~~~First of all, Happy Veteran's Day. This is one of my favorite holidays. I get emotional when I think of every one who has fought for my family and me. Those people are the bravest moms, dads, husbands, wives, sisters, brothers, friends, and many of them sacrificed their lives for me! For all of us! They are truly to be honored. ~~~
There are some people rejoicing that Obama is back in office for a short 4 year stint, and there are others who are in mourning and grieving that Obama was re-elected for a LONG, painful, scary 4 year process.
I was 100% sure of who I was voting for, and my guy lost. I was saddened, sure. I was thinking, oh my, think of everyone who will be affected. What will this mean for our country and for our future and for our people.
After I realized that I absolutely could do nothing to change it, I was reminded that NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE can take away my freedom. I could read prophecy about the end times, I could listen over and over to the conservative media analyze what happened and what was going to happen, but except for having a feeling of likemindedness, NOTHING WAS GOING TO CHANGE. Barack Obama was the United States of America's president for the next 4 years.
I realized that I am free. My place of freedom can't be seen. My place of freedom will never perish. My place of freedom has people fighting every day on this earth to make people realize that THEY ARE FREE!!! They're in God's army, and the good news is GOD WINS!!!
In my life, not even the meanest, scariest, darkest person or leader can change me. I am willing to die for Jesus. And if I die for Him, I will go to a place where freedom reigns eternally.
People, take heart in that. Yes, our nation will surely have trials and tribulations. It's biblical. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. But are you ready? Are you ready to enlist in God's army? Are we not in a state of emergency? Let's call GEMA (God's Emergency Man Agency).
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Have you heard this song?.....
In Christ Alone by Getty & Townend
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Go listen to it. There are many artists who perform this.....Avalon, Newsboys, etc. Just You Tube it. I get emotional every time I hear it!!!! It's right up there with Amazing Grace!
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Go listen to it. There are many artists who perform this.....Avalon, Newsboys, etc. Just You Tube it. I get emotional every time I hear it!!!! It's right up there with Amazing Grace!
Monday, November 5, 2012
I'm speechless...
I'd love to say I'm speechless because my 10 year old son told us yesterday that he "felt different while he was singing at church, like God was really there". He said that he knew God was always there. "But Mom and Dad, this felt different, do you know what I mean?, he explained. From there, he shared that he asked Jesus to come into his heart and that he was "confused, but a good confused". He truly was feeling the Spirit moving and didn't know what to do with that. I remember that feeling. It was new, exciting, scary (but a good scary), etc.
Of course, we feel so good knowing that Will is feeling the Holy Spirit and realizing what it means to be a Christian by accepting Christ, but that's not why I'm speechless...
I was in a Christian bookstore today buying myself a brand spanking new Bible!!! (Mine needed to be put in a special place and didn't need to be used on a daily basis as the spine was wearing out/falling apart and it is VERY sentimental.)
Back to the story: There were two men arguing - loudly!!! They were employees of the bookstore (the manager and an empoyee). I don't want to be overly dramatic by saying it was a shouting match, but let's just say it got the entire store's attention! The employee ended up quitting on the spot. I was uncomfortable to say the least.
As I was waiting in line, I observed the manager as he waited on the customer in front of me. He was clearly flustered. The customer had purchased a few things off the "sale" table. She was arguing with the manager over one particular item. In my mind I'm thinking, please let me get out of this store and quick, but unfortunately the customer was preventing anyone from moving anywhere quickly. I noticed what she was arguing about........The manager had given her 40% off the item in question, but she stated that the item was not 40% off, but 50% off. The manager explained that he was so sorry, but the item was placed on the wrong table, it was really 40% off. He stated that because the item was on the wrong table he would go ahead and give her the 50% off. He asked her to show him where she got the item, so he could move the others if there were any. She showed him, and promptly said, "I'm sorry". WAS SHE???? She still let him give her the 50% off. What's 10%? It was an accident. She wasn't going to say, "never mind I would not like to buy it at this time". NO, she expected him to give her the extra 10% off!!!!! I love how she said she was sorry......really??? Oh, I forgot the craziest part - THE ITEM'S ORIGINAL COST WAS $1.75 (that's ONE DOLLAR AND SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS!!!). She was arguing over the $1.75 item being 50% off versus 40% off!!!
Ok, I'm sure many of you were thinking that maybe she was in extreme poverty or something. Well, you might be right. I thought about that. It was hard to not be frustrated because the item in question was a KEYCHAIN....... But let's go a bit furthur, maybe she was in extreme poverty AND was planning to share the gospel with someone through this keychain???? The keychain was a little light that said, "Jesus is the light of my life". Maybe it was the key (no pun intended) to changing someone's life, and I was merely being judgmental.
What are your thoughts??? I seriously thought - WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO when you are in a Christian bookstore (I know, I know they're human and sinners too) and there is a heated, loud, unprofessional argument between two men. I guess it makes me feel upset because both of these men have waited on me a number of times. They recognize me when I come into the store. These men have asked me to sponsor a child through WorldVision. These men have guided customors on what Bible to buy. I've heard them share snip-its of why a particular book spoke to them....
Then when the customer in front of me was buying Christian items and causing such a scene....WOW!!! I'm speechless.
Of course, we feel so good knowing that Will is feeling the Holy Spirit and realizing what it means to be a Christian by accepting Christ, but that's not why I'm speechless...
I was in a Christian bookstore today buying myself a brand spanking new Bible!!! (Mine needed to be put in a special place and didn't need to be used on a daily basis as the spine was wearing out/falling apart and it is VERY sentimental.)
Back to the story: There were two men arguing - loudly!!! They were employees of the bookstore (the manager and an empoyee). I don't want to be overly dramatic by saying it was a shouting match, but let's just say it got the entire store's attention! The employee ended up quitting on the spot. I was uncomfortable to say the least.
As I was waiting in line, I observed the manager as he waited on the customer in front of me. He was clearly flustered. The customer had purchased a few things off the "sale" table. She was arguing with the manager over one particular item. In my mind I'm thinking, please let me get out of this store and quick, but unfortunately the customer was preventing anyone from moving anywhere quickly. I noticed what she was arguing about........The manager had given her 40% off the item in question, but she stated that the item was not 40% off, but 50% off. The manager explained that he was so sorry, but the item was placed on the wrong table, it was really 40% off. He stated that because the item was on the wrong table he would go ahead and give her the 50% off. He asked her to show him where she got the item, so he could move the others if there were any. She showed him, and promptly said, "I'm sorry". WAS SHE???? She still let him give her the 50% off. What's 10%? It was an accident. She wasn't going to say, "never mind I would not like to buy it at this time". NO, she expected him to give her the extra 10% off!!!!! I love how she said she was sorry......really??? Oh, I forgot the craziest part - THE ITEM'S ORIGINAL COST WAS $1.75 (that's ONE DOLLAR AND SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS!!!). She was arguing over the $1.75 item being 50% off versus 40% off!!!
