The Well Box

Stop Child Trafficking Now Walk

2010-10-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

This was such a great day! My mom, Melissa, Cynthia and I were the representatives walking from our friends and family. I was so blessed that they joined me and I know the more we all learn the more our hearts break for the innocent children enslaved in trafficking and prostitution in our own state.

After check-in we were welcomed and then had a few guest speakers, a representative from the Mayors office, a wonderful, passionate woman from Shared Hope International, Senator Wyden surprised the crowd. Apparently he is in campaign mode because there was a lot of yelling and promises to "crush" someone or something, I'm still not sure....but the best thing he said is that he was able to get $900,000 from the federal government to build a shelter/safe house for girls rescued from being trafficked. This is the most important thing that I have heard and read that is needed in Portland, so praise the Lord for this exciting news!! Melissa and I have decided we want to help in some way with the shelter....but what that looks like we are not sure yet, we will keep you posted:) But the greatest speaker was Jessica Richardson, who was introduced as a survivor of human trafficking, she made sure we understood that she was not merely a survivor but a conqueror! And there was wonderful music by a young man from Rwanda who lived through the Rwandan genocide and 6 years on the street post genocide. His music was beautiful, Enric Sifa is his name and I'm sure you could find him on the Internet and buy his c.d. Thanks so much to all who sponsored our team, we surpassed our goal and raise $430!!!

"He has shown you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you, to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

2010-09-18T23:51:00.001-07:00

I will never forget the night I met Renu, I'll never forget her smile or the grace in which she told her story and I will never understand her capacity to forgive. When she was just 14 years old Renu was drugged by a family member and taken out of her home in Nepal and sold to a brothel in India. She literally woke up in captivity, her innocence brutally stolen, her story is one of pain, unimaginable horrors, rescue, love, and forgiveness. Someone dared to rescue Renu, they showed up in her nightmare and told her about a man named Jesus, she listened and fell in love and accepted Him as her Savior, but she was still a slave, her body used by 20 plus men a day. Outside she was dying yet her soul was renewed daily. Through miraculous circumstances Renu escaped and upon returning to her native Nepal she came face to face with the man who stole her childhood, her dreams, her future. She looked at this man and forgave him saying how could I, a sinner forgiven by Christ, not forgive him? Renu changed my life in many ways but perhaps most importantly she put a face on international human trafficking and sex slavery.
And then I read, Renting Lacey, which is about America's prostituted children and I associated a different face with child trafficking, my daughters. Maybe you were like me and did not think this could happen here in our country but the truth is at least 100,000 American juveniles are victimized through prostitution each year!! The book is horrifying in its true stories of girls that Linda has met with personally, stories so horrible you think they could not be true, but they are. I am haunted by what I have read, which is why I am sending you this email. Maybe you are like me and imagine that if you lived in times of slavery that you would have stood against it, I like to think that Angela Grimke and I would have been friends and fought slavery together. And maybe you cannot comprehend that just 50 years we still had legal segregation and again I imagine I would have walked with Dr. King, I would have boycotted and picketed, I would have stood on the lawn beyond the Lincoln Memorial and believed in a dream. And yet here we are, living in a time when, "more people are exploited in slavery today than were forcibly removed from Africa during 400 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Worldwide the total market value of human trafficking is 32 Billion"-IJM
Why am I telling you all of this? This Saturday, October 2nd thousands of individuals in communities across the United States and Canada will participate in SCTNow Walks to raise funds and bring awareness to the issue of child trafficking. You can join my team, Worship Defined, and come walk with me in Portland or simply make a donation at:

http://sctnow.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.team&eventID=652&teamID=6166

I know in many ways this is just a small step, a small donation against huge statistics, but my Bible says to "seek justice" and this is a tangible way in which to do that.

Malia

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him." Is. 58:6,7

Zion

2010-05-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

Today I laid a dream on the altar and walked away. Laying it down, I have learned, is not the same as giving up, there is a difference. I'm not giving up, I'm obeying. The gentle whisper that I love to hear told me what I didn't want to hear. He told me to let go, to let go of what I was sure He wanted for my family, of what over the past few months I thought He was confirming. But I know this voice and it is Him who I do everything for and so today I packed up the last bit tangible hope that I have been holding on to and said, not my will but Yours be done. I gave my dream to the Dream Giver, I gave my desire to the only One who can satisfy, my heart to my True Love. It is not the first time I have placed something so precious into these nail scarred hands and I'm sure it will not be the last. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by the mystery when I wish i was just overwhelmed by Him. But my understanding isn't necessary, my obedience is. So Lord I give you my precious Zion because that is what You asked me to do.

Psalm 126

1When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
3The LORD has done great things for us;
We are glad.
4Restore our captivity, O LORD,
As the streams in the South.
5Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
6He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

2010-05-23T22:15:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday. I'm getting old:) I'm finding myself in a place I never thought I'd be at this age. Ending His Way and our entire focus of life for the past 12 years, searching for a church family, coming home from 3 weeks in Africa, it's been an emotional year for us.
And I'm finding myself knowing that church has nothing to do with a building, when we were walking at the CF walk last Sunday beside the friends that we have come to love as family, I told Shane it was the best church service I have been to in a long time. And I'm finding myself thinking about children a world away, wondering what I can do, little me, to help them go to school, to give them a chance to change their lives and in turn change their country for the glory of God.
And here it is my birthday and today I received gifts from those who I love that have blessed me beyond words. My parents gave me a pair of pajamas, and then they gave me clothes and slippers to send to Korah for my girls, Bakuset and Mesret. Jer and Jen are giving to the Mocha Club in my honor. Shane and the kids are cleaning my car, praise God!! Terry and Cynthia gave me a gift from Hawaii, the place I so love. And then tonight, I went to dessert with my girlfriends and have to share what an incredible present they gave me. I opened the bag to find a beautiful picture of a 19 year old girl and a baby boy. I stared at it knowing they were from Africa and wondering what it was. Well when I turned it over I read this:

"Malia, When you returned home from Ethiopia, you brought with you the heart of Korah and a love for her people- and you have shared it with all of us. And now, that love has settled in all of our hearts as well and so our gift to you on this birthday is the sponsorship of Hiwot Dasalaw, a 19 year old girl living in Korah with her son, who will now have the opportunity to be sent to a technical school that will change her life forever. This is our simple way of showing our love for you by giving it to another....in your honor. Thank you for loving all people the way that Christ calls us to. And thank you for sharing that love with your friends! We love you!!"

Unbelievable! I'm speechless, thanks everyone, I love you!

You can sponsor a young adult from Korah for a one time gift of $600. That's all it takes to change a life forever!! If you want more info just let me know.

Oh how I miss Korah...

2010-05-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

I need Africa more than Africa needs me

2010-05-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

So I just joined The Mocha Club....I know I'm at least 5 years late on this one but Africa changes you. I saw this video right before I left and thought about ordering a shirt (I order a shirt from everywhere) but the phrase was not true for me...yet. But now it is and my shirt came in the mail today and tonight I joined the club. It is only $7 a month and you can join my "team" at:

http://mochaclub.org/joinme/worshipdefined (Apparently you must cut and paste this)

I chose to support child mothers and women at risk so I would love for you to join me as we recognize that we are not just waiting for the rescue that is to come, but that we are the rescue here and now. That when Jesus prayed, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" Lk. 11:2 we realize that it is not His will that young girls be kidnapped, brutalized, raped, child mothers, or forced to prostitute themselves to feed their families. That Isaiah 58 calls us to. "to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor that are cast out; when you see the naked that you cover him..." I love this video because it is true that they have a joy that defies their circumstances, it does not make sense that they should love so deeply, give so freely, worship so lavishly and yet they do. But that does not mean that we should not fight their injustices, that we should not defend their cause. More than anything it should shame us that we don't live that way with all that we have. Yes, in Korah I saw God's glory everywhere despite the poverty but seeing His glory does not mean that it is ok to leave them in the oppression. "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy"Ezek. 16:49 I left for Africa disillusioned, disappointed, disgusted all words beginning with dis:)at America and certainly the modern church. "Americans spend 705 billion dollars on entertainment and recreation a year, it would take only 65 billion to eliminate the most extreme poverty on the planet for more than a billion people." Stearns. But oddly enough I came home hopeful, because we have it!! God had blessed our nation with the ability to change the world. And don't you think that we will draw all men unto Him by loving our neighbor as ourselves? by acting justly and loving mercy and walking humbly with our God? That many will see these people who hug lepers, feed the widow, send children to school and want to know this Jesus that inspires people to give time, money, a voice to those who have been so heavily burdened? Imagine what the world would do if they saw that kind of love acted out?

Why are we still here?

2010-05-02T22:18:00.000-07:00

The night that the reality of the situation hit me and I knew that my 11 day mission trip was turning out to be a 3 week mission trip I was praying in my creaky bunk bed before falling asleep asking God, why are we still here? What do you still have for us? His whisper filled my heart, you have seen the depravity, the depths of the need, the brokenness. Now I want you to see My Glory. I saw myself kneeling at His throne, not completely sure what it meant but fell asleep satisfied with His answer. I began to look for it, His glory. Before I saw the injustice, the despair, the image of Christ searching for food at a dump but then I then began to see. It was in the laughter of children playing games, in the sound of pepsi and fanta bottles clanking in cheers, it was in the firmness of Bakuset’s grip on my arm and the gentleness of Mesret’s hand in mine. It was in the way Fitsum looked at Tracey and the way Toni looked at Mahalet. It was in the sound of Pastor Anthony’s voice praising God in a language I did not understand, in Sammy feeding a leper who had no hands, letting him lick enjera off his own fingers. It was in the worship, songs sung with joy and dancing. It was in the eyes of a mother knowing that HIV would take her life and wanting to give her daughter a life she couldn’t give. It was in the eyes of the chosen parents as they tried to understand this kind of love. It was in the laughter over Laurie’s stories, keeping our hearts from breaking. It was in the men of Korah as they love these children, in Busy’s sincerity, in Mike’s gratefulness, in Mastwell’s smile. It was in the homes of Korah, they lacked running water, doors, windows, light, space, decorations…but there was no lack of His glory. It was in the way they welcomed us in, having us sit with them. It was in the strength of their will and the wetness of tears on my cheeks. It was in the jewelry shoved on my fingers, wrists, and even in my ears, the gifts from those who have nothing. And most of all it was in the words of Aster, as she attempted to comfort me, laying her hand on her chest and said, Jesus love. I thought poverty consumed Korah but I was wrong, it is the glory of God.

2010-04-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

So very much to share and I promise it will come soon, but for now I am spending my time loving on my kids and catching up on my sleep. For now here is my last email and pics of the girls.

Korah. Last week I felt sorry for children living at the dump, today I love these children. Last week I walked through houses of strangers and was horrified that people had to live this way, today I walked into the homes of the girls who have braided my hair, taught me to count in their language, made me laugh, taught me games, and stolen my heart. Today it was personal. I sat on the bench next to meseret and cried, "Malia, no cry" her and aster said together. they also said this to me multiple times at church this morning. I was trying to hold it together, believe me. but how do you? when you have spent the last 10 days getting to know someone and somehow not computed that they too live in these unimaginable circumstances. I cried off and on through the homes of aster, senet, fruit, askala, habtume, betty, and more. As the girls were trying to comfort me and telling me not to cry, Aster looked at me and said, "Malia, no cry" she then put her hand on her chest and said "Jesus, love". can you imagine? but Aster is right. I then tried to explain "I'm crying because i love you" "I love you too." they said. today my heart is beyond broken and beyond full, I'm so glad a volcano erupted in Iceland and let be be in this moment...for such a time as this.

Me and Aster

Meseret, my girl and sweet Shwaye

Bakuset, who stole my heart the first day at the dump

Entebbe

2010-04-08T11:40:00.000-07:00

We are here at the guest house. It's like a scene from a movie....dark and humid, we are all sitting at a long table with candles and a lantern as our only light. Our rooms are simple and clean and I will sleep my first night under a mosquito net, can't wait! We are enjoying this night of beauty before we leave these walls and go to our first orphanage tomorrow and see the little faces that have called us here.

Thank you Mrs. Bittner's 2nd grade class for your notes, we loved them! And girls I have not cheated and am only reading my notes on the days you told me to...i love them and you, thanks. Hopefully we will have wifi tomorrow and show you pictures of Alice's orphanage and Katie.

I miss you and love you.

