People are messy.

People are messy.

You know why? Because people aren't perfect. You're not perfect and I'm definitely not perfect! Jesus was the only one who was and is perfect. So if none of us are perfect, then none of us should be too surprised when we discover that others aren't either. And yet, there are many times when we are surprised. Why is that? Honestly, I'm just asking the question cause I don't really know exactly why. What I do know is that God is bigger and He works ALL things together for good. He doesn't waste anything. Including our messes. He can use a mess between friends to cause us to have to learn to communicate - in my experience, those times when we worked through something hard and messy - on the other side, it made us even closer. It certainly made us love and respect each other more. And it helped us understand the heart of the other person. And by being willing to work through the junk, we also both saw that we were valued and loved by the other person because they cared enough about the other and the relationship itself to stick around and work through it.

Culturally, I've noticed we're avoiders. We'd rather avoid conflict than deal with it. Conflict is messy. It involves trudging through the mud and the muck, airing out some yucky stuff and working through it (key word: working) to get to the other side. It often involves hurt feelings and initial defensive responses or tears or anger. Like I said - messy. But the other side is so rewarding. I hate conflict and I always dread hard conversations. Who doesn't? But even though I don't like it, I also don't want to walk away from something or someone just because it's hard and just because it's not fun. Where's the reward in that? Where's the commitment and loyalty in that? Where's the growth in that? If I did that with everything and everyone, I'd be pretty lonely and I wouldn't grow and my avoidance of the other person involved might even hinder something God might be trying to do in them through the situation. God can and does use messes! When handled in a biblical way - He can also be glorified in the process. When we stay the course, when we fight for our friendships and what we believe in, when we work through the hard stuff and learn to communicate well - relationships are so much deeper, so much richer, so much more fulfilling. And don't we want that? I know I do!

Friends, don't run from the hard stuff. The hard stuff is what refines us. It's the crucible that helps burn off all of our impurities. Let those trials transform you. Because after all, it's all part of being transformed to be more like Christ. And that's why my favorite verse is this one:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ~ James 1:2-5

Visiting Orphans new promo video

I'm excited to share the new promo video for Visiting Orphans will all of you. We've made a lot of changes and we wanted to share those with you - this video is a look inside the ministry of VO.

Check it out and please share it on your facebook, twitter and blogs if you like it! We hope that this video will give people a clear picture of what our ministry is all about. GO BE LOVE

Last full day

Internet has been down but today we are shopping in Jinja so we have it. Picture our whole team on their iPhones accessing wifi. We have had an amazing time lovin on the kids here. And this morning we got to hear the directors testimony. God is so good! We have had a great trip. Hard to believe tomorrow we head to the airport. The team goes home and I go to Ethiopia to see my sweet boy. I am soooo excited to see him. It's been a year!

Friday Update

We split the team today. Half of us wen with me and half went with Elisa and we flip-flopped visits to two of the children's homes. It was a great day loving on precious kids and babies. An emotional day for the team though. But we ended the day with a very warm welcome from the kids where we are staying. Those of us who have been before have specific kids that came to find out and remembered us. Amazing with all the teams that have come - they still remember specific people.

Tomorrow we are making a feast here. Like a big family reunion! And then Sunday we get to do church here as well. Monday we do some shopping and spend the rest of the day here before heading to the airport on Tuesday.

Hard to believe we only have a few days left. This team is now like family and we have shared experiences no one else has experienced with us. One of the hardest parts is parting ways with family in Uganda and on our team once the trip is over.

Update from Uganda

Had a great 2 days in Palissa. We got to serve a big feast yesterday to the kids and staff. It was fun and tiring. We stopped at the school on our way out today. It was a long drive to Jinja today with our luggage van breaking down but it didn't take long to get fixed and we made it to our destination. While we were waitin in our big bus, we stopped off at a little place that had a restroom and sodas. Lots of kids flocked to us to check out the Mzungu's. One kid had a nasty open sore on his foot. Lauren got out her first aid kit and cleaned it, put ointment on it and bandaged it up for him. I hope it heals up. It looked really painful.

We split the team into two groups and visit two orphanages tomorrow and then spend the rest of the time at a children's home in Jinja. I am so excited to go back there!

The kids here in Uganda are so precious and joyful. They teach us so much more than we could ever teach them. I'm so glad to have been able to come back.

Our team is fun - now that we are getting to know each other more, everyone is coming out of their shells and we are laughing a lot. It's been a great trip so far. Can't wait for all o them to experience Jinja. Love it there so much!!!

Ministry in Palissa

The team does not have internet right now. Here is an update from Autumn:
"We spent the whole day with the kids in Palissa. Out team went shopping for food and prepared a big meal for all the kids and staff. We have a whole new appreciation for how much work it is to cook here. It was such a great day. We are sad to leave tomorrow but we have more amazing kids to see before the trip is over."

Adoption update

Praise the Lord - my little guy got moved to my adoption agencies care center last Friday. I found out an hour before I left for my trip to Uganda. A year of waiting for this very news - it was surreal. Please pray I'll find out today that I have a court date before courts close August 15 and while I'm in Ethiopia. I'm specifically praying it'll be August 1st. Will update as soon as I hear!

