Some Great Ideas From Some of You

I just have to take a minute to say that I have some amazing readers with some really big hearts.....and some great ideas. I love hearing from you and I just LOVE that you all are getting inspired to reach out and help others in need. I have to say a quick THANK YOU to those of you who so quickly step up to help in all of our projects. We can all bless this world and those that need us in it by working together.

I wanted to share some emails I have gotten with some great ideas in it. These emails show just how easy it is to bless others and also inspire us to do the same. I am also looking forward to getting some pics from some of you who are stepping out to help. Can't wait to throw them on this blog.

Kelly,
I have been following your blog for several months and have been so
encouraged by all that this organization is doing. Thank you for
allowing your blog readers to see God working and the things He has
done through Ordinary Heroes.

I am emailing you to see if you have any ideas of a service project
that would benefit Ordinary Heroes and the people you all minister to.
In the next couple of weeks, my daughter wants to host a few of her
fellow 2nd grade classmates at our house for a pizza party. While they
are here, I want to have them collaborate on a service project that
could build their vision for the world outside their bubble. I am
starting to realize how much this age group really enjoys projects
that involve sorting, assembling, decorating, etc. and that I need to
capitalize on this!

We would love to something that helps any of the people that you all
are presently helping.... the girls at the TBCH, the moms and children
at the homeless shelter or even the troops serving our country
oversees. I don't know what the needs around the Christmas holiday
will be but we could definitely do something for this holiday.


I look forward to meeting you in person someday. Until then, I will
pray for you and those that help you with this ministry.

Sincerely,
K


(my response with some ideas for you)

" As far as the kids and moms at the shelter, your kids could make them something. Maybe have them write the moms a note and then they could make sock puppets for the kids to have around the holidays. Kids always get a kick out of those and I have never seen them around the shelter.

As far as the TBCH teen girls, they really loved making those bags for the homeless kids and they loved having their pictures to keep. One thing I know they would love, being teens and all, would be to have your girls decorate a photo frame for each girl. I think the key in whatever they decided to do is to include a picture of each girl holding her finished product. That way the person receiving it will have a better connection with who gave it. I know my TBCH girls would love to see who made it for them. They would love the photo frames as well. I saw those at the dollar store.

As far as the troops, one thing he mentioned was Christmas decorations. Your girls could make them all kinds of decorations to put around their offices to make them feel like home around the holidays. They could cut out snowflakes and even long rings of snowflake streamer type things and decorate christmas balls and even put in the box a mini Christmas tree that they could then decorate."

(more great ideas from some of you)
"Several weeks ago, our church did a cleanup project down at tent city. I had bought some apples ,oranges and cookies the day before and got my girls and a one of their friends to help me with a project. We put one of each in a brown bag and I had them write the verse..." Taste and See that the Lord is good. " on the bag. The enthusiasm these girls had over this project was amazing. They loved their "jobs" and wanted to keep going even when we had run out of everything. I thought that night that I really need to keep this going on a regular basis and search for ideas of ways to get them involved because they LOVED it ,and it builds vision. SO, you may be hearing from me again in the New year for another idea!!"

"I am hoping that my husband’s family can work on this together next week when we are together for Thanksgiving. "

"I am a Kindergarten teacher and would love to collect a package of goodies to send to the troops. I made a list of items from your blog but if you have any other ideas, please let me know. The families in my class this year are very thoughtful and generous so I can't wait to get this going. I am collecting items the week after Thanksgiving, making baked goods with the kids in my class on Thursday and hopefully having it ready to send on Friday, Nov 4 in hopes they get it before Christmas."

"We are in a small group together at church, and I was thinking that our group could provide a package to one of the soldiers. Or if not as a group, my family would be honored to. Please let me know how we can help.

On another note, my husband and I are prayerfully moving forward and looking into adoption - most likely domestic:)

Thanks for all you do, please let me know any way I can help Ordinary Hero - I love the blog."


"Thank you so much for the information. I am happy to write that we are now sponsoring Hawa. I hope that this helps, and gives her some peace to know that someone else out there cares for her.... I will pray for her well being and safety. If you have any additional information about her, we would love to know how she is doing.

Thank you so much this site and all you are doing. My husband and I will begin the adoption process again early next year. We have 3 children now, 2 homegrown and 1 angel baby from Vietnam. We have decided on Ethiopia and are very happy. I will be sure to pass this site around with the hopes that all these children will be sponsored.."


Keep the ideas coming.....Love all of the Ordinary Heroes in this world :0)

New Tshirts Are In !!

Many thanks to my sister, Kristi, for displaying our new 'Change The World For One' tshirts on her blog. You can go to the right side bar of this blog and order yours. We are currently out of Women's small's but you can order one on back order. We plan to get more in. All proceeds from the shirt benefit Ordinary Hero Foundation. We strive to make a difference in the life of a child in need.......pretty much any way we can :) I have seen over and over the amazing difference that many Ordinary Heroes make in a child's life. You literally are Changing The World.....one little life at a time, and especially the world of that little one. It becomes a brighter place.

Order your tshirt today. Thanks for all of your support of our foundation.

If you have any questions about the shirts, email charleneordinaryhero@comcast.net . Oh, and my sister is wearing a long sleeve shirt under the tshirt. The t's are short sleeve. Thanks.

Sign to Free the Kids in Sierra Leone

Calling everyone to sign this petition. We have an opportunity to show the HIGH officials in SL just how determined and hopeful we are here in the States to free the children of SL that have been caught in the middle of such horrible instances that we saw first hand at the orphanage called The Network.

Please take 1 minute of your time and sign this petition which will then go before the President of Sierra Leone to show him how concerned we are for the children.

Follow this link and let your voice be heard. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/savetheorphan

Thank you.

RECAP OF SIERRA LEONE TRIP

Here is a recap video of my amazing, adventurous, sad, and unbelievable trip to Sierra Leone. We are still believing for the rescue of the children. No, it hasn't happened yet....but by God's grace it will. After you see their precious faces you will agree that no one can give up on these kids. You can just look in their eyes and see destiny. God has a future and a hope waiting for them. We will stand together and pray until they are released. We still have people on the ground there working on it.

To go straight to the link CLICK HERE.....or watch below but you will have to silence my music at the bottom.

Also..... a quick little update.....I am so thrilled to announce that Lori, who so amazingly connected with Sam on the trip, has since decided, with the blessing and excitement of her family, to adopt Sam and his two siblings, Betty and Fala once things clear up in that country. They get to skype one another and keep in touch that way and the whole family has really bonded with these three kiddos. It is such an amazing story if you followed it on my blog to see how Sam ran away from that awful place and came and found us, asking for Lori. He was running to his mother and he didn't even know it at the time. Wow!! God is good. You can see pictures of them in this video. Also to visit their new blog CLICK HERE.

Freetown Compilation from The Raining Season on Vimeo.

We can Bless the Heroes of our Nation

(Not actual picture of the person mentioned)
I am so excited to announce that we will be starting some projects over the next month or so to bless those serving abroad in our military and giving their all to make sure that we remain a blessed, free nation. The first thing I would like to present is the opportunity for you, the Ordinary Hero, to bless our men and women, the ultimate heroes, serving abroad. So many times we take our military for granted as we live our comfortable lives here in the States. I think it is important to take a moment, today on Veteran's Day especially, and thank our brave men and women who give their all for us. I have recently connected with one of my facebook friends who is serving tirelessy right now in Afghanistan. He is from my Hometown. I asked him about the people he is serving with and what would be some things we could bless them with. Here is his response:

"Most of our folks love home baked stuff and most things not really good for us (LOL). One request, of all things, that was made today was pumpkin pie; if there is a way (LOL) to add this to their shopping lists, that would be great (two of our folks asked specifically for home baked). Funny how things like this get missed when we are away from home. Other stuff like peanut butter and crackers, slim jims, etc. are always crowd pleasers. We got a box the other day with some halloween decorations and some of our young ladies almost fought one another trying to decorate our offices (just an idea for the upcoming holiday season). Honestly, it is the little things and the simplest gestures that bring smiles to faces. The guys that are here from Fort Campbell are in another region of the country and I have little interaction with them. We provide support to Soldiers out of Fort Lewis, Washington and Fort Bragg, NC. The task force to which I am presently assigned is out of Heidelberg, Germany. Otherwise, most of the people I work with are coalition partners (24 nations to be precise) from around the globe. Together we are trying to provide some element of stability and control throughout the southern region of Afghanistan. Our road is long and cumbersome; hopefully, worth our efforts in the end. To give you an idea, I follow some of your traffic you post. I am a logistics officer for a medical command operating throughout southern Afghanistan. We see some of the worst of this mission. Most of our "clients" are local nationals that get caught in the cross fire of decades of heavy fighting among tribes mostly; recall, we were not the first country to assume control of Afghanistan (not that this is our mission, but among the multitude of nations involved in this fight, it sure seems like it most days). The guys that work with/for me are healthcare logistics professionals. We ensure our hospitals, surgical teams, and a variety of other types and designs of healthcare agencies receive adequate supply to continue their mission of caring for the wounded and ill. We STAY busy. Please know that this means US Army. We have a joint forces headquarters in which we work. We have US Navy and Army working among our ranks. We have one Air Force sergeant, but he will have returned to another base by the time this happens. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I could tell you more, but don't want to bore you too much. Each soldier, sailor, airman, and marine has a story and a home town, so any taste of home is truly appreciated. I really do appreciate your efforts and thank you for your support. From the types of postings I am seeing of you, you have a rather noble mission in life. Thanks for everything you do to make the world a brighter place. Thanks so much. JV "

He gave me the names of 10 men and women who serve with him, including himself, that he could get our packages to. I would love to show our love and support to these noble men and women by sending over packages to bless them. If your family, church group, bible study, school, etc would like to take part in blessing these brave men and women please comment on this blog post or email me at kelly@ordinaryhero.org for more info. Let's show our love from America and say a great big THANK YOU.

