Random Happenings

As Levi is learning English I just have to record some of his most precious words and sounds!!  (I'm going to be using this blog as a personal journal if nothing else, just want to record memories and tidbits... so expect it to be somewhat scattered!)

"I love you so matz." (which he says often :))

Animal names:
'cat-neow'
'duck-wa-wa'
'boyd' (bird)
'mbwa' (swahili for dog... basically all 4-legged animals right now)

Goodnight Moon (which we read together every night)
his version, reading it to me:
'G'ni mun. g'ni jump-o-d-mun. g'ni dis. g'ni dis. g'ni mush. g'ni cat-neow. g'ni jump-o-d-mun.  g'ni mama.'
the way he says 'jump-o-d-mun' KILLS ME.  seriously. i can't handle it, it's so cute.  (will try to post a video on here of it...)

'tsank tsu' (thank you)  [which he says all the time- after i feed him or do something helpful for him... such a preciously sweet little disposition]

***

He picks up anything and uses it as a musical instrument... and dances to it.  (and this boy can *dance*... with it all originating in his hips... ) he can't hear music without dancing to it. (my dream of a lifelong dance party is coming true!)

He is soooo meticulous.  everything has a place and there is a place for everything.  going to love this as we get settled into our new home together!!

his already established routine on the potty

reading material: the Mercy Ships catalog

he sits and points out all his 'friends' that he recognizes in it....

hi.lar.i.ous.

such a little man.

today we made a paper-mache christmas ornament... going to start the tradition of making one each year with a collage of images from the year... this one was full of cars/trucks, the texas flag, santa claus, and other memories of our first weeks together!  Levi loved getting his hands all messy in the glue mixture and was so proud of his finished product!

LEVI!

Mama & Levi

YES, I have adopted this most precious little one. :-D  I am ABSOLUTELY in love and life is forever changed in the most incredible and beautiful of ways.  We have moved back to the States and are in Dallas for the holidays but will be making our home in Austin just after Christmas.  I am still working for Karama but will now be focusing on the state-side with sales and getting our products into retail stores.

I have waited to blog about this until the adoption was complete- and now that it is, I cannot wait to share more of our adventures and stories together.  We've been together for just over a month now, and every.single.day is full of unforgettable memories, stories, laughter, and joy.

I just wanted to introduce my precious little one so that now I can start blogging about him more ... And I'll write more soon to share more of the "story" behind it, too.  (but basically, the "story" is just that God calls us to take care of orphans.. I told him I would.. then He gave me this most perfect gift.. so much more than I could have ever hoped for or dreamed of).

Levi Vema
2.5 yrs old
adopted from DR Congo
united forever on November 13, 2012 {Gotcha Day}

IN ABSOLUTE LOVE.
{we both are.}

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him." 1 Samuel 1:27

Blogs

I have awesome friends.

They inspire me.  Their blogs inspire me.

So check them out. 

Ali's:  http://atothem.tumblr.com/

Winston's:  http://asianamericanafrican.wordpress.com/

You'll be glad you did. :)

Tanga Visit... Who is Greatest?

Last month, I had the privilege of spending a few days in Tanga, northern Tanzania.  To be honest, I hadn't really been looking forward to the visit because it entailed a 6 hr (cramped) bus ride to get there and another 6+ hour bus ride (plus hour+ in taxi back from the bus station) to get back.  A lot of time on the road in cramped, bumpy, traffic-congested African roads... Not the most comfortable of traveling conditions.  And, to be honest, I'm a little worn out by all the traveling at this point.  8 months of basically non-stop traveling in Africa takes its toll... I'm going to the States in a few weeks for a little while and am SO excited.... It's been almost a year since I've been back, and I am more than ready for some first-world conveniences.

But all that to say, I didn't know what was in store for me in Tanga.  And I am so very thankful that I had the opportunity to go.  It was definitely a trip that I will not soon forget.  I went to visit a project that we support through Karama called Tangawizi.  Tangawizi is a small branch of a larger organization called YDCP (Youth with Disabilities Community Program), which was started by the Tanzanian Free Evangelical Church to aid children with disabilities in the community.  Tangawizi is a small branch of it that was started to support their programs - they make very cute bags and purses (made by a disabled artisan) to sell and raise funds for their programs.  We purchase the bags and sell them through Karama.  [see the cute bags (and buy!) here: Saturday Clutch & Florence Bag]

YDCP has about 25 employees and works with 1400-1700 (!) children in the community and surrounding area.  I saw a statistic when I was there that 10% of people in Tanzania are believed to be disabled.  This is such a staggering statistic, as people with disabilities here have so little opportunity for any kind of work and receive no government assistance.  They are usually resigned to begging or being dependent on family members to provide for them.  And it is commonly thought that being disabled is a curse and therefore these individuals are often ostracized and cast out, children very often abandoned by their parents.

