Destination: Uganda!

I'm excited to announce that next summer, Gary, Molly, and I will be co-leading a youth mission trip to Uganda with Adventures in Missions. The trip is part of AIM's Ambassador program, designed for students ages 14-18 who want to serve God on trips that vary in length from one to four weeks. We will be ministering in Busia, Uganda (right across the border from Kenya) from June 30, 2010 to July 30, 2010.


According to AIM's website:

Much of the ministry will be will be in partnership with Helping Hands Ministry. The team will be ministering at a school for orphans. There will be opportunities to provide friendship, bible studies, education and the gospel to the children. In addition to the children, you will have a chance to minister to young adults in the area with outreach events working alongside Ugandans who are trying to reach their peers.

The team will assist and learn how to best minister with and to the people of Uganda. There may also be opportunities for the team to work with local churches "in the bush" once a week. The opportunities to join God in what He is doing in Uganda will be many and full of variety.

When I left Africa in 2006, I felt as if I left a piece of my heart there. I have been asking God since that time if it might be in His will for me to someday return and love on orphans in His name. I am thrilled for this opportunity, and am looking forward to four weeks of discipling teenagers while serving together.

AIM is accepting applications now for students who would like to participate in this trip. If you would like to join us, we would love to have you! Click here for more information about the trip!

Molly Update

So in case you haven't heard, Molly departed for her mission trip this past Wednesday, September 23rd. She left out of San Francisco at 6 am (!) and arrived in McAllen, Texas later that day. AIM staff met participants at the airport and drove them across the border to their home for the next two months.

During the training portion of their trip, the entire Novas group will be living and working out The Gateway, AIM's mission base in Matamoros, Mexico. Molly is bunking with 26 girls in a giant room. She reports that it is beautiful and raining right now. The day after arriving, the participants began a two day period of solitude to focus on prayer and connecting with God. They were given reading and journaling assignments. Molly has found this time challenging, but valuable.

On December 1, Molly will be flying to Swaziland with her teammates Jessica, Lila, Katie, Bryan, and John. They will be working with orphans at the Nsoko care point through next May.

Here are a couple of team pics from their training camp last month:



You can follow along with Molly's journey at her blog by here: http://mollymcrae.myadventures.org/.

Also, here is an address where you can send letters while the team is in Mexico:

Molly McRae
C/O: Tag Thompson
Adventures in Missions
6000 Wellspring Trail
Gainesville, GA 30506

They will keep the letters there and as staff goes down to Mexico they will take any mail which comes in. Make sure to send a message of encouragement!

The Novas Project

Molly will be leaving in just three months now for her upcoming mission trip. That's coming up quick, considering she's been preparing for almost a year! She will be leaving September 23 to participate in a group training in Matamoros, MX (this is the same location that Gary and I had our training for the World Race). Once the training segment concludes, teams will be dispersing to various ministry locations across the world. These include:

* Swaziland (This is where Molly feels God is calling her)
* South Africa
* Uganda
* Philippines
* Nicaragua
* England
* Ireland
* Romania
* Mexico
* Peru
* Philadelphia, PA

I can't look at this list of locations without getting a tingle and wishing I were going somewhere too! If you get that same excitement about being discipled while serving God on the mission field, it's not too late... there's about two more weeks left to apply. (and you better believe if I wasn't called to support my husband to finish seminary in Sacramento, I'd be on my way to Swaziland... or Uganda... or Nicaragua, Peru, Mexico, or London!)

Even if it's not for you at this time, you can check out what Molly will be doing at the Novas link here.

Molly's New Blog!

A couple of months ago, we were thrilled to find out that Molly, the young woman that my husband and I are mentoring through shared life, was accepted to Adventures in Missions' "First Year Missionary" program in South Africa/Swaziland. She will spend nine months with a team in southern Africa experiencing intentional discipleship in ministry and missions.

As part of the preparation process, AIM sets up each participant with their own blog site and gives them specific assignments to complete before the trip begins. Once on the field, the participants use their blogs to keep friends and supporters updated with prayer requests, stories and pictures.

You can visit Molly's site here. She has already blogged about her expectations of the trip, her calling to missions, and the reality of life for orphans in Swaziland.