On a side note, just after I had this idea the other day, my son asked if he could invite over a new friend from school. This little boy was brought over by his mother. I immediately noticed his nice manners as he greeted me with "MaM". He and my son ran off to play together as I stood and got to know his mother. When I asked about his family and how long they had lived in the area, she proceeded to tell me that her husband, the man she married at the age of 17, her high school sweetheart, and the father to her two boys, died two years ago in the Iraq war. She told me the details of his death with lots of strength of character while I could see she was still holding back tears. Yet she went on to talk of her faith and strength she finds in God and that is what has helped her move on. I have not heard from someone one on one like that who has been so directly affected by this war that continues to take place. Yet there are thousands of people just like her, who have had a family member pay the ultimate price. She told me that "people just don't get it. They walk right by the tv, hearing of another casualty and don't think a thing about it. That was someone's dad, husband, mom, daughter or son. " You know....she is right. We need to bring more awareness. I thought how odd that I meet her just when this is all in the forefront of my mind. God must be up to something :)

I hope to get more stories from her and from those I am in contact with who serve abroad to help remind us how real this is and to keep us from taking it for granted.

Also have some ideas bouncing around to bless the kids and families who will be without their moms and dads this holiday season as their loved ones serve abroad. More to come....

Halloween~Shelter Outreach 2009

I wanted to share some pics from our Halloween~Shelter Outreach 2009. Many, many thanks go out to all of you who helped make this day possible for these children. We had some wonderful donations come in, in the form of $$, costumes, grab bag stuff for the moms, etc. I also have to throw out special thanks to all of the volunteers who showed up to help. You all were awesome with the kids. I can't believe that this was the fourth year in a row that we have had this outreach. It was another successful event. The moms and kids were so, so blessed to be able to get away for a day and have some fun with their kids. I wish I would have had a video camera when I walked up. First, I was dressed like spiderwoman which I thought would add to the excitement. I will suggest everyone who shows up to help next year dress up in costume. The kids just love getting special attention much more by spider girl, I think. But, when we walked up carrying all of their costumes they started jumping up and down with excitement and had the biggest grins on their faces. As we were passing out the costumes to each child, one mom said it seemed like Christmas. That was the atmosphere that we created for them which was so exciting.

They turned out sooooo cute in their costumes....their big grins say it all :)






We also passed out goody bags to the moms which they loved (Thanks, Robin for the great Clinique makeup donations and Carol D for the houseshoes and goodies)
The moms love seeing their little ones all dressed up in their favorite costume.
Some awesome volunteers helping one sweet little angel.
Have you ever seen a cuter Dora??
You might remember these two cuties from our backpack outreach. Well, they made one cute princess and one adorable spiderman.
She is modeling her new bag that was made for her by the sweet girls from the TN Baptist Children's home (see post below).

Lots of little princesses. It's so much fun to dress up.

More awesome volunteers. I couldn't have pulled it all off without them.
We've got Hannah Montana and Dora....how cute:)




Time to go.....

More volunteers met us at the festival, ready to help with all the little kiddos.
This mom enjoyed showing off her precious little lady bug.
Melissa met back up with her kiddos that she bonded with at last year's event. She ended up being a blessing to them at Christmas last year as well and has become friends with their mother, who she keeps in touch with.
This big smile makes it all worth the effort to pull all this off for these kids.

This mom was so thankful for the help that this volunteer gave her while helping with her children at the festival.

Spiderman is getting a lift from his new friend.


This volunteer brought her daughter and was able to help this mom who had a little girl about her daughter's age. They played together for the day and had so much fun. This event is all about opening our own children's eyes to those less fortunate and showing them that they are no different than them, only with different circumstances in life.


New friendships were formed all day by these little ones and all the special helpers.

This volunteer had a little one for each of her own kiddos to hang out with for the day. Yes, she juggled all four of them and did an amazing job.
There is a whole book in the story of the little one below. I will get into that at another time but God is an awesome God. He has had this child in the palm of his hand right from the beginning while still in her mother's womb when I first met her mother as a resident of the shelter at the 2006 outreach. She is pictured below with her soon to be, new adopted Dad. She and her birthfamily and all the amazing families who have stepped up to help this little one and all her siblings are such inspirations.



This little one loved her new friend.

Yes, for some, they even had their first pony ride.

Ok, check out our new OH tee's. The back is pictured above,and the front is pictured below. It has our slogan, "Change the World for One." As soon as I get on the ball I will put them on the site for purchase.

None of us can change the whole world....but we can change the world for one.


My little Nathan found his Injera at the Ethiopian food stand at the festival.
He had not had Injera since he lived in Ethiopia and I didn't even know if he would want it, or remember it, but as soon as he saw it he lit up with excitement and tore into it.






The best part about the whole day was that all three of the raffle drawings went to 3 of the moms at the shelter. There were only 3 drawings for two ipods and a laptop. How good is God that all three of these random drawings went to bless these moms. They were brought to tears. One mom just cried and said how the Lord knew her situation and how much this would bless her family to win the laptop.


This mom won an ipod and immediately handed it to her daughter and said "Happy Birthday". It had just been her daughter's birthday and she hadn't had anything to give to her. Tell me that God didn't hear this momma's prayers :)
This mom gave all glory to God and the new Ipod to her son.




All the kiddos were pooped by the end of the day. One big long day of fun.

This little one below was so sweet. He ran up to one of our pastor's and wrapped his arms around him right before we boarded the buses to head back to let him know how much fun he had.


Yes, my picture, courtesy of Batman.....I am the proud church bus driver.
What an awesome day it was for all these children that reside at the Family Life Center. It seems like such a small thing to do, to just bring some kids costumes and get them to a fall festival. But it creates such life long, happy memories for them at one of their greatest times of need.
That is how to be an Ordinary Hero.......to a child in need.

Orphan Sunday

Hello to all of you out there in orphan world. As you may already know, today is orphan Sunday. We here at OH would like to spend today on behalf of this adorable little guy who needs you to speak up for him. He has been sitting on my waiting children list on the Ordinary Hero site for far too long. I have copied and pasted his info below off of my site. But bottom line is.....this little guy needs a home. Most of you who come to this blog have a heart for the orphan and the widow. Well....here in this case, we have both. This little guy's father was killed in a tragic accident and left his mother widowed, poor, and unable to care for him. So you want to talk about helping the orphan AND the widow.....Wow, you can bless them both with this little dude. He pulls on my heartstrings because his situation is a lot like my son's situation with his own birthmom, who I was so blessed to be able to meet this past June. As the tears flowed from her eyes and she threw her hands up to God in thanks, she kept kissing me over and over with gratitude. You see, she is deaf and poverty stricken and loved her son enough to give him a better life. This is exactly what this mom is doing as well for this little guy. Trust me, I have seen it, and experienced it first hand. This little boy is no different than my Nathan and he has every opportunity just sitting ahead of him ready to take on the world if just one family will give him that opportunity. Could that family be you? Could you copy and paste this on your blog and help find that family? We can all pull together to Speak Up on this child's behalf and give him the chance in life that he deserves.....that every orphan deserves. Let this orphan Sunday have special meaning this year as you help or even discover your place in this little guy's life. To read the story on me meeting my son's birthmom to put it into perspective for you you may click here.

Happy Orphan Sunday to you all and thank you for having such a heart for the orphan.

(copied from my OH site)
This adorable 8 year old seems to have all the talent. He loves football in his spare time and he is successfully learning English in the 4th grade. He is said to be a very bright, healthy, active child just longing for an opportunity to use his talents to his fullest potential.

You would never know by his warm smile and his sweet spirit that this child has experienced his share of tragedy as he lost his father due to a construction accident. He is now living with his mother who has no employment and struggles while trying to care for him while living in extreme poverty. Because of their extreme living conditions his mother has placed him up for adoption in hopes that a better future is in store for him. She longs for her son to live a blessed life, a life where all his dreams can come true.

This child is living with his mother at the moment while waiting to be transferred to Hannah’s Hope Orphanage. This child’s birthmother longs for her son to have a father to throw the football with and a father that can teach him to grow into a man of God. She longs for him to have a mother who can love him, nurture him, and help him learn all the great things that this world has to offer that he would otherwise never get to experience. This child needs a Hero to show him his destiny and point him on the road towards it.

If you have any questions for me I can be reached at kelly@ordinaryhero.org .

