More than an Itch

If you looked at my one-year-old baby picture you would probably feel torn between laughing and a feeling of complete pity for me. I really wish I had it so I could share with you all. You see, in my photo I am covered in mosquito bites. I look like a happy yet tortured little soul.

Growing up everyone would tell me that I must have sweet blood. I was always itching and squirming from numerous bites from the first warm day of the year 'til the last. I don't know why, but they've always loved me, and still do.

Yes, the itching can be torturous, but it was livable. I guess that I actually got used to it, because in no way did those pesky little bugs ever stop me from fully enjoying the great outdoors.

Because of the mosquito's love for me, it should come as no surprise that on my first trip to Africa one of those little buggers shared Dengue Fever with me. It must have been my last day or two in Malawi, or possibly the layover on the way back in Ethiopia, when the bite happened. It wasn't until I was safely home that my sleeping issues began feeling more serious than jet lag. Then there was, of course, the infamous rash that resulted in a week long quarantine. North American doctors don't see Dengue Fever everyday, so apparently unfamiliar rash+ returning from Africa= crazy scary disease and imminent death for all who come in contact with said disease.

I survived the Dengue fever, and was lucky enough to have one of the less serious strains. But, inevitably, three weeks after I moved to Zimbabwe a few years later, I sat on Tecla's couch with the worst headache I have ever had, unable to force down a bite of food.

By the next morning the verdict was clear. The mosquito got me again; I had malaria.

I have always handled sickness pretty well, but let me be clear. Malaria: Take the worst flu you've ever had and times it by about 8 million.

I'm not kidding. It is bad.

And not only was it bad, it was scary.

When you are bundled up under six blankets and still shivering it's bad. But when you are bundled up under six blankets and still shivering when it is well over 100 degrees, it's scary.

That week is mostly a blur, but what I do remember is misery and being so very cold. I also remember people coming to pray with me, and being so thankful but too delirious to really communicate with them, understand their prayers, or even determine if they were speaking English, Shona, or Ndebele.  I remember the most amazing meals being prepared by precious and loving people just for me, hoping they would entice my appetite back to life. I remember looking at the food and fighting back tears because I just couldn't make myself eat. I could barely force down water a few sips at a time.

When I hear the Malaria statistics I am not surprised because I remember how ruthless it was to me, an adult in great health. But children, especially those who are malnourished with weakened immune systems, they are the ones who are losing this battle.

Malaria kills 655,000 children per year.

The good news is that we have weapons to help children and their families in this battle. These weapons are low cost but high efficiency.

Something as simple as treated mosquito nets and malaria prevention training saves thousands of lives, and is available to save thousands more if we are willing to help.

Having had a taste of this disease, I can understand the misery of Malaria. What I have a harder time understanding is how so many mothers survive the loss of their children from a disease that is highly preventable.

April 25, 2013 is World Malaria Day, and I urge you to visit Compassion International's Malaria Intervention Initiative page and consider what role you can play in arming these children in the deadly battle against Malaria.

You will be amazed at how little it costs to save a life.



P.S...I cannot walk away from this post without making a plea for Subdini. She is 9 years old, lives in India, is a beaming ray of sunshine, and has been waiting for a sponsor for 392 days. If you could use a smile or are ready to have your life changed by a beautiful little girl on the other side of the world, please click here. You know you want to.

This is Family

Today as I opened the mailbox I saw one of my favorite things...a cream colored envelope from Compassion International.

I opened the letter to find that it was from my compassion daughter, Ruth, in Uganda. Ruth often sends me verses of encouragement and has shown through her letters that she is wise beyond her years. Although her words are always inspiring, what I read today brought tears to my eyes. Today her words reminded me of the Father's love for us.

The letter I recieved today was written just before the new year. Ruth told me that on the morning of December 28, 2012, her family and a few friends gathered in their home to pray for me. The thought alone of this precious girl and her family gathering to pray on my behalf blew me away. But what really amazed me was the date. With the time difference, Ruth along with her friends and family gathered to pray for me early on December 28, 2012 in Uganda, which here in California was the evening of December 27th... the day that I said goodbye to my grandfather.

As I sat in my little corner of the world mourning the loss of one of the most influential people in my life, unknowingly, my sweet Compassion family on the other side of the world was lifting me up in prayer.

Wow.

