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*.

Kurasini Orphanage

I spent the day with my friend Jen at Kurasini Orphanage, the orphanage on the other side of the city that I try to go to periodically.  Instead of just going to play with the kids like we normally do, we decided to start teaching the kids some lessons that will serve their greatest needs (while still loving on them and playing with them of course).  We decided to start doing some basic health lessons with the kids as well as some Bible lessons.  Today, we taught them the importance of washing their hands (and bathing) and demonstrated how to do so (and left some bars of soap at the orphanage for them).

Jen and one of our eager examples, Baraka, washing his hands :)

We also did a small lesson on why we celebrate Christmas, what its real meaning is.  We talked about how God used a star to point the Magi to Jesus and how He uses many methods still to tell us about His son Jesus.  We had them draw and decorate a star as a reminder that God wants us to know Him.

 Yesu ni Mungu = Jesus is Lord

SUCH a simple lesson, and they so loved every second of it.  These kids just can't get enough love and attention from us while we are there.... they are literally starved for it.  Please keep these precious kids in your prayers.  And pray for the other 147 million orphans around the world.  (Yes, 147 million.)  "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress." James 1:27

Press Conference with the Presidents!

Last week I had the *awesome* privilege of going to a press conference here in Dar for President Bush and TZ president Kikwete.  The event was for World AIDS Day, put on by the ONE campaign, and Obama and Bono did a simultaneous press conference in DC.  A "friend of a friend of mine" was in town, working for the conference, and emailed me at the last minute saying he could get me a seat reserved for it (and my schedule was all of a sudden clear....) so I got to go! :)

Here's a pic during the event...

Each president spoke for about 5 minutes, speaking of their previous work and future goals to work to end the spread of AIDS .... the goal set by the ONE campaign is to have an AIDS-free generation starting by 2015 (which can be done.... check out the ONE website, www.ONE.org).  Bush has done a lot for the fight against AIDS in Africa (as have the women in his family done a lot in Africa... and are continuing to...), and he ended his speech by quoting "To whom much is given, much is required", referring to America's responsibility to act to end the suffering of so many here.  I could not agree more.

After the conference everyone rushed down to where the presidents were leaving... Bush and his family (all of whom were there- Laura, Jenna & husband, Barbara) had already been driven away but Kikwete was leaving as I got down there.  He was shaking hands with a few people (all important heads-of-departments, like the head of the Peace Corps, head of USAID, head of the Clinton Health Fund, etc etc) and he actually spotted me (taking this picture below, haha) about 5-10 feet away from him and came over toward me to shake my hand (assuming, I'm sure, that I'm some important head of a department... haha).  Was pretty cool.... :)

President Kikwete

Praying for the end of the destructive effects of HIV/AIDS ....