John 14:18

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Sponsorship Needed...and an update on Sam

If you are looking for a way to give this holiday season as well as CHANGE THE WORLD FOR ONE, with a personal connection then I encourage you to sponsor one of these precious children from Sierra Leone. If you have followed this blog at all over the past couple of months then you know the enormous steps that were taken to ensure that the new care center, The Covering, was allowed to take in precious children needing a home. We went there to move over 86 children whom we are still believing for. But in the meantime, while the Lord is uncovering many unjustices that occur in Sierra Leone, the doors opened for these precious children to enter the gates of the new center. They each have one heart breaking story after another. They each have a call on their lives and they each have a future and a hope. But they can't do it alone. It amazes me how God directs the paths to our lives. These children have been handpicked by God on such a day as this. These children are in this center for a reason. I heard first hand while in Sierra Leone, the dreams of some of the children that live there. I saw their eyes fill with excitement and wonder as their little minds took them to another place, a place in their future, where they dream of being lawyers, doctors, pilots, and more. But the simple fact is this.....they will never accomplish those dreams without help from me and you. The trip to Sierra Leone changed my life and opened my eyes to injustice like I have never seen. I will do all I can, everything in my power, to see to it that I help bring a future and a hope to the children that have crossed my path, the children that I can speak up for. For now.....these are the children.

Please look through the pictures below of the precious children that reside in the new care center that I went to help get off of the ground in Sierra Leone when Ordinary Hero partnered up with The Raining Season. These children need Food, Medical, Education, and Clothing Sponsorships. You may pick one or more category of sponsorship for a specific child. It really only amounts to anywhere from $20-$40 a month. It is your choice. That small amount goes so far in a country like Sierra Leone.

I first have the children listed in their sibling groups to allow you to see the specific children that are siblings. Below that you will see them listed individually. If you are interested in a specific child or a sibling group then I encourage you to contact me at kelly@ordinaryhero.org or visit the TRS site for more info. To make it easy, if you are able copy and paste their picture off of this site and attach it to your email,then that will ensure that I know the specific child you are interested in. At that time I will get back with you with all of the child's info.

You literally will CHANGE THE WORLD FOR ONE by sponsoring one of these children. Not to mention the personal connection you can make with these kids by being able to skype with them and let them get to know the person sponsoring them.

Ok....now on with the kiddos :)


















Below you will see Sam who became our hero on our trip. The lengths that this boy went to, to ensure that he found freedom for he and his siblings, was just so noble that words can't explain. You can read his story from a past post by clicking here. This picture below is Sam with his siblings....the only three that have been moved into our center from the original center we went there to help.
You will see some pictures below of evidence of what your sponsorship can give these kids. You see Betty, Sam's sister, with her bed and special blanket. These children were sleeping on the hard floor with not even a blanket. We had many bunk beds built to accomodate the children.
I love the picture below that shows Sam as such a leader in the home. This boy has such a calling on his life. You see how all the kids look up to him and gather around him.
This is the best picture, below. Sam already looks so much better and healthier from when we first found him. His biggest dream of all was to go to school. He had not been in 4 years. He says he wants to be a lawyer. His sponsors have made that dream possible for him. He looks so handsome and proud in his school uniform on his way out the door to head to school.

Below you will find Sam's brother, Fala.

Sam's sister, Betty.
These three siblings have found sponsorship and a family that loves them dearly. Their birthmother continues to get treatment for AIDS and thank God that her condition has not been passed down to the children. They all love each other very much and God is in control and knows what their future holds. He also knows what the future of all these children are. Please prayerfully consider whether you are meant to be a part of making their future and their hope a bright reality. There are many exciting missions trips planned for any of you who would like to meet your sponsored child first hand as well. More info on that to come. Exciting Stuff!!!

Thank you for being an Ordinary Hero to a child who needs you.

Preparation for Halloween Outreach in the works

We are getting ready for our Halloween Outreach for the kids living in the local homeless shelter. You can read the post below if you would like to contribute to this event. I went down there the other night to find out what the kids wanted to dress up as for Halloween. I can't tell you how precious these kids are. You should have seen their little faces light up just thinking about what they wanted to dress up as for Halloween. I always write down their top three picks just in case I can't find something. There were 26 kids total the other night and there will be more that come in before the event on Saturday. I thought I would share just a couple of the cuties with you.
I also must share some pics from my group of girls at the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home. I LOVE these girls. A few of us have been leading a bible study there every other week with the teen girls for over three years now.
For bible study the other night I gave them all pictures of the kids living in the shelter that will be at our outreach and had them decorate treat bags for them. These girls put their hearts and talent into it. It was a great opportunity to open their eyes to those less fortunate and give them a little face to pray for when they leave. These girls have many life moments of their own and I can honestly say that I know their own experiences fueled the passion that went into decorating these bags. I told them to keep the pictures of the kids and pray for them to find a home. One girl told me she was going to hang them up in her locker and pray for them everyday.

Life is all about giving back no matter what situation you are in yourself. God uses it for His good.












I then had them stick a little note in the bags for the kids. They wrote them completely on their own and you should see some of the sweet things they had to say to these kids whom they have never met but yet found a connection through a picture and maybe their own life experiences.
I LOVE my TBCH girls!!!


Also....just a heads up..... I will be posting soon about sponsorship opportunities for all of these specific children in Sierra Leone that reside in the center that I was blessed to be able to start up.
They are precious!!
Exciting stuff!!!

Halloween Outreach 2009

ITS THAT TIME AGAIN!!
We, here at Ordinary Hero, are gearing up for our 2009 Halloween outreach. We will be bringing the Moms and their children that reside at the Nashville Rescue Mission out for a day of fun and fellowship to our annual Fall Festival at Bethel World Outreach Center, Franklin campus.

We have held this outreach annually since 2006. This gives the children that reside at the homeless shelter a wonderful opportunity to escape their reality for a few hours and enjoy just being kids. The kids will provide us with their top 3 choices of what they would like to dress up as for Halloween. We then provide each child with a costume of their choosing. You can't imagine how excited these little ones become as they get to dress up as their favorite super hero or princess and enjoy a day of fun filled kid adventures. The Moms and kids will be bused in for the Fall festival from 12-4 on Saturday, October 31, 2009.

This outreach has been proven year after year to not only provide a day of fun for both Mom and child, but we have seen relationships formed, opportunities for help arise, and hearts being touched by love and kindness. Many who volunteer often say that it changes their lives to have their eyes opened to the need right here in our own community. Many times these Moms and their children are forgotten. Many do not even realize that there are homeless mothers and children that live right here in Music City. This outreach has formed relationships which then open the doors for many to be helped all the way through Christmas and for years to come.

Let's join together and make a difference that can create memories that will last a lifetime for these children. For many of these children, this will be the first costume that they have ever had. If you would like to be an Ordinary Hero to a child in need by donating $22(paypal deduction included) to a child that will go toward the purchase of a costume ,

PLEASE CLICK HERE.

or mail to :
Ordinary Hero Foundation
P.O. Box 1423
Brentwood, TN 37024

(please make note of Halloween Outreach)


If you would like to read more info of last year's 2008 Halloween Outreach CLICK HERE. to go to the Ordinary Hero Website. You may also see info of 2006, and 2007's Fall Festival outreach on the website under OUTREACH.

If you would like to view a video of a past Outreach which documents the festival and some of the Mom's and their children that have been helped as a result, CLICK HERE.

If you have questions or need more information, email Kelly at kelly@ordinaryhero.org .

Everyone coming together to make sure this event blesses these children is what always contributes to it's success. Many, many thank you's for your support of this outreach and these children. We look forward to another successful event.

Kelly Putty

Children in the Balance

It is hard to believe that this has all been going on for almost a month. We quickly realized that what we walked into in Sierra Leone was more than we ever expected. God allowed us to see things that our minds never could have imagined. BUT it is all for a purpose. These are children that no one knew existed nor took an interest in until the TRS group discovered them last November. We went there one month ago to simply move them into our center and offer them a better way of life and uncovered a tragic way that people have made money off of these children. They are innocent children and most of them don't even realize that a better life can even be imagined. Their stories stick with me. Their questions about America, chocolate factories, school, playgrounds.....all the things that we take advantage of that they only dream about.....stick in my mind.

These children need prayer and I thank you for the prayer you have given them. Now is a crucial hour. There have been 35 children that have finally been moved out, but not to our center. At the time, I don't know which 35 have been chosen but I do know that the certain children that we came to SL to care for have not been moved. The facility they have been moved to is overcrowded now and they are requesting that they be moved to our center :) So you see, God is moving these kids according to His plan. But they need fervent prayer, especially the particular kids that we showed up to care for. I will include some pictures for you to be in prayer about for these particular kids.


Below you will see the baby that Erica is hoping to adopt. Please pray that she can get moved to our new center.


Below you will find the baby that Kelly M found last December that has stolen her heart. Please pray that he gets moved to the new center.