Day 3 Uganda

We are at the Source Cafe in Jinja right now so I finally have Internet. So thankful for Merrill posting updates for me when we don't have it! Today is a long bus travel day but we get to stay at our next destination for several days and then we get to go to a children's home here. Can't wait to go! We have a great team. And thankfully the 3 people who got stuck in the states due to missed connections are now with us too. Huge praise there and when Elisa went to get them at the airport and all our missing bags were found. Yay. Keep praying for health, safety and amazing ministry time. We are excited to see what God is gonna do on this trip!!!

Day 3 Update

From Autumn:
"First full day of ministry- our team was blessed by spending the day at Royal Hope Academy. Rebecca who runs it is very sick though and wasn't able to see us. Please pray for healing for her. The 3 team members who had to come a day later due to flight cancellations in the states- they made it and are now with the team. We are all safe and doing well. We are loving our time here."

Uganda update!

Here is an update from Autumn:
"We made it to Uganda! We are very tired and missing a handful of bags but we are all safe."

Watering the Garden

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,


This scripture came to my mind today. I read it and I think in addition to being prepared to give an answer for our hope, we should also be prepared to give an answer when we are asked or challenged about things we feel called to do and are passionate about as an overflow of that hope we have in Christ. There will always be skeptics. There will always be those with pre-conceived notions that lump all short-term missions or all single adoptive parents or all Christians or whatever it is - into one big ole category. Instead of getting offended or angry, why not just simply be prepared with an answer? A gentle, respectful answer (that part is key). Why not also look at these opportunities to answer the hard and oftentimes overly generalized questions as a great opportunity to settle in your heart why you believe what you believe and at the same time perhaps give this other person a new perspective? And even if they don't budge or see your side, it's still good practice for you putting into words what your heart already knows. And sometimes in those moments, even when you are prepared with an answer "so to speak", God will give you fresh perspective to add to it - things that just flow out of your mouth that you hadn't even thought of before. Those are the "God - that was all you and that was cool" moments. Which makes me think of this scripture:


Luke 21:14-15 (NIV)

14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.


These two scriptures almost seem like they contradict each other at first glance but yet, upon further reflection, I don't really think they do. In my opinion (and I'm no bible scholar by any means), when it says you should be prepared to give an answer, I think that means simply that you should know why you believe what you believe and if you really believe it - you will be passionate about it and it won't be hard to give an answer. I don't think very many people have a hard time talking about what they're passionate about. And so, while you're prepared with an answer because you've settled within yourself why you believe something, at the same time - you don't need to stress about saying it the exact perfect way. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12 & Luke 6) so if your heart has settled on what you believe, it should naturally come out when you speak.



So.... all this brings me to some revelation I had today about what I believe - specifically in regards to Visiting Orphans.


I do believe God calls us to short-term missions to visit orphans - in James 1:27, it literally says "visit orphans and widows in their distress". It doesn't say pack up and move permanently although that is definitely one great option for caring for orphans but that particular verse doesn't say that. It says VISIT and in the greek concordance that word means:

visit, look out for
to inspect, i.e. (by implication) to select; by extension, to go to see, relieve -- look out, visit.


In case you ever wondered (or even knew), that's why Amanda Lawrence came up with the really cool idea to have a Visiting Orphans t-shirt with the VISIT definition on it - because we believe that God has called us to take that verse seriously by going on short term mission trips to go see, to inspect, check in on, to look after the orphans in this world. I do believe that while we haven't always done everything totally perfectly (who has, right?), that there is value and real life change happening as a result of going.


I grew up in a non-Christian pretty dysfunctional home and yet all throughout my childhood, there was always someone reminding me who Jesus was and who I was in Him. It wasn't the same person every time - it was lots of different people that God placed in my life over the years to remind me of His love and the hope I have in Him. If it wasn't the lady down the street who picked up all the neighbor kids in her van to take them to church for Sunday school, then it was my current best friends parents who would let me come stay with them on weekends and would take me to church. It was always someone - no matter how many times we moved and how many different schools I went to - it was always someone. I look back and clearly see it as seeds that were planted and each person who came after the first was watering those seeds a little bit more and eventually it took root and grew. If it wasn't for those people that let the Lord use them to plant those seeds and water them, I don't know where I'd be today. I am truly thankful for all those people. And while there were also some consistent people in my life that have been here all these years, I don't discount the ones who came and went for a season whether that season was a day or a week or a year. Seeds. Watering. Later taking root and growing. Yeah, God works like that. He's in the gardening business y'all. :)


So I had this revelation today from the perspective of the kids we visit - our teams, although brief, can be like those people who watered seeds in my life growing up - a reminder that they are not forgotten, that they do have a hope and a future and a God who deeply loves them. One team member interacting with one child and it could be a moment that changes both of their lives forever. We don't always get to see the root or the tree, but we get to water seeds and that's a pretty awesome thing. It's also a responsibility. A responsibility not to be taken lightly. We do need to make sure we're helping without hurting and seeking the Lord in how we would minister to these kids. We do need to be willing to learn and change and grow as He reveals things to us that maybe we've been doing that isn't His best plan. But we also need to not forget that if nothing else, sharing the hope we have in Christ to children from hard places who need to be reminded and who need to be "watered", is so very worth all of our time, attention, prayers and love.