YDCP provides support, counseling, medical evaluations, physical therapy, and medical devices for these children.  They educate the community and families on disabilities and their specific treatments and encourage families to raise and love their children instead of abandoning or neglecting them.  Fathers very often leave the situation when a child is disabled, and it is not uncommon for mothers to abandon them either.  YDCP speaks with and educates the parents, encouraging them to raise and love their children- while they provide necessary support that is needed- oftentimes encouraging fathers or mothers to return to the children if they have left the home.

I was able to go into the community with the YDCP workers and visit 4 children and their homes when I was there.  2 of the children were diagnosed with severe sensory integration disorder, one had cerebral palsey, and one precious little girl had down sydrome.

my sweet friend Frillness at the home of the first child

one of the caseworkers playing with him :)

The 2nd home we went to was a child around 12 yrs old with sensory integration disorder.  This child was being raised by his grandmother because his father had left early on when he found out he was disabled, and the mother had since abandoned him and left for Dar es Salaam.  His grandmother was lovingly and faithfully raising him- taking care of his every need: feeding him, clothing him, loving him.  He was dependent on her (the caseworkers were saying he was too dependent even; one of the things needed in this situation was more independence gained on his part), and you could see that he had become just as integral a part of her life.

I had been staying at the house of one of the ladies who works for YDCP & Tangawizi- my sweet 24 yr. old Tanzanian friend Frillness.  Frillness still lives with her parents and 5 of her 7 siblings.  I have been in many Tanzanian homes but realized on this trip that I had never before stayed overnight in one.  So I had the great privilege on this trip of truly seeing an intimate look into their beautiful family life.  This family is educated and rather well-off by Tanzanian standards.  The father has a good job at the Tanzanian Coffee Union and each of the children are educated, well-spoken, well-dressed... the older children have good jobs... they have electricity and a television that they watch at night.  The home is quite large for a Tanzanian home: 3 bedrooms with a living room, kitchen area, bathroom, and spacious yard.  Yet still, this large family (5 of the children are biological children, the other 3 are nieces/nephews whose parents passed away and have since been living with and part of their family)...  Still, this large family shares one bathroom which includes a squatty potty (i.e. no plumbing, basically just a hole in the ground), a spigot in the ground, and a very simple showerhead (with no hot water); the grown children share beds (I stayed in the girls' bedroom- there were 4 of us in 2 double beds); food is cooked from scratch over hot coals.  Staying here, I was reminded once again how hard life is for a Tanzanian.  Everything is worked hard for: meals take hours to prepare- every one of them- clothes are washed by hand... everything comes through hard work.  And it is most often the women, the mothers of the family, that carry the greatest burden- day in and day out, cooking all day long, cleaning the house, raising the children, while very often also working outside the home to raise additional income to support their families.

So as I was sitting in the homes of these children - reminded afresh of the daily burdens these families carry every day- I was struck with awe at the ones who love and raise these precious children on top of all their other responsibilities.  On top of working so hard- to make a living- to be able to buy the resources- to work so hard over a coal fire- every day- to prepare meals- to get by.  These disabled children require constant supervision and care- they are precious, beautiful children made in the image of God- lovable children who are precious and playful- but make no mistake about it: they require a lot of WORK.  It was tiring for me just to watch the caseworkers work with them in the very small amount of time we were there; but day in/day out - caring for their every need, that is HARD WORK.  And as I sat in the home of the 2nd child, whose grandmother was raising him - whose grandmother had CHOSEN to raise him when all others had left him- in spite of the work it entailed - in spite of any cultural notions that he was cursed or unworthy- she KNEW it was right to love him and care for him... And she was doing so.  Each day, she was choosing to sacrifice her life and any comforts of her own, to care for this one who needed her and who would be without hope without her.

Bibi (Grandma) and her beloved child

 the humble home of this saint

I thought about the disciples who were arguing with each other and asked Jesus who would be greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  They surely thought that the one with the highest position, most recognized, closest to Him, would be the greatest.  Yet as I looked upon this home- this obscure home in a small Tanzanian town- unknown to the rest of the world- this one woman who was faithfully and diligently loving one of Jesus's precious children- day in and day out- without any recognition whatsoever - I kept thinking to myself, "THIS is who will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven."  We tend to think of the Billy Grahams or spiritual giants of our time as the ones who will be 'greatest in the kingdom of heaven' - and not that these faithful servants won't be richly rewarded- and I by no means mean to claim that I know who will be 'greatest' or what heaven will even be like- but I couldn't help but think to myself that these are the ones who are most pleasing to the Lord.  The ones who are faithfully obeying- each day- in the small lot that the Lord has granted them for their lives- with no recognition from the world and no earthly reward... enduring great hardships to do so, without the rest of the world so much as even knowing.  Are these not the ones who most please the Lord?  These ones who are doing what He has asked of us, to take care of 'the least of these' in this world, while humbling living out their lives and the lot that the Lord has assigned to them?