Below you will find a young boy that stole my heart while on this trip. His name is Tomba (could be spelled wrong). But this is the boy that was brave enough to come to me completely on his own and tug on my shirt to tell me something. When I leaned down to speak to him his eyes filled with tears and he said, " I need help....My mother is dead, and my father is dead." And that is all he said. I just wonder what caused him to have enough trust in me, a total stranger, to come to me and tell me that. Well, I hugged him and told him I would try to help him. So, to say the least, this little one sticks out to me and I am really pulling for him to be moved to our new center and get sponsored. Please pray for him. He had such a sweet spirit.


You see me pictured below with Sam holding onto Tomba. Please pray for Sam right now. I just discovered that he now has Malaria and is being treated in our center. What perfect timing for him to be moved to our center. We have the proper medication for him and he is on the mend.

Below you will find Victoria. She stole Jessie's heart back in December. Please pray for her. We fear they are filling her head with lies. We fear for her physical safety right now around the older men who live at the center. We fear she has experienced more than any 10/11 year old girl ever should have. Pray for God to speak truth to her and for her to be rescued into safety.

This is a little baby named Blessing that seemed to steal everyone's heart.
More sweet children.

Some just seemed to cry out for help just by the look in their eye. You just see destiny on them that is screaming to be unleashed.

This little one, below, literally latched onto me and would not leave my side. She stayed right at my waist with her arms wrapped tightly around me. It was heartbreaking to have to say goodbye and leave her there. I believe her name is Maui. Please pray for her to be released.

This little guy just seemed to light up a room. He had such a sweet spirit.

This little one below just bursted with personality and love. She has so much to offer this world.

This little one below has already stolen the heart of one of our readers. Please pray for her release. She already has sponsorship waiting on her. Below you will find Betty, Sam's sister. Please pray for her. I heard that she is having a hard time because of all the children she left behind. She said she was like a mother to about 10 children which is obvious from the picture below. Her heart is aching right now for them. Bless her heart, she already has a mother's heart and she can't be more than 10 or 11 herself. These kids learned quickly that they had to take care of each other.

Below you will find little Lucy. She was special to all of us because of her physical condition. I heard that she was one that has been moved to the overcrowded facility. So pray for her because she needs special care and we pray that they realize it. She started to flourish just with the limited time that we got to spend with her. Pray that she gets moved to our center. She has sponsorship waiting on her.

I know I have mentioned certain children, but all the children need prayer. Right now I don't know which children have been chosen and been moved and which ones have not. These children's lives are in the balance. Their destinies are in God's hands. I know that prayer changes things and that is exactly why things are starting to move after one month. We think a month is a long time, but compared to how long these children have been living with all this, God is uncovering and bringing things out of the darkness in His perfect time. Now is a crucial hour for these kids. We have one girl out of our group of 10 that stayed behind in SL to see this through. Please pray that this gets resolved while she is still there.

Thank you all for your support and comments and continued prayer for these little ones that are so precious to us and to God. Thank you for helping us be His hands and feet.

Kelly

A Personal Truth and a Few New Residents

I am continuing to get updates from the group in SL. They are STILL standing in the gap for these kids and believing for justice to be served. I wanted to pass on Tina's latest post. I believe she speaks on behalf of all of us and some of the thoughts and feeling that we are left with from this journey.

I will let her tell you in her own words.......
From Tina.....
"I received this email today from a friend, Kelly Jo Yaksich who volunteers tirelessly for Kids Against Hunger in Nebraska. It spoke to me in so many ways that I had to share it…"


Kelly Jo writes…

“Now the heartbreaking reality that almost did me in.....I have to interject here, that after this today, I do not know if I would make it emotionally if I came to Sierra Leone with the delivery of this container of food....There was a man and his two boys that came to package food this weekend. I went to visit with them and found out that they came to America 7 years ago as refugees from Sudan. He and his wife and his 5 children who are now age 11 to 17 years old. They first lived in Texas but chose to come to Nebraska because it was cheaper to live here. When I stood up to share our education and training and told about this food going to Sierra Leone he got VERY excited. He bobbed his head up and down throughout my talk on the orphans and malnutrition and the rescue efforts of your group.

When the event was done, he came to me with his hand on his heart and with tears in his eyes he said "I understand this. I was where these people are in Sierra Leone when I lived in Sudan. I could not feed my family. I was watching my children die before my very eyes. I was helpless to help my family and my village. Today, today I helped my country. This food today is going to my country." Oh my Tina, I nearly crumbled into a ball and wept. This was a TANGIBLE and REALISTIC way for this incredible man and his children to reach out to Africa with help. “


"As I read Kelly Jo's message and the testimony from this man, I thought of the message The Raining Season has been sharing this past year…

”147,000,000 Orphans...They Know That We Know”

We share that there are 147 million orphans in the world who are suffering and yet we have the power to change it. The 147 million orphans know that we are aware of their suffering and yet we stand by and do nothing to save them. We know they are there...we hear their stories...see their faces...know how we can help and yet as a society we choose to just stand by and not respond.

There are over 25,000 mothers each day that watch their child die of something preventable knowing that there is someone out there that could stop it from happening. Sadly these children die because many of us choose to stand silent and do nothing simply in order to preserve our own personal wealth, status or whatever we hold to be higher than human life.

I see myself and others as no different than the government officials of Sierra Leone who stand by and do nothing to assist and rescue these children under the oppression and abuse of a single orphanage director and her staff. I will never again speak that message "They Know That We Know" in the same way again now that I have personally experienced how it feels to love a child so much only to have no choice but to stand by and watch them suffer...completely helpless and powerless to change it. I have to watch these precious children suffer and possibly die all while someone within reach has the power to change it with a simple act and save that child I love so dearly. The outrage, anger and frustration is exhausting and cuts deep into my soul. I now know first hand how the parents of children who suffer needlessly feel. It is beyond words.

Yet still, I hear from people, "I have my own children, it is not my problem." I have news...it is our problem...it our responsibility to ACT. These are the children of the world and we are the adults of the world that have been placed here to protect them. God has called each of us to serve the orphan. They only suffer if we choose to ignore the call God has commanded of each and every one of us. Once we all take responsibility, that is when the world will be changed. We each have that power to take a simple step...and change a life forever...it is the same step and power that I so desperately want the government of Sierra Leone to take to rescue these children. I am still hoping and praying for a miracle...God can move mountains when it comes to His precious orphans. I am trusting, learning and listening...as painful as these days can be."

I would joyfully like to introduce you to some of the newest residents of our new center. The Lord has brought these children to the center and He sees the destiny that each one of them have. These are just a couple of pics. They have 15 or so children and were supposed to get about 20 more although I haven't gotten the latest update. I will share with you what pictures I have been given.



From Tina: "I sat with Adamse (8 years old) and asked her what she likes to play and she said her favorite game is dodge ball (this tells me she is strong and brave because I always hated that game). I then asked her what she would like to be when she grows up and she responded, “I am going to be a laundress.” I was surprised and asked why she wants to be a laundress as most children in this country want to be doctors, teachers or lawyers. She shared with me that she already is a laundress to earn money and that is all she will ever be able to do. I then shared with her that she will now go to school and then I asked her again what she wanted to be when she grew up. As she sat with a smile that clearly surprised herself and seemed to make her feel embarrassed to show me, she replied, “If I go to school, I want to be a doctor.”





And this.....is where some of the children in our new center have come from. Kroo Bay….a “town” of 16,000 people and thousands are orphans…




Praise God.....He sets the lonely in families and takes up the cause of the needy :)

An Update in Sierra Leone

I wanted to give you a glimpse into the sweet spirits of these precious children that you all have been praying for. I have shown you glimpses of their harsh reality in other posts, now I would like you to see what bubbles out of them when given an opportunity to shine. They stand ready to share love and joy with anyone willing to give them attention. They have a lot to offer this world. I pray that they get the opportunity to do just that.

To give a little update.....

Sam has been reunited with his siblings and they are now all living at the new center.....:) What an answer to prayer.

The center now houses around 15 children that have been brought in from surrounding areas. There are 3 or 4 sibling groups. Some of their stories are just heartbreaking. One sibling group was seen wandering by themselves in one of our caretakers area's that she lived in so she inquired about them and found that they were orphans. So thankfully, they now have a new home in our new center. Another sibling group was said to have been abandoned by both parents and had a grandmother that could hardly care for them. They are said to be eaten up with scabies to the point that there are big boils on them. They are being treated by a Dr and now can call our new center, home.
Erica went to the Dr with Sam's mother a day or so ago and found a man in a wheelchair who was paralyzed and had a 7 month old he cannot take care of. The child's mother had just abandoned the child. The man begged Erica to take care of his baby. So that baby now has a new place to call home.

So as you can see, the center is starting to fill up. They have a trip planned today or tomorrow to Crew Bay to check on the orphan children out there. The pictures I have posted on here with the children residing with the pigs are pictures from Crew Bay. They expect that more children will be coming to our center from that area as well.

We are very thankful that God is bringing the children into our center as He has. We are still standing on His word and believing for the precious children that opened our eyes to the need and gave The Raining Season the heart to open the center in the first place. Those children deserve the very best that life has to offer. Those children have not been forgotten. Those children are still being prayed for everyday. Those children still remain in bad conditions and need us to stand in the gap for them. Those children need to be rescued.