I cannot say enough what a blessing sponsorship has been in my life. If the children I sponsor experience just a fraction of the blessing I have, I am confident their lives will never be the same.

If you would like to experience a taste of this blessing, or add another blessing to your Compassion family, I am advocating on behalf of a little boy named Alfred from Burkina Faso who needs a sponsor. You can follow this link to my Compassion page where you will find more information about Alfred...but I must warn you, once you see his sweet little face it may be impossible to turn back.

Are you ready for Alfred to change your life?

Rejoice

It is odd that God would choose today to fill me up with some of His goodness, as I woke up this morning with a stomach bug thinking nothing pleasant could come of this day.

I have been so rushed and overwhelmed since going back to school that I have taken very little time to be still and take in all the blessings in my life. With that said, I now see that today has been a gift in disguise.

First of all, I clicked over to Yelena's profile page, and I am so thankful to say that she is more than half way to the "Moving Mountains" category. Moving Mountains children have $2,500 or more in their adoption fund. The higher that amount goes, the more likely they are to be seen and adopted, as the monumental task of raising the money to bring them home has been cut down considerably.

If you want to help me move some mountains for Yelena, you can do so here.

After a stressful week of trying to register for classes for next semester in time to apply for scholarships and getting the run around, I finally received a call today and figured out the problem. Without boring you with the details, I am being forced to take July off of school due to overlaps and prerequisite requirements. At first this did not sound like a good deal to me, as I am trying to get through school as fast as I can, and this will set me back a month. But honestly, work has been extra challenging lately and doing school and doing it well has been a daunting task. I woke up this morning counting down the days until my next break....graduation...in 18 months. Today I count down the days until July when I will have some time to breathe and maybe even go for a hike. That number seems much more doable and I must admit, I am relieved. 

Finally, today I received a new photo of my Compassion son, Lorkens. I began sponsoring Lorkens about 9 years ago through Compassion International, and it has been such a huge blessing to see him grow both in stature and in faith. To give you the full impact of his new picture, I am also including the first picture of Lorkens that I received when I became his sponsor in 2004. 

Lorkens, 7 years old

Lorkens, 16 years old

My cup overflows. 

The Girl in Bright Pink

As I slipped off my shoes and walked into the room I imagined that this must be what heaven looks like. It was a simple room in a simple building, but the excitement and joy filled it with riches. The only thing brighter than the colors in that room were the smiles on the children's faces... click here to continue reading on Compassion International's blog, where I am honored to be a guest today.

The Gift

Giving...

Feels like the warm blanket I am wrapped up in. A handmade gift given by a group of church ladies to the women's shelter. It found me there when I was twelve years old and has laid graciously on my bed sharing its warmth since.

Tastes like beans and rice on a Friday night; living simply so others may simply live.

Sounds like the laughter of a child, giddy to receive a school uniform, overjoyed at the thought of attending school.

Looks like the picture hanging above my bed, the perfect gift from a thoughtful and talented stranger who is now a friend.

Smells like the weeds flowers hand-picked and given to me by a student on a hard day.

Giving is an overflow of the gift we have been given. 

The most meaningful gifts are those that reflect the heart of Christ, that share the hope and love that He came to this world to give. 

Visit Compassion to see how your family can bring a gift of love, hope, and meaning this Christmas through  

A Gift of Compassion. 

I Dream of Bangladesh

I have never dreamed of places like Hawaii or France, but since I was 13 I have dreamed of going to Bangladesh. When I talked about my longing for Bangladesh as a child people looked at me funny, sure that I would grow out of it. Now, at the age of 30, the longing has only increased with time, and people think I am crazy.

Just yesterday someone was trying to convince me that instead of saving money to someday go to Bangladesh, I should spend some time traveling through the nicer touristy countries of Europe.

No thank you.

Coincidentally, after my conversation yesterday, I recieved a letter from one of my favorite kids in the world who happens to live in Bangladesh. Since I can't be there (at least not right now) he sent Bangladesh to me.

I have this beautiful new edition to my prayer wall, which now doubles as my inspiration wall.

I know I will get there someday, and when I do I can't wait to give a great big hug to this boy. 

 This is Elahi, who I sponsor through Compassion International.

Where do your dreams take you? 

Geography Lovin' with Compassion Family

My dear friend Jill over at Compassion Family has asked me to share a little about one of my favorite things...geography! Yes, I am a geography nerd. My heart skips a beat any time a Jeopardy category is anything geography related. Okay, moving on.