As an in-process adoptive momma, I have a new perspective on teams going and loving on kids. My little guy has been in an orphanage a year since I met him. It has seriously been teams and staff going every few months and loving on him, looking out for, inspecting, seeing how he is... that has given me so much peace over this past year. I don't know how I would get through this time of waiting if I didn't know he was being loved on and checked in on regularly. I seriously have a whole new view on all of it. And this view makes me even more passionate about sending teams to go. be. love.


And then there's the view of the nannies and staff who are there every single day caring for these kids. In many cases, caring for A LOT of kids with a very few amount of staff. We go to relieve them, to encourage them, to remind them that Jesus loves them just as much as He loves these kids He has placed in their care. There is HUGE value in this. It's about so much more than the kids.


Like, for example, the team members who go.
Our Visiting Orphans mission statement is:
To awaken the body of Christ to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the 163 million orphans by visiting them, loving them, and sharing the Father’s heart.

We're getting to see and hear about the body of Christ truly being awakened, often for the first time, to the orphan crisis in our world. We're seeing their hearts and lives being radically wrecked so to speak. Once you've seen, it's so much harder to ignore the reality of what is going on in this fallen world. Once you've seen, you are responsible. Team members are coming home and making real change. They are doing something about what they saw. They are being awakened. And that awakening is taking on all sorts of different forms. We've seen A LOT of people have their hearts opened to adoption for the first time and step out and adopt, we've seen people make financial sacrifices to sponsor kids or go back again to visit the same kids they met, some have moved overseas long-term to help on a daily basis, while others have started their own non-profits while others have come home and taken what they experienced and shared it with their churches and in turn, have created orphan care ministries in those churches. The list goes on. It is truly awesome to be seeing and hearing about all these things.

It is a great joy and privilege to be able to be a part of this ministry.

And while yes, short-term missions can be harmful and hurt more than they help - that doesn't mean that ALL of them are and that doesn't mean that just because it's sometimes complicated and hard to sort through what works and doesn't work and what helps and what hurts - that doesn't mean you throw the baby out with the bathwater. These kids are worth our time, our effort, our love. They are worth every dollar and every moment we spend to VISIT them. If our team members get to remind them or tell them for the first time or the hundredth time that Jesus loves them and they are not forgotten, isn't that worth going for? The bible said to go make disciples and I don't know about you but I was made a disciple because seeds were planted and God used people to water those seeds and His love permeated through every one of those people in my life along the way who did the planting and watering. They were people just like you and me and I saw Jesus in them. That's what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Never underestimate the power of planting and watering. Maybe all we really need is a good lesson on gardening.

You Should Be Overwhelmed...

It's been awhile since I wrote on this blog. I've primarily been blogging on my adoption blog here for the past year. Oh what a year it has been. So much has changed. Actually, almost everything has changed.

At home, I no longer have a roommate and I now have a bedroom ready for a little boy to reside in when that day finally arrives when I get to bring him home (I pray it's soon). I've painted, rearranged and made things child-proofed. The house is ready.

At Visiting Orphans, I'm now the Executive Director, we have several new staff, a new office, a new email system and team sharing site, new phones and phone number, a new fax number, we've got new partnership ministries and some have transitioned out, and I could go on and on about things that are changing daily there.

It is truly a season of transition and change. 

No wonder I'm having dreams about tornadoes completely wiping everything out in sight and yet, there I am unharmed and miraculously, all the other people are unharmed too. I feel like God is reminding me that He's right here through all these changes. The structure may come out looking COMPLETELY different but His people will be ok - He's bringing us through the "storm" so to speak. And even though all this change is good and necessary for God to take things in the direction He's leading, I think most people recognize that change can be hard.


I'm reading a book called "Sun Stand Still" by Steven Furtick right now. Timely, amazing, so very good for me to be reading right now. It is speaking so much to me in my adoption and in my new role at Visiting Orphans and to my heart in the midst of all this change and all this responsibility. I feel like I've been highlighting half the book. This part really spoke to me:

"If you're afraid of some of the gigantic changes you sense God is trying to make in your life, you need to know that your fear is normal. Not only are your fears normal, they're also valid. And they can even serve an important purpose. If you didn't have major fears about the big things God is calling you to do, I'd be worried. The goal of faith isn't to take away your fears but to leverage those fears to create bolder belief. Faith leads you past your fears and reassures you of God's presence. And after a while, you begin to trust that God is going to lift you above the waves this time just like he did last time."

That's a relief. Because I'd be lying if I said I didn't have fears about all this responsibility I have now and more that's coming. I hear this scripture in my head almost daily:  

"For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required." -- Luke 12:48.