Ok, I'm sure many of you were thinking that maybe she was in extreme poverty or something. Well, you might be right. I thought about that. It was hard to not be frustrated because the item in question was a KEYCHAIN....... But let's go a bit furthur, maybe she was in extreme poverty AND was planning to share the gospel with someone through this keychain???? The keychain was a little light that said, "Jesus is the light of my life". Maybe it was the key (no pun intended) to changing someone's life, and I was merely being judgmental.
What are your thoughts??? I seriously thought - WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO when you are in a Christian bookstore (I know, I know they're human and sinners too) and there is a heated, loud, unprofessional argument between two men. I guess it makes me feel upset because both of these men have waited on me a number of times. They recognize me when I come into the store. These men have asked me to sponsor a child through WorldVision. These men have guided customors on what Bible to buy. I've heard them share snip-its of why a particular book spoke to them....
Then when the customer in front of me was buying Christian items and causing such a scene....WOW!!! I'm speechless.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Leftovers...
As I post a thought at 10:22 pm, I realize I have given God my leftovers of the day. Don't get me wrong, I talked to Him throughout the day today, but I didn't really make time for Him (time for my usual daily study, prayer)
I tried to blame it on the fact that I didn't sleep well last night, and that I had to get up at the crack of dawn to be at work this morning. I also used the excuse that I would get what I needed to get done around the house so I can truly "focus" on Him later.
Well, it's time to hit the hay, my kids have been sleeping soundly after having some quality time playing UNO with the parents, my house is clean, supper was home cooked, I even cleaned out the basement today. Here I sit, exhausted and telling God that I am sorry for leaving Him the leftovers of the day.
What's funny is that He is such a God of understanding. HE IS ALWAYS HERE. He was here with me all day while I accomplished my earthly tasks.
A perfect example of God always being "here" is an experience I had this past Sunday.... I love hawks and eagles. In Alabama it's not super common to see lots of hawks (you see them, but it's not all the time), but seeing an eagle is rare (I think). Both birds are so breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing a hawk reminds me that God is my protector, that I must fly on His wings, and when I see one soaring in the sky I always think of Him and smile.
Ironically, I see A LOT of hawks. I mean, my friends and husband find it strange. I even have a picture of one perched on a fence merely 10 feet from me. After staring at each other for a good 5 minutes, the beautiful bird took flight and soared right over me. That's just one example, but it's really funny. I'll even simply text the word "hawk" to my friends because it's just so crazy how they are so "there" for me.
On Sunday, I was feeling "not in the church mood". I was excited to go to church, but I didn't have that "feeling". Do you know what I mean? I wanted to be "feeling it". Anyway, as we turned into the church, I prayed, "Lord, I know you are always here, but I want to feel you. I know it's me and not you, but please show me your presence".
Maybe 3 seconds later, a huge hawk flew directly over our car. It was maybe 5 feet over our car. My son was going crazy because it was so beautiful. No one knew that I had just prayed that prayer, but it was so reassuring to hear His voice, "I'm right here, Dani". I still get emotional thinking about it. I happened to see 3 hawks that day - I would like to think it was a reminder.
Father, thank you for always be here. Even when I have given you my leftovers. You are so forgiving and loving. You never give me your leftovers, but always the best of You. You made sure I had everything done today, you put me first. I put you last, and I am sorry. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for your love being truly unconditional......~dani
I tried to blame it on the fact that I didn't sleep well last night, and that I had to get up at the crack of dawn to be at work this morning. I also used the excuse that I would get what I needed to get done around the house so I can truly "focus" on Him later.
Well, it's time to hit the hay, my kids have been sleeping soundly after having some quality time playing UNO with the parents, my house is clean, supper was home cooked, I even cleaned out the basement today. Here I sit, exhausted and telling God that I am sorry for leaving Him the leftovers of the day.
What's funny is that He is such a God of understanding. HE IS ALWAYS HERE. He was here with me all day while I accomplished my earthly tasks.
A perfect example of God always being "here" is an experience I had this past Sunday.... I love hawks and eagles. In Alabama it's not super common to see lots of hawks (you see them, but it's not all the time), but seeing an eagle is rare (I think). Both birds are so breathtakingly beautiful. Seeing a hawk reminds me that God is my protector, that I must fly on His wings, and when I see one soaring in the sky I always think of Him and smile.
Ironically, I see A LOT of hawks. I mean, my friends and husband find it strange. I even have a picture of one perched on a fence merely 10 feet from me. After staring at each other for a good 5 minutes, the beautiful bird took flight and soared right over me. That's just one example, but it's really funny. I'll even simply text the word "hawk" to my friends because it's just so crazy how they are so "there" for me.
On Sunday, I was feeling "not in the church mood". I was excited to go to church, but I didn't have that "feeling". Do you know what I mean? I wanted to be "feeling it". Anyway, as we turned into the church, I prayed, "Lord, I know you are always here, but I want to feel you. I know it's me and not you, but please show me your presence".
Maybe 3 seconds later, a huge hawk flew directly over our car. It was maybe 5 feet over our car. My son was going crazy because it was so beautiful. No one knew that I had just prayed that prayer, but it was so reassuring to hear His voice, "I'm right here, Dani". I still get emotional thinking about it. I happened to see 3 hawks that day - I would like to think it was a reminder.
Father, thank you for always be here. Even when I have given you my leftovers. You are so forgiving and loving. You never give me your leftovers, but always the best of You. You made sure I had everything done today, you put me first. I put you last, and I am sorry. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for your love being truly unconditional......~dani
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Stuck.....need help!!!
Some of you know the reason this blog is called The Atticus Project. It is based on a project/program that is underway. This project will provide teenage girls who "age out" or emancipate out of foster care with transitional housing, life skills, Christian values, and confidence to succeed in life.
This is a non-profit organization. The journey has gone so smoothly, that it must have been ordained by God.
WE NEED OUR FIRST HOUSE!!! There is a program called the CDFI fund. It is a federal fund where they actually will sometimes gives homes to non-profit organizations. We are going to apply for this, but we need for all of you to put your "feelers" out there for foreclosed homes preferably in the Gardendale/Mt. Olive area at first. We plan to spread county-wide, outside the county, state-wide, nationally, and internationally, but we need to begin somehwere.
If you know of ANYTHING, even if it doesn't seem helpful, please let us know.
You may email me at nesmith4kids@gmail.com or post a comment to this blog entry.
Thanks for everything!!!
This is a non-profit organization. The journey has gone so smoothly, that it must have been ordained by God.