Here's a snippet from her bio:

I have felt for the past couple years that God might be calling me to Africa, and more specifically He has begun to break my heart for Swaziland. When I found the First Year Missionary Program, I learned that I could serve in Swaziland and be mentored into my future in missions. This program was exactly what I had been looking for. So now, I have begun the journey and look forward to what God has for me next.

Please feel free to visit Molly's blog and leave a comment of encouragement!

Portrait of a Disciple

Discipleship is a huge passion of mine - I believe it's what our role in the Christian life is all about. About a year ago (to the day!), I posted this while imagining what modern discipleship could look like. I think y'all are due for an update.

I'll start with an excerpt from my post: "Late-night ramblings of a would-be disciple-maker"

Imagine…

if we chose to share a home with a disciple, intentionally sharing all aspects of our life with them? It would be costly… maybe we couldn't spend so much time at work, pouring into a career. Less time to spend on self-fulfilling hobbies. We’d have to develop our own faith, make it worthy of sharing. Maybe get a little flexible with the definitions of “mine” and “yours”.

What if...

over dinner, we dreamed together of what could happen in our church, our community? What if we shared our God-given passions and encouraged one another to follow them shamelessly? What if, over breakfast, we prayed and devoted ourselves to living out His call?

...The question is, are there people out there that would be interested in being the disciplee in such an intense relationship? If I (or anybody) actually offered this up, would there be any takers? I do believe there would be. Not everyone, sure, but a few. And those are the ones I want to pour into.

One year later, I'm proud to say that I took my own challenge. And every day I marvel at how God has blessed our family because of our openness.

Molly graduated from high school last June, and moved into our home immediately following our Guatemala mission trip in July (she was one of the partcipants). So, how's it been going?

Molly and I meet regularly to read God's word and pray together. No, we're not perfect at this, but we've seen great blessings come out of these times. And that's not it!

We sing praise songs together. We laugh (a lot). We challenge one another. We help her with her math homework (ok, that one's all Gary!). We discuss ministry, church, what Christian community could be. We make up silly songs. We dream about Africa, about caring for orphans in Swaziland. In essence, we're living shared life. "Doing life together", as I've heard some say.

Would this work for everyone? I think it depends. What makes it so successful here, I think, is Molly's desire to grow and to contribute. She is pursuing her relationship with God wholeheartedly, which is a beautiful thing to see in anyone.

God has placed in her a heart for missions, and has given her the incredible opportunity to serve as a First Year Missionary in Swaziland. She'll be leaving next September to serve a nine-month internship.

She will be a light in a dark place, ministering to the poor, caring for AIDS orphans, truly caring for the least of these. I am honored to be her prayer/accountability partner, supporting her from back home while she's on the field. I know that God will work through her in a mighty way, and I am humbled to be a part of it.


"The Fam-Bam"

Friends of Jesus

"Friends of Jesus" is the name of a ministry in Nairobi, Kenya, that Gary and I worked with during the World Race in 2006. This is an organization headed up by Pastor Mike, a Kenyan with a great drive to share God's love with the hurting around him, especially in the slum areas of Kibera.

Pastor Mike applies his boundless energy to pastoring a church, running a nursery school, taking in street children, and traveling across the country to preach at conferences for youth. He and I have stayed in contact since my time in Kenya, and it is one of my prayers to someday make a return visit to Kenya and work alongside Pastor Mike in his ministry on a short term basis.

I am helping him get a website / blog up and running for his ministry, to share stories, pictures, and ministry updates. If you'd like to check it out, please visit the Friends of Jesus Ministries blog here.

Please leave him a comment of greetings and encouragement!

The Pilgrimage

Several of the South Africans I traveled with on the World Race in 2006 are now working with a South African organization called Global Challenge Expeditions. This group puts on several different world-race-like mission trips of various sorts.

They have put together a fascinating new program called The Pilgrimage, which is basically a study tour of biblical and church history, followed by opportunities to serve in places facing poverty and persecution.

Though most people probably don't have $10,000 and 6 months free time at their disposal, this trip looks like it would make a fascinating sabbatical for a pastor or professor.