Here is some links to where we are staying and going:

1st night http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298044-d816261-Reviews-Airport_Guesthouse_Entebbe-Entebbe.html

http://www.traveluganda.co.ug/entebbeairportguesthouse/index.html

2nd, 3rd night http://www.hostels.com/hostels/kichwamba/kingfisher-lodge-kichwamba/18840

4th night http://www.canaanchildrenshome.org/ youtube at canaans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNU-W9dyfaw&NR=1

rest of time http://www.ethiopiaguesthome.com/home.html

Korah city dump we will be here for 1 day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-

Journey to Africa

2010-04-06T23:28:00.000-07:00

I have so much to say and have waited too long to say it...so here is my condensed version. As you can read by my last posts I my heart has been drawn to Uganda ever since I saw Invisible Children's Rough Cut a few years ago. The phrase, “Someday I’m going to go to Uganda”, has been heard coming out of my mouth many times over the past few years. In early January I felt the Lord tell me that I can go now, that someday is here. I was so excited I couldn't’t wait to tell Shane, and to my wonderful surprise he said ok let’s look into it. There were two things that I wanted to do, either meet the young boy we support through World Vision or visit Katie Davis of Amazima Ministries. On the morning of January 12th I spoke to World Vision about the process of going to meet Akileo and then as you know the night of January 12th we were glued to the tv and Internet watching the destruction in Haiti. It seemed maybe I was mistaken in going to Uganda. Haiti needed us - our prayers, our attention and our money. I put Uganda on the back burner and we focused on raising money for Haiti, which God in His goodness moved His people to give more than $3,000 at Worship for Haiti!!!

Then my friend, Jennifer, sent me an email saying, Malia I think you need to go on this trip. I clicked on the link and who do you think we are going to serve with in Uganda? Yep, Katie and Amazima Ministries!! I told Shane and he said I had to go, and I agreed. And now I am leaving tomorrow!!

My friend Cherrie is traveling with me from Portland and we are meeting up with our friend Toni in Amsterdam...along with 8 other people from across America that we have never met:) Sounds a little like our trip to Haiti.

My children are set with my wonderful friends taking turns picking them up from school and watching them until Shane is off work. I just spent the last hour writing them little notes for every night I'm gone...and I bought them each a disposable camera to take pictures while I'm gone so I don't miss a thing. $20 bucks says Hope's is done in a day:) I will miss them so very much but I know Shane will do a great job and they will have so much fun with their many play dates.

So last Friday Shane, Rick, Cherrie, and my parents and I filled up the "totes" we are bringing to the orphanages, dump, Amazima, and other ministries that we will be visiting. Thanks to Cherrie, aka the shoe lady, and my wonderful friends and family we loaded up 250 lbs of shoes, medicine, underwear, food, and more shoes. It is a good thing Shane was there, as he is "spacial", he loaded the tubs to perfect weight to be let aboard the airplane.

Thank you my wonderful friends for taking care of my kids while I'm gone, I love you.

and to the two that created this monster:) I love you,

I love you Shane,

and Maris,

and Kruse,

and Hope.

Here is out itinerary:

Day 1 Arrive in Entebbe, and check into the Entebbe Airport Guest Home
for one night.

Day 2 Breakfast at the guest home and pick up by Canaan’s Children
Home bus by 9 AM and proceed to My Father’s House orphanage to
drop off donations. Head to Jinja. Check into the King Fisher and
eat lunch. Work at a small orphanage of 25 kids run by Alice. until 4
PM. Enjoy a boat ride to the source of the Nile. In the evening, a
few team members should help Katie Davis with setting up the food
and anything else she needs for the feeding program on Saturday.
Day 3 Join Katie by 9:30 AM for the feeding program all day. Pick up at 4
PM. Dinner at King Fisher Lodge.
Day 4 Check out of the King Fisher Lodge. Church with Pastor Isaac and
day with the children. Stay at Canaan’s Children Home.
Day 5 Spend the day with the Canaan Children’s Home children.
Day 6 Breakfast and good-byes at Canaan’s. Head to Kampala. Lunch at
the mall (exchange money at the bank) and shopping at the market.
Arrive at the airport by 3:30 PM or 4 and head to Ethiopia.
Day 7 Arrive around noon in Addis. Check into the Ethiopia Guest Home
and eat a late lunch. Proceed to the impoverished Bole Bulbula area
of Addis to work with the children. Dinner out at a restaurant of
choice.
Day 8 Mother Theresa HIV orphanage and AHope HIV Orphanage. Dinner
at the EGH.
Day 9 The new AWA Transitional Home to paint mural and Kids Kare
orphanage. Dinner out at the Traditional Ethiopian Resturant
Day 10 Korah city dump to work with kids. Dinner at the EGH.
Day 11 Shop in the morning. Work with the Dahley Community Project
ministry. Head back to EGH for clean up, packing and dinner. Leave
for airport for check in by 7:00 PM. Flight at 10:50 PM

Will post pictures when we have internet...

2010-03-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

Isn't this pendant beautiful?! You can buy it and others like it at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/junkposse

With this pendant specifically $25 is donated to Habitat for Haiti....well go get one!

Speechless

2010-03-17T21:13:00.001-07:00

It's not often that I am speechless, but today I was. Jacob was all that I wanted him to be and more. I still can't believe that I met him today. When he was done speaking Cherrie and I went to meet him and when we were about ten feet away I stopped walking and told Cherrie that I couldn't talk, how do you even begin to try to explain to someone, whom you have never met, that they have completely changed your life. That because of them you will never be the same. How do you say that without sounding like a crazy stalker? She said "Malia, you have to talk to him!!" and literally pulled me a few steps toward him. He was so sweet and talked to us for quite a while and we hugged, twice:). We then got to have lunch with him and the roadies and had a question and answer session. So pretty much it was, as my niece says, "the greatest day ever!" I'm pretty sure my smile says it all...

SHUT UP!!!

2010-03-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

I'm freaking out right now...freaking out!! So my love for Uganda all started the night I watched Invisible Children a few years ago. Specifically with a young boy named Jacob on the film. At any moment on any day I can hear Jacob crying, literally I can close my eyes and hear the sound of a sorrow I have ever heard in my life. He was told not to cry by the LRA and in this moment while being filmed he breaks down and I promise you if you watch it you will never be the same. Jacob is Uganda to me. And now here I am, less than a month to travel, and I'm thinking about Jacob so naturally I go to Invisible Children's website to see what is new and they have a new Legacy Tour. It says, "10 Stories transformed by war. 10 Advocates for peace. 10 Tours across America" So I click on NW and who do you think is on our tour!?!?!? Are you freaking kidding me, Jacob. Jacob is on our tour, Jacob is going to be at George Fox University on Wednesday, this Wednesday, I am going to see Jacob on Wednesday, 3 weeks before I go to Uganda I am meeting Jacob. Shut up!

This is a brief history of Invisible Children and you can meet Jacob here:

This has a little more of Jacob...

I am so very excited to meet Jacob, but the reality is Joseph Kony is still out there. Jacob has been rescued but there are tens of thousands of children still in Uganda being kidnapped, forced to kill, raped, maimed, and murdered by the LRA and we cannot sit here and pretend that it is not happening...

2010-03-13T00:09:00.001-08:00

God gave me an analogy that has helped me so much. I was thinking about the parable of the talents:

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a trip. He called together his servants and gave them money to invest for him while he was gone. He gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, and one bag of gold to the last--dividing it in proportion to their abilities--and then left on his trip. The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money and soon doubled it. The servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and doubled the money. But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master's money for safekeeping."After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of gold said, `Sir, you gave me five bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.' The master was full of praise. `Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'...."Then the servant with the one bag of gold came and said, `Sir, I know you are a hard man, harvesting crops you didn't plant and gathering crops you didn't cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth and here it is.' "But the master replied, `You wicked and lazy servant! You think I'm a hard man, do you, harvesting crops I didn't plant and gathering crops I didn't cultivate? Well, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. Take the money from this servant and give it to the one with the ten bags of gold. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away.

So I was thinking about being an American and why I have been born into a country of such wealth. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Just because of where I was born I have countless opportunities and basic necessities, clean water, food, safety, etc. And then I started thinking about this parable and how living in America is like a talent. What am I going to do with this talent? Am I going to bury it? Live in suburbia ignoring the pain and suffering and disease that is rampant throughout the world? Ignoring the fact that over 26,000 children die a day due to preventable causes? Or am I going to invest this talent? Am I going to choose to invest in organizations helping the poor, to not live by the world's standards of accumulation of stuff but to give as I have been given? I do not have this figured out but I am ready to say ok Lord this is Your money and I am no longer going to spend unwisely on me and my family, we want to invest in Your Kingdom on earth, right now.

"We can be the generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude determines whether a child lives or dies- but will we be that generation? Will we in the West realize our potential or will we sleep in the comfort of our affluence with apathy and indifference murmuring softly in our ears? Fifteen thousand people dying needlessly every day from Aids, TB, and malaria. Mothers, fathers, teachers, farmers, nurses, mechanics, children. This is Africa's crisis. That it's not on the nightly news, that we do not treat this as an emergency- that's our crisis.
Future generations flipping through these pages will know whether we answered the key question. The evidence will be the world around them. History will be our judge, but what's written will be up to us. We can't say our generation didn't know how to do it. We can't say our generation couldn't afford it. And we can't say our generation didn't have reason to do it. It's up to us."-Bono

Found this Pastor from Katie at Amazima and then my friend Jen just put this on her blog, had to share. I have listened to the first 3 sermons, they are amazing, convicting, inspiring, life changing. What I love about this man is that he is not claiming to have every answer. He speaks from a place of personal conviction, he is vulnerable and real. He brings the conviction of our hearts and what God has been moving us towards into this series that leaves us in a place of choice. And the series is overloaded with scripture, I love it!!

Dance Party!!!

2010-03-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

So Shane went out for dinner tonight with his friend, so it was just me and the kids for dinner...we had great harvest bread. Yeah, that's it. There was no fruit, no vegetable, no protein, we decided to go straight carbs and fat. Fresh apple crunch bread toasted and dripping in butter, nice! Hope and I were done after two pieces while the other two just kept eating. So Hope says, "Mom can we listen to Whitney Houston?" Ummm heck yes we can. Normally we have to wait until after dinner to have music because everyone sings along even while their mouths are full and this leads to food spewing across the table and such. So Hope and I decided to serenade the other two. As you can see below we are just getting to the good part!

And then Nani had to join in the dancing...

No dance party is complete without a little Jackson 5 and Blame it on the Boogie!! Jennyth, Kruse wanted to make sure you saw his moon walk:)

I like to take things to the next level, as you can see. Look at Kruse looking at me, the embarrassment will continue my son. Seriously, there is a reason I can't sing. I would be the crazy old lady trying out for American Idol for 7 straight seasons! HA!! My eyes are closed!! Like in that Hugh Grant movie...About a Boy.

break dancing

Incidentally the night ended in tears as Hope said, Mom take a picture of me jumping off the chair! To which I promptly replied, OK!!!! Yeah, then Kruse walked by right as she jumped and she landed on him, it was then the "worst night ever" and our party was over...

Mother Teresa HIV Orphanage

2010-03-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

It is less than a month now until I go to Africa. So many emotions, so much anticipation. Tonight as i was praying about going to Mother Teresa's Orphanage I was overwhelmed at the thought.

"Such a beautiful day . . . to meet Christ face to face in the poor. He was there -- the hungry, the sick, the naked Christ -- and the thought of Him in this distressing disguise gave me great joy, peace and strength. The greatest disease is not TB or leprosy, but the feeling of being uncared for, unwanted, deserted by everyone. The greatest disease is the lack of love. The unwanted are hungry -- not for food -- but for love. They are thirsty, not just for water, but for peace. They are homeless, not just for shelter, but for understanding. Be the living expression of kindness -- kindness in your face, your eyes, your kind greeting. Let no one go away from you without being better and happier." -Mother Teresa.

We will spend only one day at this orphanage, one day...is it long enough to change anything? to love a child for a day, it seems impossible to imagine. I don't want to be a tourist to despair, to walk through and pity, I want to...what? I don't know, change it all, bring them home, heal them, but none of this is in my power...Christ in His most distressing disguise...in the emaciated child, the innocent born with a death sentence, the children living with HIV.

Sometimes I don't know why I am going to Africa, really what is the point of an 11 day trip, am I changing anything? I have moments that I am so excited to go and then I think why am I excited to see poverty like i have never known, to walk into orphanages where children will never leave to a forever family, to witness the innocent living in dumps, is this really something to be excited about? Its an odd place to be, but I am excited. I don't really have a lot of gifts...I make the best chocolate chip cookies ever and I can talk for hours, that's pretty much all I got...except love. I can love, especially a child. I know that I will fall in love with every child I see, with every pair of dark eyes staring at me. I guess right now that is my plan for this orphanage, to love the way God created me to. To see the child behind the sickness, to find the joy beyond the circumstance, to see God's sovereignty in their reality. To make a child smile, if only for a day, to let them know a mother's touch, kiss, hug and pray that it will be enough.

