Do Something for Haiti's Children

You'll have to act quick, but if you want to give your family a practical way to get involved with relief in Haiti, you can purchase bedding (blankets, sheets,and mats) and children's Bibles. They can be dropped off at the Cool Springs Mall or at Brentwood Baptist on Wednesday. They will then be sent to the Dominican Republic and the team there will help deliver them to Port-au-Prince to these displaced and newly orphaned children. This is a simple opportunity for your family to minister to these sweet children.

(If you'll get the items to me by Wednesday morning, I'll deliver them to Cool Springs on Wednesday afternoon).

More information available at Sweet Sleep.

Info: Bedding Drive for Orphans in Haiti

Who: Sweet Sleep. Sweet Sleep provides bed and bedding to orphaned and abandoned children around the world—including Haiti

What: Sweet Sleep is providing bedding to thousands of displaced and newly orphaned children who are currently being moved to/accepted into a 6 acre property outside of Port-au-Prince. Bedding will include new blankets, sheets and mats (camping, yoga, school, straw, etc). Additionally, Bibles for children and youth are needed and also being collected. Donations should be new or in like-new condition.

When: Wednesday, January 20, 2009

Where: Drop off locations: 1) CoolSprings Galleria Mall, Sears parking lot, lower level. The “Budget” moving truck will be parked between Sears and 1-65. 2) Brentwood Baptist Church---Connection Center, 7777 Concord Rd, Brentwood, TN 27024. BBC can be contacted at 324-6100.

Collection times: 10 am- 7 pm

Other info:
Sweet Sleep will collect these items on Wednesday, January 20, 2009. From there they will be transported to Miami where they will be loaded into a shipping container Friday. The container will ship to the Dominican Republic on Saturday. Our partner organizations are clearing the container through customs and transporting the materials to Port-au-Prince and to the transitional campus where the children are now living. Our partners have been on the ground in PAP since Thursday and have been trucking in supplies from DR since Friday, FYI.

A Second Slice of Humble Pie

When we stepped off the plane in Ethiopia, I immediately smelled that familiar smell. Africa....I didn't know if it would smell that way in Uganda and Ethiopia, but it is a burning and wood type of smell. Some of my wooden items from Zambia smelled that way for awhile, but now, they just smell like America. But I wanted to kiss the ground when we landed in Ethiopia on December 31st, because the smell was there. I knew God had great things in store because He had already given me a familiar smell that brought joy to my heart.

What I didn't expect was all the burning in Uganda to bother my lungs...but it did. It started with a tickle in my throat and then it led to a cough. I knew what was happening...I was getting bronchitis. I rarely get sick. I haven't taken an antiobiotic since 1999 and even then it was as a precaution when we were going through invitro. I've had bronchitis two times that I can remember clearly and both times it was triggered by allergies that got out of control. I debated taking some allergy medicine, but I didn't really think that would help. I was wishing that I had an inhaler...but I don't normally need one, so who would've thought to ask for one. So I fought it for awhile and finally I decided that I needed to start my antibiotic. It hurt to cough....it hurt to breathe...I felt like someone was stepping on my chest. I held off on the antiobiotic because I thought it might give me stomach problems and honestly, no one wants to be in Africa with stomach problems. Some places just have squatty pottys. Yuck!

I didn't want to miss Monday's activities. The team was going to feed the Karamojong tribe and then off to Canaan's Children's Home. I didn't want to miss both and I really debated if I just didn't have enough faith that I could survive the day. But I felt terrible. I had a fever even though I was pretending I didn't. Tabby came back from the morning meeting and told me that Nate and Simon (team leaders) were coming back to pick up the craft bags before Canaan's. That was my answer. I would rest in the morning and then head to Canaan's in the afternoon.

And so, I stayed in the bed and cried. I was sad for what I was missing. I was sad because I felt so crummy. I was sad that I really just wanted to be home in the safe arms of my husband. I was sad that maybe I didn't have enough faith to believe that God could've given me the strength to make it through the entire day. And so I cried and I wept in that bed at Kingfisher Resort. And God grabbed my heart and reminded me that there were children all over this country and all over the world who don't have anyone to hold them when they're sick. No one to tuck them in and pray that they would feel better tomorrow. I was popping advil like it was candy to keep the fever down, but many around the world are without any medication at all and a simple fever lands them in the hospital or ends their sweet life at an early age. Where was my faith? God was calling me to suffer for a short time....just a day really. And so, since I knew I had no right to complain. I accepted the tiny suffering of bronchitis in Africa. I asked the Lord to forgive me and to give me a heart of compassion and kindness for those who have so little. I have so much. And so, I willingly ate my second helping of humble pie.