Starting point: South Africa

Countries to be visited: Zambia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, England, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Thailand, India, Dubai and Oman

Curriculum content:

Africa

In Ethiopia, the birthplace of the early church, you will:
-Walk along the ancient church
-Read early church history
-Visit a traditional church

In Egypt, land of the ancient pyramids, you will:
-Study the leadership of Moses
-Travel the Exodus route of the Israelites
-Read through the Pentateuch
-Understand the origin and beliefs of the Muslim faith
-Prescribed reading: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen and Veritas module 1

The Middle East

While travelling through Israel you will:
-Be fascinated by the Scriptures in its historical context
-Start to understand the complexities of the Middle East
-Read and study the life of Jesus

In Oman you will :
-Study more Old Testament History.
-Prescribed reading: Job, 1 and 2 Kings, the Prophets, One of the gospels, Actsand Veritas module 2

Europe

You will visit the ancient ruins of Turkey and Greece and:
-Follow in the footsteps of the first apostles
-Develop a desire to have a deeper understanding of Scripture

Through, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and England, you will:
-See how God has been faithful to his church through the previous centuries
-Understand the suffering many of the early believers faced
-Commit to search and carry the truth in your own generation
-Marvel at the beautiful art, buildings and history there is to discover
-Prescribed reading: Paul, Peter, John’s letters and Veritas module 3

The Far East

Be amazed by the ancient history and culture of China and:
-Be challenged by the price fellow believers pay in their desire to follow Christ
-Be inspired by the lives of fellow Christians

In Thailand you will have the opportunity to rest.

In India, among the contrasting aromas and bright colours, you will:
-Study the main religions of the world
-Face the devastating effects of poverty
-Come to a deeper understanding of God’s heart for the poor
-Partake in a local church being planted
-Serve at an orphanage
-Prescribed reading: Revelation, Ester, Hudson Taylor, The Heavenly Man and Veritas module 4

"This Should Shock and Outrage Us"

The latest post on Seth Barnes' blog:

We have a team in Swaziland, that nation in Africa where nearly half the adult population has the AIDS virus. I received this email from Gary Black in Swaziland today and it wrecked me:

"The team found a four week-old laying on its dead mother yesterday, they kept it - we are getting it to the abandoned baby hospital Friday."

What do we do with this? That's my son's team down there. I don't know about you, but I'm outraged by a world that produces situations like this. And while that may seem like a world away to many, for my son, it's as immediate as it is heart-wrenching.

The only thing that appalls me more is that so many of us Americans who can do something about this are more interested in stuff that will only ultimately burn up in the big fire. God help us. God, help us to wake up. Help us to see how much you love the widow and the orphan. God help us to break as you are broken up over this four week-old.

God, help me to lose this tortoise shell religion that sheds these kinds of tragic situations like water. Forgive me God for not praying more. Forgive me for not emptying my bank account for your little ones. God, we have lost true religion. We have sought finer sanctuaries and better parking lots.

We have tried to fill our church pews with seekers, but we have not sought your children dying on their mother's chests. We need to see a way out of this mess that we've got ourselves in. God, help us in this 21st century mindset that we've acquired. I don't even know what else to pray.

Youth Trip to 'Africa'

Last Sunday evening, we headed back to Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Livermore, this time with ten of our high schoolers in tow. We wanted them to hear for themselves the powerful stories of Princess Kasune Zulu and Dr. Sam Huddleston, and to be challenged to personalize the AIDS crisis by walking through the World Vision 'Step into Africa' experience.

As part of the outing, we purchased and assembled three AIDS caregiver kits. These will go to provide supplies for those in Africa caring for others with AIDS. (I can't began to tell you how proud I am that our high school small group had a higher turnout for an event about caring for people with AIDS than we did for either our theme park trip last year or our Christmas party... what does that tell you about our young people today?)







If any of you are interested in participating, the experience runs through tonight at Cornerstone in Livermore. In two weeks, they will be set up at a church in Lodi.

World Vision Experience

Yesterday morning, Gary and I had the privilege of walking through the World Vision "Step Into Africa" experience at Cornerstone Church in Livermore.

The experience (totally free, by the way) is a tour of sorts through the life of a real child affected by AIDS in Africa. As you put on the headphones and step through the curtain, you take on their identity and walk in their footsteps. You see pictures of them with their family. You sit in their bed. You consider what you would do if you were faced with the same decisions, if you were treated the same way by others, if you found yourself in a similar situation. My child was Emmanuel, a young boy in Uganda, orphaned by that deadly disease.