Jen, this is for you

2010-03-02T20:41:00.001-08:00

This could be you and me!!

The dock

The Beach

The boat

2010-03-01T20:42:00.000-08:00

I cried myself to sleep last night asking the question, how am I supposed to live in this world? I recently started reading Linda Smith's first book, "From Congress to the Brothel" which is describing the horrors of India's sex trade, children forced to have sex with 20 to 40 men a day. This is not new information, I have met Renu, heard her story, I read "Sold" last summer and "Renting Lacy", but reading this yesterday and then watching the 20/20 my friend sent me last night about child sacrifices in Uganda I just don't know how to live in this world. Falling asleep in my safe home crying for the children that I don't know how to save, for the mother whose child was decapitated for "good luck", for the hungry, the thirsty, the displaced, for the women who are shunned because of fistula which has been eradicated in the US over a hundred years, for the hopeless, the lonely. I'm overwhelmed and horrified and completely at a loss of how to change anything. All i know is I'm tired of this American dream, I'm tired of being so comfortable while the rest of the world is in pain. I don't know what any of it means but I know I can't just live this life the way I have. I am so excited for my trip to Africa, maybe there is an answer there, something to pour our hearts into, our time, our money. I don't know the answer but I hope God shows us soon....

Haiti

2010-01-27T21:17:00.000-08:00

We are heavy hearted tonight. Found out that Pastor Lavaud is in the Dominican Republic looking for food...we are overwhelmed by the destruction in Haiti and the lack of basic necessities. We are sending him money and researching how to get him food, if anyone wants to help just let me know. Most of all please do not forget about Haiti and the incredible people who live there and the battle they are fighting just to survive. They need our prayers and they need our help.

Praying for Haiti

2010-01-12T22:48:00.000-08:00

We have heard that Pastor Lavaud and family are safe tonight. There was little damage in Hinche. I have emailed A New Arrival to find out about Rock and the orphanage. Praying tonight for the homeland of our daughter, for the beautiful people we met there, and the children....not a lot of words.

Adoption

2010-01-04T21:36:00.000-08:00

It seems like it is all around us these past few months!! Most recently with Miss Meili coming home followed shortly after by Miss Zuri and Miss Zinea, the beautiful faces of God's promise. How incredible to see them, to touch them, to hear their laughter. When Meili giggled the other night, be still my heart, I soooo loved the sound.

All this adoption had got me thinking...from Worship for Orphans, to Orphan Sunday, then Voices, and the coming home of my friends sweet daughters, and of course Hope's referral anniversary and then on December 20th her adoptions day. 4 years ago I saw my girl for the first time in the Miami airport, quiet, shy, covered in scabies, and patches of dry hair on her head...and now she is loud, silly, joyful, has glowing skin, and for the first time can tuck her hair behind her ears...she is so very excited about that. Anyways it got me thinking about adoption and what it is and most of all what it is NOT. It is NOT a mission, it is NOT saving a child, it is NOT a cause. Adoption is how God builds families. I know I have told our call to Hope many times but maybe what I have not told is what God did NOT say. He did NOT say Malia did you know that Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere? It is the 4th hungriest country in the world? Did you know that Haiti has the highest rates of infant, under-five and maternal mortality in the Western hemisphere. Diarrhoea, respiratory infections, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS are the leading causes of death? He said none of these things that night in October of 2001, no He said, Malia you have a daughter in Haiti. He planted a seed of adoption in my heart and over the next three years He watered it until Hope grew. I do not believe that Gods plan for the world would leave children as orphans, that war, famine, and disease would rob children of their parents. That mothers would be put in a position to place their children up for adoption because they could not afford to feed them, this is the reality of a fallen world, but Psalm 68:6 says, “God sets the lonely in families”. I believe that in His sovereignty God knew that Emilia would not be able to keep Hope and so He placed her in my heart, to grow as my child and in His perfect way and in His perfect timing He brought Hope home to her forever family. That is adoption. I say this because at the Orphan Sunday event something happened that only fueled my fire that i need to make this clear, please do not get me wrong, it was for all intents and purposes a great success and I love Steven Curtis Chapman and have NO doubt in my mind that God is using him mightily to aid the cause of orphans. Ok that being said here is what happened, in the beginning of the show they had all these pictures of children and a challenge of sorts to help the fatherless and orphan and that a way to do that would be by adoption, it was proposed in such a way to meet a need, not answer a call. My dad always says as Christians we don't meet needs, we answer His call. I'm sitting there thinking in my head that I might have said it differently when I glanced down at my daughters sitting next to each other and I watched Damaris look at Hope in a way that I had never seen her look, and quite frankly never want to see again. As she sat and listened and saw pictures of waiting children she put her hand on Hope and looked at her with a look of sympathy, she looked at her like she was an orphan.

Damaris has always looked at Hope as her sister, yes she knows Hope's birth situation, she knows she was in an orphanage, she knows that she was born in a third world country, but she has always known that Hope is her sister, that God placed her in our family, we were not adopting to do our part in saving the world, we were obeying our Lord when He said go get your daughter.

I think what really gets me upset about this is thinking that Hope might one day think that she was adopted because I was trying to do good, to save her. The thought of that hurts me and scares me and so I will continue to tell her daily that I love her, just as Jesus tells me daily that He loves me. He adopted me because I grew in His heart and He brought me into His forever family. He never felt sorry for me or pitied me, He simply loved me as His own....amazing.

I was reading a blog the other night and a mom has two adopted sons from Ethiopia and is faced with the question by many, why Ethiopia, why not America, why not this or that? Jen and I talked about this with Meili when someone asked her why China? my answer to all the questions, why Haiti, why Ethiopia? why China? why Uganda? why domestic? because that is where our children are. Because God builds families through adoption and He knows our children while they were in their mothers womb, whether my womb or Emilia's He knew them, the plan for their lives, the parents and the siblings they would have.

Life is back to normal, Damaris looks at Hope like her pesky little sister once again, but it was a good reminder for me as an adoptive mom to not let anyone else label my girl, to continue to remind all of my children of God's sovereignty, His plan, our spiritual adoption stories.

What does this mean for the orphan? Because they are out there, an estimated 143 million of them. If adoption is a call to build families but not necessarily for everyone then what do we do with James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Adoption is not for everyone but caring for the orphan is. God is calling His church to respond, not the church as an institution, the people that make up the church. He is calling us.

143 million. I want to ask you to imagine these children but I know that that is impossible, it is truly beyond our comprehension to do so….so then what do we do with a number so great. A number that numbs our senses, that removes the faces, names and stories of the children it represents. How do we fight a statistic that we can’t wrap our head around? We give the statistic a face, we find out their story, and we call them by name. Personally, the way that our family looks after the orphan in distress is through World Vision sponsorship and gift catalog, through Samaritan's Purse shoebox program, and supporting missionaries. There are so many organizations in so many countries that we have no excuse but to do something no matter how small it may seem.

My Temporary Home

2010-01-01T01:11:00.000-08:00

It’s funny how the biggest blessings in our lives can sometimes not seem like blessings at all. It is winter, my least favorite season living in my temporary home. Building a fire everyday is NOT fun, just in case you ever wondered, it’s really not. It’s not fun when your husband hurts his ankle and can no longer push the wheelbarrow to the wood pile in the barn and fill it with the various kinds of wood needed to build and sustain fire (It’s also not fun because he is in pain and can’t play soccer or basketball and coach and what not, but this is about me:). I’m not really a fan of this, but this house is my blessing. If I did not live in this house we could not have all gone to Hawaii earlier this year, we could not go to Haiti this summer, I would not own my lovely Land Rover, or be able to support World Vision the way that we are able to, and most of all my kids would not attend the school that they attend. I had prayed and asked the Lord to help us send our kids to private school, I did not specify any conditions such as living in a home whose primary source of heat is a woodstove, and so this temporary and unusual situation is really an answered prayer….isn’t that funny? I love my children and I love what they receive from their school. I love that they are receiving a Christian education and I love that they have teachers who truly love them and pray for them but most of all I love their friends. Friendship is one of God’s greatest gifts….ha!! I sound like a greeting card. But it is true, I love the friends that God has placed in the lives of my children. And the funny thing about this blessing, that I sometimes think is a curse of a house, is that God has blessed us, Shane and I, with incredible friendships. Every Thursday this summer 5 families from the school would come over and play sand volleyball until it is too dark to see, and then we move to our backyard and have dinner together and laugh and talk and eat and have a great time. I mean really who has a sand volleyball court in their front yard? Who would have thought that God would use this house to bring me and my kids friends. I was thinking about my girlfriends and how great and different they all are and how we all complement each other and have different strengths and weaknesses and what a gift they are and how blessed I am to live in this temporary home. We were supposed to be here one year, and here we are 3 and a half years later. Thank You Lord, for humbling me here, blessing me here, letting my girl scout roots be used here, for reminding me to look at my life through Your eyes and to see the blessings in what I think is the curse. And thank You that oak will last all night long if I pull the dampers out and use my tetris skills to load up the fireplace, I really love that!!

Shut Up and Live It!!

2009-11-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

This is a motto that I sometimes think in my head when people talk about what they do. I think just live it, don't talk about it. With that said I apologize for what I am about to write and you have permission to say to me, shut up and live it!!

I am a driver for the Road to Recovery program through the American Caner Society. I drive people who do not have a ride to their radiation or chemo appointments. I chose to do this when I read a flyer about the program at our local Starbucks and could not fathom the thought of someone being alone through their fight with cancer. I imagined my own dad not having a support system when he went through cancer and I knew that God put me in front of that flyer for a reason. So long story short I have begun driving my first patient, who I will call Jane. Jane is alone. I've signed many privacy policies so even though I have changed her name I will not go into her story but when I say that she is alone, I mean alone. When I picked her up this week I could see just how much the radiation was taking a toll on her body and it was difficult for me to keep it together until our ride was over. Last week I asked her if she needed any help around the house or grocery shopping and being that she is a pretty independent woman she said no, but I asked her again this week and she said yes there were some limbs in her back yard that needed pruning and so we set a time for us to come over. Shane and the kids and I and my mom and dad loaded up the tools and rakes and thankfully the leaf blower and headed to Jane's house. We were in the middle of her backyard all raking leaves and I was just struck in that moment by God's faithfulness to Jane. Here we were virtual strangers cleaning her gutters, raking leaves, taking care of the widow in her distress. It was not a church outreach, it was not a mission trip, it was simply a family whose life was affected by the words cancer helping another whose life was affected by the same diagnosis. I have twice now spoken at Worship Defined sharing the reality of the orphan crisis and the lack of clean water in places like Haiti and other third world countries. I educate myself on human trafficking, the war in Uganda, organizations like World Vision and Samaritans Purse and all the while, not a mile from my own home is a woman facing a disease that may take her life all alone. A woman who hugs my children and wants me to come visit her, a woman who needs me to take one hour out of my week to drive her to the hospital. A woman who God has not forgotten. They are out there, look for them, find them, shut up and live it!!

My Sweet Maris

2009-10-30T21:57:00.000-07:00

So Maris just came out of her room before getting in bed to tell me of a moment she recently had with a friend. She felt that one of her friends liked her other friends more than her because of something she did and she was getting a little teary and I was holding her not really sure what to say, I really think it was a misunderstanding but I know in her little heart it felt big and I was hugging her and thinking I wish I could protect her from every hurt and how on earth am I going to make it through the teenage years and wondering if I could protect her forever and loving her more than I think possible and I kissed her and I asked her if she showed that she was upset when it happened and she said no, she didn't want the girl to feel bad so she did not react, just held it in. Then I told her that she gets to be a good friend and not react and still treat her the same as she always has. Then she brushed her teeth and I met her in her room and she said, "mom, I'm going to be like God. Because God forgives us even when we don't ask for forgiveness and I am just going to forgive her." My sweet Maris, I wish I was more like you.

Worship For Orphans

2009-10-23T21:26:00.000-07:00

God is doing such amazing things right now I am simply overwhelmed. Tuesday night is Worship for Orphans and I am feeling so little compared to the magnitude of how big the God I serve is. I believe He is calling His church to answer the orphan crisis, yet not the church as an institution but individually. Our goal for the night first and foremost is to glorify our Father as he has chosen us to be a part of His "forever family" and then to tell our brothers and sisters a little about the estimated 143 million orphans, giving tangible ideas in how we can be a part of the remedy.

