A Swingin' Good Time!

Peaches and T-Bird enjoying the swings at Hannah's Hope - Feb 2011

Last night we had a fundraiser / soup and pie supper / worship music night at Southern Hill Baptist here in Sioux City.  The purpose of the night was to share the needs of the trip we will be taking in March to Ethiopia.  Let me just say that it was an amazing night!  There were over 200 people in attendance.  That's over 200 people that have a heart for the orphan, a heart for missions, a heart for serving others.  Over 200 people right here in Sioux City.  It was a beautiful night to be a part of.

For those who have been following the fundraising for the swing set, we had raised $560.  In just a couple of weeks we were already at about 1/3 of the cost of the swing set equipment.  I was amazed at how quickly God was bringing in the money.  Well, you can imagine how excited I was to be given $1100 last night toward the swing set project!  That put us over the amount that was needed for the equipment.  We are grateful for all who gave and grateful that God has provided over and above our need.  We will use the additional money toward the tools that we need to bring and the additional luggage fees that will be required.

We are rejoicing in God's goodness toward the project!  We are rejoicing as we think about many, many kiddos that will soon be swinging and giggling with delight on the swing set that so many people have donated toward.  I can't wait to post pictures when we return!

So thank you to those who have given and to those who have prayed.  I wish you could come with us and push some kids to delirious heights on their new swing set!

In addition to the money collected for the swing set, we also collected over $2000 toward the general expenses of the trip.  That money will be used to help with travel expenses (~$2000 per person) and with medical supplies that we are going to be bringing.  We will be starting to organize the medical supplies list and costs next and that will likely bring some additional fundraising efforts.  So stay tuned!

We are just six weeks away from traveling.  We still have a lot to get done.  Please pray for our preparations, please pray for our additional fundraising, please pray for our hearts to be ready to go.  As Matthew 25:40 states, we are going to serve the least of these.  God is rolling that passage through my mind as we think about the why's of going to such a far-off place to serve such destitute people.  Is it really worth it?  After reading the passage in Matthew 25, it is clear that we are not just going to serve these beautiful people, but we are going to serve Jesus.  In as much as we go and serve the least of these, we go and serve Him.

Reflecting on a Swing Set

Another swing set update!  We have now received $510!  I'm amazed by all of the support that so many people have shown with money coming from many different locations.

I am constantly thinking about how we're going to get all of this equipment into our checked luggage.  Wondering did we bite off too much?  What was I thinking?  And then I start to think of the smiles that await us, the excitement of the kids as we assemble the swing set, the joyous screams of children as they swing.  And that is when I remember that the hassles that we are facing are well worth it.

I worry about raising money for a swing set, they worry about finding food.

I worry about finding space in my luggage for swing set parts, they worry about having clothing to wear.

I worry about the endless hours of travel in a cramped airplane, they worry about sitting on a street curb alone for yet another night.

I worry about all of the vaccinations that I have to get, they worry about disease that will likely end their lives much too soon.

The swing set serves as another reminder of the different worlds that we come from - our world and their world.  We have so much - and for that we should not feel guilty, but thankful.  Because we don't go and we don't give because of guilt, we go and we give because of thankfulness.  We go and we give because God has flooded our lives with His goodness - flooded us to the point where it naturally flows to others.  And we want others to experience this flooding of goodness that only God can accomplish in someone's life.

Yes, reflecting on the swing set makes me more and more ready to go!  How about you?

Swing Set Update

We are excited that $335 has come in for the Ethiopia Swing Set project.  As we have contemplated this project, I have envisioned the kids at the orphan care center watching with curiosity as we build the swing set.  Since many of them have never seen a swing set, there will be looks of bewilderment, watching the Ferengis assembling this odd contraption.

Knowing that they will giggle with glee as they experience the combination of weightlessness and gravity-rush for the first time, we press on with this project.  To us the swing set can merely be a task-oriented maze of budgeting luggage space, coordinating tool requirements, and arranging financial support.  However, to the kids who will soon be learning how rear back in a swing and reach their feet toward the sky, it represents a sense of freedom, exhilaration, and joy.

I spoke last night with Anna who has traveled many times to Ethiopia and has seen first-hand what a swing set can do for children.  Children who have nothing to call their own, who live a life of extreme poverty, and may or may not have parents or a home to call their own.  She shared with me how these kids line up for hours just to get a single turn on a swing set.  She shared how the swing sets are used constantly and become a symbol of pride for them, since it may be the only thing that they can call their own.  It may be the only thing that gives them a brief freedom from the difficult life they live.