If you would rather click on the direct link to watch the video of the children that we are all praying and believing for CLICK HERE.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

A HERO AMONG US..The Tale of A Young Boy

Well, we made the long journey home and I took yesterday to gather myself before I threw out another blog post. After a solid 24 hours of travel I was greeted by my family at the airport, where if you know my sister, you know that she has to get pictures of everything....seems to run in the fam :)

Our hearts were so torn over having to return to normal life in America while leaving 3 out of our group behind in Sierra Leone. There were many conversations on the way home about how our hearts are now changed by what we experienced on this trip of a lifetime. We set out on what we thought was a simple task of showing up in a country and helping to move some orphans to a new facility. Well.........boy did we get more than we bargained for.

I am going to attempt to allow you to step into our wild adventure by catching a glimpse of some of our moments that really are too much to try to explain without just showing you. The events took place as if it was all a movie. Soooo....since I am known for capturing moments....that is exactly what I did on this trip. I went to Sierra Leone with the intent of partnering up with The Raining Season in order to document the lives of these children. I wanted to help capture their personalities through my lens in order to help them get sponsorship or adopted, once the ban is lifted off of Sierra Leone, as far as adoptions are concerned. This is my passion and yet I had no idea that I would end up documenting our daily lives as God would have us expose corruption within the walls of that country. But I quickly learned that as I documented our daily lives and all that God was bringing to the surface, I was documenting miracles taking place right before me. If we put ourselves out there for God to use us, there is literally no telling what can happen and I hope to be able to express in words some of the miracles that took place on this trip. Many of you have wanted details....so if you are up for a post that is more like a novel....then get comfortable and read on.


The above picture was taken just a few hours before 7 out of 10 of us headed back to America with troubled hearts because our task was not complete.

We all had specific things on this trip that we thought we were showing up to do. I can say that not one of us accomplished what we thought we would. We quickly learned that God had other plans in mind....These were plans that none of us ever could have imagined in our wildest dreams. Just go and make yourself a willing vessel to be used by God and watch and see how He shows up.

Allow me to show you.....

Most of us met up in the Nashville airport. There were several of us who did not know hardly anyone in our group of 10 women. We literally met in the airport, introduced ourselves, and headed out on our two week adventure.

Let me tell you that I could not have hand picked a better group to spend two weeks with. It truly is amazing how we all have the same passion for the orphan yet different gifts and talents. You put them all together and you have an awesome group to bond and make life long friendships with as well as accomplish things that you never could have done alone.


We took off on our journey with 30 something bags filled with donations for the new center that we were so excited to open. Getting them all on and off the planes and through customs was interesting to say the least.

Not to mention catching the train and throwing them all on before the doors closed.

Then.......getting them on the helicopter once we land in Sierra Leone that carries us over the canal and into the city of Freetown.

Then....loading them into the cars to get all 10 of us and our bags to our hotel. Whoo!! Talk about Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!!

But we arrived to find some of the most precious, little , amazing people waiting for us. I can't even explain our first day with the kids. They were just so hungry for love and attention. It weighs so heavily on your heart. You are kind of left with not knowing what to do with such a tremendous need. We quickly realized that their conditions were not healthy, which made us all the more anxious and excited about getting them moved to a place where they would have all their needs met.

We met new friends that each of us bonded with.

Our journey was beginning as planned. We showed up at this center full of children that we thought we would immediately be able to help.

The children stole our hearts

Some of us were making life long relationships during those first few days and we didn't even know it.

Some of the children told us a little about themselves but most of them just let us love on them and talk to them. They all were so precious. They would ask us questions about America and you would see their little minds just dreaming.

There was one little boy in particular that would later open our hearts and our eyes in ways we never could have imagined. This boy, on that first day, just seemed friendly and sweet like all the rest of the kids. We found that certain children attached themselves to certain members of our group and made a special connection. This boy seemed to have a special connection with Lori from our group of women who showed up to help on this mission. What we didnt' realize was that we had a hero among us. There was so much bravery inside this young boy that had not been unleashed and it was just busting to get out. He was a young boy that had not had the privilege of having a childhood. He sits at the door of manhood, yet still has the heart of a child that he never got to be. He was a simple boy.....a simple boy named Sam. How could we ever have known what lay before us all?? How could he?

We quickly realized that our plans for this center meant nothing. Things quickly started to go in other directions and we became discouraged, wondering why we didn't have the children by now. We literally went to bed one night not knowing what the next day would bring. We had no plans at all because our plans had been tossed out the window. It had been several days since we had been to the center and things were not looking good.

We awoke the next morning to Erica busting through the door, scaring us all half to death out of our deep sleeps. She was screaming at Lori, "Lori, Lori, get up....Sam is here!! Sam is out by the gate!" She saw Sam outside, completely out of the blue, and he had asked to see Lori. Well, since things had not been going well at this center, she immediately thought something was wrong with all the children and could not imagine what in the world Sam was doing at our hotel or how he even got there. It scared her to death, which she in turn, scared us all to death.

In case you are wondering....the way that Erica busted in on all of us later became something that we kept laughing about so we had them reinact the scene and I captured it then. No, I did not have my camera on deck right out of a deep sleep.....would have been nice, though.

We quickly learned that you just could never predict your days. We would end a day with not knowing what the next one would hold. The next one always left us in a state of awe and wonder at how God works all things together as He does.

I can't tell you how sad it was to see little Sam come to us, completely on his own, to ask us for help. He was so thin and looked as if he hadn't eaten in days. We immediately sat him down and gave him something to eat. He began to tell us of his fears that we would not be back to help him. You see, he saw hope in us, that we would be an answer for all of them. He had not been able to go to school in over 4 years. All he wants in the whole world is to go to school. He says he wants to be a lawyer one day. He overheard the director talk about how she would never give the kids to our new center. He came to us to ask us for help. To ask us to not give up on them. He also told us of the realities that go on at that center and it just broke our hearts. There is neglect and abuse beyond anything we could have imagined. This young boy had gotten together with some of the other older boys and set out to the home of the mother of Erica's adopted daughter. They asked her for the phone number for us but she would not give it to them because she did not know their intentions. They asked her to then give us a message and tell us to come help them. We didn't get that message for many days, after we had already seen Sam. The next day none of the boys had any money and could not get transport so Sam took it upon himself to go to his mother who was very sick and lived nearby. He told those at the center that he was walking over to see his uncle for the day. He got his mother's blessing to go look for help and borrowed money from his uncle to have enough to cover transport as he set out on his journey. Our hotel is about a two hour drive in traffic from the center where he lived. He heard where we were staying and set out to find us. He had enough transport money for one way....and that was our direction. He had no idea what lay before him but he had seen a glimpse of some help and was that desperate enough to set out and make sure that it didn't slip away.

Lori greeted him and gave him comfort as he looked scared, yet so brave to sit and tell us things that i'm sure he had not ever told before about what goes on in his world. Here we were, complete strangers, yet because Lori bonded with him on our first day by just being kind and showing interest and talking and laughing with him, he saw hope in her, he saw God's love in her and he moved mountains to get to it again and not let it slip away.

I can't tell you how incredibly sad it all was. All we knew was that we had to help this young boy as well as all of the children after hearing what they go through. Our eyes had been opened and now we had to act.

Unfortunately in order to give us time to act, and to not let anyone know that Sam had been with us, he chose to return to the center later that day. He is such a brave boy. His two younger siblings remained at that place and he could not bare the thought of leaving them there. We had already been to the center at this point and taken pictures of all of the children with their shirts pulled up in order to get medical assessments on them. We were horrified by what we found.

We immediately set up an appointment with the Minister of Social Welfare to approach him to ask for help with this matter. We took our pictures of the children and set out to get help.

We also met a wonderful nurse that met us there and gave her opinion about the children and what was going on with them. She later went out there with us and confirmed that they were all malnurished and many of them had hernias as a result. She said they were in a horrible state of health and were at risk.

We were all very troubled over all of this new information regarding the children and we felt the burden that lay on our shoulders to find them help.

Our whole group went in and met with the minister who seemed to have compassion for the situation and acted as if he was ready to act.

He learned of all the instances and even heard from Sam himself about everything. He called in Unicef to do a report. After Unicef went to the center they too agreed that the center was not fit for these children and wrote a report to have them moved. The minister told us that the plan was to have the children moved to our center.

So Sam goes back to the awful center, knowing what he knows, and waits for action. We, as well, wait for someone to move, but it never happens. We get very frustrated and we call, and we call, and we go back down to the minister's office only to not be able to see him. We keep getting the run around as to why they are not acting on the situation. They had seen pictures, heard from one of the boys living there, heard from us as eye witnesses, and they had been down there and seen it for themselves.....and yet no one was stepping up for these children. It was just mind boggling.

We then start getting threatening phone calls as well as our driver/friend. They say they are aware that we are involved with this and they make things very uneasy for us. We start hearing about connections that these people have in the government and start putting the puzzle pieces together as to why things are not moving and why it was as if people were protecting this woman that runs this awful center.