WE NEED OUR FIRST HOUSE!!! There is a program called the CDFI fund. It is a federal fund where they actually will sometimes gives homes to non-profit organizations. We are going to apply for this, but we need for all of you to put your "feelers" out there for foreclosed homes preferably in the Gardendale/Mt. Olive area at first. We plan to spread county-wide, outside the county, state-wide, nationally, and internationally, but we need to begin somehwere.
If you know of ANYTHING, even if it doesn't seem helpful, please let us know.
You may email me at nesmith4kids@gmail.com or post a comment to this blog entry.
Thanks for everything!!!
Monday, October 22, 2012
where do i begin........? [long post]
[sigh]....back to the States from a short mission trip to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and I'm feeling..........sort of empty. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am so HAPPY to see my children and my husband. It's just that I hate leaving the people. Even when I was younger (like teenage years), I have been intrigued by the Central American culture and population. I sort of feel like I am one of them. Don't I look just like them??? I mean, blonde hair, blue eyes, freckles, tall....round (at least I have that part right).
My kids were so sad that I left them here in the States - they wanted to go too. We decided that since they went to Guatemala in December, it was too expensive right now to take them back on a trip. I promised that next year we would go back to Honduras.
I have to say that out of the trips I have taken to the Central American countries, this by far took my heart. I met some really awesome friends. I already miss them terribly.
I met Blanca, who is one of the nurses I worked with. Her 8 year old daughter, Mary, was my "Honduras" daughter! I told her that she reminded me of my girls. She latched on to me instantly.
Yanina (pronounced "Janina") and I clicked immediately. If I lived in Honduras, I'm pretty sure we'd be the best of friends. She is actually from Argentina. She and her husband along with her 2 teenage boys moved from Argentina 3 years ago to become full time missionaries in Honduras.
Nubia and Dania were 2 of the doctors I worked with. I truly believe that we, too, would be very good friends!!! They have devoted their lives to providing medical care to the poverty stricken people in the villages.
Tegucigalpa (Teg) is a huge city and is the capital of Honduras. In Teg people are either wealthy or poverty stricken. There is really no middle class. Teg is a very hilly/mountainous city, and in the center or valley is the metropolitan area. The villages are usually located up the mountains. Opposite of where I've been in Monterrey, Mexico, Honduras is beautifully green and not dry like a desert.
The people in the villages live in severe poverty. They do not have access to the jobs of the metropolitan area of the city. They do not have clean water. A water truck comes to fill up their pilas which is like a giant outdoor bathtub with clean water ONCE A MONTH! That clean water will become cooking water, drinking water, bath water, laundry water, etc. Indoor plumbing??? No way!!!
The team I served with came from Memphis, TN. Keith's good friend, Keny, is the marketing director for POI Ministries (Point of Impact). I instantly bonded with the entire team, and I miss seeing them every day! We had amazing chemistry. I feel this trip is the best one I've been on.
An overview of the trip (this is just simply an overview!):
Friday: Arrived mid-afternoon to the Humuya Inn. The hotel was one of the nicest I've ever stayed in. I couldn't help but think, "Um, this isn't a mission trip. Aren't I supposed to like only shower 1 time the entire week like I have in the past? Isn't my bed supposed to be a bunk bed with questionable bed linens? This is a 5 star hotel! I feel like I'm in North America!". Boy was I wrong...
We headed off to Villa Nueva to "do the water trucks". I wasn't sure what that was, but I learned quickly. We rented this water truck for ONLY 55 American dollars. It had a big long hose and a pump that we used to pump the water into their pilas. The look on the people's faces were indescribable. They couldn't believe that they were getting water before the scheduled monthly truck. ALL of their pilas were completely dry!!! Women were coming out with buckets and tiny little margerine tubs for us to fill up with water. It was like little, tiny ants racing to a sticky sucker that got dropped on the ground by a child.
We crashed in bed so we could be rested for an early rise in the morning. I think we left the hotel at 7 a.m.
Saturday: We went to the village of San Juan to set up a medical brigaide, pharmacy, and evangelistic station.
**A side note about these villages is that gangs are a huge part of the life of the village people. Because there is really no way to have an income, the men feel as though they need "a brotherhood" to help take care of themselves and their families. These gangs are not like the gangs in Alabama. These are actually very friendly people, they are just doing the best they can. Gang violence is very big in Honduras, but you don't see Honduran people killing strangers just to kill - it's mostly gang on gang violence. Because of this issue, we actually had bodyguards. These men had a great rapport with the different gangs. We rode in white vans with a POI sign on them. The windows were very tinted so you could not see in. Once inside the villages, we could not have our windows open. Our drivers (and bodyguards) rode with their windows down so the gangs would know who we were and that we were coming to help their families.
Back to Saturday: We used the village church to house all of our stations. The people in San Juan got handed a number, they then came to the "pre-clinic" area where we took their blood pressure and weight. The kids would have a weight and temperature taken. The people went from there to the doctors. The doctors would write prescriptions, then the people would take the prescriptions to the "pharmacy". While they were waiting on their prescriptions to be filled, they would take their kids to the lice station where we would check their kids for lice. Each child with lice (which was most) would receive a smiley face on their hand. The would get a lice treatment and hear the Word of God (kind of like VBS). Their parents would also hear a few words. After the lice treatment along with shampooing, hair braiding, sucker giving, hair clip giving time, they would go get their prescriptions and head home.
The rest of the week looked much like this except we went to different villages. On Saturday evening and Sunday morning we went to church. One of the ways I feel the closest to God is to close my eyes and hear people sing/worship the same song with all their being in Spanish AND English. It is the MOST beautiful sound!!!
THE DUMP: Close your eyes. Imagine riding in a bumpy van along ill-paved roads. Having no idea what to expect, imagine stopping at a gas station and being told to get out. Imagine the leader of the group telling everyone to come together in a circle. Imagine the leader giving intense, specific instructions that when we arrive at the dump we MUST NOT leave each other, being told that the vans will make a protective semi-circle around us, that we are to form a human barricade standing shoulder to shoulder, that we are to give only one water and one food plate to each person. Imagine praying a serious faithful prayer for safety and for provision. Imagine silently getting back into the vans not knowing what to expect. Imagine turning left into an eerily quiet gravel road. There are 5,000 buzzards overhead, there are a couple of people at the foot of the hill staring at us. Imagine the van climbing the mountain and the indescribable smell of sewage and trash creeping into the van. Imagine seeing a couple of skinny, zombie-like cows climbing the mountain. Are the cows real??? The stench is now so strong that people are starting to feel as though they are going to be sick. Imagine cresting the top of the mountain, anxious for what awaits.................OPEN YOUR EYES to find at least 700 PEOPLE running to the vans, climbing on the vans. I look to my right and a new dump truck full of garbage has just arrived. As the dump truck is dumping the garbage 50 people are fighting their way to the top of the mound to get leftover food or plastic to sell. Imagine getting out of the van. People are pushing their way to you, forming lines upon lines. As I glance around the area, I notice the cows, buzzards, dogs, and humans FIGHTING over food. As I begin to pass out the bags of water, they grab them with such desperation, tear a hole in the side of the bag with their teeth, and suck down the water in mere seconds. Alfredo, our leader, is standing on the bed of a truck giving the Good News. We run out of food in about 6 minutes. We give 500 meals and estimate that we only fed half of the people. We load back into the van and our people are sobbing because their hearts are so broken. The smell will be forever remembered.