It was interesting for me to walk through this experience after having spent time in Africa in 2006, to feel a sort of familiarity with what I saw. But for red earth under my feet, and the heavy smoke of burning trash heaps in the air, I could have actually been in a hut in East Africa.

The idea of this experience is to break past the overwhelming statistics and make the reality more personal. 1 million orphans in Kenya alone - these kind of numbers can paralyze you. But to understand Emmanuel's life, to walk in his shoes for half an hour, reminds me that even sponsoring one child will make a positive difference in the world. While there is much to be sad about, there is encouragement to see that something can be done.

Sunday evening, Gary and I will be going back, this time with a few high schoolers from our church. We are going to hear from Princess Kasune Zulu, Dr. Sam Huddleston, and a special choir. Following the service, we will walk through the experience together, then as a group purchase and assemble a few AIDS caregiver kits.

I invite you to join us for the event Sunday evening, or to check out the experience on your own any time through Wednesday.

Led by Children

Kenyan children pray for their country

1/23/2008
By Sue Sprenkle

NAIROBI, Kenya (BP)--A group of children runs up a muddy path, drenched from an unexpected downpour. A 5-year-old boy speeds in front of the pack when he suddenly spies the perfect puddle.

He waits until his older sister and friends are almost parallel with him and then practically "cannon balls" to get the biggest splash. He giggles and dashes in the church's front door as the 8-year-olds squeal and chase after him.

I laugh at the scene and follow the kids inside the small, tin shack of a Baptist church. After three weeks of post-election violence, it's good to hear the sounds of children laughing and playing - especially in the hard-hit slums of Nairobi.

Inside the church, it's wall-to-wall children. My heart overflows with emotion as I hear a sound even more precious than laughter - a child's sweet, innocent prayer.

"Father, our country is in trouble. We pray for peace to come," an 11-year-old boy prays. "Protect us, Father. Teach people to love one another and not to fight anymore."


For the last two weeks, children in this small slum area have gathered to pray for their country. The church's pastor says the children started gathering on their own, so he let them in the church. The daily prayer meeting now attracts more than 200 children ranging in age from 3 to 17.

Ever since the children started praying together, the pastor says there have been no deaths, houses burned or even violence in their section of this slum. Adults recite this fact in amazement. The children, however, don't even mention it because it's exactly what they expected to happen.

"Pastor told us that there is power in prayer. He said we can change the country through prayer," 12-year-old Boniface explains. "So that is what we are doing, changing the country.

I'm amazed at the depth of understanding these children have of the issues surrounding the Kenya post-election chaos.

The 12-year-old prays for President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to sit at one table and talk peacefully. Votes cast in the election for these two candidates are under contention. The two leaders have yet to talk to each other in an effort to bring the strife in Kenya to a peaceful resolution.


Caroline, 16, shows her concern for the 250,000 internally displaced people around the country. She prays they will be able to go to school somewhere and that they feel safe. UNICEF estimates that more than 40 percent of the displaced are children. Parents put their children on trucks headed to the camps for displaced people but stayed behind to protect their houses and belongings. Many sit in camps, unable to attend schools that just opened mid-January.

Another young boy prays for the people hurting others who are not from the same tribe, referring to reports of ethnic animosity throughout the country. He asks God to help them all be brothers and sisters and one people.

The pastor smiles and whispers to me, "A few days ago that one asked if I knew what tribe he was. I told him no. He didn't know, either. So he told me, ‘I think I belong to the tribe of Kenya.'"

When it's time for the "babies" to pray, a fearless 4-year-old clasps his hands and closes his eyes so tight that his entire face scrunches up. "God, people die," he says in prayer. "Please do not let anyone die in front of my house."

More than 600 people have died since elections Dec. 27. The number increases daily as violence and protests continue.

It's now my turn to pray and close the meeting. There's not much left to say, so I thank God for the innocent prayers of children and their faith in His answers.

As soon as I say "Amen," the church buzzes with little voices and bottled-up energy spurts out freely. Laughing and holding hands, the children rush into the rain and head home.

Even though it's dry season and the rains are not supposed to come for another month, no one complains about getting wet or muddy. The rain is an answered prayer.

The children had prayed about a three-day countrywide protest called by the opposition party. They had asked God to take control and keep people from dying.