I feel it. The weight of the much I've been given. And yet I also feel the Lord telling me to stop trying to carry all of it by myself. There is fear of failure as the leader of an organization that sends people to care for orphans and fear of failure as I venture into life as a single mom. And fear in wondering how in the world am I going to do both of those very huge, important things and do them both well. I don't take responsibility lightly. I want to do it well! No wonder I dreamed the other night that I was dead and no one could hear me - the entire dream was spent feeling helpless and voiceless and yet worried about all my responsibilities. I was so upset in the dream. "I can't really be dead. God - send me back - raise me from the dead. I have so much more to do. More that I want to do. I'm about to be a mom to a precious little boy, I have a dog, I have a job to do at Visiting Orphans. I want to be there for my family and friends. Please bring me back. I'm not finished yet." And as frustrating as this dream was, I realized later that there's all these things that I'm "responsible" for and I am honored and thankful to be responsible for them - they are all things I love and am truly passionate about and yet those same things are all things I can't control. Responsibility can be misleading. ME alone, I am not responsible for it ALL, even though I sometimes forget that!!! I need to be faithful to do my part but I do not need to carry it by myself. I have to die to myself and my need or desire to feel like I'm in control. I have to lean into God and HE alone has to be the one to give life to these things. He's teaching me so much in this season. Things that I know I need to learn. Things I know He wants me to learn - now... before I venture into the ultimate responsibility... motherhood. I need to get this.

There are days when I find myself saying "God, are you sure you meant to choose me for all this? Can I really handle it?" And yet another great quote from Sun Stand Still jumps off the page at me:

"When you reflect on God's vision for your life, you should be overwhelmed."

Whew, that's a relief - cause I feel overwhelmed. Not to the point of giving up but just to the point of "whoa, this is a lot!" and that daily realization that I CANNOT nor do I want to do it alone.

“It’s not wrong to feel fear. It is wrong to let that fear have the last word in your life. The people who accomplish the most astounding things for God’s glory aren’t the people who feel the least fear. Often they’re the one who deal with the most intense fear. But instead of letting that fear disable their dreams, they start increasing their capacity for faith. They act on the part of God’s direction they do understand. And they leave the rest up to him.” - Sun Stand Still

That lesson about control and responsibility - I'm starting to get it. I knew adoption was hard and long and unpredictable. It certainly has been. It's heart-wrenching and oh such a lesson in trusting God and letting go of control. In adoption, we are so not in control. Most days, I feel completely helpless. All I can do is pray. And I think that's exactly the place I need to be. So much in life is really an illusion of control. Who are we kidding? We are not the ones in control of much of anything. To fully grasp that and stop trying and to recognize that I can do nothing in all of this to make it go any faster or any smoother - it's hard but at the same time - it's kind of freeing too. I feel like even though this wait has been hard, God is using it to prepare me for being a mom. I know this leaning on God and realizing I can't control things will be a re-occurring theme in my life as a mom. As a soon-to-be-single mom, there are a lot of fears that I have and yet, I've already been seeing God bring other people into my son's life to look out for him, check in on him and love on him until I can bring him home. God is reminding me daily that He's his father and he's watching out for him and that comes in the form of many different people being His hands and feet on a daily basis. I am so thankful for those who are willing to be His hands and feet. Do I want to be the one that gets to be there and meet my son's needs? Of course I do. But right now, I can't be and so I thank God for all those who can and who are willing. And I know that even when he is home and I am caring for him - even then, I'm not meant to do it all alone. It takes a village. And speaking of which - I love this blog by Jen Hatmaker about exactly that: http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/11/02/how-to-be-the-village

So maybe it's natural to feel overwhelmed by all of this. And though I should be and I am, at the same time, if it even makes sense, I won't be overwhelmed. I am hearing these song lyrics below daily playing in my head. I should be overwhelmed, but in Christ, I won't be. I hear you Lord - and I'm listening. I know I need to get this. It's only overwhelming if I keep trying to do it by myself. I want to get this. I will get this.

God, I look to You, I won’t be overwhelmed

Give me vision to see things like You do

God, I look to You, You’re where my help comes from

Give me wisdom; You know just what to do 

from the song God, I Look to You
Jenn Johnson/Ian Mcintosh Bethel Music Publishing 2010

What GO. BE. LOVE. means

What does it really mean to GO. BE. LOVE.?

GO: get outside your comfort zone and go do what the bible calls us to do. In James 1:27, we're specifically called to visit orphans and widows. That's why Visiting Orphans exists. And that's why not only do I work for this ministry but I believe whole heartedly in the biblical implications of it.

BE: Be the hands and feet of Jesus. He commissioned us to go so that He could work through us to reach the nations, our communities, our world. It is a honor. We GET to be used by the God of the Universe to reach a lost world and to love on those the bible calls "the least of these". I don't take that lightly.

LOVE: God IS love. And part of being a disciple of Jesus is looking more and more like Him. This requires a willingness to die to ourselves and be conformed to the likeness of Christ. Jesus didn't sit back and stay where it was comfortable. He got out there and loved those that society considered unloveable. And we're called to do that too.