On Sunday November 8th at Dayspring in Keizer at 2:00 we will be able to watch the live feed of Orphan Sunday. visit www.orphansunday.org for more info!!

Then on November 13th and 14th is "Voices, a collection of dances bringing to life stories of adoption and foster care" at the KROC Center Theatre. I will be sharing our adoption story at the event and am sooooo excited for this!!

I told you He is moving His people!!!

Peter and Pslam 126

2009-09-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a confusing post and I apologize a head of time for that, perhaps it will be clarified soon.

The month of August was supposed to be a month that both Shane and I prayed about something that we were not seeing eye to eye on. Not a fight in any way, not even a disagreement, but a big family decision. We started the month with me saying, "I'll pray for you" and his response..."and I'll pray for you" :) The month went different than I expected, I found the Lord drawing me closer to Him and less answering the question that I so desperately wanted Him to answer. It was a great month, don't get me wrong, Worship Defined really came together and the Lord was beyond faithful with that and the friendships that have come out of that are so precious to me right now. But there is still this thing. So I took a big step with that thing and sorta put out a fleece, which I have never done and well, it will really, really be God if this happens because this is a huge fleece. I'm sure Gideon thought his fleece was huge too:)

Well today at church during the sermon something made me think of Peter and, as usual lately, Psalm 126. Psalm 126 is a word from the Lord that I was pretty sure referred to this thing and I say it in my head a lot thinking it means something and today I wondered if it might not mean something else.
Psalm 126

1When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
3The LORD has done great things for us;
We are glad.
4Restore our captivity, O LORD,
As the streams in the South.
5Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
6He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

So this has been a confirmation to me of sorts for the thing:). (I will get back to Peter, promise) This is the 7th song of ascent, a song of joy following the sorrows of long separation. Tonight I see this as the answer to a completely different question. Peter. I love Peter for his failings, I am so full of failings and yet the Lord restored Peter after his denial just as he restores me. I thought of Jesus by the fire this morning, asking Peter if He loved Him and then meeting him where he was and simply asking, Peter do you like me? (Agape and Phileo love) Malia do you like me? I want to always answer the love question with yes but lets be honest sometimes my actions show more like than love. I think this is why I am in love with All That I Can say by Crowder, its so honest and raw... "Lord I'm tired, so tired from walking and Lord I'm so alone... this is all that i can say right now and this is all that I can give...that's my everything...Did you see me crying? oh and did you hear me call Your Name? wasn't it You I gave my heart to? I wish You'd remember where You set it down...I didn't notice You were standing here, didn't know that that was You holding me, I didn't notice You were crying too, I didn't know that that was You washing my feet..." It has been a weird last couple months for me, sorrowful, disillusioned, hopeful, blessed, separated, lost, found, lonely, filled. Anyway, I felt this Psalm was for me, for my heart, a part of my story that marks change, return from captivity, of rescue. I pray it is an answer to both, but I am content for it to be the answer to one. I like that I feel this way before laying out this fleece, peaceful.

And by the way I will only need one fleece, Shane may need two!!

Worship for Water

2009-09-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

Last night was we had an incredible time of worship at the amphitheater and our first Worship Defined event. Check out our blog for pictures. www.worshipdefined.blogspot.com

My Book Report

2009-04-27T20:54:00.000-07:00

I have been reading a lot lately. Our five channels seem to be sensing that it is quite possible that come June 12th they will no longer be with us as they are much blurrier than usual. So I have decided to read more. Last year I read "Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda's Children" by Grace Akallo and Faith J.H. McDonnell. It was one of those books that changes your world view once again and opens your eyes not only to the evil that is in the heart of man but more importantly the hope that we have in Christ of overcoming atrocities that our beyond imagination. Grace's story is one of tens of thousands, I think that's what makes it so very difficult to read. Anyway so this time when we went to Hawaii I bought, "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah. (his website is http://www.alongwaygone.com/) It is the story of a young boy's journey from an innocent child to a child soldier. If you have ever wondered how it is possible for a child to turn into a killing machine then you need to read this book. Well actually you need to read this book even if you have never wondered. There was a point while reading that my tears so blurred my vision that I could no longer see the words. As I closed the book I prayed asking the Lord how could this happen. I told him I could not take anymore, His gentle loving whisper filled my mind, "Just because you can't read it does not make it go away. Whether or not you finish this book does not change Ishmael's life. The story must be told." So I continued to read. The hard part of reading books like these is the knowledge that the recruitment of child soldiers is happening right now across Africa. This should horrify us. Push us to some sort of action. Is it not our responsibility as the Church to fulfill the words of Isaiah, which Jesus himself began His ministry with, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted , to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." It is hard to know what to do when you are a half a world away from the conflict but as the Lord spoke to my heart it does not go away just because we look the other way. Because our life is safe and comfortable does not mean that there is a world in need of, not only a Savior, but the hands and feet of those who have already accepted that Savior. We are the wealthiest church in history here in America and with that comes huge responsibility, just read Revelation and the letters to the churches, He expects much of us. I'll step down off the soap box now, but leave you with some of my favorite world changing organizations. http://www.worldvision.org/ and http://www.invisiblechildren.com/ . One more book that will not let you sleep at night and will start a fire in your soul, "The Hole in our Gospel", I'm on page 229, almost done. Here are some excerpts to get you hooked, "The First reformation... was about creeds; this one's going to be about our deeds. The first one divided the church; this time it will unify the church." Rick Warren. "When our churches become spiritual spas in which we retreat from the world, our salt loses its saltiness, and we are no longer able to impact the culture." Richard Stearns. "Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it." "Well why don't you ask him?" "Because I'm afraid He would ask me the same question." Anonymous. One more... "The poverty of our century is unlike that of any other. It is not, as poverty was before, the result of natural scarcity, but of a set or priorities imposed upon the rest of the world by the rich. Consequently, the modern poor are not pitied...but written off as trash. The twentieth-century consumer economy has produced the first culture for which a beggar is a reminder of nothing." John Berger.
The author is Richard Stearns, president of World Vision, and in this book he gives statistics that I still can't fully wrap my head around. "26,575 children die each day of largely preventable causes related to their poverty." Buy the book, borrow mine, become educated, see the need and our abundance and lets love our neighbor as Christ has commanded. www.theholeinourgospel.com

A Few More...

2009-03-06T00:02:00.001-08:00

Paddle Boarding So Much Fun!!!

Aloha

Maui No Ka Oi

2009-03-05T23:38:00.001-08:00

Our attempt at a sand castle!!

Shaka, Shaka, Shaka!!

Hilo

2009-03-01T23:04:00.000-08:00

We are finally here and having so much fun!! We flew in on Friday and Saturday morning my parents and I flew to Hilo for my cousin Bradley's wedding. It was so wonderful to see my cousins and Uncles and Aunties that I have not seen in so long. The wedding was beautiful and I always love seeing my dad with his brothers, his laugh in Hawaii is like no other. We got to hang out with old friends too and again laughed until we teared up, I soooo love being in Hilo. From the moment we landed it just feels so good to come home. Here are some pics Kela, you won't believe how big BJ is!!!

Me and BJ

Da Bruddahs Kruse

The Newly Weds

My cousins Nicole and Jasmine

Kahea and his kids, Bishop and Rachel

Hilo gang... Kela that is Eisha next to Cheryl!!

Still Here...

2009-01-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

It has been so long since I have posted... Christmas has come and gone, and a new year with new re-solutions and new adventures is upon us. It is late and we had a great day at OMSI and I am tired and Kruse has basketball pictures at 7:30 am on Saturday!!! Seriously, they are 5!!! I only have a few Christmas pics on the computer and it seems like so long ago but for my loved ones stretched from Hawaii to North and South Carolina, these are for you:

and a little wrestling

And as I sit here freezing cold with the obnoxious sound of the fan on the fireplace trying desperately to warm a house that has had no fire or heat all day and the stench of dusty baseboard heat lingering from attempting to remove the chill from the kids room's I can only think of one thing...

Yes, those are hot Leonard's malasadas, yes, Shane and I ate the whole box, yes, I will be in Hawaii in 6 weeks, yes, I am running 3 miles a day in preparation, and yes, this is the only picture of both Shane and I last time we were in Hawaii...

Yes, I can endure 6 more weeks of fire building for this!

Meeting Linda and Renu

2008-11-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the incredible privilege to meet two strong, courageous, humble, and beautiful women. Shared Hope International held an event in town and there was no way I was going to miss it! First I met Linda, the president and founder of SHI, she was all that I hoped she would be and more. The work of SHI and how far reaching throughout the world that it is truly amazes me. I feel like we were given so much information that I can't possibly sum it up in a short post so I will hit some highlights but it would be well worth your while to check out their website at www.sharedhope.org . First I loved Linda's passion. This is a woman who was literally placed by God into this position to change the world. She told us that she did not even run for Congress in Washington, her name was written in on the ballot and she was elected. She did no campaigning, spent no money to be elected, it was a placement that God had planned for her. From that position she has done incredible things for those bought and sold into sexual slavery and human trafficking. Her love and compassion for God's children oozed and she told stories of the horrors that she had witnessed and how God's love and Villages of Hope were bringing healing to hundreds. She was also able to show us a video of a undercover investigation that resulted in the arrest of two men selling a 13 year old for sex in Jamaica. Her passion was palpable as she explained that the work of SHI was a part of both the seller and the buyers receiving jail time. Even here in America they found in their undercover operations that the 13 to 15 year old girls will be arrested and the men that paid money to buy them were let go!! Unbelievable, as if the girls are at fault. We also saw footage of American truck stops being places where pimps bring their girls to be sold, 80% of these girls are on the missing and exploited list. This is in our country! We were blown away.
Next we met Renu. There are no words to describe the feeling of watching this beautiful, quiet young woman tell her story of being sold to a brothel in India from her home in Nepal by her adopted brother!! She went to visit him in the town that he was going to college in and she said he bought her a glass of juice at a restaurant...3 days later she woke up in a brothel. Although she attempted to refuse being a prostitute, ultimately there is no choice. Someone from Teen Challenge in Bombay led her to the Lord and she began to pray to God to help her to leave. In a way that only He can God answered Renu's prayer and the owner of the brothel accepted Christ and gave her money to travel home to her family. Unfortunately the stigma associated with her life in the brothel caused people to cross the street when she was near and to have no contact with her, as if it was her choice. She decided to call the number that was given to her by someone at the Teen Challenge, which ended up being her first contact with SHI, but not before she saw her brother who had sold her and stolen her childhood, her innocence, her dreams, and her life to that point. She said he turned white when he saw her and she said, "I forgive you". I was and still am in awe of Renu. She rocked my world in her next sentence, if Christ has forgiven me how could I not forgive him. Everything in me wants to justify hatred, anger, and disgust for this man and yet there stood Renu humbly and gently asking, how could I not? Moments in time, this is certainly another one for me, when my world view is broadened and the awe that I have for my Savior is ignited through His daughter. Renu sees her life as Joseph, what satan intended for evil, God has used for the good. Renu now works with SHI and she counsels young women rescued from the life she once lived. Linda asked her how she counsels them, and in her simple way she said, "I tell them my story."
This is I Am Sister, this is where we war for our sisters in bonds, this is where we do not accept this reality and we find a way big or small to do something to help organizations like SHI to fight the injustice and most of all to lovingly rescue and restore these children and young women who live a nightmare that we cannot come close to comprehending. This is where we do not just get uncomfortable at the thought and look the other way but we hear and respond and obey. We have seen His glory, we know this King and the same God who held Renu every night, who pursued her with His love, He who rescued now asks Whom shall I send? Here am I! Send me.

No Picture With This Post!