We really start worrying about the kids and especially Sam. We had let him out on the road about two miles from the center because he did not want to be seen with us. We never knew if he got back ok or not and it had been several days and still nothing was moving. So we decide to pop in for a surprise visit. Myself and Tina and her two 14 year old daughters were on our way to Emily's village to see her birth family when we had to drive right past that place. So on a whim we decide to pop in there.

We pull in and it was eery. Instead of the children running to us like they had previously done, they run away from us. They looked scared of us. BUT, I saw Sam as soon as we pulled in and my heart was at rest. I was so relieved to see him and know that he was ok. We later learned that they had threatened the children and told them that if we ever showed up and if any of them speak to us then they would be beaten. I walked up and snapped a few pics of the kids as I walked through. Sam just had a slight relieved look on his face with a small grin. You could tell he was relieved to see us. I took his picture as well in order to bring it back to my group and show them that he was ok.
He stood above the rest of the children.....as if their protector.

Several days went by of us calling everyone we could think of to ask for help for these children and still nothing was moving. Then, out of the blue, Sam shows up at our hotel again. It was very sad. He had on the same shirt that I had taken his picture in 3 days earlier and he was wearing pajama bottoms. Again, he was very hungry so we set him down and gave him something to eat. He began to tell us that after we left the center that last time, that they kicked him as well as a few other kids out on the street because I took pictures of them and they had spoken to us that day when they told none of the children to speak to us. He had stayed a couple of days with his uncle until he could gather enough money for transport over to us again.

We were glad to have him finally free of this place although he worried a great deal for his sister and brother who remained. He said that his mother wanted to collect her children from this center as well as some other mothers. So we got a new ray of hope and thought that we could get the kids by having their parents go in and get them out.

One of our Sierra Leonian friends, who was just a Godsend to us on this trip, showed up to help. She is pregnant with twins, we think. She used to work for Red Cross during the war and she currently works for World Vision and is a child protection worker . She said that she would take Sam and go talk to his mother for us. Sam was worried for our protection and said that he needed a "black" person to go with him. Julia quickly stepped up. They headed out the door with the plan to go speak to Sam's mother who lives right over beside this awful center. The next thing we know Julia calls us from down there. We hear all kinds of yelling in the background and complete chaos going on. She tells us that somehow the orphanage director found out that she was coming that way and had people meet her on the street and approach her as a set up. Her son also approached Julia and raised his hand like he was going to hit her and someone stepped in and stopped him. Somehow, through their lies, they had Julia arrested. They made up lies and told a police officer that she was there to try to buy children. It was just horrible. All we knew was that Julia had been taken to jail and we had no idea where Sam was. People stepped up to bat for Julia at the police station and she was later released. We learned that Sam stuck by her side the whole time and she let him stay at her house for the night with her family so that he would not be in danger. As our minds were spinning at this point, we realized we had not spoken to the Mayor's office about this situation. We started at the top, thinking the minister would be the best bet, but then contacted a councilman in the Mayor's office who quickly came to hear what was going on. He came over that night and met with us and heard the whole story. We also had him hear it first hand from Erica's adopted daughter's brother who had lived at the center for years. He told this councilman everything that had gone on at that place. We finally felt as if we had someone in our corner to help these children. He went out there to the center and came back and reported that he saw the kids in conditions that looked torturous. He seemed very motivated to get them out of there. Again.....we had a ray of hope. It had been well over a week. Could someone finally help us free these children?

He had us show up at City Council the next morning on a Saturday. He had to bring it before a few poeple because, of course, the Mayor was out of town at the moment.

Our nerves were on edge as we worried about those children. It had been so long and we feared they thought we had forgotten about them. We prayed and prayed that this was our answer we had been looking for.

The nurse who had been helping us with the children as well as Julia and Sam and Erica's adopted daughter's brother showed up to the councilman's office to try to help.

How relieved we all were to see Sam after we had heard about his horrible night before. He has made such a sweet connection with Lori. He immediately went to her for assurance.

It truly is amazing to see what a sweet connection these two had in such a short time. She truly had the heart of a mother for this sweet boy and he so desparately needed it.

We all sit and wait as we hear the councilman take this on. He gets resistence from others in his office about going to get the kids out. He is going to bat for these kids.

We sit down with the boys and they start showing us the children who have left the center. This group ran across these kids back in Dec and have been supporting them since. Well, we have found that some of them are no longer there and we don't know where they have gone. These brave boys start pointing out the kids and telling us where they think they are.

Our greatest fears are that something horrible has happened to these kids. They knew where some of them went, and then they didn't have a clue where some of them were. At one point the councilman came in and told us that he didn't think he would be able to get the kids out that day. He couldn't get people to get on board with him although we could clearly see he was fighting for it. Our spirits were beginning to get crushed again.

All we knew to do was to pray. Everything up to this point had failed. We keep hearing of more horrible things associated with that center and yet the kids still remained there.

Just when we thought all hope was lost, he finally convinced them to get the kids out on a rescue mission. He said that if anything happened he would take the heat for it.


We were so thrilled. He took two police officers, one of the boys, and a woman from social welfare and headed out. We were praising God that it was finally time to get these kids moved.


We went back to our new center and sat and waited for them to arrive. We received a call that there was a riot going on down there and that these people would not relinquish the children. This sent us into a state of prayer warrior. We all gathered together right there in the center and just started crying out to God on these kids behalf.

We even had some praise and worship and just thanked God for coming through for these children. We prayed and we believed for God to work it out.



Then the call came from the councilman telling us that they had left without the children. Our hearts just sank. He said that they had locked the kids in a hot room and that some of them were getting shoved around. He said that for the protection of the kids they decided to leave and let it cool down. Which we didn't understand how protecting the kids could mean leaving them there, but there was nothing else we could do.

This all took place the day before we were to leave to head back for America. We really believed that God would come through last minute for these kids and we would still be able to see them get set free. It had been two weeks of us fighting for these kids and we were still back to square one.

I walked out on the balcony, depressed and discouraged, and looked down at the carpenters continuing to build all the bunk beds to prepare for these children. I was reminded by God that this was not our battle but it was His. The further we tilled down this path toward the children, the more dirt piled up in the middle of it. He is uncovering that which is done in the darkness and bringing it into the light.

As exhausting as it all is, we realize that God was using us to uncover a lot more than we ever could have imagined in the lives of these precious children. There was so much that two weeks is not enough time to allow God to get everything set up as it should be to bring everything about these people to light. We know that he has a plan. We also know that these children will get set free. They have destinies and we have been fortunate enough to see the destiny of one boy named Sam because we stepped out of our comfort zone and entered a country that we knew nothing about in order to follow God's call and help children, just as he was brave enough to step up and reach out to people that he knew nothing about. God is the connector of both.

There are many lives waiting to be changed on this trip. There are many works in progress waiting to come through.

In some children I see pain.

In some children, I see hope. The above picture of the older child is Sam's sister.

But I can't help but think......how many more Sam's are there out there?

How many children have hopes and dreams and destinies that lay before them?

How many kids look at us and see hope but can't picture it for themselves and don't have the ability to run towards it?

Each one of these children have a destiny.

Some of them find joy in God's love alone while they wait and hope for things to change.

Again, I ask, how many more Sam's are there?

How many more Julia's are there who are willing to fight for justice?

How many more sons are out there?

How many more daughters are out there?

I can tell you that I have found a Hero in Sam. He showed up one morning when we were sitting, waiting for God to act on these kids behalf. We were praying for God to move....and in walked Sam. He has led the way for the rest of them.

So, with heavy hearts, as our mission is far from complete, we say our goodbyes to the three in our group who we leave behind to continue the fight for justice.

Our group of 10, after two weeks, becomes 3......and the story continues.

The day after we leave they got in touch with Sam's mom who they knew was sick, according to Sam. In spite of her illness she shows up to go to the councilman's office with everyone to try to get help to get her other two children back. The rest I will tell you in Erica's words taken from her blog....

"Yesterday his mother came to visit us..when she arrived we were shocked by her condition...he had mentioned she had been sick for some time...she looked like she weighed about 60 pounds....when I say skin and bones....it's no exaggeration...When I realized she could barely walk I frantically ran to the hotel office and asked where I could find the closest doctor...I was told there was a Lebanese doctor practicing right outside our gate..he treats all of the international guests where we are staying. I took her over and he examined and immediately started her on fluids...he suspected she had malaria and typhoid and was also severely anemic with inflammation in the lungs and low liver function....he ordered a complete blood /lab workup....We took her to a guest house close by so she would be close enough to come in for treatments...this morning I dropped her off for her treatments and headed into town for the council meeting.
We returned late this afternoon and there was a quick knock at the door. The doctor was standing in the doorway and we could tell right away the news wasn't good. He began explaining that Sam's mother, Matilda, had tested positive and was in the advanced stage of AIDS. Because of her fragile condition her body can't fight infection so on top of this terrible diagnosis she also has many other conditions that she is battling...."

They have moved Sam and his mother to a guest house close to them in order to be able to monitor her condition.

She is pictured above with Sam and below as she was getting treatment. I can't imagine the fear she must have.

Erica told me that after she had been on her drip for a while she walked over to check in on her and she was sitting there saying out loud, "thank you, Jesus.....thank you for the white people who have helped me." She told Erica she had not felt this good in a long time.