And again, at the house of the 18 yr. old boy with cerebral palsey... his mother had passed away, his father had abandoned him, and his grandparents were raising him.  Again, saints before my eyes: ones who made me question anew what is most valuable and most worthy in this world.  

our 3rd & 4th visits: these precious children were neighbors

I had to fight back tears many times in these homes, as I was convicted of how I complain about the discomforts of long, bumpy, crowded bus rides.  Oh, Lord, help me.  Help my self-centeredness, my ungrateful attitude, my impatience... May I learn from these brothers and sisters of mine whom I have the great privilege to witness living out their lots in life so faithfully and so well. 

Mudi & Hassani

Several weeks ago my dear friend Ali and I had the awesome opportunity to be used by God in an incredible way... I am still blown away and humbled thinking of it.  

Here's the story.

A couple posts ago, I posted pictures and some info/stories behind some of the beloved orphans I spend time with here (see here: Kurasini Kids).  At the top of the posting, I showed Mudi & Hassani and shared a brief bit about their situation.  They had been raised in a family, in a town about 3 hrs from Dar es Salaam, and had been brought to Dar by their mother who had then abandoned them.  We learned that she had left them with an aunt who then brought them to the police after the mother disappeared.  The police then brought them to Kurasini.

These boys quickly stole a huge spot in our hearts, and our love for them grew as we spent our Sundays playing with them and the other kids.  And always, as we spent our time with them, we would think to ourselves of their mother, of the family they had come from, knowing that they had known and been raised by a family and that they still missed that every single day.  Mudi was 6 years old and knew very clearly what had happened to him.

ALL of these orphaned children deserve a home and a loving family, but these boys even all the more seemed to *belong* in a family.  It seemed even all the more wrong that they were living in this orphanage.  They had known what family was, been raised in a family... they were loving kids who seemed to have been raised by loving parents and who deserved that still.

Where was their mother now?  Did she think about them every day as we knew that these boys thought of her?  Why had she left them?  Did she regret it?  If she did, would she have any way of tracking down where they now were?

These thoughts were in my head every time I spent time with these boys.  And they were in Ali's.

Then, a couple months ago, I was at dinner with Ali [eating Indian food, the only food we eat together :)] and the thought occurred to me... We know where these boys are from... It's not a very big town... everyone knows everyone in African communities... What if we went to Morogoro with pictures of these boys and asked around until we found their parents?  At least to let them know where the boys were, just in *case* they were regretting their decision and wanted to be reunited with them?  I voiced the idea to Ali, and she immediately said, "Yeah, I've actually thought about that before, too..."

So, within about 10 seconds, we decided we'd do it. :)  We'd at least try to track down their family.

In the weeks leading up to the weekend that we'd set aside to go, we were able to get the full names of their parents and even detailed directions to their home.  Mudi remembered it all, and Ali spoke to him about his past- not letting him know why she was asking- and recorded the information for us to take with us.

And so we went.

And God's fingerprints of providence were all over our trip.

We took the bus to Morogoro and the moment we got off, a taxi driver came up to us who would be integral in our search.  Named Innocent, he spoke good English and as we shared our story with him he said he would help us find the family.  After checking into our hotel, we left with Innocent and followed the directions that we had.  It took us to the correct neighborhood, but after a point we were stuck.  We asked around from home to home, neighbor to neighbor... all those passing by- children, adults... but no one recognized the names of the parents or the pictures of the 2 boys that we had.

We started to get discouraged.  We prayed some more, knowing that God must have had good intentions for this weekend.  We kept searching.  We kept asking.  Innocent helped us translate, and guys in the community [mainly pikipiki (motorcycle) drivers] asked around ... word passing quickly through the grapevine.

And then, it happened.  A little boy said to me, "Yes, I recognize those boys.  Mudi was in my class."

I didn't believe him at first.  All the other kids we'd asked had said they didn't recognize him, so I thought this boy must just be trying to be agreeable.  "Really?  Really?!"  I kept asking him.  "Yes, I know them."  Still not fully believing him, a woman walks up.  She sees the pictures and says, "Yes, I used to be Mudi's schoolteacher.  I know where those boys lived."

This was it. :)

We asked her to come with us, to lead the way.

And a couple minutes later, we arrived at the house.  We walked in, and it was their father who was there.  We told him why we had come; that we knew his children and loved them; that we were coming to look for their family. He listened to what we said and just stood there still, tears welling in his eyes, looking up in hopes of keeping them from falling down his cheeks.  I asked if he wanted to see a video I had of Hassani. "No," he said, "It's too hard.  It's too hard."

He went on to tell us that their mother had left him and taken the children and gone to Dar es Salaam.  He had tried to get in contact with her and with her sister who lived in Dar, but they had changed their numbers.  He had no way of getting in contact with either of them or with the boys.  He assumed she was still taking care of them.  We explained where they were.  He asked questions.  We explained they had been living all year in a govenment-run (i.e. very poorly run) orphanage.  And that they missed their family.  We explained the situation, shared our numbers with him, told him where the orphanage was, and gave him the phone number for the director at the orphanage.  We left, and he told us that he would go to visit the boys... and "don't let anyone take them," he told us... he was processing all of the information which was so shocking to him.