2008-11-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

What I am about to share will reveal my selfishness, I apologize. Although reading this blog may appear that I am a good person, I'm not. I am a sinner saved by grace. I am reminded of this on a daily basis as I battle with renegade thoughts and with sudden urges to eat anything with a hint of sugar, exhibiting no self control. However, if this blog is to be a catalyst for genuine dialogue and a place for authentic community which is relevant and engaging in today's culture, encouraging us to carpe diem I must admit that I am indeed, imperfect. (Sorry, I couldn't resist)
Ok, enough of that, here is my story. Awhile a go the Lord gave me an idea to do something, which I did. It was kind of a big deal and a lot of work and I enjoyed it immensely and was extremely happy to do it and it went better than planned and I was overjoyed. The day after, which by the way is always the worst day for me, I received a call from a friend that was there and was super excited along with me and we were talking about it and they said, did everyone know that you did all this because I thought it was weird that nobody thanked you. The seed of discontent was planted. A little later I was on the phone with Cherrie wanting her to send me pictures of the night and she told me that she would send them and apologized that there were no pictures of me or Shane because she only had one card and erased us to take more pictures. I hung up irritated. Not one measly picture of me? I did my hair and wore fancy clothes, seriously not one single picture. So I go to take a shower and am really annoyed, no picture, no thank you...what the heck? Emotions began to flow and I am in the shower talking to God and am basically throwing a tantrum. "Lord, can I just get a little glory here, I mean I orchestrated this whole thing and I got no recognition, other people get glory for stuff, why can't I get some glory?" He answers, You don't like those people... It's true, I don't. "Well can I at least have one picture then!!!!???" Ok are you even ready for how God responded...feel my hands grabbing your arms, my eyes are wide and you can feel my excitement, ready? "Well can I at least have one picture then?!"...He answers, "I have your picture". Silence, my anger completely evaporated. He has my picture, can any glory from man, any thank you on earth compare to that statement, He has my picture. The God of the universe, Creator, Redeemer, King of Kings has my picture. I sat down (finally figured out why there is that seat in the shower) and cried. I was overwhelmed by His presence, and humbled by His love. It is for Him alone that I serve and He is proud of me and I wanted more than that, can you even imagine? I am a sinner saved by grace, undeserving of love of this magnitude. I get goose bumps every time I think about it. Do all things as unto the Lord, I did it for Him and He has my picture and that is enough.

PRAISE GOD!!!!!

2008-11-19T22:18:00.000-08:00

Ummm...... yeah on my way to pick Hope up from school to go to Rotary today the magnitude of the meeting hit me and for a second I thought I was going to throw up!! I apologize for starting with that sentence, but it's true:)
So as Cynthia told her fellow Rotarian's "she brought in the big guns today". Hope was dressed in her beautiful green sweater and I actually used hair product, wore eye shadow, and heels!! We brought our best smiles and two picture albums... on the way there (at first Hope thought we were going to Haiti, little miscommunication) Hope said she only wanted to tell the people one thing. I said, ok honey what are you going to say?, "I'm from Haiti and you tell them everything else." So that was the plan and she did well, by the way she also said that she was four, her name was Hope, she was hungry, this is boring, when are we going to go home, etc. Anyways Cynthia introduced us and we showed our picture albums and talked a little bit about Hinche, about how Haiti was hit by 4 hurricanes, the desperate need for water, how wonderful Lavaud is, and how excited we were to do something in Hope's homeland. Cynthia shared all her facts from Lavaud, the requirements that he meets, etc. There are many needs throughout the world, we are well aware of this fact. Most projects brought up dealt with water, either wells or purification systems. It is difficult to want them to choose Haiti while recognizing there is need everywhere, but I was praying like mad that they would. When it was time to vote I did not look anyone in the eye, knowing I could not hide my disappointment, as they went around the table I looked up at Cynthia and saw the tears in her eyes, I mouthed is that a yes and she nodded that it was!!! Now there is one more vote to be taken on the 9th of December, so keep praying, but it looks very good that Hinche will in fact receive multiple wells!

I am still in shock about the whole event and just so thankful that God allows us to be a part of His plan. One thing I know, I'm going to be there to see the faces of the children as they hold a cup of clear, safe water. I wish I could see Lavaud's face when he reads his email tonight!

I have been struck with the sovereignty of God today. Thinking of all the paths that have led us to this moment. It truly all began in the middle of the night in October of 2001 as I was up with Maris and God led me to a photo listing of children in Haiti and I knew in my heart that we would adopt our daughter from Haiti. And then I think to last Christmas when Maris wanted to build a well, and how God brought a new focus for our family in service to Him. Then I thought of all the times that I have missed moments that could have led to "wells". How many times have I lacked faith and said things like, "No honey it's too much money" and not responded to the conviction I felt after I said those words. How many opportunities missed because I did not step out in faith? It is humbling and overwhelming and makes me want to be so attentive to the nudges of the Holy Spirit because we could have truly missed all of this! I cannot wait to see where the Lord leads and am so privileged to be His child and to hold His hand and follow Him.

Thanks for your prayers,

Malia

PLEASE, PLEASE, PRAY FOR HAITI

2008-11-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

Okay this is soooo very exciting!!! So I mentioned that Cynthia, my mother-in-law, joined Rotary and took us to their weekly lunch to share about the wellbox. It was great to learn more about their incredible organization and we even raised over a hundred dollars while we were there!! Well Cynthia is becoming more involved and has joined an international board and she nominated Pastor Lavaud to receive a well. Today we found out that it could be MULTIPLE wells!! This is beyond incredible... can you feel my excitement right now? I can only begin to imagine the impact that this will make for the people of Hinche. Hope and I are going to go to the lunch tomorrw and do what we can to sway the vote:) I pulled out my photo album from our trip so they can see the beauty as well as the desperation in the faces of the children. Please pray with us for this miracle and life changing opportunity for the homeland of my precious daughter. They vote tomorrow at 11:00, the prayer of a righteous man is both powerful and effective!!

By the way in case you missed it, Extreme Home Makeover featured a family who adopted 5 boys from Haiti, and 3 from the inner city, and had 3 biological boys... that's 11 boys!! It was a great story and good to see Haiti talked about, you can watch it at abc.com if you missed it.

Holding on to a Promise

2008-11-13T22:21:00.000-08:00

I could not resist sharing theses pictures of Miss Emerson and my kids, they were so enthralled! After our visit Hope has changed the names of her Loving Family to James, Syd and baby Emerson...too cute. So here we all are holding God's promise fulfilled.

Mission Accomplished

2008-11-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

Kellie and I had so much fun watching our girls go shopping for the troops in Afghanistan. Our focus of the trip was to purchase items for the soldiers new Media Room which was built to boost the morale of the soldiers. We started at Target and did not get past the $1 spot without filling the cart half full with movie theater size candies! We also got popcorn and plastic popcorn containers as well as the game Scene It for the soldiers to play in their new Media Room. I have to applaud Target because when we told them why we were buying $200 worth of candy and games they gave us 10% off!! And the two ladies behind us in line thanked us for what we were doing for our troops, I told them that Lauren's dad had just returned home she looked at Lauren and told her to tell her dad, Thank you! I love it when strangers unite in support of our military. We then headed to the $ store to purchase more candy, but also toys, balls, stuffed animals, pens, and notebooks for the soldiers to hand out to the children trying to just be children in the midst of war. We took a picture of the girls with some of their haul and are now working on raising some money to help send it to Afghanistan. We are going to have a special chapel at the kids school on the 24th and pray over everything being sent. Again I am blessed to be a part of a community who loves with actions and steps out to do what God is calling us to do. It is in these small things that God does such big and powerful things and I am so excited knowing that He will bless His children with something as seemingly insignificant as a box of M & M's !!!

What's Next for the Well Box

2008-11-05T22:30:00.000-08:00

We have wondered for awhile what direction God would lead us in next following the purchase of our well... should we raise money for another well or do something different? I have just been patiently waiting for God to show us, knowing that in His perfect time He would, and He did through another child! The morning of our Hero's Welcome Miss Lauren, Lance's daughter, asked me if she could tell everyone that came that night about her idea to send stuff to the soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and to the children of Afghanistan. The moment she said it I thought of Damaris and her vision for the well and I knew that this would be our next adventure. The Well Box had a surplus of $250 as Rick and Cherrie had slipped a check in the box without me knowing! We used some of the money for the party but the rest will be spent on our new mission.

I wish I had a video of Lauren on this night. As you can see by the proud look on her father's face she did a wonderful job sharing her idea with all of us. Damaris and I and Lauren and her mom, Kelli, are going to go shopping with our extra money and bless our service men and women as well as the children who are living in a war torn country.

One more thing, after I knew this was what was next for us I put it together that when God gave me the vision for "I am mother, sister, friend" raising money for the well fulfilled I am Mother, and this new adventure fulfills I am Friend! I was reminded that having big dreams and vision is wonderful but I cannot wait for the miracle, "I need to be the miracle"(Pastor Bob). My greatest desire and prayer is that I AM will happen but I need to do what I can where I am at, with what I have now in this moment.

A Hero's Welcome Part 2

2008-10-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

Last week we were given the opportunity to thank two more American Heroes for their sacrifice and service to us and our country. Not long after we began praying for "Kate's Dad" we added "Anson's Dad" from Hope's class, to our prayers. Jess was also deployed to Iraq and we along with several classes at school and other families committed to pray for him every night. Then we added another dad from Hope's class, "Natalie's Dad" to our prayers, Lance was stationed in Afghanistan.

Jess was due to be home in the Fall and the last time I talked to Kellie she was hoping Lance would be home for the holidays. Then I was at school a few weeks ago and I had just found out that Jess was in San Diego and I looked up and there was Lance!! I cannot tell you the excitement of our prayers that night as we thanked the Lord for bringing home "Kate's Dad, Anson's Dad, and Natalie's Dad". It has been over a year since we began praying for these men and their families and I was as thrilled as the kids!! Of course you know what this means... a party!! (I have decided that I am God's personal party planner!)

This time we invited the whole school since Lance has kids in 4 year old preschool and first grade and all those now second graders had been praying for so long. It was an incredible night that I really can't describe. We had wonderful food and fellowship with almost 100 people!! The goal was to bless those men who have blessed us and I think we accomplished that. I talked to the teachers and the Four year old class said the Pledge of Allegiance, the Kindergarten sang God Bless America, and the 1st and 2nd graders sang My Country Tis of Thee. We watched a short slide show that Lance brought home from Afghanistan with pictures of the children and the harsh landscape of that country and then his sweet daughter shared her vision of helping those in Afghanistan...more on that later. Then we watched one of my favorite songs, "If I die before you wake" and then Shane led us in some worship. My favorite part of the night was when the entire room applauded all three men that we have defended in prayer for so long, Stephen, Jess, and Lance. It was beautiful and perfect and again I feel privileged to be a part of saying thank you!

"If I Die Before You Wake" by Dusty Evans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGhzOvhDGp0

A Hero's Welcome Part 1

2008-10-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

Over a year ago our family committed to praying every night for “Kate’s Dad” aka Captain Stephen B. while he was deployed in Iraq. Every night at bedtime we would lift up our soldiers “especially Kate’s Dad” to the Lord asking for their safety, physically and spiritually. There was not a night that we did not pray…literally. If the kids were tired and I thought a short prayer without the soldiers, children of Uganda, Haiti and Zimbabwe was too much the kids would absolutely not let me say good night until we prayed properly.
I had never met Stephen, but when he came home in May I felt the Lord telling me that I needed to throw him a welcome home party…so I called in the troops and we organized a “Hero's Welcome” from the First grade class and the Teachers at our school. I called my friend the fabulous Chris F. to cater the event and decorated the backyard with red, white, and blue. I talked to Mrs. R about the kids doing a special presentation, (they did a wonderful job) and asked Shane to lead us in a few worship songs. We thanked Stephen and his family for their sacrifice and his service and we praised God for the answer to all of the families of our schools prayers to bring him home safely. It was a beautiful night and I was privileged to be a part of it. It was a small gesture from those that he had served to give up one night to say a simple thank you. Thank you for giving up a year of soccer games, movie nights, his children's birthdays, Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas Morning, date nights with his wife, and all the little moments that we can take for granted so that we would not miss those precious moments with our own families. Thank you for risking everything you hold dear for a cause bigger yourself. Thank you for being an American Hero.

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."

OH JOPPINS!!

2008-10-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

This is the face my daughter makes right before she says, "Oh Joppins!" It is a word that she made up months ago and uses it in place of phrases like "Oh gosh" or "Oh man" I wish you could hear her as you are not quite sure if it should be spelled "Oh Choppins" or with a J. It's hilarious and I crack up every time she says it which of course means we hear it even more...Oh Joppins!!!

Seriously

2008-10-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

Can you even believe these pics? My friend Cherrie of Tucker Bleu Photography had Kruse, Hope and I practice poses for her at the park today and lucky me I get these out of it!!

The Last Time...

2008-10-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

The last time I was in Washington D.C. the Twin Towers were still standing, the Pentagon had no memorial, the Shanksville countryside had not yet been the burial for some of the first heroes of a war that our country did not seek out.

The last time I went to Arlington Cemetery there was not a section dedicated to the lives lost in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. The last time I walked through the thousands of white headstones I did not see a fresh mound of dirt with the wreaths of a recent funeral still standing and parents saying a final farewell to their child. The last time I was their I did not hear a mother tell her son to go find Daddy and give him a kiss and look up to see a 4 year old boy kissing one of these white tombstones.