It was early the next morning that the Dr sat down with Sam and his mother and told them the news. They do not expect her to live but for another couple of months. They had Lori on deck with Skype and had her immediately talk to Sam and his mother over the internet to lift his spirits which they say she did.

Another twist in the story is that they found Sam's older sister who he has not seen in 4 years. She has shown up to try to help. She sat down with them and told them how thier father was killed right in front of all of them by the rebels during the war,while their mother was pregnant with the youngest boy. They all fled for their lives and escaped. It was then that they met this orphanage director and she took the children in saying she was going to help this mother who was left with all the children alone. She took the children in, along with many others, except we now fear and realize it was for her personal gain in order to receive money from the government by having an "orphanage". It was not for the benefit of the children or the mother at all.

When I say that the battle is God's and that we don't know what each day will bring, I am not kidding at all. God has unfolded this trip just as He had planned. Each day brings something new. Sometimes it doesn't always look like what we think it should. But in the end it is the missing link to the puzzle.

But I do know that because one boy was so brave to step out on his own for help, he now has made a connection with someone that he sees the love of God in, someone who will be there for him and show him the love of a mother, however God can make that happen, when he had no idea that he is about to lose his own mother. Lori was no different then all of us who stepped up to go on this trip. I remember her telling me in the beginning that she was hoping that God would open her eyes on this trip and show her a calling He has on her life. She said she really didn't even know what her purpose for coming on the trip was but that she just felt she needed to go. Let that be a lesson to all of us as to how God can use you. Sam's mother will now have the peace of knowing that her children will be taken care of. There is no telling how many prayers this woman has prayed over the years. Her older daughter, who just popped in the picture for the first time in 4 years, is now going to try to get the other two children out. Please pray for all of them in this family as well as the other children that remain in the center. God always shows up....it is never too late.

UPDATE......
Other children have been brought into the center from surrounding areas as we wait for the relinquishment of the others. To inquire of sponsoring one of these children ,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

More updates to come....

What I Go Home With

As my portion of this trip comes to a close I am reflecting on all the events of the past two weeks. I think about the mission that we were sent here to do and I think about the actual mission that God has called us all to do. I have had my eyes opened to a country that has corruption and evil intentions, there is no doubt. The saddest part is that we see the children are the most vulnerable victims.

But I have also seen people come together in this country to stand on the Word of God and join together to believe for something that they themselves have never even experienced. We have joined as one with local Sierra Leonians and believed God for the redemption of these children. We stand and believe for truth to prevail. We stand and believe for justice in a country where injustice comes from the top and trickles down. But still.....in all of the chaos, there is that still small voice. It is the same voice that each of us christians whether American, or Sierra Leonian have heard on this trip. It is the voice that gives us hope to keep going when all seems hopeless. It is the voice that reminds us that we are all made in the image of Christ. We are reminded of the sufferings that He endured while on this earth. But we are also reminded of the end of the story. He was not defeated by the enemy. Therefore we have victory over the enemy no matter what his schemes may be.

In the midst of all the craziness that I have encountered, there is the presence of Jesus everywhere I turn. Maybe that is why the enemy tries so hard over here because he sees Jesus everywhere he goes. I see Jesus on the walls, on the shirts of the poor, in the music in the marketplace, on the radio as I drive down the bumpy pot hole filled road, and out of the mouths of all of our employees that God has brought to the new center to stand strong and believe for these kids. There is no doubt....God is here. Yes everything here, compared to America, is very hard. It is a struggle to do just about everything here once you have lived in America and had everything at your convenience. But I do believe that makes their faith here all the more strong.

I wanted to leave with some of the beautiful images that I captured while here in Sierra Leone.

You have no idea how highly they think of America. It is most African's dream to say "by God's grace they will one day visit America."

The below pictures show the home of Tina's adopted son's home. No kidding, the American flag is the front door to their home.

Once you walk in their home there are two pictures of Jesus on the walls with Tina and her famil right in the middle of Jesus. They think very highly of them to say the least. They view us as very blessed......and we are.

We went down to a place called Crew Bay. It is such a poor village with make shift houses and 16,000 people who survive the best they can. It is a life that most of us can't even imagine. We met up with one of the locals and he guided us through this place as we walked in the rain with our rain boots on, trying to avoid what these people live in everyday, passing children playing in the same river as pigs. It was very sad to witness. He told us there are many, many orphaned children among this group as well.

Even among their circumstances, some of them give us the biggest smiles to show us their sweet spirits as they live in poverty which most of them have known their entire lives.

Our eyes have really been opened to the reality of the Rebel war that lasted for 10years in this country. We have heard many stories of survival from many of our staff. One of our sweet cooks told me the story of the rebels invading and she watched her mother get shot in the head and then they burnt the house to the ground that had her body in it. She said she went back later and collected her bones which is all that she could find of her mother. Her father died a short time later and she said she identifies with the orphans because she is one. But this woman has faith that you can't imagine. God has brought her through a lot in her life. The war ended here in 2002. You still see the effects of it everywhere.

This woman below was attacked during the war. She escaped with her life...but not her face. She so sweetly said she would love for me to take her picture. She is beautiful.

We left there changed once again. Our eyes were opened to a world that we didn't even know existed.

I caught the children below digging through the trash on the side of the road.

But once again, I am brought back to the beauty of Sierra Leone. The beauty is found in the children....in their sweet looks of curiosity and innocense. Their beautiful faces and their beautiful spirits.

I leave with these children in my heart. I have witnessed more God moments on this trip. I have seen one boy stir up the man inside of him and step out on his own to come find us and ask us for help because he knew that we were his only hope. Because of him many children will get set free because he so bravely spoke truth and wants with all his heart to see his family taken care of. He is the hero on this trip. God still has a work in progress. I ask that you continue to pray for the relinquishment of these children. We definitely stepped into more than we bargained for but God's ways are always the right ways even when we don't see His plan in the middle of it. We will see it in the end.

I will continue to give updates on this special trip and we will all together pray it through to the end and pray for those that will remain in Sierra Leone to make sure that we don't give up on these kids.

The Reality

Below you will find very troubling pictures of the reality that these children face each day. It is now time to get it out there and tell it like it is. The time has come for these children to be rescued from this. As precious and cute as these children are, they face a reality that none of us can imagine. Most all of them are malnurished and many of them need surgery for hernias and cream for scabies and so on.

Now let me show you.

This little one below can barely function on her own. She sits and stares and most everyone leaves her to tend for herself except an occasional child who will say something to her.

They pulled water from this well that they had just explained was not sanitary.....
And then drank from it.

Some of them have open sores all over them.

Many have belly buttons and stomachs that protrude due to malnutrition.

Then there are some that are just skin and bones.

This little girl, below, we fear could be pregnant. She is 12 years old.

My heart is about to burst with so much to say that I'm not sure I can put it all in this blog. I had many pictures to post but now can't get the rest of them so I will post with what I have on here so far. Again, I am going to put this story out there for the sheer purpose for you to pray for everything going on here in order to get these kids out of their current, horrible situation.

The first time we went to visit them, I just can't put it into words. I have a video to show if I can ever get it loaded. We pull in and you just hear all these little voices start screaming with joy. They all start running out with great big grins on their faces, jumping up and down with excitement and race towards us, wrapping their arms around us as if we are super stars and as if they hadn't seen anyone in months. I asked one of the older boys how often they get visitors and he told me never. And I can honestly say that by the looks of these children and the circumstances they live in I don't think anyone with a heart has ever found them or they would not still be living in this situation. It was by pure chance of the Lord's direction that Erica and Tina found them several months ago and all roads since then have led to this hour of relinquishment.

After word got out that we were trying to get something done for the children in order to help them get out of their current living situation, things changed. The next time we went by there it was just eery. We saw the children peering at us from inside but they looked scared this time instead of happy we were there. No one would approach us, in fact, they were running from us. We later found out by one of them that they had been threatened that if they talked to us at all that they would get beaten.

To just give you an idea of these sweet souls I will tell you some instances from the past couple of days....

the first day we arrive to visit the children a young boy about 10 years old comes up to me and tugs on my arm. He is saying something to me but i can't hear him so I lean down to listen. He was saying "I need your help." I said, "What can I do for you, sweetie?" He looked right into my eyes and his little eyes filled with tears and he said, "My father is dead, my mother is dead, I have lived here my whole life and I need your help." Well of course, my heart just broke for him. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him and told him that I would help him. The look on his face as he stared at me and trusted me, a complete stranger, enough to tell me that, will lay on my heart forever.

I can't explain how love starved these children are. They just want a touch from us and it makes their faces light up. There are so many and they cling to you so much that it makes it difficult to interact with all of them. So I would just reach out and touch their cheek in a loving manner and they would get the biggest grin on their face and always turn to their friend as if to see if their friend saw that they had been touched.