We left and went to dinner (at another Indian restaurant, may I add :)).  Over dinner, we thought, "Why don't we call him and see if he wants to take the bus back to Dar with us in the morning?"

So we did.

And he immediately said yes.

He would meet us first thing in the morning at the bus station.

And he did.  Arriving early even.   We took the 3 hr bus ride back to Dar- Ali and I reading and working on things during the ride, Mohamedi sitting straight up with his face focused forward in anticipation the entire time, as if him leaning forward would get him to the destination quicker.  We asked him if he was happy or scared - or a little of both... "Happy, only happy," he responded.

We arrived at the orphanage.  The boys were pretending to sleep when we walked up, trying to play a cute little trick on us.  "Mudi! Hassani!  Get up!  Get up!  Look who is here!"  Finally they do.  Mudi looks... he sees... he shouts out "Papa!"  Hassani jumps up immediately and runs into his father's arms.

After a lot of tears, talking, smiling, and hugging....  Mohamedi takes the boys home to Morogoro.  They are back in their home.  In their community.  With loving family.  Where they belong.  :)

 Hassani jumping into his dad's arms :)

the three of them reunited :)

[And here is Ali's version of the story: Ali's Blog]


***


Follow-up:

I was able to visit the boys in their home a couple weeks ago.  I was going through Morogoro for another trip, and I stopped in to visit.  I was greeted by Mohamedi at the door with a bigger smile on his face than I'd ever seen on him.  Even bigger than after he was first reunited with the boys.  This smile had been *earned*.  It had grown over the previous weeks... he was not just smiling in anticipation of the thought of living with his boys again; he was smiling because he actually WAS living with his boys again.  This smile came from the pure joy of being reunited with them and actually BEING a family again.  The boys were inside eating large meals on the floor of their one-bedroom home.  They were happy to see me, smiling and acting shy, yet in a contented 'happy to see me but not *needing* to see me' sort of way.  When I would visit them at the orphanage, Hassani would run into my arms and not ever want me to put him down.  He *needed* the love and affection.  This day they didn't need it.  They already had the love that they needed in a family... I was just a visitor that they knew and were happy to see. :)

It is still unknown as to where the mother is, so prayers for her, for her heart, and for an eventual reunion with her and the children are still coveted.  We know that the boys obviously still miss her very much.


***


One more of my favorite (yet heartbreaking) details of the story:

When the boys were getting ready to leave the orphanage, Mudi had some torn emotions, as he was also having to leave behind all of the friends he had made and spent the year with.  An older boy, 19 yrs old, who had lived his entire life in the orphanage counseled and consoled him in his distress.  "You're going back home... you're never going to be hungry again... you will be with your family, and you will go to school, and you will be back with your friends, and you will be able to eat whenever you want."  Those were some of the tidbits of what I heard him tell little Mudi.  The longings that he himself had always had yet had never been met.  The longings for family... for security... for provision... for love.  How every child deserves this.  Please pray with me towards this end.  That each child could know this kind of love and security.

Beza Entoto

I've got blogs in the works... in my head, I promise... they'll be coming soon :)  but in the meantime I thought I'd link to our Karama blog which is "my other blog" ... and which shows what I'm doing over here the majority of my time :)

So, read the latest post (and others) about the incredible Beza Entoto project I was able to visit in Ethiopia in January.  Beza has completely transformed the lives of hundreds of HIV+ individuals in this region of Ethiopia... They're doing some amazing stuff. {and then check out their gorgeous jewelry on our site and do some shopping} :) 

Karama Blog: Beza Entoto

Thanks for reading! :-)

The Kids :) {aka... My Heart}

With as much as I talk about Kurasini Orphanage, I thought I would introduce you to the kids there who have stolen my heart.  Please pray for these precious ones by name.

Hassani

Hassani (almost 2) & his brother Mudi (age 6) were abandoned by their mother, who left them in the middle of the big city, after traveling across country from the town they are from.

Hassani is just the most squeezable, kissable thing in the world, and Mudi is smart, kind, respectful, and an incredibly caring, protective big brother to Hassani.

Brothers Mudi & Hassani

Alhamisi

In case you remember the accidental bomb blasts in Dar last year (I wrote about it here: 2/21/11 Post), Alhamisi was a victim of those blasts.  After the bombs, 26 displaced children were brought to Kurasini.  25 of those kids' parents came to pick them up afterward.

Alhamisi loves bubbles, toys, taking pictures and just grasps for any attention or affection he can get.

 Hassani
Hassani loves having his picture taken :)  (I had tons to choose from for this one).  He is active, smiley, kind, and optimistic.