So my challenge to you today is this: Are you ready to GO. BE. LOVE.? If so, we invite you to join Visiting Orphans. We have over 60 trips to 13 countries in 2012 alone. And if not with us, go with your church or a child sponsorship agency or some other ministry. But I do challenge you to go. Let God use you to be the change the world needs. And in the process, you'll find that He's also changed you. You'll never be the same. And you'll be glad!

www.visitingorphans.org

Your vote can make a difference!

If everyone who has been on a Visiting Orphans trip or knows someone who has would be willing to vote - Visiting Orphans could be awarded a $50K grant. In order for us to get this grant, you don't have to donate, you don't even have to register (although if you do, you get more votes), you just have to vote. It'll only take a moment but it can have an eternal impact: http://www.givingoflife.com/browse/visiting_orphans/

There are millions of orphans in this world... ALL over the world. We are only in 13 countries. Can you imagine the lives of orphans we can touch if we could reach more countries? With your vote, we can do this! If you register you get 3 votes to use right away...

Please vote for Visiting Orphans today on the Giving of Life website!
Thank you so much!!!



Visiting Orphans is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation; Tax ID # 20-3179796 

One person can change the world

One person can change the world for at least one person.

My Great Aunt Dot passed away while I was in India and I found out when I got home. She lived in California and I first met her when I was in middle school and she and my Great Uncle Hank came to Michigan to visit family. In 11th grade, my cousin Heather and I got on an airplane (my first ever flight) and flew to California to visit my Grandma & Grandpa Kerr and Aunt Dot & Uncle Hank who lived nearby. Aunt Dot was a spunky woman - very smart in business and very proper. I'll never forget the night we got back from Disney Land and went out to eat and I was tired and put my head down on the table at the restaurant and she scolded me and told me it was not acceptable to do so nor to have my elbows on the table. I hated being scolded and wanted to cry right then and there but I held it in and sat up straight and removed my head and arms from the table. Aunt Dot intimidated me but I also respected her and admired her. I loved her straightforwardness and admired how she also spoke her mind. She was a strong woman. Towards the end of the trip she pulled me aside and asked me about my future plans. I told her that I wanted to go to college and she told me that her and Uncle Hank would gladly help me pay for it. She said that she knew my parents couldn't afford to send me and she believed I had a bright future and didn't want me to not be able to go because of money. She told me to work hard and do well in school and when the time came, to give her a call and she would help me. I was honored with such an offer. I didn't quite know what to say but I can tell you what a difference in makes in a life to know someone you respect believes in you and sees a bright future in you. It motivated me even more to do well.

My first two years of college, I was determined that I could pay for it myself. Even though she offered, I felt awkward asking. So I worked a job waitressing and paid for the first two years of community college myself, along with some great grant money that helped with tuition. When I got to my 3rd and 4th year at a different, way more expensive school - I realized about 2 months into it that I wouldn't be able to swing the cost myself and I had to swallow my pride and call Aunt Dot. It was one of the most humbling, hardest things I've ever had to do. She didn't hesitate. She asked me to send her a document of how much everything cost, how often payments were due and how much housing was and she then got back to me with how much they were willing to help with. I told her I was going to try and pay for as much of it as I could too and I also had a lot of financial aid which was a huge help. With her help, I graduated with a bachelor degree from a private art school and only had to take out $7000 in loans. What a blessing. I made sure to write thank you cards as often as possible and I felt like I couldn't quite say enough how much I appreciated their help.

After college, I went out to California for a week to visit while my Grandma Kerr was out there staying with Aunt Dot and Uncle Hank. It was a sweet time with them and I'm so glad that I went. To be able to go and thank her and Uncle Hank in person is something I would have regretted had I not gone. Now both her and my Uncle Hank have left this earth. And yet, the impact of their help and not just the financial aspect of it - but just the confidence it gave me early on to know they were willing to help - lives on. When I graduated college, I called and asked about paying them back. I was fully prepared to pay every penny back and wanted to talk about a payment plan. Instead, Aunt Dot told me that her and Uncle Hank didn't want me to pay them back - they wanted me to help someone else someday and that would be payment enough. WOW! I was blown away and if I recall correctly, I started crying and saying of course, I would gladly help someone else.

So here I am, 13 years after college and a little over a week after my dear Aunt Dot has passed away and I'm thinking about all the people who have changed my life. I'm reading two books right now - The Blessing and True Religion. I feel like I received a huge blessing from Aunt Dot - in the words that said "you have a bright future and we will gladly help you. We believe in you." In True Religion it talks about changing the world for one. You start with one and there's no telling the impact. I truly hope that I can not only change the world for one but for many. I think about the kids I've sponsored through Compassion and this little boy that I'm praying that I get to adopt - it's not a stretch for me to help others. It's who I am and what I love to do. Maybe a huge part of why is because of what Aunt Dot showed me by helping me. Give your life, your money, your talents and your resources away and it will not return void. The Lord will honor your gifts. And there's no better feeling in the world than knowing you partnered with Jesus to help somebody else. I have no doubt that Aunt Dot felt that same joy in helping me and I am truly thankful. She was truly an amazing woman and I'm sad that she's gone but at the same time, I rejoice because she is now with Jesus and her body is no longer plagued with cancer or pain. She's free and I picture her dancing with Jesus. And I hope that no matter what I do in this life, I live it in a way that would have made her proud of me and glad to have invested into my life.