Because of the rains, turnout for the protest was much smaller than expected. While there was still a lot of property damage, it was much less than predicted. Death tolls for the week were the lowest since the incidents started.

"See," 7-year-old Natasha whistles through her missing two front teeth. "God answers prayers."

Sue Sprenkle, an overseas correspondent for the International Mission Board, has been reporting from Africa for 10 years.

ht: Kayla Phillips

Milestones on my Journey

We have all had certain experiences or encounters that, though seemingly inconsequential at the time, have had a profound effect on the rest of our lives. A few of those major experiences for me have been spiritual in nature, and have shaped the core of my identity.

My mission trip to Ireland when I was 13, for example. I simply knew I was supposed to go on that trip (my first encounter with that still small voice, I think). I wasn't conscious at the time that my concept of the missionary - evangelist - "superchristian" was to be eroded away. After all, if God can work through a self-conscious 13 year old girl, He can surely use anyone!

Another profound experience for me was leading our junior high youth group through the 30 Hour Famine for the first time. Newly married, I had all kind of concepts about what I "needed" to furnish our apartment home. After going through the studies and videos provided by World Vision for the youth event, I was completely floored by how badly I'd confused my wants with my needs. God was starting to break my heart for the poor, though I didn't know yet what that meant for me.

The next 'breakthrough' moment for me came during a general seminar at the National Youth Workers Convention in 2004. These seminars are always encouraging and thought provoking, but one in particular cut right through to my heart. The speaker was Princess Kasune Zulu, a Zambian woman who spoke about the effects of AIDS in her country, and her dramatic story of how she has been affected personally.

After the seminar concluded, our group headed to lunch at the nearest Del Taco, but I was so overwhelmed I wasn't able to get out of the car. I just sat back and sobbed. God was piercing my heart, taking me to a new level of brokenness: so painful, but so undescribably right.

What I most remember Princess specifically saying was how other governments had begun to provide assistance to those in need in Africa, money for food and HIV tests and treatments. And that was all good. But, despite all of that, the church should have already been there.


The church - God's chosen means to demonstrate His love, His care, to pray for the sick, to provide for orphans and widows, the church - had missed it's call. It had fallen down. And in that moment, I cried, not just for the sick babies and widows forced into prostitution and all the horror that goes with poverty, but at the realization that when we as a church, we as individuals, do not live out the purpose God has designed us for, the world suffers. There are horrible consequences to our resistance to 'get involved'. And I was just as much a part of that as anyone.


It's funny to me, that at the time I had no overwhelming call to go to Africa, or sponsor an AIDS baby, or anything that specific. Some people are called to do those things. Others are made for a different purpose. But at that moment, a veil was lifted from my eyes, and I received a glimpse of what could be possible - what God might accomplish through His people if we were only willing. What suffering might be alleviated. What lonely people could experience love for the first time. What freedom might ring if we chose to stand up for the oppressed. What joy might resound if we loved the Lord with ALL of our might.

All that to say, I made a decision that day: I don't want to miss an opportunity; I want to fulfill my purpose. Have there been other milestones in my life, in my journey of faith? Sure. And I pray that there will be many more.

I suppose I share all this with you now, because I just learned that Princess Kasune Zulu will be sharing in a local church this Friday, and I am elated to go and see her again. God has brought me oh so far since that afternoon in the Del Taco parking lot, and I know He ain't done with me yet.

Praise God.

What are we waiting for?

A passionate, convicting plea from a Children's Cup worker in Swaziland (with my response at the bottom):

What Will it Take in 2008?

A buoyant great joy and an unspeakable sorrow both sweep through my soul as I remember 2007.

Children’s Cup grew to double the number of CarePoints and the number of children we care for (about 7000 now) whose lives we have seen Jesus change.

But how quickly other scenes ambush my heart as I look at the ones still waiting for our help.

I can tell you how it feels to watch a sobbing child’s body shut down with AIDS.

I have heard dying mothers plead for someone to care for the children she will leave behind.

I have watched orphaned children—in one case a 6 year-old girl—become the sole protector and breadwinner for her younger siblings.

I know of dozens of unwanted and unnamed toddlers who were handed off to village men to be sold for sex. If the children wanted even a morsel of food they would have to do whatever the man wanted.