The Karamojong visit was the highlight of the trip for some of the team. There was a bit of sadness to hear them talk about how their hearts had been broken. But my sweet God had something very different and very special planned for me on Monday afternoon. I would've missed it if I would've gone on the trip on Monday morning. More tomorrow....

The mind of man plans his way, BUT the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
Man's steps are ordained by the LORD, how then can man understand his way?
Proverbs 20:24

Floured Jeans

I was going to post more on Canaan's Children's Home today, but I can't. My emotions are too raw regarding it. I'm not sure why...it's not the worst I've seen, but it tugged at my heart in unbelievable ways. Maybe I'll post tomorrow or I may wait until Monday. I'm sorry, but I can only go so deep right now otherwise I'd just be a blubbering mess of tears huddled in the corner of our house with a box of kleenex.

The poverty in Africa...the corruption of government....the plight of the orphan....the devastation in Haiti...the wealth of America....it all sickens me.

On a much lighter note...if you doubted if I really bagged a bunch of plastic bags of flour or if the team leader really did laugh at me because my face was covered in flour by the time I was done....I give you Exhibit A and Exhibit B.

Those jeans started off a dark shade of denim and turned a nice shade of white flour by the end of the day.

Exhibit A -- packing flour bags by the side of the house. Tabby somehow stayed much cleaner than me.


Sizing precious feet inside Katie's house in my floured jeans :-)

A Sweet Kiss Straight from the Heart of God

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I may have already written this at some point in the past, but sometimes God sends unexpected blessings and I call them "sweet kisses straight from God". Sometimes it's a front row parking spot when I'm in a hurry. Sometimes it's an unexpected note of encouragement. Sometimes it's a sweet new friendship or a word sweetly spoken from one of my children. Sometimes it's a verse of Scripture that I needed right in that moment.

And in Africa it's getting loved on by the same child two days in a row...unexpectedly. I didn't even know it had happened until I got home and started looking at the pictures. The first picture is this sweet girl at Katie's house getting a new pair of shoes on Saturday. Then on Sunday, she grabbed my hand as soon as I got off the bus at Canaan's Children's Home. These two places are not close...probably about 10-15 minutes away by bus, so I'm not sure how some of the children ended up in both places. She sat with me through most of the singing and Bible story time. At some point, we got separated and I was with other children. And then right before we left, she found me and Tabby took our picture. I'm not sure of her name, just that God sent me a sweet kiss that I didn't open until I was back in Tennessee.

He is a big God and He does exceeding abundantly. I went to Africa to be a blessing and I came home incredibly blessed. I can never thank Him enough or give Him enough praise. He is a God who is involved in the details of our lives...don't ever doubt that!

A Broken Heart Once Again

Sunday in Uganda. We weren't leaving for church until 9:30, so we had some extra time in the morning. Tabby and I bought our bottles of Coca Cola and headed down to the lake after breakfast. Uganda is beautiful. It's a lush country--at least in Jinja where we were.


As I read the Bible and prayed, I found two verses that I wrote in my journal.
Psalm 9:18-19
For the needy will not always be forgotten. Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.

Zechariah 7:9-10
Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.

I asked God for a heart of kindness and compassion. I asked Him to break my heart for what breaks His. My heart was so broken on my first trip to Africa that I really didn't know if I could have the same intensity of a broken heart. Well, God heard my prayer that day.

We headed to Pastor Isaac's church (more about him tomorrow). There is freedom in African church services. The service ran from 10-1 and was fabulous. Papa Duck (Jesse) got to share and also Dr. Josh. I loved getting to hear from them and how God was moving within our group.

After church we headed to Canaan's Children's Home (an orphanage in Uganda). We were told that some of the children were with family for the holidays, so there were only about 40 that would be there. We arrived and there were so many more than 40. Lots of children from the village had come to see "Mzungus (white people)". The children grab your hands before you get off the bus and start loving on you and walking you over to seats. It is just precious.