ChaCha
Sweet ChaCha was abandoned by his mother as a baby.  This precious child has just become more and more affectionate and loving over the past couple years since I've spent time at Kurasini.  He has slowly let down some of the protective walls over his heart, as he's learned to trust just a little bit, and it is such a joy spending time with, hugging, and playing with this child.

Zawadi (meaning 'Gift' in Swahili)
Zawadi is the daughter of one of the teenage girls at the orphanage.  I have seen such growth in her over the past few months.  She is very clingy and possessive- for attention, toys, anything- because things must be 'fought' for in an orphanage setting... but over time and consistency with her, she has become more smiley, affectionate, and joyful.  She is truly a Gift.

Paul
Precious Paul has cerebral palsey.  I've never seen this child without a huge smile on his face and an eagerness to participate in the activities we bring.  He loves to color.  This child's optimism humbles me and blesses me incredibly.  

Frankie
 Frankie was abandoned as a baby.  This cutie pie LOVES candy.  If I had a dime for every time this child has said, "Naomba pipi..." ('I want candy please.') :)  The physical effects of malnourishment at a young age are so evident on Frankie's little body, as are his emotional difficulties.  Yet he also has grown greatly in his trust and joy in recent months.  This child blesses me so much.

Baraka
Baraka is a great soccer player, artist, photographer (he loves borrowing my camera to take pictures), and role model for the younger kids.  He is smart, driven, and always has a great attitude.  I pray that his future is big and bright.

 Haridi
Sweet Haridi is lovable, optimistic, and energetic.  He is always smiling and ready to participate in any activity.  His recent hugs, that have grown lately out of trust built over time, so brighten my days. :)

*****

Oh if words could express how much I love these children.  They certainly can't.  And I cannot even imagine how the Father loves and longs for them.  Please remember these children in your prayers- pray for them by name, as they need all the prayers they can get.  Thank you. :)

True Fasting

I have never before thought much of the concept of fasting from a particular item and seen that as a "spiritual fast".  Sure, it may be a great practice to give up TV for a week or Facebook for a month- that may reap great benefits in one's life- but is that the same thing as the spiritual act of fasting that God and the Bible have esteemed for centuries?  The act of complete dependency on God, abstaining from food so that ALL of you is dependent on Him?  Dependent on Him for strength, for nourishment, for guidance- that your ears may be opened and your eyes enlightened and that your *true bread* may be the Bread of Life...?

But as I meditate more and more on Isaiah 58... and as I reflect on the time- the life- the experiences I have had since living in Tanzania.... my perspective on fasting has somewhat changed... and deepened.

Isaiah 58 is like our guidebook for fasting- it is where God tells us what true fasting consists of.  And what the results- what the benefits- what the effects of it should be and are.

Isaiah 58...

What are the purposes of/reasons for fasting as God desires? 

-To loose the chains of injustice
-To untie the cords of the yoke
-To set the oppressed free
-To share your food with the hungry
-To provide the poor wanderer with shelter
-To clothe the naked
-To spend yourself in behalf of the hungry
-To satisfy the needs of the oppressed


And what are the results of fasting?  What are the effects/benefits we can expect?

-Your light will break forth like the dawn
-Your healing will quickly appear
-Your righteousness will go before you
-The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard
-You will call, and the Lord will answer
-You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail
-You will rebuild ancient ruins and raise up age-old foundations
-You will be a repairer and a restorer
-You will find your joy in the Lord


This passage came *alive* to me last spring.  In moving to Tanzania, I left behind all of the comforts of the West and endured through many difficulties in living here [incessant heat and humidity, constant power outages, continually getting sick from the air quality here, leaving behind *all* that was familiar- family, friends, language, job, culture- and having to transition in every.single.area.of.life.- friends, job, language, culture, way of living].  I remember during Lent last year I didn't "give anything up" (which I usually do) because I felt my entire life had already "given up so much" - I just couldn't imagine purposely giving up one thing more - from my favorite foods (spinach salads, frozen yogurt, Mexican food) to all conveniences of the West (having a car, nicely paved roads, Starbucks, air conditioning, temperature-controlled rooms) to the excesses of American life (shopping, pretty things in abundance, entertainment at every corner) to art and culture (museums, good architecture, live music venues).... Yes, I had given up a LOT in coming here.  I had given up the West.  And that was not easy.  Many hardships arose from giving up all such comforts, and I daily felt that I was 'carrying my cross' as I was abundantly aware of all that I was living without.

Yet a strange thing started to happen towards the end of the year.  As I lived with this "less"- as I daily gave up material comforts SO THAT I could live and serve in Tanzania and *spend myself* on behalf of the poor here... as I became more involved in daily life here, in the culture, in ministry.... as I served village children on the weekend through Bible studies, as I developed loving relationships with the Tanzanians who worked in my home, as I spent Sunday afternoons loving on children in a local orphanage, as I strove to be a voice for the poor and oppressed who live here, as I came to know my Tanzanian neighbors and seek out opportunities to serve them... My life became FULL of JOY (v. 14)... Joy as I had never before known.  I felt SO well-watered, that my spring of living water inside would never fail (vs. 11).  My life was JOY- it was radiant- it was blessed- it could be a blessing.  As I gave up the material comforts that we so often cling to in order to find what we think is happiness and strove to pour myself out for those I had come to serve in Tanzania, my life was FULL of the promises of Isaiah 58... My life was FULL.