The dump people LIVE at the dump. Babies are born at the dump. There is NO shelter, what food is there is someone else's garbage. There is NO water.
Many people sniff glue which is a very big problem in Honduras. I read an article about glue sniffing specific to Honduras, and a 15 year old said he started sniffing glue when he was 8 years old. "It makes you forget that you are hungry. It makes you forget that you are lonely. It kills your brain, but at least you don't hurt anymore. My friend died when he was 17 because he forgot to eat. He died of starvation and didn't realize he was starving because the glue had numbed him so much".
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES UPON MY ARRIVAL AT THE DUMP.....I SAW BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!!! The dump people are God's children, the village people are God's children, homeless people in Alabama are God's children.....I am God's child.
God spoke to me through scripture during a private Bible study one morning as my family was sleeping peacefully in their beds on 804 Avery Lane Mount Olive, AL.
"...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." -Luke 12:48
Many people think they have to be miserable while they are sacrificing for God's people. On the contrary, there is more joy than can be imagined!!! My heart is broken for these people. My heart wants everyone to have a chance to know God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Sure, if you think about the fact that there are 147 million orphans in the world - you instantly become overwhelmed and want to shut down. You think, "there will ALWAYS be orphans. It's because we live in a broken world. I can't even almost impact this statistic or other statistics for dirty/no drinking water, etc." WRONG - if you touch 1 - ONE - 1 - ONE single human (God's child) - you are doing the work of the Kingdom. You must "die unto yourself" (look it up in the Bible).
Amazing grace and joy follows........
My kids were so sad that I left them here in the States - they wanted to go too. We decided that since they went to Guatemala in December, it was too expensive right now to take them back on a trip. I promised that next year we would go back to Honduras.
I have to say that out of the trips I have taken to the Central American countries, this by far took my heart. I met some really awesome friends. I already miss them terribly.
I met Blanca, who is one of the nurses I worked with. Her 8 year old daughter, Mary, was my "Honduras" daughter! I told her that she reminded me of my girls. She latched on to me instantly.
Yanina (pronounced "Janina") and I clicked immediately. If I lived in Honduras, I'm pretty sure we'd be the best of friends. She is actually from Argentina. She and her husband along with her 2 teenage boys moved from Argentina 3 years ago to become full time missionaries in Honduras.
Nubia and Dania were 2 of the doctors I worked with. I truly believe that we, too, would be very good friends!!! They have devoted their lives to providing medical care to the poverty stricken people in the villages.
Tegucigalpa (Teg) is a huge city and is the capital of Honduras. In Teg people are either wealthy or poverty stricken. There is really no middle class. Teg is a very hilly/mountainous city, and in the center or valley is the metropolitan area. The villages are usually located up the mountains. Opposite of where I've been in Monterrey, Mexico, Honduras is beautifully green and not dry like a desert.
The people in the villages live in severe poverty. They do not have access to the jobs of the metropolitan area of the city. They do not have clean water. A water truck comes to fill up their pilas which is like a giant outdoor bathtub with clean water ONCE A MONTH! That clean water will become cooking water, drinking water, bath water, laundry water, etc. Indoor plumbing??? No way!!!
The team I served with came from Memphis, TN. Keith's good friend, Keny, is the marketing director for POI Ministries (Point of Impact). I instantly bonded with the entire team, and I miss seeing them every day! We had amazing chemistry. I feel this trip is the best one I've been on.
An overview of the trip (this is just simply an overview!):
Friday: Arrived mid-afternoon to the Humuya Inn. The hotel was one of the nicest I've ever stayed in. I couldn't help but think, "Um, this isn't a mission trip. Aren't I supposed to like only shower 1 time the entire week like I have in the past? Isn't my bed supposed to be a bunk bed with questionable bed linens? This is a 5 star hotel! I feel like I'm in North America!". Boy was I wrong...
We headed off to Villa Nueva to "do the water trucks". I wasn't sure what that was, but I learned quickly. We rented this water truck for ONLY 55 American dollars. It had a big long hose and a pump that we used to pump the water into their pilas. The look on the people's faces were indescribable. They couldn't believe that they were getting water before the scheduled monthly truck. ALL of their pilas were completely dry!!! Women were coming out with buckets and tiny little margerine tubs for us to fill up with water. It was like little, tiny ants racing to a sticky sucker that got dropped on the ground by a child.
We crashed in bed so we could be rested for an early rise in the morning. I think we left the hotel at 7 a.m.
Saturday: We went to the village of San Juan to set up a medical brigaide, pharmacy, and evangelistic station.
**A side note about these villages is that gangs are a huge part of the life of the village people. Because there is really no way to have an income, the men feel as though they need "a brotherhood" to help take care of themselves and their families. These gangs are not like the gangs in Alabama. These are actually very friendly people, they are just doing the best they can. Gang violence is very big in Honduras, but you don't see Honduran people killing strangers just to kill - it's mostly gang on gang violence. Because of this issue, we actually had bodyguards. These men had a great rapport with the different gangs. We rode in white vans with a POI sign on them. The windows were very tinted so you could not see in. Once inside the villages, we could not have our windows open. Our drivers (and bodyguards) rode with their windows down so the gangs would know who we were and that we were coming to help their families.
Back to Saturday: We used the village church to house all of our stations. The people in San Juan got handed a number, they then came to the "pre-clinic" area where we took their blood pressure and weight. The kids would have a weight and temperature taken. The people went from there to the doctors. The doctors would write prescriptions, then the people would take the prescriptions to the "pharmacy". While they were waiting on their prescriptions to be filled, they would take their kids to the lice station where we would check their kids for lice. Each child with lice (which was most) would receive a smiley face on their hand. The would get a lice treatment and hear the Word of God (kind of like VBS). Their parents would also hear a few words. After the lice treatment along with shampooing, hair braiding, sucker giving, hair clip giving time, they would go get their prescriptions and head home.