I can tell you the problem is growing faster than we have the funds to respond.

I can tell you that the twin destroyers named AIDS and Hunger are measuring and defining the church—the Body of Christ—as they gallop in unrestrained apocalypse destroying families and nations.

But I can not tell you why or how so many of my fellow believers who call upon the name of Jesus for their own needs refuse to respond to the needs of a dying generation.

What can be said or done in 2008 to reach past indifference and ignite the hearts of God’s church?

The power of geography is unfathomable to me. I happened to be born here in America, with every resource available for me to grow up healthy and strong. Too many children are not so lucky.

The thing is, I know that if a child knocked at my door, if their parents had died and they needed a safe place to stay, I wouldn't hesitate to take them in. But when our doors are too far away for their little hands to reach, what then, shall we do?

What will I do? Go take care of orphans myself? Stay and send them money? Look for American children in need to take in? I don't have THE answer yet, but I believe it's coming, and as I wait, I do what I can.



Me & my little friend at the ABC ministry orphanage in Swaziland

The Power of Prayer

So many times, I feel that I don't even bother to pray because I don't expect the miraculous. I do desire to grow in my faith and reliance on God, so it's important to remind myself of God's power and the ways I've seen him work in my life as well as in the lives of those around me.

This encouraged me, and I hope it will encourage you as well: an incredible testimony from some of my South African friends:

God is doing amazing things in our schools!

The other day, there was a big UCSA Praise and Worship meeting at Jacques' school. Just before they started, Jacques noticed one of the students who is very involved in occult practices. He knew she had probably come to the meeting to bring disruption, and just prayed softly in his heart that Jesus would "knock her of her feet" during the praise and worship.

Well, the meeting went well, but a couple of minutes afterwards, the office of the school sent a message to Jacques that he must please come to the office immediately to help carry a girl who could not walk. When Jacques reached the office, there was this girl! Her legs couldn't move!!! :-)

No one knew about the prayer, but I'm sure that girl knew that Someone with greater power than her at touched her. The school immediately took her to see a doctor, and the doctor could find NOTHING WRONG with her! (medically speaking) She was able to walk again soon afterwards, but her whole attitude has changed towards Jacques and his ministry! God is so faithful!

When we least expect it, He shows up and does the Xtraordinary!

World AIDS; Every Day...

MBABANE (AFP) - Nearly a third of Swaziland's children are considered orphaned and vulnerable as AIDS takes its toll on the country, a study commissioned by the state's emergency response council said Friday.

"There are currently 130,000 OVCs (orphaned and vulnerable children) in the country, which represents 31.1 percent of all children countrywide," the study said.

"However, it is projected that the OVC figure could rise to 200,000 by the year 2010."

It added: "HIV and AIDS is permanently altering the structure of Swazi society. It is expected that by 2025 there will be a thinning of the older age groups and the very young."

Life expectancy in the country dropped from 60 years in 1997 to the world's lowest of 31.3 in 2004, while the mortality rate has sharply increased across the entire population over the past 15 years, the report added.

According to UNICEF's website, HIV prevalence among 20 to 30-year-olds is nearing 50 percent, higher than the national adult average.

In Swaziland, close to 40 percent of adults are living with HIV and AIDS, the highest infection rate anywhere in the world, UNICEF said.

World Race 06 Video

This week marks the ONE YEAR anniversary since Gary and I arrived home from our mission trip around the world. It blows me away how quickly the time has flown by.

When we first returned to the states, we shared a slideshow with pictures from our trip at a special dinner with our supporters in Sacramento. For those of you that weren't able to join us, I finally posted our slideshow video on Youtube for all to enjoy.

Here's our video:

Breathe Africa

Here's a way to support women and children in Swaziland while getting your Christmas shopping done:

Check out Breathe Africa.

In May 2007, members of Breathe Africa found almost 40 orphans in Nsoko, Swaziland. The children had been without food for about a week. These are the poorest of the poor, the worst we’ve seen in Swaziland. It was at that moment that we knew we needed to do something…. Presently we are helping to make sure that the children have enough food, as well as working on getting them all clothed.

We also have long term goals, as we are working on building a children’s village – it will have a community center, gardens, fish ponds, 6 – 8 homes that will house double orphans and have a mother and father in it to care for the children, a home for a gogo (grandmother), lodge (to house teams that want to come and serve), a market and café (there will be sustainability projects, so that they do not need to always rely on the support of others but can provide much of the money for themselves).