And I have only since seen this principle continue to work and increase, the longer I have been here.  The more I pour myself out for others, the more I spend myself on behalf of the hungry and needy and oppressed, the more my LIGHT rises in the darkness... the more my life is full of LIGHT and JOY and RADIANCE.... a light and a joy that comes *only* from Him.  That comes as we serve and as we pour ourselves out- that comes as we purposely and intentionally fast from the things of this world- abstaining from worldly comforts that seek to take His place and offer counterfeit sources of fulfillment in our lives.  Counterfeits that can never and will never give us the joy and abundance of life that only He can give.

James 1:27 has long been one of my favorite verses- and one of the clearest directives I believe God gives us in telling us how He desires for us to serve Him:  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress" ... I usually end the verse right there, because God is clearly using this passage to emphasize the importance and need for us to take care of orphans and widows.  Yet the verse doesn't end there... the completion of it is:  "to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  Isn't that last segment - "to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" - fulfilled when we intentionally fast from the things of this world?  When we intentionally give up the excesses, the riches, the things that this world offers?  And isn't that the kind of "religion" that God here tells us He desires?

I am still very much a proponent of fasting from food as a spiritual discipline, as has been practiced for centuries, and using that time to call out to God and come nearer to Him... that is a Scriptural and blessed discipline that God clearly honors and uses (and that Jesus practiced).  But as I reflect more on this passage and on my own experiences, I do believe that our fasting can at times (and should) take on other characteristics.  Our excessive, gluttonous Western culture may be wise to take heed that much more in our lives needs to be fasted from. 

Am I purposely spending less money on my own wardrobe so that I can give money to clothe those who cannot clothe themselves?  Am I giving up my own comfort and space so that I can take in a neighbor who needs shelter?  Am I giving up time that I would otherwise devote to empty entertainment (movies, TV, sports games) and using that time to pour myself out and serve others who are in need?  Am I spending less on Starbucks and on meals out so that I can pay to provide meals for those who cannot provide it for themselves or their families?  I think each of these examples is a very Biblical picture of fasting and corresponds directly with what Isaiah 58 tells us. 

**Lord, may I pour myself out- may I give up more and more the things of this world- and may I spend my life on behalf of the hungry and oppressed and needy- that you may pour your *living waters* into me and through me- that my life may be a blessing... a life full of love, light, joy, and radiance.

"You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose *waters never fail*." Isaiah 58:11

"Then you will look and be RADIANT, your heart will *throb and swell* with JOY." Isaiah 60:5

Photography Trip!

For the past week, a friend and Karama Mama extraordinaire, Rachel Moye, has been in town for the purpose of photographing many of our artisans around the country.  She and I have already traveled to Iringa, Arusha, and Zanzibar and are spending the last few days of her trip here in Dar.  She's updated our Karama blog 3 times with *lots* of great pics and stories from our travels... so go check it out! :)

https://www.karamagifts.com/blog/?m=201203

Jesus Thirsts....

I'm reading from Mother Teresa's bio/memoirs, and OH, how I am amazed and inspired by her.

And in reference to my previous post on Jesus's love and longing for orphans- for the least of these- for you and me, I wanted to post some quotes from her that are so very applicable and so very true....

"Jesus wants me to tell you again... how much is the love He has for each one of you- beyond all what you can imagine... Not only He loves you, even more- He longs for you.  He misses you when you don't come close.  He thirsts for you.  He love you always, even when you don't feel worthy...."

She described her mission and the call God put on her life in this way:

"It was on this day in 1946 in the train to Darjeeling that God gave me the "call within a call" to satiate the thirst of Jesus by serving Him in the poorest of the poor."

She talks over and over about the THIRST of Jesus.  How He thirsts for us.  He doesn't only love for us.  It is so much more.  His love is so inexpressible and so unfathomable that it could more easily be described as a *thirst* for us than what we would associate with our limited view of love.  Oh, how he longs for us... How he thirsts for us... How he loves us.

She states:

"'I thirst' is something much deeper than just Jesus saying "I love you."  Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you- you can't begin to know who He wants to be for you.  Or who He wants you to be for Him."

She stated that her mission began "in the depths of God's infinite longing to love and to be loved."

The depths of his infinite longing to love.  He LONGS to love you and me.  He LONGS to love the least of these.  And He longs to use you and me to SHOW His longing and His love to the least of these.