The last time I was in Arlington Jen and Shane weren't married, they hadn't even met. They hadn't fallen in love via email and phone calls while he was deployed in Afghanistan. They hadn't gotten engaged and then married on the beautiful Kona coast. He hadn't been deployed two months after their fairy tale wedding to Iraq. The last time I was in Arlington there was no headstone that said Captain Shane T. Adcock, May 24, 1979 - October 11, 2006. The last time I was there I did not kneel down before a headstone and promise that I would never forget his sacrifice, that I would tell my children of his bravery, that I would continue to pray for his wife, that I would relish the freedom he fought for.

In loving memory of Captain Shane T. Adcock, we will never forget...

October 12, 2007
Shane,It's been a year since you went to your home in heaven above,
Yet not one day since you left has the world not felt your love.
Your love for your country, family, and friends, but most importantly God,
For the path you chose on which you gave your life on the land you trod.
To say that you made a difference just doesn't seem enough,
So let me tell you how you changed the path of one of us.
When I see a soldier now I always say a prayer,
That God will keep him safe from harm and let him know we care.
When I see the beauty that surrounds me everyday,
I stop and thank God for the blessings that He has sent my way.
When I look at my three sons and the freedom that they share,
I am humbled by the sacrifice of soldiers to keep freedom there.
These soldiers don't even know my sons yet they fight for their right to be free,
How special these brave young heroes are that they give so unselfishly.
Soldiers who, just like you, knew it from the start,
That they were destined to be soldiers because of their compassionate hearts.
Shane, I promise to always remember the sacrifice that you gave,
The countless lives for our country and for God that you sought to save,
I'll remember what you told my Daddy when he said, "Shane, keep your head down low,"
You said, "Uncle Tommy, I'm not worried because if I die then I know where I'll go."
So Shane as you're exploring Heaven way up there,
Could you give Granddaddy and Grandma Barnes a hug and let them know I care?
And until we meet again in that Celestial sky,
I will watch for rainbows and know that you're close by.
Love,Helen

(Taken from Legacy.com Guest Book)

I Love Kids...

2008-10-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of speaking in chapel last week at the kid's school. I shared about Hope's adoption and how God has adopted all of us into His forever family. Following chapel many kids have come home to their parents and said, "did you know Hope was adopted"? I love it! They are truly colorblind.

Finding Hope in Haiti

2008-09-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

"From that moment a child began to grow in our hearts. Just as physical conception is necessary to bring a child into this world, so a conception has to take place in the heart if two people are going to bring a child into their lives through adoption. We didn't have a blood test to prove her existence. I couldn't hold a piece of paper in my hand to verify her reality by the latest ultrasound. But God's promise of a child was as real as any physical pregnancy. A daughter was conceived in our hearts just as surely as if she had been conceived in my own body." - The Strength of Mercy. We knew we had a daughter, we knew she was in Haiti and we knew this was a call that we could not ignore.

The miracles that brought Hope home are too numerous to count and we are constantly reminded of the sovereignty of our God and stand in awe of how He brings His plan to pass. When we began the adoption process Haiti was closed to adoptions as a result of a volatile political climate and questioning the call we almost chose another country. But we were not at peace and we knew that the God of the entire universe is also the God of Haiti and He would open any door if we would trust and obey. And sure enough by the time we were done with our home study we were able to begin the adoption process through Haiti.

We finished the remainder of all classes and paperwork in June and on November 17th, 2004 we received our referral and first picture of Hope at 6 weeks old. From that time on, we thought the finalization of the adoption would take approximately 6 months, but that was not to be. The weeks began to drag to months as we waited for our paperwork to receive approval from the Haitian government. Then in May 2005 we got an email telling us that three of our documents had been lost and we would need to redo them, have them notarized, and FedEx them to Haiti. That was not the news that we were waiting for, but after crying out to God that day I knew that this would eventually be part of the miracle that brought Hope home. Sure enough, a few months later we would learn that our dossier passed up others in line because when the missing documents arrived in Haiti our file was brought to the top of the pile. And we sometimes doubt that God is in the details.

We had so longed to spend her birthday with Hope (September 27th), but again it was not to be. We celebrated her birthday without her with a trip to the zoo and days later received a call that Hope would be ready to travel on October 17th! We were thrilled and so excited to take her with us to California to meet Auntie Jen, Uncle Jer, and the boys for Thanksgiving, but once again God's timing was different than ours. We did go to California, but without Hope. Our prayers became more focused now, Lord please let her be home by Christmas. During this entire time of waiting, God blessed us with notes of encouragement, a Haitian children's book with the word "Hope" written on the side of a tap-tap, songs, scriptures, friends, and most of all His peace. He constantly encouraged us that this was His plan and that He is faithful to complete it. There are seriously too many things to list but one thing was extra special. We had randomly bought 4 tickets to a SCC and Mercy Me Christmas concert with Chris and Toni at the kids school auction. On December 8th we went to the concert and not long into it they began sharing why they chose to do a Christmas concert...to promote Shoahannah's Hope, which is SCC's ministry which helps families with adoption expenses and basically just promoted adoption in general. Then Stephen plays "All I really want for Christmas is a family" while a slide show is playing of orphans in the background. Of course at this point Toni and I are sobbing and I am pretty sure Shane and Chris were fighting back the tears and then our almighty God surrounds us with His love as everyone in the Rose Garden joined in prayer for those families waiting to adopt and for their children waiting to come home. Chris leaned over and said, "Did you ever imagine that tonight this entire auditorium would be praying for you?"

This is the God we serve. He knows the cry of our hearts, how we prayed for Hope for Christmas, how with each day that passed the longing to hold our daughter grew. He blessed us with our complete family on December 20th in the Miami airport. From the moment she was in my arms she was home. Its as if she knew how much I loved her, that she had been held in my heart for 13 months, that I was her momma, and that she would forever be my girl. I have no doubt that Hope was meant to be a part of our family, that before the creation of the earth she was meant to be my daughter. Hope's middle name is an altar, just as with Damaris and Kruse that we may remember His goodness and faithfulness and bless Him there. Her first middle name is Emilia, her birth mother's name. We are so grateful for her sacrifice. She gave up her child out of extreme poverty to have a chance with another family and she is a hero for it. Hope's Hawaiian middle name is Kahea O Akua, called of God. Shane and I were called to adopt Hope, it was an act of obedience. Hope's call is two-fold. She was called out of Haiti, a land dedicated to satan with voodoo as its national religion, whose darkness is both physical and spiritual. And she shares the call that God offers each of us; a call out of the darkness of a life without His glorious light. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness and into His glorious light." Adoption is the example of what our Lord has done for us. He has called us to be His children. Ephesians 1:3-8 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will- to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."

We are so blessed to have Hope as a part of our forever family and I pray that all of you are a part of our eternal forever family. Jesus gave His life to give you hope and I pray that you accept His extended hand.

Happy Birthday Miss Hopey, I love you and can't imagine life without your smile and your hugs. You make me laugh everyday and I am so glad that you grew in my heart.

TODAY

2008-09-24T22:37:00.000-07:00

Today, September 24th, 6 months after our first official fundraising event we have raised $5,390!! Today we have done a small part in fighting a statistic that we could not live with. Today we did something bigger than ourselves. Today God showed us that "if we make the effort He will make the difference"-Pastor Bob. Today we did not hear and look away. Today we helped someone that we will never know this side of Heaven. Today I told my children that because of them other children will live. Today I am overwhelmed and humbled by the greatness of my God. Today we proved that with God all things are possible. Today we listened to our children. Today we, we being every single person involved in this journey, became a part of the remedy.

You donated time, battled "can do" machines, you got creative, you went door to door, you prayed, you praised, you told your friends, you had the faith of children, you made me proud to know you, you blessed me with your generosity, you played your fiddles, you sold lemonade, you gave us your cans, you gave us money, you gave us your furniture to sell, you paid more than you needed for my baby clothes, you gave up birthday presents, you gave out of your abundance and you gave in the midst of need. You gave even though you had never met me before, you matched your can donation, you turned in your change, you watched a movie in our back yard and paid to do it, you left me speechless and on more than one occasion you left me in tears, and most of all, you have served the least of these. You fulfilled the words to one of my favorite DCB songs,

"...Where there is pain
Let us bring grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Let us be brave
Where there is misery
Let us bring them relief
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Oh surely we can change
Something"

All glory to You my Lord and my Savior.

Thanks Grandpa Bob and Grandma Maureen!!

2008-09-24T22:08:00.001-07:00

I called my mom to tell her about the rotary lunch today and that we only needed $78.23 more and her reply was, I guess we better finish the rest off! Thanks Mom and Dad, not just for the money but for your part in showing me the meaning of service, faith, and loving Jesus by loving others, I love you both so much!!

Thank You Rotarians!

2008-09-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

Cynthia took me to the Rotary lunch today and had a "bell ringing" for the well box. Let me tell you the Rotary is amazing and they do incredible things throughout the world, I am so impressed by this organization. "As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world."
Cynthia wrote a brief description of the history of the well box which they read aloud and then they rang the bell for our family. As the lunch closed, one of the visiting Australian Rotarians tapped me on the shoulder and handed me $100 cash for the well box! Then another Rotarian, Lavinnia gave me $10 and yet another, Susan gave me $5, so all in all we made $115 today bringing our total to $5311.77!! We are soooo very close...

Still More Cans and a Tearful Goodbye

2008-09-23T08:37:00.001-07:00

We said goodbye to Emmy last night, she is on her way back to college and we will miss her sooo much. Before we left she handed me an envelope of more can money...$35.25. Thanks so much Em for calling your neighbors and bringing all those cans back with Shane, for all your help with the garage sales, and for all the movie nights just for fun! We love you and are so thankful for all that you have done to make this dream a reality and I can't wait to call you when we finally reach our goal, only $193.23 to go!

Love ya,

Shane, Mali, Maris, Kruse, & Hope

Happy Birthday Grandma Cynthia!!

2008-09-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

When Cynthia was asked what she wanted for her birthday this year she generously suggested donations to the well box in instead of presents!! What a generous and wonderful idea. So instead of buying the pedicure I was planning on we added $25, as did Jen and Jer. That added with some money from her mom, plus $20 donation from someone at her work, the grand total of Cynthia's Birthday donation is $90.00 bringing us only $228.48 away from our goal!!! Thank you Cynthia for giving on the day you are supposed to be receiving...Happy Birthday!! New total $5161.52.

The Heartache of Haiti

2008-09-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

I am overwhelmed watching the news and seeing the pictures coming out of Haiti. Hanna and Ike have wreaked havoc and devastated the country. It is hard to imagine that the third hungriest country in the world and the poorest in the western hemisphere could get any worse... but it has. What little the Haitians had has been taken away by flooding. They are now surrounded by water contaminated with animal and human waste as well as those killed by the storms. Water has always been hard to come by, well I should say clean, safe water has been hard to come by but now they are literally being flooded with disease and clean water must come in bottles from the UN leaving people with very little options. In Hinche, where Pastor Lavaud is, they lost 100 water purifiers in the floods! I can only think of Katrina and how we are the richest country in the world and we have taken years to recover. Please pray for God to dry up the land and to use the developed countries to bring aid to a country overwhelmed by heartache.

We Got Mail!!

2008-09-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

You will not believe what was waiting for us at the mail box today! Our dear friends, Darrin, Angela, Dylan, &Trey sent us a card excited about the well box adventure and wanting to be a part of it. With their gift of $250 they have pushed us over the $5,000 mark and I am jumping for joy. I know I say this on every post lately but I am going to say it again...I am overwhelmed by the response of our friends and family. You have blessed us with your prayers, support and donations and we love you all. Thanks D family, you rock!! New Total...$5071.52

Another $20

2008-09-04T16:15:00.000-07:00

Grandma Joyce shared The Well Box vision with her friend Richard and he sent us $20 in the mail today! It has been so fun to see our family and friends share with their own sphere of life. Thank you Richard for your gift, we are so grateful. $4821.52

Miss Heyna & Grandma Marge

2008-09-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

Miss Heyna brought me her "can do" slip today that she and her mom, Emily, received from Fred Meyers where they took back Grandma Marge's cans. We are adding $2.35 to our total, thanks Miss Heyna and we love you...$4801.52!!