More specifically I am sharing ideas about how to incorporate geography when writing to your sponsored children, giving them windows to this big beautiful world that God created.

You can read my guest post HERE.

While you are there, I encourage to check out more of the Compassion Family blog. It is full of great stories, ideas, resources, and awesome giveaways, especially for those of us who are sponsors. Jill has a huge heart for the poor. She is a child advocate and a great example of how to involve the entire family in the fight against poverty. I hope you will stop by and be inspired!

Welcome to the Family

My friends, I am happy to announce that I have just added a new member into my Compassion family.

My sweet Dilsly has graduated, and although it has been so hard to let her go, I know she has gained so much through the Compassion program and that God has big and mighty things in store for her. She has graduated college with her 2 year degree in engineering, and she is ready to go out and break the cycle of poverty in her family and in her community.

Because of Dilsly's graduation, I am joyfully able to welcome in miss Gamit Ankita Ashvinbhai.

Ankita is nine years old and lives just outside of Mumbai, India. She speaks Hindi, has one sibling, and her parents are sometimes employed as farmers. I can't wait to get to know this beautiful girl and tell her how much she is loved.

The Day of Small Things

*Over Thanksgiving week I ran next door to my neighbor's house each day to feed and pet their kitty cat. No big deal. Then yesterday they surprised me with a "Thank You" card and gift card to Target. I spent the evening debating if I would use the card on some boring necessities, or put the money towards a much needed, new, and bit more exciting jacket. I really weighed my options, and decided my 10-year-old jacket would be more than adequate for another year.

Then, this morning my coworker and friend, who recently blessed me with some gently-used, much-needed, new-to-me jeans, gave me this:

a beautiful, warm, wonderful coat. She said it's been hanging in her closet, rarely worn. She felt it was being wasted, just sitting there taking up space. I promise you, I have dreamed of this exact coat. It's red.  And it will forever remind me of how He provides: How He loves. So thankful.

*Last night I rolled change I have been saving for my Haiti and/or Bangladesh fund. Mere change that clutters ash trays, pennies that people toss aside on the sidewalks, coins that fall forgotton between the couch cushions. And guess what, my friends? Two hundred and seventy-two dollars. That's $272 closer to hugging one of my babies young men.



                                 



*Then, to top it all off, today my friend Sarah posted this:

Sarah traveled to Haiti last month with Compassion, and I was able to send along some cards with photos and stickers to be given to unsponsored children. This sweetie pie got one of my cards, and I love her :) This picture is like a hug from Haiti.

Tonight I sit here, feeling so very loved. Thankful for the things that the world may see as small, but are so very big.

How have you experienced the Father's love lately?

Accidental Latitude

A year and a half ago my grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had surgery, and it was discovered that the cancer had spread to several lymph nodes. The prognosis was not good. We thought that she would be celebrating her next Christmas face to face with Jesus.

Now here we are, coming up on her second Christmas since then, and as far as they can tell she is cancer free.

Soon after surgery my grandma received some of the best cancer treatment possible, including some of the newest medications. In fact, studies are being done on her because when you factor in her age and prognosis, her life is nothing short of a miracle. (But really, is any life short of a miracle? )

Along with the medical professionals, family stepped in. My mom did some research, and created a daily "smoothie" for her which consists of every single immunity-boosting, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetable on planet Earth.  These physical factors, along with being completely surrounded in prayer, have healed my grandma.

We are humbled and so very very thankful that God has allowed us to spend more time with her here in this temporary home in these temporary bodies.

But today I realized how much I take this for granted.

Today I received a letter from my Compassion daughter, Ruth, in Uganda. She is 19 and lives in a very rural area. She has never been to a city. Her family's average income is $8...a year.

Ruth is a prayer warrior, and has been on her knees for my grandma. In the letter I recieved today she told me that breast cancer is prevalent in her community as well as the surrounding villages.

What she told me next was the most awakening.

When women in her village are diagnosed with breast cancer, "they cut off their breasts and pray."

She went on to tell me that for this very reason we must be prepared every day to go onto our heavenly home, because there is nothing more we can do.

First, I must point out that in many ways she is right. We should be prepared for death at every moment. We are human, and God is God, and He can take us home whenever he wants, and no doctor can stop him.