As my hearts longs for this precious little one, Alhamisi, to know how much he is loved.... How my heart is PAINED and grieves to see the gradual effects that life in an orphanage has had on him over the past year that I have known him (from cheerful and innocent when I first met him- when he was very young and new to the orphanage- to saddened and clingy whenever I spend time with him there now).... Oh how my heart yearns, how it thirsts, how it longs for him to KNOW- in the depths of who he is- that he is LOVED.  Because I know that he doesn't.  I cannot begin to fathom how much more God's heart hurts and grieves and longs for this little one....

Alhamisi

One of Jesus's final statements on the cross was "I thirst."
May we know more fully His THIRST.  And may it change us.

Love

GOD IS LOVE. (1 John 4:16)

Love comes from God. (1 John 4:7)

Let us not love with words or tongue but with *actions* and in *truth*. (1 John 3:18)

Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:11) 

If we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:12)

Love is not self-seeking.  (1 Cor. 13:5)

Love never fails.  (1 Cor. 13:8)

Love always perseveres.  (1 Cor. 13:7)

If I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am *nothing*.  (1 Cor. 13:2)

The fruit of the Spirit is *love*.  (Gal. 5:22)

Do *everything* in Love.  (1 Cor. 16:14)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... And... Love your neighbor as yourself.  *All* the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matt. 22:37-40)

How great is the love the Father has *lavished* on us! (1 John 3:1)

*****

Notice a pattern?

This weekend I spent Sunday afternoon at Kurasini orphanage, and I prayed on the long route there that God would use me as a **mighty instrument of His LOVE**.  Knowing the pain, the despair, the hopelessness, the sense of aloneness..... the longing for love, affection, a sense of belonging, a sense of worthiness... the need for physical affection... that these orphans feel in their deepest places.... I prayed that God would use me in any and every way that He could to lavish His love onto them and to help in some way to heal their deep wounds.  Their needs are so great.  And they are SO very real.  I have lately been reading more on the deep wounds and pains of orphaned children (not that some of it isn't common sense, but I have been reading more in depth on it).... and so my awareness of their needs, their pains, their longings, has just been heightened.

I knew that I desperately wanted to be used by God to give them the love and affection- the care and attention- the healing and sense of worth- that they so desperately need and deserve.... So I prayed that God would use me in any and every way that He possibly could.

And I can honestly say that on that day, I experienced His love in one of the most profound ways I ever have.  I felt SUCH immense love for these children as I spent time with them.... my heart longed for the pain in each of their lives to subside.... it felt some of the pain that they experience and it hurt so much for them... it longed for them, yearned for them, LOVED them.  I truly felt God's love pouring out of me onto these children.... giving me seemingly limitless love for them, wanting to hold them and give them the physical affection they so desperately need.... to hold them and care for them and make them feel important, cherished, beloved.... to make them know how heartbroken their Heavenly Father is over their pain and their loss.... how much He longs for them, loves them, cares so incredibly for them.  And Oh, how I can truly say- more than ever before- that I KNOW that He does.  Because I *felt* it.  I felt it *from* Him.  It wasn't of or from me.... the limitless love I experienced came from a deeper source, a place that I couldn't conjure up on my own.... it came from HIM.  From His SPIRIT and His unending source of Love that IS *WHO HE IS*.

 

 blowing bubbles with the kids :)

And I don't know what all my purpose is in writing this blog post, but I can state a few things that I know to be true.

God LOVES orphans.  His heart yearns for them and absolutely grieves over their pain.  He LONGS to lavish His love upon them. As He also longs to lavish His love on each one of us, His children.

And God placed US in this world to be His hands and His feet.  He can't physically touch or hold orphans or the downtrodden or the rejected in society, as they need it- but WE CAN.  And He ASKS us to.  If we don't, who else will?  If I didn't pick up those children and hug them and kiss them on Sunday, who else would have?  You may hope that the answer is "well.... someone else."  But no, that's not the reality.  The real answer is No one.  No one else would have on Sunday. And today.... most likely *no one* is showing physical affection or love to those children.

We can "leave those things" for others to do all day long.... all our lives long.... but the reality is, someone else *may not be doing them.* 

I'm not trying to guilt you into doing good deeds.... but know that there are ways you can be used today to impact the world- to impact eternity- to change the life of someone who desperately needs it.... in ways that otherwise would not happen.

God IS Love.  He SO incredibly, desperately loves His children.  He desperately wants to *lavish* His love on His children (and yes- you and me, too).  But so many of His children do not know that- and they may not ever know that- unless you show it to them.... tell them.  *Especially* those who are the "least of these" in our society.  Who in your life is the "least" of those around you?  Who most needs some caring words, an affectionate touch, a loving sacrifice of your time and attention?  A sense that they are valued and cared about?  If you don't show them those things today, very likely no one will. 

 some of the precious ones at Kurasini :) 

*please* pray for these little ones....

[and please do something to act on behalf of the 

millions of orphans in the world]

We can be vessels of the love of the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.  How amazing is that?  It is unfathomable.  Yet it is true.