You never know what kind of difference you can make in someone's life by the words that you speak or the finances or help that you give. We can all change the world for one.

What a last day!

I am now back on US soil, sitting in the Newark airport waiting for my flight to Nashville in a few hours. We left Delhi, India at almost 11pm at night and our flight was about 15 hours. I watched "Water for Elephants" and then went to sleep and honestly slept almost the entire way. Not straight through but kept falling back to sleep. I woke up and realized we only had 3.5 hours to go. Sweet!!! I love nighttime international flights.
Yesterday was our last day in India and we ended it with some amazing home visits. God showed up and it was quite an experience. We had gotten up and took our time getting ready, then Ananthi took us shopping. (I got some awesome stuff to add to my international store page on my blog by the way. I will get busy adding those things this weekend.) After that, we had another yummy Indian lunch with her and a few others. Then we went back to the flat to pack for an hour before going to the slums of New Delhi to visit the home of a young girl who had been having major breathing attacks off and on for a few weeks. The doctors cannot figure out what it is and it seemed to go away so they sent her home. We went to pray for her and one of our translators from another part of India said he felt called to pray in his native language which none of us nor the people we were praying for would understand. There are many languages in different states in India so the people in Delhi didn't know his native language. He started praying and I was next to the girl with my hand on her back praying and she starts having a full on breathing attack. It was honestly like nothing I've ever seen. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she was breathing so heavy - kind of reminded me of how people describe a panic attack but also with her back arching and eyes rolling back - it really seemed like something spiritual was really going on. Come to find out, the girl only has had these attacks when she goes to school or church. Coincidence? I think not! Her whole family have recently come to know the Lord and we all felt strongly that this was a spiritual attack on this girl. When Prabbat started praying in his language is when it really started happening. Come to find out later - he was asking the evil to show itself and boy, did it. I've heard about these kinds of things but I've not seen it. And I was literally holding onto the girl on one side with the rest of the team, the girls family and some teachers from the school all laying hands on her and just praying. As things got more intense and her breathing was getting really scary, we just kept on taking authority in Jesus name. It was a serious spiritual battle for this young girl and I can't even really fully describe it with words. All I know is that something evil was terrorizing this sweet young girl and we were battling it with prayer and the name of Jesus. At one point, most of us backed up to give her some air cause it was really hot in there and a small room and we wanted her to have some air. She was still very scared and panicked. Abner started singing Hallelujah our God Reigns Forever All my Days. He just held her hand and kept praying. One of the teachers then moved over to her and got the young girl to say the words Hallelujah several times and that was helping to calm her breathing. She then got her to say Jesus and continued to pray with her. She got her completely calmed down and her breathing went back to normal and I'm not kidding, her eyes had a totally different look in them. Like a look of peace and relief. I am believing that she was healed of these attacks right then and there in that prayer time. Our team is going to fast and pray for her for the next few Mondays. The young girls name is Neha - she's about 14 and if anyone who is reading this would like to fast and pray the next few Mondays for this sweet girl, that would be most welcomed. When we left her home, she was in good spirits and even went up onto the roof of their home in the slums with us and took some group photos and was smiling and talking to us. It was like night and day from when we had first arrived. Praise the Lord. That was THE most powerful prayer time I've ever been a part of and I feel honored to be on a small but mighty team who has full faith that God can and does heal today! So, so thankful.

We had one more house to visit when we left hers - a young high school boy whom Abner had been talking to at the school and knew we were coming. We were running very late and Ananthi was waiting for us back at the school to say goodbye. But we saw on the few home visits that we did how incredibly important it was to these families that we came. They truly seemed so honored that we would come and they were so welcoming to us. They gave us tea and cookies and invited us into their homes with such joy. We were honored to visit them. So we went to this young boys home and while we couldn't stay long because Frances and I had a flight to catch - you could tell it truly meant the world to him and his family that we came. We prayed over their family in a circle holding hands. Every home visit we went to this past week - the people so badly wanted us to pray for them. They treated us as I can imagine they would treat Jesus himself. And who are we? Nobody special. But they feel special because we would travel from afar to come and visit them. They are considered by a majority of Delhi as the lowest of the low and we don't see them that way at all. I feel like when you go and you visit what the bible calls the least of these - it makes total sense why Jesus says the least will be the greatest. We have so much to learn from these amazing people in the slums of New Delhi. So much. They are truly inspiring, loving, welcoming people. And this school - the Good Samaritan School - started only with one child and one amazing woman willing to welcome this little one in and show him love - is literally changing thousands of lives. Reading their dreams, hearing their hopes - it is because of this school and the compassion and love of this woman who was obedient when God called her to do something - that these kids have a hope and future. The Lord has his hand on this school and me and my team was truly honored to be able to spend a week+ in their midst.

What a trip! What a journey! What a God we serve!

Dream Big!

Today was a cool day. Amanda and Abner performed and shared with the kids at the morning assembly at the high school with the 11th and 12th graders.