Altars

2008-08-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

Exodus 20:24b says, "Build altars in the places where I remind you who I AM, and I will come and bless you there." Our son Kruse's middle name is an altar, Ikaika i ka Ho'omana which means "Strength to Worship". I am not sure why I feel compelled to write this tonight, if this is for someone who reads the blog or for myself, but for some reason I know that I am to write this tonight and if there is one thing I have learned through "the well box" it is that when God speaks I want to obey.
On June 25th 2002 I had an ultrasound for our second child whom I have named Maluhia Lani, "Heavenly Peace". We found out on that day that our baby preceded us to Heaven. I had had friends who had miscarried and always ached for them but never really understood the pain of losing a baby. There are no words to describe the loss...nothing. My heart was broken but just as He always does (if we let Him) God met me where I was and brought Shane and I to a place of truly understanding "worship".
"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord."-Job1:21b
As we drove from the Doctor's office to the hospital for another ultrasound to make sure that there was indeed no heartbeat, we sat in silence but I could hear the words in my head "Here we are standing in Your presence worshipping You, worshipping You. You are greater than the ocean, You are bigger than the sky, You are stronger than the river, there's nobody else who loves me like You do...here we are"
This was a Tuesday, they could not get me in for a D & C until the following Monday...for 6 days I was a living tomb for my unborn child. I walked around, went to the grocery store, to work, and to church knowing that my child was in my womb...dead. My life was changed in two huge ways once at church and once at Safeway.
I stood in the checkout line like a zombie, knowing we needed groceries but wanting to be crying on the couch at home. I stood there and looked at those around me as if the world was in slow motion. God was with me in line. I remember glancing around and thinking they have no idea, they look at me and have know idea that death is literally inside of me. It was in that moment that I have never looked at anyone the same...God showed me at Safeway that I have no idea the pain behind a face. Does their dad have cancer, has her husband left her for another woman, has she been trying to have a baby for years, was she abused as a child, can he not walk away from an addiction, did his father die without them ever reconciling. When I see people now who are angry, I no longer am annoyed by their rudeness, I wonder what happened to you today? When I see someone with the hollow look I am sure was in my own eyes, I say a prayer for whatever hurt they are facing. There is a world of hurting people and they are all around us if we choose to see them and sometimes a smile and a silent prayer is all we can give.
Church was a tough one. No one knew I was pregnant and after losing the baby I did not want to say anything except to immediate family. So on Sunday morning I went to church with a plastic smile and stood to sing our first praise song, "I'm trading my sorrows, I'm trading my shame, I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord. I'm trading my sickness, I'm trading my pain..." Obviously God and Shane had met in the process of him working out his worship set and there I was starting to sing, when again the world moved to slow motion and tears filled my eyes and I stopped, unable to sing the words if I did not mean them. In that moment I knew a choice was to be made, am I going to praise the God who could have saved my child, who could have breathed life and stopped death. Can I stand here and truly worship with my hand on my womb. Can I say "Yes, Yes, Lord" to this? It was a moment in time that I knew I would never be the same, the beginning of a journey to the true meaning of worship that I would trade nothing for, not even a miracle. I would never have chosen to lose a baby, never wish it on anyone, yet at the same time would not trade the months of closeness with my Savior that the loss allowed. He surrounded me with Hope (thus the name of our daughter) in the midst of grief and gave me a compassion that I would never have understood otherwise and best of all He gave me a vision, of nail scarred hands holding a tiny, precious baby.

My Girls

2008-08-28T20:48:00.000-07:00

I truly can't get over all the blessings of this journey!! Tonight my girls Miss McKenna and Miss Morgan brought me a cup of money for the well box. They, along with their friends Rayna and Hailey, raised money by having a lemonade stand at their house. I am so proud of you girls for doing something. That is what we have learned through all of this that whatever we can do is better than doing nothing at all...and because of all those little somethings we are going to do one very big thing!! Adding the girls $19.26 we are now at $4799.17

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa W

2008-08-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

Grandma Cynthia and Grandpa Terry also had a "change jar". Apparantly this is something people do, Shane and I on the other hand enjoy our 44 ounce sodas with our spare change.
Anyways, not only did the parentals give us all of their change...they also matched it making their total contribution $198.36!!! On Saturday we were $1,000 away and today we are only $610.09 away, that was only 3 days ago! New total...$4779.91

I don't even know what to say...

2008-08-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

So after our wonderful time at church and my awe of God's faithfulness we grabbed some lunch and hit the sand volley ball court for another tourney. While we were playing my Mom and Cynthia went to an open house in the area and began chatting with the realtor there. She was telling them about another house that was rather expensive and Cynthia said something about it being out of her price range and the realtor said dreams start somewhere (or something to that extent). Cynthia says yes they do let me tell you about my granddaughter's dream and goes on to tell her about The Well Box and how it started with a 6 year old and that the well would be through World Vision. Turns out that she is a World Vision sponsor and wants to write a check to The Well Box...and she does for $100!! A complete stranger to us until today!

This wonderful woman's name is Roz Anderson and she works for Remax. (if anyone is buying or selling a house you just might give her a call) Roz thank you sooo very much for your generosity I am truly overwhelmed. (And by the way I bought Three Cups of Tea 3 months ago and have not had the time to start it, until tonight, I am on chapter 2 and already inspired.)

Again I have to say that this journey has been so incredible as I see again the faithfulness of our Lord as we say "ok God this is big but You are bigger" and if we take that first small step He meets us right there with more than we could have ever asked or imagined...$4581.55!!

SPEECHLESS

2008-08-24T22:48:00.000-07:00

It is not often that I find myself speechless, but that is exactly what happened this morning at church, I was speechless and brought to tears.
When I first pulled into the parking lot I saw Daryl and Kathy's grandkids playing on the playground and thought it was nice they were here and must be visiting for the day. After Praise instead of greeting right away we found out that Bryce and Summer (the grandkids) were going to play their fiddles for us, not out of the ordinary as they have done this at church before. I sat next to Damaris and smiled as I listened to these incredibly gifted children play a song. Then my dad came up and said that Bryce (11) and Summer (9) had seen on the Internet that there were many children in the world dying because of unclean water and immediately the tears filled my eyes as I knew that Kathy must have shown them The Well Box. Do you know what these children did? They told their parents that they wanted to help because they did not want children to die and so they made a sign "Playin for Water", made a jar with a slit on the top, and took their fiddles to the Saturday Market and played for four hours to raise money for The Well Box and they made $170.00!!! Can you even believe that? I am constantly humbled by the innocent faith of children who see a need and figure out a way to meet it. We have so much to learn from them. Thank you Bryce and Summer for listening to the Lord and having the faith to step out and make a difference! New total...$4481.55!

Holy Can!

2008-08-23T23:11:00.000-07:00

We just did the math of how many cans we have taken back so far, are you ready...6,249!!! That is completely insane!!

GET OUT!!

2008-08-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

Shane and Emmy were off to the Can Do machine again tonight with the bags from the barn and 8 new bags from Emmy's neighbors. They barely all fit into the Explorer so we knew it would be more than last time and it was $103.90!! That is an incredible amount of cans and thanks to Sharon at Fred Meyer we are adding $104 to the well box (she gave them an extra dime to make it even) making our grand total to date...$4311.05. I never expected to raise this much so quickly, I thought this would take us a few years to accomplish. Huge THANK YOU to all who have helped us, prayed for us, donated cans, ate our food, donated cash, bought our stuff, and donated stuff. This entire journey has taught us so much about faith, community, and being willing to step out of the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary. We are only a little over $1,000 away...get out!!

More Cans and Crazy Kids

2008-08-22T22:39:00.000-07:00

The plan this evening was for Emmy to come over for dinner and then we, Shane, the kids, Emmy, and I would go to the Can DO machine together. However, my children have turned into loud, overly excited, animated little turbos lately and there was no way I was taking them in public. So I wrestled them to bed and Shane and Em faced the icky, sticky machine without the pitter patter of hyper feet. They brought home $76.95 in under an hour...impressive. New total is $4207.05!!!

Here are some pics...notice the fire in their eyes.

Joyce the Great

2008-08-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

Damaris received a letter from her Great Grandma Joyce today with $40 for the well box. What a blessing! She wrote Maris a letter telling her how proud she is of her and that every day someone needs help. So true we just need to have our eyes open to see them. Thank you Joyce for the gift and the reminder...$4170.10

The Change Jar

2008-08-22T22:32:00.000-07:00

From what I understand Emmy raided her mothers gigantic change jar holding $114.55 in coins to give to the well box. That my friends is a lot of change! We are at...$4130.10 and counting.

J-LO

2008-08-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

Jen from Shane's work was unable to come to our dinner and a movie night so she gave the well box $15 making our total...$4015.55. Thanks Jen!

I Am Mother, Sister, Friend

2008-08-20T23:42:00.000-07:00

There are moments when the knowledge of what goes on outside of the four walls of my home is enough to send me into despair. When I stop to let the facts sink in it is overwhelming. When you read this information there will be so many reactions, anger, hate, doubt, fear, and sadness just to name a few.
I try to ask myself, what if it happened to me, what if my six year old was taken as a sex slave for tourists. I looked at Maris and really let myself go to a place I have never gone, to try imagining her with a man 30 years her senior. To see her tiny body being taken advantage of, her spirit crushed, the innocence I fight so hard to protect tore open. It sent me to a despair that was beyond what I could imagine and yet I know that there are thousands who live this nightmare everyday.
There are countless numbers of people who fight their own battle daily. They are all around us if we choose to see them and put ourselves, if only for a moment, in their shoes. Imagine being forced to kill or be killed, to be desensitized by watching a sibling or friend brutally killed in front of your eyes. To be so desperately thirsty that you are forced to drink the very water that you know may kill you. To watch “the disease” take first your father and then your mother…to fear going to the clinic because you might also be infected. To be so proud of your loved one and the sacrifice they gave and yet at the same time to miss them with every breath you take.
I urge you to truly feel these emotions, question God, your beliefs, the world as you know it. Be angry, hate the injustice, grieve the innocence that is brutally stolen, fear what is in the heart of man and what he is capable of doing, sorrow with the mothers and fathers whose children have been abducted, despair with those children forced to carry a gun, scream, cry, yell, let your soul be torn apart, there is only one thing that I beg of you to not do. It is truly the worst thing that you could do… nothing. Do not turn away, listen, do you hear their voices cry out for help. This is a part of your story now, a moment in time that you choose to act or turn away, it is entirely up to you.

“Having heard of all of this, you may choose to look the other way… but you can never say again that you did not know.” --William Wilberforce, British Politician, Abolitionist.

www.iammothersisterfriend.blogspot.com

So Funny

2008-08-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

So you know I was all emotional about the red crib going to hold another "precious baby"...Shane told me today when the guy came to pick it up that he is using it to decorate a nursery for a model home. LOL! So much for that idea.

that's how I feel too Hope!

The Perfect Night

2008-08-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

I was a little nervous for our evening with the high temperatures but the breeze picked up at about 6:30 and the yard was totally shaded so it was perfect. After dinner we had a water balloon toss with Emily being the wettest and Robert and Karli the champions. We decided to trade in hot smores for shave ice as we watched Cars and thanks to Grandma Cynthia we also had some "real" popcorn popped for us. We were a mixed bunch from Shane's work, the kid's school, and church, I was so blessed by all that came and chose to be a part of something so much bigger than dinner and a movie. Thank you all for your generosity we made $290 putting us at exactly $4,000.55!! (Hope just said, "mom, that movie night was sooo good!") Here are few pics of the night...

Goodbye Red Crib

2008-08-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

We have officially sold every item listed on Craigslist today and I am saying goodbye to the beautiful red crib and changing table that Shane painted and distressed for me. I loved that crib and am happy it will be used again for another precious baby. The set sold for $50 so we are now at $3710.55!!

An Unexpected Blessing

2008-08-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

I received a card in the mail today from the D Family, they could not make it to our dinner and a movie night tomorrow but wanted to be a part of our cause...so they sent a $50 donation. Thank you sooo much Sean, Molly, Emily and Matthew that brings us to...$3660.55!!

$100 more

2008-08-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

We sold our last desk today for another $100 putting us up to 3610.55!!! We are scheduled for our first dinner and a movie this Friday and still have bags of cans to return. Hopefully we will break $4,000 soon. Thanks again for all your support and prayers we are going to do this!!

