The Children

We went to our third orphanage yesterday. I think this one affected me the most. We help with support, but most of their money comes from people in the States that help. These are mainly kids off the streets of the city, who were just on their own for various reasons. The man that started it is from Texas, very nice. He came years ago and wanted to help.

The conditions in our terms seem inadequate, but compared to what they had before this home, it is a sanctuary. Over 100 children are housed, fed and they get education. And where most orphanages must turn them loose at 18, this one “employs” them or helps them go to trade school or university. It is heartbreaking to think that their lives were worse before, but I am so thankful that they have a chance at a better life now.

We, in America, take so many things for granted. I looks around at all the lushness and wonder how anyone starves. But if you don’t have the money for seeds, you can’t plant. You may get seeds to plant and the rains or the drought can ruin the crops. So very different from what we know, we don’t realize how many opportunities we have.

wp 20150514 0271
wp 20150514 023
wp 20150514 026

The Sign

In the end of February, we were trying to patiently wait on God, for His leading and direction. I say trying to be patient, because there were days that I just didn’t think I’d make it another day not knowing what we were going to do. We were praying about Africa,  Mexico, and if God was going to move us somewhere in the US. We were pretty sure at that point that God was going to move us, the big question was where.

I don’t make it a practice of testing God, or asking for signs, but after a stressful day, I prayed. I asked God to show me where we were going to go. If Mexico, please, Lord, let someone, maybe my mother-in-law, say the word taco – maybe she’ll come over and ask if we want to eat some tacos. (She doesn’t even eat tacos!) If in the US, another word (I can’t even remember now!) And if Africa, the word mango.

I laid down on the couch next to Raelee, She was watching Dora. Drifting off to sleep, I heard Dora say “Look Boots, at all the mangoes on that tree” I jumped off the couch and ran to tell Chris that we were moving to Africa! He wasn’t convinced, but like Raelee’s teacher says, I just knew that I knew! I emailed D and he wasn’t convinced either, telling me if I give God enough options, surely one will hit.

I know different. My God knows how many hairs are on my head, and He knows just how and when to encourage me. I’m not saying we should always be asking for signs from Him, but when we abide in Him for our everything, He will supply our every need. I needed reassurance that He was working, and He gave it!

 

Last Day Of School

WP_20150506 9Since we are going to Africa for two weeks, Raelee to Grandma and Grandpa ‘s, today was her last day of school. We took a cake with a picture of zebras and a giraffe at a watering hole. The kids loved it. She gave each one a treat bag that she had put together with candy and little animals and a magnetic picture of her. All of them kept telling her they were going to miss her so much and one even told me we should not move there!

After everyone had cake, each child took a picture with her. It was so sweet! Then they circled around her and with Mrs. Humphrey and Mrs. Hillegas prayed. Each child was praying out loud. It was very moving to hear them praying for their friend. With tears and hugs we said goodbye. I hate that she has to leave such a loving environment, but I know God has bigger plans for us.

Now, to just make it through the next two days till we leave!

WP_20150506 5

Sexy Shoes

shoes copyDear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong…  James 3:1-4

You learn a lot about yourself when you have children. Our boys taught me patience (believe me, before them I had NO patience!), but Raelee has taught me so much more about myself because she is a little sponge – always soaking in my words and my behavior. I have got onto Christian many times about the things we say to each other, because she is always watching and waiting to use those words. We’ve never watched too much TV when she is around, especially the past 4-5 months, we haven’t had the TV on at all except for her couple shows in the morning before school, so that she doesn’t pick up language and behavior that we don’t model at home. There are things she picks up at school, I’m pretty sure that butt-head came from somebody at school. Then there was the day she told her cousin, who is her “best friend” that if he didn’t stop what he was doing that she wouldn’t love him anymore and never forgive him. I told her we ALWAYS forgive in our house, so I don’t know for sure where that came from. She called me a zealot one day, and of course out of context but that came from our Bible reading.

But yesterday, going to the grocery store, she was in her car seat with her new shoes on and she says “Aren’t these shoes just so sexy?” Wait, did I just hear what I think I heard? I looked at Christian and he said “Yes, she just said what you think she said” I looked at her and said “What?” She repeated the question, and yes, it was just what I thought. I didn’t have an answer, that word coming out of her 5 year-old-innocent mouth was just so shocking. And the thing was, I KNEW that came from our house! At that moment I was promising God that I would NEVER say that word again if He would just keep it from coming out of her mouth! I told her she shouldn’t say that, and she asked why. I looked at her perplexed looking daddy for help and under his breath he said “Tell her that is a grown-up word”.

“Raelee, that word is for grown-ups. When you are married, that is something you tell each other because you love them. So, don’t say that anymore.” She thought for a minute and said “Well you and Daddy have a very sexy marriage then”! Funny and not so funny how kids pick up the things we say and do, and there are so many things we don’t realize how inappropriate they are for a child until it is coming out of there sweet little mouths!

I Am Overcome

Friends of ours invited us to their church building, about an hour away from us. Wasn’t a big congregation, but there was an unannounced guest speaker that morning, from South Africa. The words he spoke were great encouragement to us, re-enforcing things God had been telling us all week. Then the Pastor asked us to come to the front so that the Church could pray for us and our move. We went to the front and were facing him, and he asked for all the people from Africa to come and pray in their native dialects. We couldn’t see the people, they were behind us, but we heard their prayers, six different people prayed in six different languages! It was amazing, Christian and I both in tears. The one and only word we understood in each language was Jesus. He is the same in all languages.

I am so thankful that God looks down on me and chooses to love me and guide me. I am overcome by the lengths He will go to show me that He is with me and He loves me.

Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,Though stretched from sky to sky.

This is a verse from the hymn “The Love Of God”. We can’t even conceive how deep and how wide His love for us is.