The rest of the week looked much like this except we went to different villages. On Saturday evening and Sunday morning we went to church. One of the ways I feel the closest to God is to close my eyes and hear people sing/worship the same song with all their being in Spanish AND English. It is the MOST beautiful sound!!!
THE DUMP: Close your eyes. Imagine riding in a bumpy van along ill-paved roads. Having no idea what to expect, imagine stopping at a gas station and being told to get out. Imagine the leader of the group telling everyone to come together in a circle. Imagine the leader giving intense, specific instructions that when we arrive at the dump we MUST NOT leave each other, being told that the vans will make a protective semi-circle around us, that we are to form a human barricade standing shoulder to shoulder, that we are to give only one water and one food plate to each person. Imagine praying a serious faithful prayer for safety and for provision. Imagine silently getting back into the vans not knowing what to expect. Imagine turning left into an eerily quiet gravel road. There are 5,000 buzzards overhead, there are a couple of people at the foot of the hill staring at us. Imagine the van climbing the mountain and the indescribable smell of sewage and trash creeping into the van. Imagine seeing a couple of skinny, zombie-like cows climbing the mountain. Are the cows real??? The stench is now so strong that people are starting to feel as though they are going to be sick. Imagine cresting the top of the mountain, anxious for what awaits.................OPEN YOUR EYES to find at least 700 PEOPLE running to the vans, climbing on the vans. I look to my right and a new dump truck full of garbage has just arrived. As the dump truck is dumping the garbage 50 people are fighting their way to the top of the mound to get leftover food or plastic to sell. Imagine getting out of the van. People are pushing their way to you, forming lines upon lines. As I glance around the area, I notice the cows, buzzards, dogs, and humans FIGHTING over food. As I begin to pass out the bags of water, they grab them with such desperation, tear a hole in the side of the bag with their teeth, and suck down the water in mere seconds. Alfredo, our leader, is standing on the bed of a truck giving the Good News. We run out of food in about 6 minutes. We give 500 meals and estimate that we only fed half of the people. We load back into the van and our people are sobbing because their hearts are so broken. The smell will be forever remembered.
The dump people LIVE at the dump. Babies are born at the dump. There is NO shelter, what food is there is someone else's garbage. There is NO water.
Many people sniff glue which is a very big problem in Honduras. I read an article about glue sniffing specific to Honduras, and a 15 year old said he started sniffing glue when he was 8 years old. "It makes you forget that you are hungry. It makes you forget that you are lonely. It kills your brain, but at least you don't hurt anymore. My friend died when he was 17 because he forgot to eat. He died of starvation and didn't realize he was starving because the glue had numbed him so much".
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES UPON MY ARRIVAL AT THE DUMP.....I SAW BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!!! The dump people are God's children, the village people are God's children, homeless people in Alabama are God's children.....I am God's child.
God spoke to me through scripture during a private Bible study one morning as my family was sleeping peacefully in their beds on 804 Avery Lane Mount Olive, AL.
"...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." -Luke 12:48
Many people think they have to be miserable while they are sacrificing for God's people. On the contrary, there is more joy than can be imagined!!! My heart is broken for these people. My heart wants everyone to have a chance to know God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Sure, if you think about the fact that there are 147 million orphans in the world - you instantly become overwhelmed and want to shut down. You think, "there will ALWAYS be orphans. It's because we live in a broken world. I can't even almost impact this statistic or other statistics for dirty/no drinking water, etc." WRONG - if you touch 1 - ONE - 1 - ONE single human (God's child) - you are doing the work of the Kingdom. You must "die unto yourself" (look it up in the Bible).
Amazing grace and joy follows........
Monday, October 15, 2012
Blog entry coming....
I've had people begging me to post a new entry. I love it!!! Makes me feel so good. I 've been super busy being out of town and, well, life in general.
I keep saying...."I'll blog tonight, ok I'll wake up early tomorrow morning, shoot, I'll do it tonight FOR SURE...." and so on.
I just have SO MANY thoughts running through my head. It's hard to put it all down.
BEWARE: entries my be long......GET READY!!!
Love to all, and remember, ALWAYS LOVE!
I keep saying...."I'll blog tonight, ok I'll wake up early tomorrow morning, shoot, I'll do it tonight FOR SURE...." and so on.
I just have SO MANY thoughts running through my head. It's hard to put it all down.
BEWARE: entries my be long......GET READY!!!
Love to all, and remember, ALWAYS LOVE!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
HATE your mom and dad!!!
RED LETTER VERSE:
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate their father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters -- yes, even their OWN LIFE -- such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple...those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."
Luke 14: 26-27; 33
Does this seriously say HATE your kids??? What the heck, for real - in the Bible??? And what does it mean to carry/bear your cross??? What does it mean to be a disciple???
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate their father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters -- yes, even their OWN LIFE -- such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple...those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."
Luke 14: 26-27; 33
Does this seriously say HATE your kids??? What the heck, for real - in the Bible??? And what does it mean to carry/bear your cross??? What does it mean to be a disciple???
Saturday, September 8, 2012
I hear YOUR VOICE.....
...........and this is mine.
Continuing the Atticus Project. How it's going:
~ It's going well, so far. I've pretty much got my Governing Board narrowed down which is comprised of people I love and trust to help with brainstorming and creating. I also started Lifeline's GPS classes two weeks ago. Those classes are designed for people who desire to be foster parents, but I felt that if I dove into a class like that I could learn more about "the system" - DHR. On Friday, September 14th, I have a mentoring meeting with Lauri Burns, the girl who started a transitional home in California. All in all, I think I'm on my way.
Thoughts:
If you're reading this, go to You Tube, and check out a song by Christy Nockels. It's titled, For Your Splendor. To me, the lyrics are awesome!!! You can't just read 'em, though. You have to listen to it at the same time. I encourage you to listen to it three times in a row. Then read the passage John 15: 1-8. Think about how we are all called to be His disciples. Cool, huh?
I am really into, well, any animal really, but I LOVE eagles and hawks. The way they can soar is beautiful, but sometimes I wish I could do that. I also love to think about the fact that if their wings are clipped, they cannot fly - which can be symbolic in many people's lives. If a person's "wings" are clipped, that person cannot "fly" - which I believe can be relative to many aspects of one's life (religion, home life, addiction, you name it...).
When thinking about any person who hasn't been as fortunate as I, I imagine that their wings are clipped through no fault of their own. For example, I was fortunate to be borne to loving parents, in a safe city, county, state, and country. I was fortunate to have all the water I wanted to drink and to have indoor bathrooms. I was fortunate to have three DIFFERENT meals a day (with snacks in between). I was fortunate to be given the privelege of going to college. I was fortunate to bear my children in a hospital with the opportunity to have an emergency c-section if I were to have needed it. Most of all, I was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to learn about Christ Who entered my heart, soul, and mind when I was 13 years old. You get the idea...