Every Little Bit Counts

2008-08-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

Well we had our leftover garage sale today and it was a tad disappointing but I am reminded that every little bit does indeed count. We started out bright and early this morning and soon realized it was not going to be a busy day. The highlight was when my good friend Chris donated a love seat that sold for $50...making our total for today $77.55. We did have a little fun while bored during the garage sale and we started trying on Jack and Ben's old t-shirts (size boys medium) and decided that they should be our team uniform for our sand volleyball tourney that afternoon. Needless to say it is rather humorous to see larger grown men in a boys medium, you can check the pics at http://www.tuckerbleuphotography.blogspot.com/ and see for yourself. So as of today...$3510.05

Gotta Love Craigslist

2008-08-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

We have added another $115.00 tonight selling Maris's beautiful hand me down crib for $15.00 and a desk donated by the C Family for $100.00. $3432.50!!

Pastor Lavaud

2008-08-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

This wonderful man is Pastor Lavaud in Haiti and the well box has just officially bought him two new bits for the drill that he uses to dig wells in Hinche!!! And we couldn't be more excited:)

The funniest thing is we met Lavaud through the internet...kind of. Here's the story. Shortly after Kruse was born we took the fam to Hawaii so that my grandma could meet her newest grandson. We went to Oahu, home to Hilo, then ended with a week in Maui...perfect. When we came home and it took me a few payments to pay off the visa I felt the Lord asking me if I would be willing to spend as much money on a trip to serve him as I would to go on vacation. So I told Shane that the next summer I felt like God wanted us to go on a mission trip instead of a vacation. The search began...the world was at my fingertips and I googled many ideas trying to figure out where we would go. During this time we knew in our hearts that our daughter was in Haiti but we were only in the beginning of the process of adoption at that point and had no connections there at all. Meanwhile my friend Cherrie, who is adopted and who is one of my biggest supports and cheerleaders during this time, googled Haiti and read all these web sites and just felt the Lord telling her to contact this one..and so she did in a 5 page email! Seriously the next thing we know Cherrie and Emily are flying to Wisconsin and staying with strangers to meet Lavaud who is flying in from Haiti to speak at the church that supported him. Sorry, to make a long story short they loved him instantly and saw what an incredible man of God he is. So they just happen to be planning their first ever mission trip to Haiti while Shane and I are looking for a mission trip and we are adopting from Haiti, Cherrie (who is obviously crazy) and Emily are up for it, and Jon wanted to come and called Travis and the next thing we know we are on a mission trip with complete strangers to a third world country... unbelievable! There is too much to write about the trip, it changed all of our lives in many different ways. For us it was visiting the birthplace of our daughter, a country that we will love and be a part of for the rest of our lives. I cannot wait for the day when we take all three of them to experience the beauty and heartache of Haiti.

But this is about Lavaud. I loved him the moment I saw him. His smile lit up his face and he was so thankful that we were there. He was born in Haiti and went to Technical School in Wisconsin, promising the Lord that he would go back and help his native Haitians. He has certainly fulfilled his promise. Below is a picture of the school, church, community center, radio station, and the third floor is his home in Hinche. He has numerous programs to help his people be self sufficient through community gardens and giving pigs to families to raise. With the current food crisis he has been distributing food to those in need. As we were there that week, exactly four years ago, I remember thinking as I watched this gracious, humble man that he is just like Jesus. His lifestyle reflected Christ to all around him, especially the witch doctor who he gave corn and other fruits and veggies to help them grow their garden. He did not condemn, only loved and through that she accepted Christ. It is a privilege to help Lavaud whenever we can and I have loved reading his emails the last two weeks and remembering all that we experienced on that trip. The believers that we met lacked so many basic needs, but you would never know. We saw hope in every face. We played and laughed with children who had no shoes and little food and yet were so full of life and joy. They are amazing people and I am honored to have met them. Here are some pics:

Shane and Cherrie getting our first real smile out of Sandra

This is the first morning Sandra came over...

"witch doctors neighborhood" we put on a show, actually that is what Lavaud is laughing at up top...

...Travis's sweaty, hairy thighs sandwiching Shane's face to make Goliath!

And this adorable little guy sat next to me and just smiled!

THE FACTS:

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, the third hungriest in the world. It is estimated that 300,000 Haitian children are restavecs, slaves...today. In fact the country watched as an undercover reporter made a deal to buy a child for $50...or for a mere $10,000 he could have a child with papers...in less than two weeks. Reality: our adoption process once we had a referral and a picture of Hope took 15 months. They lack clean water and most places lack electricity. Haiti needs your prayers and your attention. There are several links in the side bar of ways that you can help and Lavaud's ministry is Haiti Christian Ministry...you would be surprised at what you can do for less than $30 a month.

New total less $227 sent to Haiti is $3317.50

More Cans

2008-08-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

Emmy brought me $23 more dollars from cans on Wednesday...and the neighbors still calling with more! Thanks Em, love ya. New Total 3544.50.

A Great Lady

2008-07-30T14:05:00.001-07:00

This is Tracy, she works with Shane, and she is indeed a great lady. Tracy always has Cheetos and the kids love her for it! Now they have even more to love. When she heard about the well box and Shane's can collecting she brought in several bags of cans and told him to make sure and tell Damaris to keep track of her total and she will match that amount with a donation also. So last night Shane returned Tracy's cans for a total of $30.50 and today she wrote the well box a check for $40...so thanks Tracy we are up to $3521.50.

Why The Well Box?

2008-07-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

I’ve started this blog to share with you about “THE WELL BOX” - the newest adventure that God is leading our family on. We have been world vision sponsors for 6 years and this year I let my 6 year old daughter look through the Christmas gift catalog with me and choose what she wanted to buy for Christmas. If you are not familiar with the catalog, it is filled with gifts that you can buy for those in need in the countries in which World Vision serves. So Damaris is looking through the pictures and I see her little mind working through all that she is seeing and she begins to ask questions about why children are running through water. I explain to her that it is a well and that not all children in the world have running water. "How do they go to the bathroom? Where do they brush their teeth? What do they drink?" she asks. Well needless to say, after our conversation she wanted to build a well! With my motherly voice I explain that a well costs $5,390 which is a lot of money and look at this goat, why don’t we get a goat? So we end up getting a goat and two soccer balls and post them on our world map in Haiti and Africa.

A few days later I hear a still small voice ask, “since when do you not believe that I still do miracles?” He reminded me of the miracle of Hope’s adoption funds and how He led me to the story of Gideon where God provided against all odds for His glory and where He promised to provide for Hope’s adoption. And just in case that wasn’t convincing enough I was reminded that we are to have the faith of a child. So Maris and I made what we now refer to as “the well box”. Our family has committed that we will raise enough money to build a well in a third world country.

THE FACTS:

Every year…
-1 million children will die at the hands of malaria each year from being bitten by insects that breed in water

-1.6 million will die of diarrhea from drinking contaminated water

-6 million will go blind from trachoma caused by washing with contaminated water

-12 million will be affected by typhoid fever

-400 million school age children will be infected with parasitic worms due to contaminated water. (Source World Vision)

Sometimes reading statistics like those above go in one ear and out the other. Stop a moment, let those numbers sink in, read them again and again if you need to. Absorb the magnitude of this reality. Diseases linked to contaminated water kill a child every 15 seconds! In the time it has taken you to read this paragraph 2 children have died!
It is almost unfathomable to those of us in the US, where water runs clean and clear out of multiple faucets within our homes, to understand life without this precious natural resource. When we were in Haiti we were shown water stations as we drove through the country side and told that they will go days with no water, it is hit and miss whether or not water is even available, often forcing Haitians to take water from polluted rivers, streams, or even rain gutters. The reality is that people walk miles to retrieve water which is full of deadly bacteria, parasites and water-borne diseases.
Not only is water killing a vast number of the world’s children, it is also robbing them of an education. Young girls will haul this unclean water all day instead of going to school. There is a saying in Ghana: “If you educate a man, you simply educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation”. Yet our girls will spend their days hauling the very water that may eventually kill them instead of being given the opportunity to better their own lives and the lives around them.
Water is life. It is no coincidence that Jesus tells the woman at the well that the water that he offers will cause her to never thirst again. He knew the importance of water and that it is a metaphor that we can all understand…especially in Samaria at that time. We will build a well and provide water to nourish the body and pray for the recipients that they will also receive water that nourishes the soul.

OUR FIRST $50

So far the well box is full of change. As the children receive their allowance I notice the box gets a little heavier but now we have officially received our first large donation. We have sold our washer and dryer that we have had since our wedding 10 plus years ago and which some precious grandma owned the decade before that. The pair sold for $50 and it was jammed into the slit cut in the top of the box by three very excited little people!

TRENDY TOTS

Being that my children are sooo “trendy” I have decided to sell their clothes and toys at the annual trendy tots sale at First Baptist. For those of you who do not know my compulsive shopping ways I began shopping for clothes for Damaris two years before she was even conceived. A little extreme, maybe, but alas we are seeing the fruits of my addiction! My good friend Syd, who praise God, is carrying her miracle baby after 8 years of praying and yearning had come for first dibs and has left with an arm full and a friend from school, Sarah, came by to dress her precious one also. I have sent the kids to their rooms to choose toys for the well box sale and I am overwhelmed by stuff. As I have lent some of Maris’s clothes out to Becca and little Miss Phoebe I called to see if they were items that she no longer fits and when hearing the mission Becca generously donates a ton of adorable “trendy” clothes from the twins. So I am well stocked and gather the troops (Mom, Maris, Cherrie, and Emmy) and we set out for a day of money making!!
I had such great expectations…I mean seriously have you seen Jabe’s sweater vest collection? Phoebe is one classy little girl. Obviously my son is the coolest kid ever and Maris was a child of the Baby Gap (Not to leave Hope out but she is a hand me down third child). Well, in all we made $600 and my crew keeps reminding me that that is better than nothing.
(As I am writing this 4 months after the fact I can see that God had a divine appointment with my friend Cherrie of Tucker Bleu Photography and an expectant mother she met at Trendy Tots, who days after giving birth had Cherrie do her birth announcements, which has led to the incredible photos of her entire family and extended family and a dental office in Monmouth.)
So we now have $650 and some change and will have a garage sale in the summer with all the left over “trendy” stuff.

MISS EMERSON

When Syd was here the last time we did not yet know the gender of her miracle and now we do. It is hard for me to sell clothes to the mother of a child that I have prayed and prayed and prayed for, so I tell her to come and bring the Tahoe because I have 3 years worth of clothes for her. Being the generous couple that they are Syd wrote me a check, folded it and drove down the drive way. Minutes later I opened it and called her scolding their generosity…we are almost to $1,000!

THE GARAGE SALE

Without Jennyth around garage sales are not quite the same… but as she is away I have taken on this task armed with my pre-priced stickers and yellow fanny pack. We all know the work involved so I will not lament long, lets just say my husband used the word “rummage” for some of our more lovely items. But we did have all that left over “trendy” baby stuff that I just knew would fly off my perfectly folded tables. After a late night of giggling and pricing Emmy spent the night to help out with the kids for the “morning rush”. All in all we made a solid $600 with Emmy now in possession of the sweetest love seat ever for her dorm! And Shane has added a “Toucan” to his scooter fleet. We are at $1600!

727 FROM HEAVEN

My sister's fam, Shane's sister's fam, abd our dear friends visiting from South Carolina all gave some cold hard cash donations (actually checks)to the well box. We are up tp $2327!

U CAN ¢HANGE THE WORLD!

Shane began using his can collecting skills when we were raising money for our adoption and he has decided to bust it out once again. He has recruited his fellow employees and the cans are rolling in and being stored in the barn(see pic)…now all we have to do is battle the icky sticky, jamming, “Can-Do” machines at Fred Meyers….total to come.

OUR WONDERFUL EMMY

We have known Em since she was 11 and watched her grow into a caring, beautiful, and strong young woman of God who our children adore (she even calls them from college) and we are so proud of her. She has traveled with us from Haiti to Hawaii and we consider her a part of our family. And Shane is so thankful for our movie nights and that she watches She’s the Man, Music & Lyrics, and 27 Dresses with me so he doesn’t have to!
Emmy decided to email her neighborhood about “the well box” asking for cans or donations, we made $50 in donations and brought back bags of cans which she and Rick returned bringing in another $74…We are at $2451!

THE BEAUTY OF A RENTER

We deposit the rent check into the well box…$3451 baby!!

DINNER AND AN OUTDOOR MOVIE

This is the next event in my grand fundraising scheme… We will serve dinner in our back yard, make some smores around the newly built ring of fire (Shane even strategically placed flat rocks near the flame for me to melt my chocolate on) and end the night with an outdoor movie under the stars with the flicker of tiki torches and the cool river breeze around us. Fellowship, food, and fun…all for a good cause. I have three scheduled but if anyone would like to have their own fundraising dinner with their sphere of life just let me know. The cost will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids and the menu will be, of course, Hawaiian.