And then you sit and begin to wonder about their stories. Gloria, who is just a beautiful girl. What will her future be? Why is she here? She wrote God and Gloria on her paper. So tender, so ready and willing to be used of the Lord. Use her in a mighty way, Lord.


Gustav...a talented artist. He has so much potential. Will he have the opportunities to fulfill his giftedness? Lord, I hope so.



I looked into their eyes and some had happy eyes, but some were sad. Those eyes would pierce straight to your heart. The kids were scattered. Some doing crafts and some playing soccer and then this little boy appeared at my side. Severely burned all over his face. He didn't have a nose. My heart felt like it had been crushed into a million pieces. I wanted to take his picture so desperately, just so I could remember the moment. Break my heart for what breaks God. I believe the wickedness of our world and the sickness and adversity these children have to face breaks the heart of God. The children love for you to take their picture and then show it to them on the screen. I couldn't take his picture because I honestly didn't know if he knew what he looked like and I didn't want to be the one to show him. Tears welled in my eyes as I told him of the love of God. He just looked straight through me. I didn't know if he understood or if the pain was just so deep that the words couldn't penetrate to his heart. I loved on him for a few moments and then as quickly as he appeared, he was just as quickly gone. I didn't see him again before I left Canaan's that day. My heart was broken. I went back to the room and just cried for this boy. What happened to him? Who did this? Was it an accident? God, this just doesn't seem fair?

God answered my prayer that Sunday in Uganda. He broke my heart for the children of Uganda. He gave me a love for them and an understanding that this life in Uganda is not easy. They have endured more adversity in their lifetime than I have in my 37 years of life. I pray that God will take the adversity and turn their ashes into beauty and give them an incredible and powerful testimony that will draw others to Christ. He is our only hope!

A Slice of Humble Pie

Today I'll tell you about my first piece of humble pie I ate while in Africa. I had several slices...maybe even a whole pie by the time I was done with the trip. I'd love to share that I'm all mature and Spirit filled and God didn't have to bang on my hard head while in Africa, but that just wouldn't be the truth.

Today I am going to talk about the reason that most of the team signed up for the trip to Africa. Katie's. Katie's story is fascinating, no doubt. She is a girl completely surrendered to the Lord, but once you've been to Africa you don't need a story like Katie's as a reason to go back. I'd get on a plane next week and go back to anywhere in Africa just because there is something incredible about the place. I can't put it into words, but the Spirit is alive and moving, there is freedom and just something that my soul craves that gets fulfilled when I go to Africa.

So, we head to Katie's with lots of crafts and 400 pairs for shoes for the kids in the village that come to Katie's for lunch every Saturday. Katie's girls are incredibly welcoming. Tabby and I ended up at the side of the house....not sure how, but we did. Some of Katie's girls were putting flour into plastic bags. 3 heaping scoops to be exact.


The children go home with flour, rice, beans and soap after a trip to Katie's on Saturday. So Tabby and I got to work. We enjoyed getting to know Katie's girls. They are beautiful and funny and we decided to co-labor with them. For awhile it was fine and then the job got kind of tedious. I started thinking about how hard their lives are and how the work is never done. They were cooking the beans right next to us and the smell of smoke was starting to bother my lungs. Hours later as I'm still putting flour and beans and rice into bags, I'm starting to get a little selfish. I want to be running and playing and singing with the kids from the community. That's what I came to do, but I'm stuck in this corner(pity party) with big bags of flour and I'm covered in flour from head to toe because I have a three year old helper whose fine motor skills are not perfected.


I decide to throw a little pity party in my brain and heart even though there was a smile on my face. And then a still small voice, "Be my hands and feet". That's what I got. Still I wanted to run and play and sing some African songs. And again, "Be my hands and feet". Okay, I heard. I'll submit.


And so, most of the flour was done and I headed into Katie's house to get away from the smoky air for a few minutes.