But you know, because I have this immeasurable fortune, I am given by Christ a responsibility to be a disciple for Him. It is not as simple as saying, "Ok. There, I did it. I'm saved now." We have a responsibility to have an active relationship with Him and to teach others about the things that we were fortunate to have been taught.
This passage in Deuteronomy really spoke to me. I've read Deuteronomy before, and I remember not feeling totally moved by it. It's not the most exciting book in my opinion. BUT, the Bible is a beautiful book. It has such a dynamic quality in that it speaks to you differently in each season of your life.
"He found them in a desert land,
in an empty, howling wasteland.
He surrounded them and watched over them;
He guarded them as his MOST PRECIOUS possession.
Like an eagle that rouses her chicks
and hovers over her young,
so He spread His wings to take them in
and carried them aloft on his pinions."
When Moses used the word "them", I think it could represent people who have never heard of Jesus OR people who are less fortunate than me.
I believe the "desert" represents bad, broken, or empty (whether it be bad homes or no homes).
Imagine a beautiful eagle soaring above all things that can harm it. Imagine the people being protected by all of those bad things because they are flying on the wings of the eagle, their Protector.
This passage is so uplifting in my opinion. I love it!!!
Have a great Saturday!!! :0)
Continuing the Atticus Project. How it's going:
~ It's going well, so far. I've pretty much got my Governing Board narrowed down which is comprised of people I love and trust to help with brainstorming and creating. I also started Lifeline's GPS classes two weeks ago. Those classes are designed for people who desire to be foster parents, but I felt that if I dove into a class like that I could learn more about "the system" - DHR. On Friday, September 14th, I have a mentoring meeting with Lauri Burns, the girl who started a transitional home in California. All in all, I think I'm on my way.
Thoughts:
If you're reading this, go to You Tube, and check out a song by Christy Nockels. It's titled, For Your Splendor. To me, the lyrics are awesome!!! You can't just read 'em, though. You have to listen to it at the same time. I encourage you to listen to it three times in a row. Then read the passage John 15: 1-8. Think about how we are all called to be His disciples. Cool, huh?
I am really into, well, any animal really, but I LOVE eagles and hawks. The way they can soar is beautiful, but sometimes I wish I could do that. I also love to think about the fact that if their wings are clipped, they cannot fly - which can be symbolic in many people's lives. If a person's "wings" are clipped, that person cannot "fly" - which I believe can be relative to many aspects of one's life (religion, home life, addiction, you name it...).
When thinking about any person who hasn't been as fortunate as I, I imagine that their wings are clipped through no fault of their own. For example, I was fortunate to be borne to loving parents, in a safe city, county, state, and country. I was fortunate to have all the water I wanted to drink and to have indoor bathrooms. I was fortunate to have three DIFFERENT meals a day (with snacks in between). I was fortunate to be given the privelege of going to college. I was fortunate to bear my children in a hospital with the opportunity to have an emergency c-section if I were to have needed it. Most of all, I was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to learn about Christ Who entered my heart, soul, and mind when I was 13 years old. You get the idea...
But you know, because I have this immeasurable fortune, I am given by Christ a responsibility to be a disciple for Him. It is not as simple as saying, "Ok. There, I did it. I'm saved now." We have a responsibility to have an active relationship with Him and to teach others about the things that we were fortunate to have been taught.
This passage in Deuteronomy really spoke to me. I've read Deuteronomy before, and I remember not feeling totally moved by it. It's not the most exciting book in my opinion. BUT, the Bible is a beautiful book. It has such a dynamic quality in that it speaks to you differently in each season of your life.
"He found them in a desert land,
in an empty, howling wasteland.
He surrounded them and watched over them;
He guarded them as his MOST PRECIOUS possession.
Like an eagle that rouses her chicks
and hovers over her young,
so He spread His wings to take them in
and carried them aloft on his pinions."
When Moses used the word "them", I think it could represent people who have never heard of Jesus OR people who are less fortunate than me.
I believe the "desert" represents bad, broken, or empty (whether it be bad homes or no homes).
Imagine a beautiful eagle soaring above all things that can harm it. Imagine the people being protected by all of those bad things because they are flying on the wings of the eagle, their Protector.
This passage is so uplifting in my opinion. I love it!!!
Have a great Saturday!!! :0)
Friday, August 31, 2012
the dRaGoN...
Does anyone like symbolism??? Well, I love it. I also love irony. This passage of scripture is very neat to me. It is very supernatural, but I love the symbolism reflected in the passages. Get ready to think Twilight series or Batman or Superman or something.....think deep. It's fun!!!
This comes from the book of Revelation, which I believe is a book that is difficult to understand for most people.
Chapter 12: 1-17
"Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out in the pain of labor aas she awaited her delivery."
~~Ok. Just close your eyes and envision this woman. I can just imagine this full term pregnant person with 12 stars on her head and with an ethereal glow clothing her (the sun).
"Suddenly, I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail dragged down one-third of the stars, which he threw to earth. He stood before the woman as she was about to give birth to her child, ready to devour the baby as soon as it was born."
~~The dragon sort of freaks me out. Ok, think about it. Who is the child in this woman's belly??? To me, it represents Jesus, and the dragon represents all of the people who were ready to deny Him or eat Him up.
"She gave birth to a boy who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And the child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to give her care for 1,260 days."
"Then there was war in heaven. Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle and was forced out of heaven. This great dragon - the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world - was thrown down to the earth with all his angels."
~~Satan is ALREADY defeated, but he is a constant in our lives. We must never give in to him.
"Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
It has happened at last -the salvation and power and kingdom
of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the
Accuser has been thrown down to earth - the one who
accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and
night. And they have defeated him because of the blood
of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were
not afraid to die. Rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in
the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and
the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger,
and he knows that he has little time."
~~Because we are believers we have GREAT POWER, but we must not be afraid to be persecuted or to even die for Him. I think about how much I LOVE MY CHILDREN - I would die for them. I think about how much I LOVE MY HUSBAND, KEITH - I would die for him. But I am told that I must love God more. It doesn't seem possible. I love my kids and Keith so much it hurts, but once I accepted in my heart and life that I needed to love Him so much it hurts, I understood His Word much more deeply. Once Satan realized that there were people who love God SO MUCH, he became SO VERY ANGRY!!! We all can see how he attacks...
"And when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the child. But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle. This allowed her to fly to a place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time."
"Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from its mouth. But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon. Then the dragon became angry at the woman, and he declared war against the rest of her children - all who keep God's commandments and confess they belong to Jesus."