Purchasing items from Breathe Africa allows us to continue to move forward in our endeavors to provide, protect, and encourage these children and others like them.

Everything Counts

As much as I think and pray about helping orphans in Africa, especially Swaziland, it surprises me sometimes how (relatively) little I blog about it. I've continued to investigate opportunities for getting involved, and thought y'all are about due for an update.

Saint's Coffee - This is a brand-new Christian-run company that was started with the primary intent of raising money for orphans in Swaziland. Each purchase feeds an orphan for a month, and the website claims that in their first five weeks of sales, they've already been able to feed 270 kids 8,100 meals! That's great!

I've now sampled three of the blends that Saint's Coffee offers on their website. The mild and medium roasts are unfortunately too subtle to stand up to my Starbucks habit, but the St. George is not bad. If you'd like to sample any of the blends, please let me know.

Christmas in Africa - Children's Cup is a ministry that feeds children in various Care Points around Southern Africa. Each year they provide a huge Christmas party for the children, and this year they are encouraging a personal connection with sponsors around the world.

What you do is order a Christmas card from Children's Cup (preprinted in Siswati or Portuguese), write a note to a child, attach a picture of you and your family (if you like), and send it back along with $6. The money will cover the cost of a Christmas gift and dinner for the child. The child will then fill out a note and send it back to you. I just ordered a bunch to do as a youth group project, and am really excited to see our students connected to African kids.

5 for 50 - This is a charity that Tom Davis talks about in his new book Red Letters (I just received a copy - haven't gotten to read it yet). Each copy purchased results in a donation that goes directly to feeding orphans. On his blog, Tom talks about how they are able to do this: all the money raised pays for shipments of donated food. Not sure this is the right thing to do? Watch some of the videos posted on his blog. Keep tissues handy.

Wherever you are, whatever place you are in life, I pray that you will respond to the tragic need. I believe that we in America have been given rich material blessings, not for our own pleasure but to partake in the joy of giving to others.

So, if you can sponsor a child, do it! If you can send a Christmas gift for $6, do it! If you believe that God answers prayer and wants to heal the brokenhearted, do it! In the kingdom of God, no gift is too small.

I did it!

As many of you know, I have been praying for quite a while about the children of Swaziland. I feel that God has really broken my heart for that nation, and I have been praying about what my response should be.

Well, this morning, through World Vision, I decided to sponsor a little girl named Nothando. She is four years old, and as precious as can be. I would post her picture here if I could, but security measures won't allow me to do that. Just trust me when I tell you that she's the cutest thing ever!

If you are also interested in sponsoring a child in Swaziland, you must click on the "Find Child" button on the left-hand side of the World Vision home page. This will take you to a search page with a drop down menu of countries you can choose from. For some reason, Swaziland only shows up on this list, but not the one on the home page.

It always blows me away how much God has blessed those of us in the States, and it is such a joy to be able to give God's blessings back by helping those in need. I pray that little Nothando will come to understand just how much God loves her, and that my sponsorship will help her and her family to stay healthy and safe.

Read this Blog

One of the many random blogs I've happened to stumble upon this year is a gem called Texas in Africa. The author is a young woman who, for her dissertation, travels between Texas and the Congo quite frequently. She describes her site as: "All things Texas, football, music, politics, Africa, & Baptists. In that order."

What's not to like?

Anyways, one of her recent posts, "in black and white", really touched me. She does an amazing job articulating the tension experienced when bouncing between affluence and poverty. I relate to so many of her sentiments, coming back from the world race and trying to figure out what to do with all my experiences.

As she draws the contrasts, I relate to her experience, and relive my own. I particularly experience a sense of yearning, of longing for the simplicity of a life uncluttered by things and the guilt they bring; where people and relationships, and especially God, are more important, more real than the distracting trivialities that one so easily falls into here.

I understand and embrace the caution that:

"If I'm not careful, I'll forget to live as if my choices have consequences for those on the other side of the world. I'll forget to notice the affluence that is so much a part of my daily life. I'll forget to let the contrasts break my heart."

Anyways, this blog is definitely worth a read. Go check it out.