But, God has given us a world full of potential cures and the intelligence to use them.

The only problem is that there are still so many who, simply because of their location or income, cannot access these wonders.

At times it feels as though the gap is closing. But then I realize that there are those of us who live in a country where, even if you don't have a penny to your name, you can benefit from most modern and life saving discoveries. And at the very same time, in the very same world, people are dying of diarrhea.

There are people in our world who take rocket ships to space and walk on the moon, and in the very same world people walk for days in order to reach the most basic medical care.

I have now walked through cancer with my stepmom and both of my grandmas. Two out of three of them conquered the disease, but all three of them were given the chance.

A chance that millions of people around the world are still not given, even today.

It's just another thing that breaks my heart, and another thing that I cannot fix.

But I can help. We can help.

In 2009 my Compassion daughter, Dilsly, had surgery to remove a lump in her breast. Her mother died of breast cancer when she was not much older than Dilsly, so immediate action was taken thanks to regular exams. None of this would have been possible if Dilsly was not part of Compassion's program. Dilsly could easily have been one of the many who are so close, but are unable to cross the barrier of poverty to receive medical care.

But thanks to Compassion, her medical needs are taken care of.

Thanks to Compassion, and other organizations like them, we are given the opportunity to help.

So, thank you, Compassion, for giving children a chance. Thank you for giving us a chance to stand in the gap.

And thank you, Father, that I live in a place where I can access a doctor and medication for something as simple as a cold. Thank you for creating us with the knowledge to create life saving medication. And thank you that I will get to celebrate yet another Christmas with my grandma. May I take not a moment of this for granted.

 

"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?" -Bono

God Bless,

Not Too Late

Last week Mother Nature decided to wipe out several trees and power lines in my neighborhood. Because of this I was unable to check email or wash my hair for a few days. But the worst part was that I missed a very important opportunity to bring awareness to an issue close to my heart.

Thursday, December 1, was World AIDS Day.

I am very excited looking back at blogs from last week to see that so many of you used your voice to speak up about AIDS. I briefly debated if I should still post on this issue, being several days late, but decided that AIDS is something that millions of people live with every day, and today, like every day, another 5,000 people will die from AIDS related causes. Needless to say, it is never too late.

There are many ways that you can join in the battle against this disease, but here are a few of my favorite:
Sponsor a child who lives in an AIDS affected area through Compassion International.
Advocate for or adopt a HIV+ orphan.
Join ONE to stay updated on AIDS initiatives and projects around the world.

And may we never forget to show our love and respect to those infected,

Honor the lives of those taken too soon,

And have compassion for the many left behind.

God Bless,

World Changers

Esther. Nelson Mandela. Saint Nicholas. Eleanor Roosevelt. Louis Armstrong. Steve Jobs. Billie Holiday. Ella Fitzgerald. Leo Tolstoy. John Lennon. George Washington Carver. Carol Burnett. J.R.R. Tolkien.

All these people have two things in common:

They are all talented people who have used their gifts to change the world.

They are all orphans.

And there are many more like them. Some world changers are known far and wide, and some are known only by those lucky enough to be in the same corner of the world.

I can't help but wonder how many world changers are sitting in orphanges today. How many children who were created to be freedom fighters are being held in bondage of child slavery. My heart breaks as I wonder how many talents are being smothered by the cold and vulnerability of the streets tonight.

Orphaned by bereavement or death, it is a lonely, broken, and vulnerable place to be. But we must remember that it is in brokeness that Christ makes whole. It is in weakness that Christ is strength. It is in the lonliness that Christ is Love.

Each of these precious ones were created with unique talents and gifts that no one else can give the world.

So, I ask, how are you being the hands and feet of Christ to the 143 million orphans in the world today?

Here are just a few ways you can support these children in reaching their full potential:

Adopt
Become a foster parent
Advocate for an orphan
Become a Prayer Warrior
Sponsor an orphan through Compassion International
Give these girls in India a Home for the Holidays
And, as always, you can share Bethany's link to help me find her family, or make a donation towards the cost of her adoption.

Have any more ideas? Please share.
Oh, and happy National Adoption Day!

“My friends, adoption is redemption. It’s costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him."
-Derek Loux

 

One Day Without Shoes

Tomorrow is one of my favorite days...

Last year's One Day Without Shoes...with my fellow Youth for Christers.