So....I know this is a little "out there", but isn't the Bible really cool how there are so many different genres? I might add that John was the author of this book - just FYI. When I think of how the woman was given eagle's wings and was protected, I think of the foster teens/kids or anyone in need (child slaves, trafficking, etc.). I believe God will and does give those people the wings of eagles - US!!! Us, like you and me!!!
This comes from the book of Revelation, which I believe is a book that is difficult to understand for most people.
Chapter 12: 1-17
"Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out in the pain of labor aas she awaited her delivery."
~~Ok. Just close your eyes and envision this woman. I can just imagine this full term pregnant person with 12 stars on her head and with an ethereal glow clothing her (the sun).
"Suddenly, I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail dragged down one-third of the stars, which he threw to earth. He stood before the woman as she was about to give birth to her child, ready to devour the baby as soon as it was born."
~~The dragon sort of freaks me out. Ok, think about it. Who is the child in this woman's belly??? To me, it represents Jesus, and the dragon represents all of the people who were ready to deny Him or eat Him up.
"She gave birth to a boy who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And the child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to give her care for 1,260 days."
"Then there was war in heaven. Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle and was forced out of heaven. This great dragon - the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world - was thrown down to the earth with all his angels."
~~Satan is ALREADY defeated, but he is a constant in our lives. We must never give in to him.
"Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
It has happened at last -the salvation and power and kingdom
of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the
Accuser has been thrown down to earth - the one who
accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and
night. And they have defeated him because of the blood
of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were
not afraid to die. Rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in
the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and
the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger,
and he knows that he has little time."
~~Because we are believers we have GREAT POWER, but we must not be afraid to be persecuted or to even die for Him. I think about how much I LOVE MY CHILDREN - I would die for them. I think about how much I LOVE MY HUSBAND, KEITH - I would die for him. But I am told that I must love God more. It doesn't seem possible. I love my kids and Keith so much it hurts, but once I accepted in my heart and life that I needed to love Him so much it hurts, I understood His Word much more deeply. Once Satan realized that there were people who love God SO MUCH, he became SO VERY ANGRY!!! We all can see how he attacks...
"And when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the child. But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle. This allowed her to fly to a place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time."
"Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from its mouth. But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon. Then the dragon became angry at the woman, and he declared war against the rest of her children - all who keep God's commandments and confess they belong to Jesus."
So....I know this is a little "out there", but isn't the Bible really cool how there are so many different genres? I might add that John was the author of this book - just FYI. When I think of how the woman was given eagle's wings and was protected, I think of the foster teens/kids or anyone in need (child slaves, trafficking, etc.). I believe God will and does give those people the wings of eagles - US!!! Us, like you and me!!!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
real COURAGE...
"Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."
~Spoken by Atticus Finch, by Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird
LORD, i am so afraid. why have you asked me to do this? is it to help these young people, or is it to test my obedience to you? i know nothing of what you are asking me to do. i am not a person with an aggressive personality, i don't like big crowds, but yet you are asking me to start this from scratch? i love you, but i am not comfortable with this. i know nothing of business, and i know nothing of the department of human resources. yes, my heart feels pricked by teens becoming homeless, but i am not trained to help with this. LORD, all i can do is trust in you. i am positive i will be persecuted at times. i don't handle persecution or rejection well. i am a people pleaser. i trust you to strengthen me and to speak to me. i trust that you will open doors that need to be opened and close doors that need to be closed. i ask that you give me courage. i know i may be "licked" early on, but maybe this is the rare time that i will "win". give me the courage to fight the battle for you. i trust you will all of my heart, my soul, and my mind. in YOUR most HOLY NAME. amen.
Over the last year or so, I have been feeling a prompting from God. I have been going on a church-led mission trips each year for the last few years. The first trip I took was to Monterrey, Mexico. We stayed in one of the many poverty-stricken villages. Believe it or not, I thought the place was beautiful, although not asthetically so. The people there need access to churches so they can learn about and worship God more than they needed food or shelter (although theirs were humble possessions). The children are very loved by their parents, but some of the homes merely have blankets for walls. There is such a sense of pride for the few things they have. Oftentimes, you will notice a woman SWEEPING the dirt road. Think about that - SWEEPING A DIRT ROAD. My heart was pricked by the sense of pride these families have.
My second place to visit was a small village in Guatemala. Our work was primarily in the girls' home (a.k.a. orphanage). I took my three oldest children with me on that trip. The girls in the home are under the care of Catholic nuns. The only frustration I have about that is that the nuns are placed there by the leaders of the church. The nuns do not get to choose or "feel called" to be there. Some of the nuns were less than empathetic towards the children.
Before, some of the mission groups came and built a chicken coup for eggs and an occasional chicken dinner, as the girls ate melon rind soup nearly every day. You have to realize that this home is WAY OFF the beaten path so getting any other means of food is not feasible. It takes about 30-45 minutes to travel 5 miles because of the poor condition of the road. PLUS, the home is located directly behind a poorly secured Guatemalan prison.
One precious angel, Kimbelee, was dropped off in our equivalent of a Walmart sack. The sack was hung on a chain link fence outside the home. Kim had a cleft lip/palate and her family believed there was something "wrong" with her, so they gave her away. One of the mission groups helped get her in contact with an American doctor, and now her lips are beautiful and normal. Another little girl, Carlita, was removed from her family by the government because of violence. Her family requested her back, and GOT HER BACK!!! She died about a month later from an untreated urinary tract infection (8 years old) .
ALL of the girls in the home had lice. I was determined that it is a basic human need/right to be lice-free. We sent our chicken bus driver, Adolfo, to the store to get all the lice treatment he could. He brought back all they had which would treat 8 girls. We needed to treat 24 girls!!! After much prayer and rationing of the lice treament, all of the girls were treated. They had HUGE smiles on their faces. I think they felt like they were at the spa (of course, there was no hot water!!!). Later, I often wondered if in a weird way they missed the lice. I wondered if somehow the lice was a companion of some sort???
Each girl was equipped with 2 pairs of panties and 2 outfits. They each had a tiny locker in which to keep their wordly possessions. Each girl had to hand wash their clothes each day in the trough outside. As we were leaving on our last day at the home, Jocelin (pronounced Yo-si-line), stopped Susannah to give her a gift bag, a hug, and a massive parting smile. We didn't have time to open it until we were in the bus because it was getting dark, and we weren't required to be out at dark (child trafficking is a huge problem in Guatemala). Once inside the bus and on our way, Susannah opened the gift from Jocelin. It was AN ENTIRE OUTFIT, her teddy bear, and a picture of herself!!! I had tears!!! She gave 1 of her only 2 outfits to Susannah. I learned a valuable lesson that day. God spoke to me through Jocelin. I felt a prompting to give everything I have to Him. But how??????