Then we had a little bit of time before teaching our first class of the day. We taught 4 classes total. I was praying this morning about what to share with these kids, high school kids. Honestly most of my time with kids has been little kids so I wasn't totally sure what to talk to them about. I knew the name art project was too basic for kids that age. This morning it came to me - a message I heard a few years ago from a great speaker from my church named Joseph Watson - it was a message that impacted me when I heard it and it seemed perfect for these kids. Basically, my version was not as good as Joseph's and it was much shorter but I shared 3 bible verses with them to start.
Ephesians 3:20
Mark 29:27
Jeremiah 29:11

I then talked about how God has put gifts and talents in each one of them and how God is big and therefore their dreams should be big. I encouraged them to not just have one dream or a small dream but to dream big and to believe God to be big enough to fulfill their dreams. I asked them to write down their name and their dreams on a piece of paper and then when they were finished, if they wanted to, they could give their papers to us and we would read their dreams and pray for them and pray for God to fulfill their dreams. Every single kid wanted to give their dreams to us. I asked them if they had ever done this before and they said no and they seemed really into it. They were so focused on writing - it was very quiet in those classes. As they were getting close to finishing their list, Abner got up and shared some of his dreams - including being able to travel the world and play music and how coming to India is a dream of him and Amanda's. He sang some songs by himself and Amanda came up and sang with him on a few also. The kids LOVED it! We prayed for them and then we headed on to the next class. It was a really sweet time with them.

Now that we're back at the flat, I'm reading this huge stack of dreams and I'm blown away and inspired. These are just a few of the things I'm finding in these papers:

"I really love my God. God has given me everything. I see poor children, who are not able to go to school and I really feel sad for them. Whenever I see those peoples then I realize how kindly the God is for me."

"I want to be a doctor. I want to help the poor children by providing them medicine and knowledge. I want to help my parents in their older age."

"I want to become a Prime Minister because I want to see corruption less in India in the future and want to help poor people."

These are high school students. Wow! I love reading their dreams. I told them that God has dreams that He put in their hearts and He has a plan for every one of them. I loved watching their eyes light up as they thought about what to write down on that paper. And I really love that they have such big dreams! So, so good!

So thankful for an opportunity to share that message with them. Tomorrow evening, Frances & I head home and Abner & Amanda head out the next morning to their next stop. It has been an amazing trip. I am so thankful that we were able to spend time at the Good Samaritan Schools - they are doing such amazing work in New Delhi. They are giving these kids the opportunity to get an education and be able to dream. The Lord has had favor on Ananthi and this school and she gives all glory to Him. She is an amazing woman. A true jewel. I am fully convinced that the father will most certainly say to this amazing woman someday "well done, good and faithful servant!" This country, these people, this amazing woman of God and these awesome, inspiring children have truly blessed our team more than we could have ever blessed them.

Day 6 India

Today was a great day. We are all glad we got to see the Taj Mahal yesterday but I think we'd all take a day like today over a tourist day any day. We went to the elementary school this morning and broke up into 3 teams - me doing art with the kids, Frances doing stories with them and Abner & Amanda of johnnyswim doing music. Between our 3 groups, we were able to get to all 8 classrooms of adorable, precious kiddos. I made it to 3 rooms with the art project and even sang with one of the classrooms I did art with - I taught them "I Am Not Forgotten" - a song I learned from the kids in Haiti. Abner & Amanda made it to 7 of the classes and the 8th was the one I sang with so they all got some sort of music. I think Frances made it to about 5 or 6 of the classes. I was hopping back and forth between 3 classes pretty much at once because the art took so long - I would go get another class started and let them work and then come back periodically and check on them to see how they were doing. At the end, every child gave their artwork to me. All of them had written their names on it - that was the project - I talked to them about how God knows each one of their names, knows every hair on their head and loves them. They wrote their name and decorated the papers. Some made them into cards and wrote my name on it too. Some wrote scripture on it, drew flowers and crosses and wrote "Thank you for visiting" and so on. Sooooo soooooo precious. Once they gave them all to me - I told them that not only does God know their name, but I will know their names now too because I have it on those papers! After we were finished with our whirlwind teaching morning, we took the 1st grade kids outside and did two rounds of Simon Says with them. The kids at the elementary school are so much fun and so precious. In between checking on classes, I was also popping in on the other rooms where Abner & Amanda were doing their song - overwhelmingly beautiful and so precious to have all their voices singing it with hands in the air praising the Lord. It brought tears to my eyes so many times. To think of how hard life is for these kids who live in the slums and yet thanks to Good Samaritan school, they are able to get an education and have a hope for a better life. Truly awe inspiring. These kids can teach us all something about perseverance.

After we finished our lesson and game time, we headed back to the big school at Jasola where we got to spend some time with Ananthi and have tea before getting a Cricket lesson outside with the 8th grade boys PE class. Us girls decided it would be more appropriate to watch so we sat on the sidelines with the boys who were sitting this one out. Abner and a young man from Canada who is here helping the school joined the game and got schooled on how to play or at least sort of. It was scorching hot out so it was good that it wasn't a super long game before the bell rang and it was time for next period.