Okay, so maybe it is a little bit due to the fact that I am somewhat of a hippie at heart, but mostly I love it because it is a day to raise awareness about the 300 million children around the world who do not own a single pair of shoes, and the health hazards that accompany that.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, April 5, 2011) is One Day Without Shoes. A day that you get to walk around barefoot as much as possible, get tons of crazy looks from people, and share with them about the children who go without everyday, and how they can help.

One Day Without Shoes is hosted by Tom's Shoes, a for profit company who gives away a pair of shoes to a child in need for every single pair that is purchased. Tom's Shoes also partners with Compassion International, which, if you've been around here very long, you know it is one of my favorite and most respected organizations on planet earth.

If you would like to join us tomorrow, below are some of the facts you will need to know, as well as ways to help.

The Facts (why shoes are a big deal):

*A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.

*Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected.


*Many times children can’t attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don’t have shoes, they don’t go to school. If they don’t receive an education, they don’t have the opportunity to realize their potential. (taken from http://blog.compassion.com/join-us-for-one-day-without-shoes/)

* According to Samaritan's Feet, approximately one million people die each year due to diseases, parasites, and infections caused by lack of shoes.

Ways to help (awesome organizations who help provide shoes for children in need):

Tom's Shoes- matches pair for pair- one pair of shoes is given away for each pair purchased.

Samaritan's' Feet- blesses people around the world through washing their feet and then providing them with a new pair of shoes.

Shoes for Kids- started by a kid for kids...providing shoes with the love of Christ to children around the world.

The feetsies of some of my Zim kids (they all have shoes now, incase you were wondering :)

I feel privileged to be a voice for kids around the world, and I hope that you will take this opportunity to speak up as well!

Have you ever gone One Day Without? Do you plan on going One Day Without tomorrow? Any great, funny, or just plain embarrassing One Day Without stories to share? Here is my experience from last year's One Day Without Shoes.

Sharing is Caring

On Saturday I spent the day with Dulce, one of the girls I mentor.

I went to the bank, then went to her house and picked her up. We stopped by to say hi to a couple other kids. We went to Sonic and had sodas. We went to the $3 theater and watched the new Chronicles of Narnia. We went and got a pizza. We came to my house to hang out.

Then she told me my shirt was on inside out.

So, because sharing is caring, I thought I'd pass onto you some share worthy things.

*Come Together Trading Company is a Christian based company which sells fair trade items from around the world. They have beautiful, handmade, and unique items  that would make the perfect gifts. Here are a few of my favorite items.

Global Mamas Headband- made in Ghana



Guatemalan Scarves- made in Guatemala

Pakko Tote Bag- made in India

*Compassion International is raising money to help send one of their children to the special olympics. Compassion Can represented Emilda's story so well. Please take time to read it! You will be blessed.

*For those of you who followed my series on The Persecuted Church, and especally the story of North Korea, Inside North Korea is an eye-opening documentary released by National Geographic. None of the information in the documentary was necessarily new to me, but seeing pictures and videos of the people behind the stories really shook me. It is hard to watch at points, but this documentary brings light to darkness that Satan would love to remain hidden.

*Conspiracy of Hope is raising money to support IJM and My Refuge House. Click here to help bring healing and restoration for the victims of sex trafficking.

I hope you will take time to check these things out!

God Bless,

Bitter Sweet

I just checked my Compassion account, and I found this:



My oldest child, Dilsly

This picture makes me happy because:
~ Getting new pictures always makes me happy
~ She looks so grown up and beautiful
~ That outfit was a birthday present from me
~ She has such a big smile
~ I love her

This picture makes me sad because:
~ She is so grown up
~ She is in her last year of sponsorship
~ This will be my last updated picture of her...ever
~ And I love her

I know that soon I will be letting go and trusting her into the hands of our Father (who has been holding her all along). It is a wonderful thing because she will be graduating college with her degree in engineering. She will enter the work force and likely marry (prayerfully) a Christian man.

And she will break the cycle of poverty in her family.

This next year I will be pumping her full of as much love and encouragement as possible. I will hold on to all the letters and pictures she has sent me throughout the years. And especially the day we spent together.

But still, I will miss her like crazy.

Man, this love thing is hard.



If you would like to break the cycle of poverty and become a sponsor for a child in need, check out Compassion International. A child is waiting for you.