The process of handing out shoes was well under way. The kids lined up and got sized first, then they got their feet washed and dried and fitted for a new pair of school shoes. I sized kids for awhile. Then I dried their feet. I put neosporin and bandaids on several feet because they had sores. I prayed over those sweet feet as I dried them. I heard the singing outside and although there was a tug to go sing and dance, I knew my assignment for the day. Be His hands and feet. Be Christ's servant in whatever way you can. (Not that singing and dancing with the kids isn't being His hands and feet, but that wasn't what Christ would have for me that day). I ended up in a dark hallway with rows and rows of shoes searching for correct sizes with a small flashlight. It wasn't glamorous. It won't win any awards or make it into any magazines, but I knew that I was fulfilling my call that day. I was a servant not looking for a pat on the back or any kind of approval except the approval of my Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that He said, "well done" at the end of that day. Sumer and Angela and several others offered to relieve my duties in the hallway so that I could go outside and sing and dance, but I was living in my sweet spot that Saturday in Africa. I was living out my passion of serving others before myself. And so, my first Saturday in Uganda I ate a big serving of humble pie and it tasted fine. God reminded me that it's not about me, it's about Him. I decided that on Sunday, I would be His hands and feet again. Simon (one of our team leaders)could've asked me to scrub African toilets and I would've obeyed because I knew that the assignment would've come straight from the hands of our precious Lord.

There is a BUT GOD and the end of this story. God honors, blesses and rewards our obedience. I wasn't looking for anything at the end of the day. I was content with a job well done. BUT GOD had a special blessing for me. One of Katie's girls, Hellen, developed an attachment to me. I don't know when and I don't know how. I don't even remember having a conversation with her. But God chose to bless me with a special friend, Hellen. Every time our bus went to Katie's (at least one time each day for the next several days), Hellen would run out and search the bus for me. She didn't search for anyone else...she scanned up and down the bus until she found me. She would hug on my neck and hold my hand. A sweet bond that the Lord created. And in those sweet moments, God reminded me that He searches for me in the same way. The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. (2 Chron. 16:9) May my heart be full and completely His each and every day of my life...not just one Saturday in Uganda.

Party of Five from TSC

A mission trip is always hard to process. What to talk about first? Am I able to talk about it or do I need more time? Words cannot describe the smells or sights or emotions that you experience. All the words just seem so inadequate when you try to describe everything that you've seen and done. But, I'll do the best I can and hopefully you'll understand at least some.

When Derek and I go on mission trips, we have an agreement to not communicate with each other. This arrangement isn't for everyone, but it works for us. It's better for me not to know what's going on in my world back home. We completely disengage from the world as we know it. For 10 days, I am not a wife, I am not a mom, I am not a preschool director, I don't have any responsibilities or cares...I am simply a girl willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

One of the reason I love mission trips is because I can discern the Lord's voice much more clearly...it's probably because I don't have facebook, tv, blogs to read, clothes to wash, a house to clean, meals to prepare, schedules to keep, etc. I love that I'm going to change someone's life in Africa and God changes mine in the process. I love that I leave with a couple of friends and come home with a family of Africans and Americans. I am richer because of the experience.

The first lesson to be learned...patience. Nothing much to do on a 15 hour flight except get to know your neighbors on the plane and rest. Prepare your heart for all that you're about to experience and set any agenda aside that I might have because I can pretty much guarantee that it's not God's agenda because His ways are not our ways.

When I went to Zambia in 2008, Brian was our papa duck. Jesse became our Papa Duck on this trip and he did a fabulous job. The shoes were hard to fill because Brian was funny and made me laugh so much in Zambia. Humor is a huge part of the trip because otherwise you can easily become depressed. Jesse did not disappoint. He's a silly boy with a heart of gold. He made me laugh and smile every single day.





We had to exercise patience at the Ethiopia airport when we waited in line for hours to get our visa. The Ethiopian workers don't get in a hurry. We were tired and it was late, but it was out of our hands. We stood in line and talked about Colossians 3...putting on patience and a heart of compassion. I heard some testimonies from the Birmingham group about their faith and their church. It was a sweet time of waiting and waiting some more.

Sumer, Angela and Tabby were great travel companions as well. The big phrase the whole trip was "chains are falling" because we realized we were attached to our American ways which included overuse of hand sanitizer, no bugs and staying on schedule and being on time. By the end of the trip, hand sanitizer just didn't seem so important and we were eating fruit and bread that had gnats and flies on it and we knew that "we're leaving at 10", really meant, "maybe we're leaving around 11". In the end, none of it matters, because God moved in mighty ways. He is a great big God and I realized that my faith needs to be stretched and increased.