We have lunch after and then got to hear stories of a group of kids that started out in the toilet complex school over 10 years ago. One kid said he walked 9 miles each way back then to go to that school. Seriously these kids are inspiring. They are so dedicated to their studies and so strong. Many of them have a lot of difficulties at home and yet, they are there at school putting in the hard work to do well and rise above. We asked them what they want to be when they grow up and we heard answers like lawyer, accountant, teacher. We asked them where they would go if they could go anywhere - many said to the US, one said South Africa and another said London. We told them to dream big because we serve a big God. Frances shared that she thought they were heroes and that they were to be commended for all they've overcome and that they are role models for the younger generation. We prayed for them and they prayed for us. It was a sweet, sweet time. Amazing kids. It was an honor to sit and talk with them and hear their stories and hearts.

After an amazing day with remarkable kids, we were taken through the crazy roads to a market for souvenir shopping. It was very low key compared to other places I've been in that we weren't being shouted at or followed around by vendors wanting us to buy items. It was nice and calm and pleasant. We all got some neat items. On the way there, we even saw a guy on a pedal bike with literally two small monkey's on the back holding on to the guy. Can you even believe that? I have the picture to prove it! Now, I've seen it all:)

Got home to the flat and ordered some pizza. Getting some rest shortly because we have another full day of teaching tomorrow - this time at the high school.

Thanks for all the prayers!

Our Tourist Day in India

The kids had school off today after their exams yesterday so we had the day off too. We went 3+ hours on a death-defying drive to the Taj Mahal. I've been a lot of places but the driving here is by far the scariest. There's the usual weaving in and out of bikes, cars, motorcycles and pedestrians but here it's often at pretty high speeds. You're heading straight for a giant motor coach at oh 50 miles an hour and none of us can see where our little minivan is going to go in this scenario and yet, the driver whips around at the last minute to a little crack next to the thing and we go on our way and all of us get our breath back. Whew. We may have needed more prayer today for that drive than any other day. But we made it safe and sound, praise the Lord.

The Taj Mahal is beautiful but not functional. It was never even used which is kind of a waste. It's designed just to be beautiful and symmetrical and that it is. The photos almost look fake. It was so bright and sunny today and scorching hot. Thank God for shaded areas. We were sweating horribly! So if we look shiny in the pics, that's why. So glad we went and now I can say I've seen two world wonders (the other was the Great Wall of China) but I'm cool with just going once.

Afterwards, our guide had to take us on his usual stop off to this place that makes marble carvings and try to sell us stuff. Kind of reminded me of a time share pitch that you sort of have to do when you get sweet hotel deals on vacation. We sat through a short video and were shown to a gorgeous showroom. Very expensive stuff. And we were all ready for lunch and not very interested. Nevertheless, it was good to see and two small items were bought by my team members. Nothing for me - I have a little boy to bring home so no extra spending or gifts for anyone. Sorry y'all!

We found a McDonalds nearby and were so excited but it's India so they didn't have burgers. But they did have fries. Not as good as home but it was nice to be able to eat on the go and get headed back. I don't know how with all the weaving in and out but I fell asleep off and on for almost the whole way. In fact, I'm pretty sure we all did which made it a much shorter drive.

We got back to the flat about 5:45 and ordered takeout and have just been chilling for the evening.

Tomorrow we get to go back to the first school we visited and go from class to class teaching the kids music, a story and artwork to go along with the message that we did yesterday at the other school - that God created each one of them, they are special and He knows their names and loves them. Very excited to go back to this school tomorrow. Precious, precious kids. This is the elementary aged kids.

Please keep praying for us. We have 3 days in a row of teaching the kids and this is the main purpose of our trip - to teach them about God's love for them!

Day 4 India

‎6pm here in India and we had a GREAT day. We visited a different Good Samaritan School about 45 minutes away. It was small but the kids were so precious!!! Abner and Amanda did music with the kids including having them sing along to their AWESOME new song. Frances read them a great story called "You are Special" by Max Lucado which went along perfect with the art work I had them do. I told them they are each special, loved and important and God knows every single one of their names and all the hairs on their head. They each decorated a page with their name and art on the page. At the end, they were so excited to give their art to me. I told them how great they did and how now, not only does God know all their naames - but so do I!
After that, we came back to the big school in Jasola and got to take part in PE class with the 7th and 8th grade girls. The teacher mostly led but in the second class, Abner got to lead the girls in Simon says. It was so fun!
After that we had a yummy Indian food lunch. We then got to pray for all the teachers and Abner & Amanda shared two songs with them. That was a sweet time. We encouraged them and prayed for them and thanked them for the important work they are doing. We went to exchange money after that and then came back to the flat. We're having yummy leftovers from last night Indian takeout for dinner tonight shortly. And then we'll try to go to bed early. The kids had exams today so Ananthi decided to switch our tourist day so the kids could have tomorrow off school. So tomorrow we are going to the Taj Mahal instead of Wednesday. Fun, fun. I'll get to see another wonder of the world.
Wed through Fri we will be working with all the other grades and kids at the big school and the first school we went to.

Thanks for praying!