"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

So ask for His spirit today- to give you the love that you may not otherwise have for the "least of those" around you.... and allow yourself to be a vessel of His unending Love for them.  "How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him" Luke 11:13

*****

"How *great* is the love the Father has *lavished* on us, that we would be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1

Oh, how GREAT is His Love.

*****

[Note: it isn't that there are never any caring adults in these children's lives, but they are very few and far between.... the reality is that they are at a government-run orphanage, and the few workers are government workers who mostly just sit as guardians.]

In a Quote

I have a lot of posts swirling in my head that will hopefully make it here soon.... :)  but in the meantime, an excerpt from Katie Davis's book "Kisses from Katie".  If you want a glimpse into my life and why I'm here, this pretty much sums it up....

"Most days, I wished I could wake up under my down comforter in a house with my loving family, not all by myself.  Sometimes I just wished I could hang out with my little brother and his buddies, eating junk food and laughing late into the night.  Sometimes I wanted to spend hours upon hours talking with my best friends about boys and fashion and school and life.  I wanted to go to the gym; I wanted my hair to look nice; I wanted to be allowed to wear jeans.  I wanted to be a normal person living in America, sometimes.
But I wanted other things more.  ALL the time.  I wanted to be spiritually and emotionally filled every day of my life.  I wanted to be loved and cuddled by a hundred children and never go a day without laughing.  I wanted to wake up to a rooster's crow and open my eyes to see lush green trees that seemed to pulse with life against a piercing blue sky and the rusty red soil.  I wanted to be challeged endlessly; I wanted to be learning and growing every minute.  I wanted to be taught by those who teach, and I wanted to share God's love with people who otherwise might not know it.  I wanted to work so hard that I ended every day filthy and too tired to move.  I wanted to feel needed, important, and used by the Lord.  I wanted to make some kind of difference no matter how small, and I wanted to follow the calling God had placed on my heart.  I wanted to give my life away, to serve the Lord with each breath, each second.  And at the end of the day, no matter how hard, I wanted to be right here."
-Katie Davis

Couldn't say it better. :)  Especially after spending the day with the kids at Kurasini orphanage today, playing and loving and cuddling.... as they just kept reaching out for more and more and more.....

Travels & Such

Hello!  It has been a while.... I've been traveling and getting ready to travel again- I spent Christmas in South Africa, the week after in Zimbabwe, the past several days in Zanzibar and am getting ready to go to Ethiopia for a week on Monday! Whew.  Exciting and lots of great work being done, but a whirlwind! (def. not complaining though :)).  I spent Christmas in South Africa with my brother Eric and his fiancee Lisa and her family.... we were mainly in and around the Cape Town area, and it was wonderful.  I of course missed being home and with my parents on Christmas but it was great still being with family and experiencing Christmas on this continent.  I went to a small town church on Christmas morning that was partly in Afrikaans and spent the rest of the day with Lisa's family enjoying time together.  Eric & Lisa are getting married in Franschoek (outside of Cape Town) on April 21st, and I'm looking forward to being down there again (and getting my parents & sister onto this continent)!

After Christmas, I went to Zimbabwe for about 6 days- to the Matopos Hills area- to work with a group of women who have a sewing project there, working with them to develop new products for us to sell through Karama.  The group is assisted by Norma Ferguson, a beloved friend who lives in the Matopos Hills and serves the community in many, many ways (with her wonderful husband Chris.... love these two!!).  The group is made up of about a dozen women who are HIV+, who started the group as a source of much-needed income in a very, very hungry rural area.  I fell in love with these women when I was there and am so, so excited for our opportunity to help them.  They desperately need the work, as they have such little means for income.  As I was speaking to one of the women (who also happens to be named Norma), she asked me, "Are the people starving in Tanzania like they are in Zimbabwe?"  The question just took me aback... but it made me know all the more fully the importance of our role in getting them sustainable work.

We came up with some great new jewelry designs, so be on the lookout for them on our site soon!

Me with the adorable ladies :)

[sporting the new necklaces we made]

I just spent several days in Zanzibar meeting with some of the projects we support there .... though that trip didn't end so well.  I ended up horribly sick in my hotel room for 2 days.... ughhhh, African food finally got to me... :-/  (I spent a year here being a veg. and never got sick from anything I ate, then a few months ago I decided to start eating some chicken .... and hmmm.... looks like I'll be going back to my veg roots :))


In closing, here are some good words that I've come across recently in my devotionals.... thought I would share:


"I want to see God's supernatural activity.  I don't just want to hear about it and watch it from afar.  I want to experience it.  As Abraham's difficult obedience yielded supernatural results, so will ours.  Over and over Scripture makes clear that the determining factor for experiencing God is obedience. 

I believe a correlation exists between the COST of Abraham's obedience and the magnificent blessing that resulted.  The higher the price you pay to obey God, the greater the reward you can expect from Him."  (Priscilla Shirer)


Happy 2012 to All :)  May you see and experience God's supernatural activity this year, as you obey Him in ALL areas.... and especially those that are *costly*.