I learned that once the girls reach 18, they "emancipate" out of the girls home. In other words, they get evicted from the home. They get evicted with NO tools or money to survive on. Most of those girls are destined to a life of prostitution. It's a mode of survival. Men want sex, they have to eat to live, and they have to have money to eat. If they have no tools or trades, they can give men sex for money. It's the only way...
Thinking about Jocelin being forced into a life of prostitution made my stomach quesy. How can I begin a transitional home in Guatemala for the girls that "age out" of the home???
Recently, I was reading an article about a woman in California who started a transitional home for teens who "age out" of the foster care system in California. After a lot of research, I found that this is a HUGE problem in the United States of America - the place where everyone wants to live. In Alabama alone, we currently have 5200 foster care children. Studies show that 65% of them will either end up becoming prostitutes, drug addicts, pregnant, homeless, etc. There are some success stories that come out of the system, but the numbers are overwhelmingly NOT in their favor.
I kept feeling nudge after nudge from God to look into this situation. I know NOTHING of business. How do I start a transitional home to help equip these young people with the tools they need feel confident enough to succeed on their own in this world??? I decided that I would work on the kids in America first, then I can take the skills and knowledge I learn from this project and take it internationally.
In the coming posts, I will share some scripture that spoke to my heart. I will share how Atticus Finch in the classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, changed my life. I want to capture this journey in writing, and a what a journey it shall be....
~Spoken by Atticus Finch, by Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird
LORD, i am so afraid. why have you asked me to do this? is it to help these young people, or is it to test my obedience to you? i know nothing of what you are asking me to do. i am not a person with an aggressive personality, i don't like big crowds, but yet you are asking me to start this from scratch? i love you, but i am not comfortable with this. i know nothing of business, and i know nothing of the department of human resources. yes, my heart feels pricked by teens becoming homeless, but i am not trained to help with this. LORD, all i can do is trust in you. i am positive i will be persecuted at times. i don't handle persecution or rejection well. i am a people pleaser. i trust you to strengthen me and to speak to me. i trust that you will open doors that need to be opened and close doors that need to be closed. i ask that you give me courage. i know i may be "licked" early on, but maybe this is the rare time that i will "win". give me the courage to fight the battle for you. i trust you will all of my heart, my soul, and my mind. in YOUR most HOLY NAME. amen.
Over the last year or so, I have been feeling a prompting from God. I have been going on a church-led mission trips each year for the last few years. The first trip I took was to Monterrey, Mexico. We stayed in one of the many poverty-stricken villages. Believe it or not, I thought the place was beautiful, although not asthetically so. The people there need access to churches so they can learn about and worship God more than they needed food or shelter (although theirs were humble possessions). The children are very loved by their parents, but some of the homes merely have blankets for walls. There is such a sense of pride for the few things they have. Oftentimes, you will notice a woman SWEEPING the dirt road. Think about that - SWEEPING A DIRT ROAD. My heart was pricked by the sense of pride these families have.
My second place to visit was a small village in Guatemala. Our work was primarily in the girls' home (a.k.a. orphanage). I took my three oldest children with me on that trip. The girls in the home are under the care of Catholic nuns. The only frustration I have about that is that the nuns are placed there by the leaders of the church. The nuns do not get to choose or "feel called" to be there. Some of the nuns were less than empathetic towards the children.
Before, some of the mission groups came and built a chicken coup for eggs and an occasional chicken dinner, as the girls ate melon rind soup nearly every day. You have to realize that this home is WAY OFF the beaten path so getting any other means of food is not feasible. It takes about 30-45 minutes to travel 5 miles because of the poor condition of the road. PLUS, the home is located directly behind a poorly secured Guatemalan prison.
One precious angel, Kimbelee, was dropped off in our equivalent of a Walmart sack. The sack was hung on a chain link fence outside the home. Kim had a cleft lip/palate and her family believed there was something "wrong" with her, so they gave her away. One of the mission groups helped get her in contact with an American doctor, and now her lips are beautiful and normal. Another little girl, Carlita, was removed from her family by the government because of violence. Her family requested her back, and GOT HER BACK!!! She died about a month later from an untreated urinary tract infection (8 years old) .
ALL of the girls in the home had lice. I was determined that it is a basic human need/right to be lice-free. We sent our chicken bus driver, Adolfo, to the store to get all the lice treatment he could. He brought back all they had which would treat 8 girls. We needed to treat 24 girls!!! After much prayer and rationing of the lice treament, all of the girls were treated. They had HUGE smiles on their faces. I think they felt like they were at the spa (of course, there was no hot water!!!). Later, I often wondered if in a weird way they missed the lice. I wondered if somehow the lice was a companion of some sort???
Each girl was equipped with 2 pairs of panties and 2 outfits. They each had a tiny locker in which to keep their wordly possessions. Each girl had to hand wash their clothes each day in the trough outside. As we were leaving on our last day at the home, Jocelin (pronounced Yo-si-line), stopped Susannah to give her a gift bag, a hug, and a massive parting smile. We didn't have time to open it until we were in the bus because it was getting dark, and we weren't required to be out at dark (child trafficking is a huge problem in Guatemala). Once inside the bus and on our way, Susannah opened the gift from Jocelin. It was AN ENTIRE OUTFIT, her teddy bear, and a picture of herself!!! I had tears!!! She gave 1 of her only 2 outfits to Susannah. I learned a valuable lesson that day. God spoke to me through Jocelin. I felt a prompting to give everything I have to Him. But how??????
I learned that once the girls reach 18, they "emancipate" out of the girls home. In other words, they get evicted from the home. They get evicted with NO tools or money to survive on. Most of those girls are destined to a life of prostitution. It's a mode of survival. Men want sex, they have to eat to live, and they have to have money to eat. If they have no tools or trades, they can give men sex for money. It's the only way...
Thinking about Jocelin being forced into a life of prostitution made my stomach quesy. How can I begin a transitional home in Guatemala for the girls that "age out" of the home???
Recently, I was reading an article about a woman in California who started a transitional home for teens who "age out" of the foster care system in California. After a lot of research, I found that this is a HUGE problem in the United States of America - the place where everyone wants to live. In Alabama alone, we currently have 5200 foster care children. Studies show that 65% of them will either end up becoming prostitutes, drug addicts, pregnant, homeless, etc. There are some success stories that come out of the system, but the numbers are overwhelmingly NOT in their favor.
I kept feeling nudge after nudge from God to look into this situation. I know NOTHING of business. How do I start a transitional home to help equip these young people with the tools they need feel confident enough to succeed on their own in this world??? I decided that I would work on the kids in America first, then I can take the skills and knowledge I learn from this project and take it internationally.
In the coming posts, I will share some scripture that spoke to my heart. I will share how Atticus Finch in the classic novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, changed my life. I want to capture this journey in writing, and a what a journey it shall be....
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