this same love by gifting these Mamas and blessing them.

Have a blessed and happy Mother's Day from the team here at Every Orphan's Hope!

Our Zambian Mamas

Guest post over here today, where you can find this same post. Check out EOH's website and our great bloggers!

To say I was excited to visit Zambia this last February, would be a huge understatement. I love Africa. I love the little babies, the people, the sights, the smells, the adventure - and I couldn't wait to visit Zambia for the first time. I especially couldn't wait to meet the kids that I had fallen in love with over the previous 3 months. To put faces with names and personalities.

What a wonderful trip it was! We met our incredible Zambian staff at EOH, we met the 80+ kids in our care, and we were able to see first hand what we work for on a daily basis, back here in the States. Yet when I look back on that 12 day trip, I am often left thinking about our Mamas. Oh, I fell further in love with the kids- some of my favorite memories were playing soccer, painting fingernails, interviewing each child individually and learning as much as I could about every precious child. But what left me awestricken and continues to do so, are our Mamas.

When I really start to think about these women, I put myself in their shoes. Imagine losing your husband and maybe even your children. Being left broken hearted, alone, and purposeless. But then you hear of an opportunity- an adventure to which you must give your life and your entire self. Yes, it's a wonderful opportunity, but you must leave your home, your relatives, and life as you know it. The only way you are equipped for this challenge is because you are called by the Lord, Himself. You must open your heart to children that are not your own, pray and work through situations that you've never imagined could ever happen to these precious children, and model what a humble servant of the Lord looks like.

And that is exactly who they are: humble servants of the Lord. These women are an inspiration who are happy to be in the background- molding and training these children in the way they should go. They are the prayer warriors who get up at 4 am to wash their days in prayer. And they LOVE. When there are nightmares, hurts, scrapes, tears and heartaches, they love these children. As their own.

And as I reflect, I realize this is such a beautiful example of what Christ did and is for us. While humans can never compare to Christ, we are called to give ourselves up and love as He has loved us. These women are doing just that for our children. We cannot begin to thank them enough.

The little one who has stolen my heart

I don't know her name. And no one else does either. Yet this little one stole my heart yesterday. I gave her a piece of gum along with 5 other children before the local church started. That's when she caught my eye. She didn't make a sound, just looked at me with wide eyes and put the gum in her mouth.

Half way through the 3 hour church service (yes, it's quite a Sunday morning event here!) I spotted her behind me, clinging to her father's leg. She came to me and I picked her up in my arms. 

The room was burning hot. I held her for over an hour as she played with my bracelet and then fell asleep in my lap. When I finally lifted her off of me after the service, my entire front was soaked in both of our sweat.

While I was holding her, I just prayed for her. Prayed that she would be protected as she grew up- that her family would love her and that God would take care of her and that one day, she'd come to know Him in the very church we were sitting in. 

She stole my heart. And I know, she will be in my prayers for years to come.

The amazing YOTEL

And we have left!

Right now I am currently in the London airport in one of the most wonderful things man has created! It's called a YOTEL - anyone heard of it?

Here's the one I'm staying in.

After a long flight and another one to go, this was the perfect way to spend our 10 hour layover!

We were all able to get some alone time, some sleep and a WONDERFUL hot shower! This is one happy girl and I have found my new way to handle these crazy, long trips!

Wish us luck and say a few prayers as our next flight takes us to Zambia. Can't wait to meet our 80 orphans there!

Now that I have seen, I am responsible

With Zambia only a week away and the trip fresh on my mind, Brooke Fraser's song fills my head and heart tonight. Something about these trips grips you- grabs a hold of your heart and won't let go. I know full well that I will leave part of me in Zambia next week. 

But the best part of this trip is that I know I get to come back and visit these kids again this summer. Not once have I been able to travel BACK to the places I've left my heart and you're always left wondering how they are - how those 3, now 6 year olds are. Are they learning their letters? Learning how to write and spell their names? It hurts not knowing how they have grown up - they are frozen at 3 years old and forever precious.


But these kids in Zambia will be different. I'm ready to build a relationship. I've already started memorizing all 80 of their names, making their faces familiar in my mind. And next week, as I meet them, I'll get to say "this summer, when I come back..." 

I'll also find one sweet child to sponsor next week. Jake and I are really excited about adding one of these sweet orphans to our family. I'm not sure if it will be a boy or girl, but either way, we can't wait! And at the office, we have been setting up new, exciting tools through Facebook to stay connected to the kids while in the States, so Jake and I will be able to really build a relationship with them through photos, video, and updates. Here is one of the 10 houses I will be visiting next week:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Fathers-House-C4/176879455741018

As I go, I want to remember what really matters. Once I have seen, I am responsible. These children and their stories I will carry with me wherever I go. Please follow me as I'm there... I'll be updating this blog as much as possible from the ground there.

Brooke Fraser - Albertine

Jake and I stayed up late last night watching videos from our Every Orphan's Hope Youtube channels. We loved them so much that Jake tweeted about this one (watch the boy on the left - we cracked up!)

 and I cried at the end of this one. We can't wait to meet these kids in Zambia and are already getting attached!!!