We are thankful that God has every detail of our upcoming trip taken care of.  There are no needs that He is not aware of.  As we travel to Ethiopia, we are looking forward to loving the children, serving the workers, and experiencing what God has in store for each of us!

Home for Christmas

I was sitting in bed with Peaches last night reading to her a Facebook comment from a family of a Hannah's Hope adoptee friend of hers.  We had posted the picture shown above on FB and her friend Ujulu left a comment (via his mom).  As I read it to her, Peaches was puzzled.  She said, "Ujulu can speak?"  She was surprised that Ujulu could speak the English words that I was reading to her.  In her mind Ujulu was still in Africa, still at Hannah's Hope, still speaking a language different than English.

I began to explain to her that Ujulu is in America, that he lives with a family, and that he speaks English....just like her.  She replied, "Ujulu is not in Africa?"  I said no and repeated that he is in a loving home in America just like her.  The wheels began to whirl in her mind.  Her life at Hannah's Hope was frozen in her mind with all of her friends still there.  Had things changed?  Had her friends also found homes?

One by one we talked about her friends from Hannah's Hope:  Luma, Mana, Lidya, Tizita, Sophee, Ujulu, Amani, Angesom, Liya, Hiyab.  Yes, they were all in America, all in a home, they had all left Hannah's Hope, they had all left Africa.

As Peaches pondered this, I also pondered this.  What an amazing reminder of where our Peaches came from.  It's easy to forget that she is a former orphan from Africa - she is so normal.  And a reminder of how many kids' lives have changed dramatically in just one year.  Last Christmas all of these kids were either at Hannah's Hope or had not even arrived there yet.  They were orphans, living life without parents.  They were learning to survive on their own, learning to fend for themselves, learning to ignore their internal hurt and pain and loss.  They were internally morphing into what a child becomes apart from a family.  And now a year later, they are opening presents in loving homes, surrounded by a mom and a dad, filled with wonderful foods, enjoying the comfort of their own beds. 

God does an amazing work when he transitions the life of an orphan into a family.  He begins His miraculous healing work and reaches those places in a little heart that only His hand can reach.  He mends the broken-hearted and He heals their wounds (Psalm 147).  We've seen this work in our own little Peaches' life and I'm sure the families of her HH friends have also seen His gentle, yet mighty hand at work.

I'm thankful for these families that have brought these little ones into their homes.  I'm thankful for the many families that have helped us over and over again in the last year as we have brought Peaches into our home.  It has been a joyous year - we stand in awe of God's goodness in our lives - we would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

What a perspective to think of our Savior entering into our world.  So thankful that His healing touch extends beyond the pains of our soul and reaches in to heal us of our sin.  And this healing is complete and forever. 

Yes, we are thankful for the birth of our Savior and we welcome into our lives as our King. 

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Family Sing-along

Our church has a night of special music each year for Christmas.  Our Family sang the Selah song, "Light of the Stable."  In the video from left to right are Rye Bread, Sunshine, Heather, and T-Bird.  Levi "The Beat" is on drums and I'm on piano.  Enjoy!

Orphans Need Families

Celebrating Our One Year Referral-versary

We joyously celebrated the one year anniversary of our referral tonight.  So thankful for our Peaches.  So thankful that she is home.  So thankful for the many, many blessings we've experienced over the past year.

Together as a family we went out to eat and remembered some of the details from 12/2/10.  What fun!  And as we were remembering we were a year ago and what we were doing, it was sobering to think that Peaches was still getting situated at Hannah's Hope in Addis, having been there for only a week.  I can't imagine what that transition was like for her.  I can't imagine how scared she must have been.  I can't imagine how alone she must have felt.  A 4 year-old without family.  Can you imagine?

This scared little girl is now glowing with joy, has a laugh that we all love to hear, and calls us "mom" and "dad" in a way that melts your heart. 

She's home now.  She's comfortable here with us.  She's one of us.  We are so thankful for her!!!  God has been so good to continue to heal her little heart and to pour much grace upon all of us.  What a year to reflect on!!!

Some pics of that amazing day and that amazing phone call!

 The Referral Call!!!  Heather talking to Kiersten getting the amazing news!

 Getting ready to open the email with the details!

Together looking at our beautiful little girl!!!

And please click HERE for the link to the blog post for the amazing Referral Party!