The older children especially are the ones that break my heart because they are old enough to dream but yet understand their reality. One little boy age 13 was so smart and would speak to me with such gratitude and had so many questions about America. His eyes would light up as he would ask...."Do they really have lots of games in America?" "I have heard that they have chocolate factorys in America. Do you think you could bring us some chocolate?" He then asked me if he could be my friend and then told me I was like a mother. He would just hold my arm as he would speak as a son would do with his mother for security. He has dreams of being an accountant he told me and of coming to America one day. The whole time he talked with his other arm draped around one of the younger boys as if he was his protector. They both stood there with thier eyes as big as quarters as they left their reality for a moment in order to dream and talk with me about America. They then asked if we would be back tomorrow. They all sang songs as dusk was approaching which echoed so sweetly all through the village, into the air. The more we applauded, the more they sang....and their songs are always about Jesus. Jesus is the only hope they have here and I have found that scripture is correct by saying He is a father to the fatherless. These kids know nothing of hope but Jesus. And now God has sent us to be the hands and feet of Jesus. God loves these children and does not want to see them suffer any longer. We ask, "God how can you let this happen? " We get so mad at seeing it and want it changed for these kids so bad......which is exactly why we are here. God is using that passion that lies deep within every woman on this trip and has called us for such a time as this. It is these children's hour and now is the time to fight in the spirit for them from your end while we struggle to get them set free on our end.

There is one little girl that only sat as if crippled and mentally challenged with a blank stare when we first arrived. By the second day of just us interacting with her she was walking with assistance and smiling and trying to sway when the kids were singing. These kids need love and interaction. They need to be treated like humans and not animals. They need to know that they are a treasure and not a burden. They need a chance to live their dreams.

Below are some pictures that I was able to get loaded There are so many wonderful pictures of these children that capture their personalities, the deep stare that they all stare right through you, the joy of them while they are with us and many other amazing shots. But then there are also the ones that show the harsh reality of the situation in which they live. I have chosen to post some of those on this post in order to show you how bad they need prayer. The amazing thing about today is that these little ones who have been lost in the darkness for so long will now be lifted up all over the world because of this blog and the others on our trip and prayer will go up and literally change their destiny.

There are so many children that your mind just can't take them all in as you try to see their little personalities try to break through the realities of their lives.

The children here,above, are eating their meal of rice for the day. They have no spoons therefore they eat with their hands as best they can. We have been told by one of the children there that they sometimes go days without eating. We were also told that sometimes the son of the woman caring for them who is an older boy will put a plate of rice out in front of them and then make them fight over it for kicks to see who would end up with something to eat for the day.
The way they are treated is unthinkable. It is literally like animals as you will witness in the pictures below.

You will find the above picture and the ones below so heartwrenching that it is beyond words. This is yet another example of how these children are only living just above animals. Out back in their play area is a broken down hut of some sort that houses bowls that the children use the bathroom in. All of the children are made to use the bathroom here while the indoor plumbing in the house with at least 2 bathrooms is left for the adults and they lock it and hide the key. The smell is just horrible, not to mention the condition the children are left in when they tend to themselves like this on their own. There is no toilet paper at all nor running water for them to use. Then when they run out of bowls to eat in because they don't have enough, guess which bowls they go and fetch and rinse out to eat out of.

Rather than let them go in to the bathroom the adults willingly let them live in filth. She came over and thought she was doing it justice by rinsing it with water while I took the picture.




No child should have to live this way. They don't even realize the horror of their situation judging by the sweet girl below who poses so sweetly in front of the bowls filled with diarrhea.


They have been stripped of their decency as human beings.

What do you say after witnessing something like that? I am speechless and so sad for this precious child that she doesn't know that she is worth more than this.

This face above is just one of the images I am left with each night that I leave those children in a place that seems to have no love in sight. These are faces that you just can't get out of your mind as you lay down each night in a bed with a pillow and blanket. I end with her story below.

This was one night after we had been with the children and it had gotten dark. This was right before I had to hand her over after we had bonded for at least 30 minutes. She was about to go to sleep on me after I had been rocking and singing to her when I had to hand her back to the care taker who immediately put her tiny little exhausted body down on the ground and told her to go upstairs in the house. She didn't say a word, just rubbed her tired eyes and started to walk up the stairs alone. It was pitch black dark out but I saw a little boy that looked no older than 5 come up to her and grab her hand and led her inside the pitch black dark house with no electricity in order for her to lay her sweet little head down on a cold floor with no blanket or anything to sleep for the night. I looked in the rooms earlier and there is just nothing but some occasional foam on the floor which smells of urine that they pick up from outside.

A sweet friend just sent me a comment with this scripture on my last post that I shared with our group last night while we prayed. It sums up and confirms what this is all about. "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." (Isaiah 45:3)

God.....help us help them!!!! We need your prayers. This is their reality, this is what we have witnessed. Now we are held accountable for what we know and then what we do about it.

We have a center ready and waiting for them with food, beds, blankets, clothes, bathrooms, and everything they need, with the most important being, LOVE. There are also those in this country who aren't taking the necessary steps in order to free them of this misery.

Now the rest is up to God. Thank you for your prayers.

Proverbs 24:12

Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act.

Another day in Sierra Leone

We were thrilled to be able to pop in on the children again. We pulled in the gate and as I got out and looked up, I saw just a row of little heads all looking with anticipation at who was pulling in. They are just precious.

Some made my heart glad.....

And some made my heart sad.....

I mean.....do they get any cuter than this little girl pictured below? And yes....she is playing with a rusty nail.

Pictured below is Sam. He is a hero.

The little one above just broke my heart. I was walking through the doorway and looked down and saw that she was crying. I never found out why but she was just precious. It was heartbreaking.

I got to tag along with Tina and her daughters to a village called Tombo. Emily was returning to her village for the first time in 5 years. She was adopted from Sierra Leone when she was 9 years old. So this was such a huge trip for her. She has gotten lots of questions answered and was welcomed so warmly in her village that she hasn't been to in such a long time. I was thrilled to be able to go along and capture some of their moments together. Below you find her with her sweet Grandmother who just loved on her so precious.

I have to say I have never seen some of the things I saw in this village. I absolutely loved being there. I loved capturing this culture through my lens. The people are just beautiful and yet mysterious at the same time. It is a culture that we as Americans can't even comprehend.

Of course my favorite thing to photograph is children. These children were piling in to get a glimpse of Emily. You cannot imagine how America is put on such a pedestal in this country. And for them to think that one of their own now lives in America and is getting her education in America.....they are soooo proud. They could not quit staring at her in awe. But I had to grab a few shots of the kids while I was there. ALL of them are obsessed with having their "SNAP" taken. They love it and surround me to have their picture taken. I'm guessing they don't have anyone "snapping" their pics very much. Well, they should, because they are beautiful.

This little one above is just the cutest!! Just look how she opens up to me while I shoot her picture with her friends.

Below....she is looking right at you and saying...."YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!!"

She is speaking on behalf of the orphans, by the way.

Below, I grabbed some shots of Emily's Grandmother showing us where they live and sleep. It is truly amazing to see this village of people and to look at Emily and imagine what her life would be like had this family not stepped up to adopt her. They live off of nothing and sleep on a mat on the floor surrounded by their clothes piled in a corner. It is a life that American's can't comprehend but it is her life as well. It is her country and her heritage and she was so proud to come back and get to experience it again. It was just amazing to see the contrast. It shows the miracle in adoption when looking at the two different worlds. It is also a picture of adoption that shows how we are all adopted by God and the new life that He gives each one of us when we are called by His name into His kingdom.

Below is her beautiful sister and her baby. They were so sweet. She seemed like such a great mom at only 17.

And can you even stand how cute this baby is??

Emily had the neatest thing happen as she was there. They had an old photo album that she had sent them of some pictures of her over the years. She was looking at the album and came across a picture that someone had stuck in the album that she had never seen before.

She has never had any pictures of herself as a little girl and here she was flipping through this album and ran across one she had never seen. It was her as a little girl standing with her family in the village. It was precious. It is the only picture she has.

It was so awesome to see her go back to her people and pull up this missing piece to her past and watch her hand over this treasured item to her adoptive mother who has always longed for a picture of her daughter as a little girl.

Truly Awesome!!

We finally said our goodbyes and were on our way but I can't tell you what a special experience that was all the way around.....and I was only watching from the outside looking in.

Back at the new center we are busy preparing everything and have it about ready. We had the best first staff meeting ever. I was in tears over it. I am completely blown away by the people that have been hand picked by God to care for these orphans. They are so equipped to give back a double portion of what the Devil has stolen. Below you will find one of the staff we hired who is also a pastor. He asked if he could say something and got up and just flat out preached about being ONE family with these kids. He talked about everyone being an example to them and loving on them and about all of the staff getting along together as one. It was just amazing.

Then, Miss Francis got up to speak. She is normally soft spoken but when she spoke she spoke with determination. She talked to them about how to love these children and how to discipline with love and nothing else . She was just great to listen to. She referred everything back to God.

Then Julia got up to speak. She is another that we have put in charge. She immediately started singing a song that the whole room joined in on....except us American's . It was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. There is something about hearing African voices come together as one that just has the heart of God wrapped around it. They reminded me of the kids singing....except all grown up. They had harmony and everything in the mix. It brought tears to my eyes. I picture them singing this when the children arrive on that first day to welcome them.

Below you will find Muhamed. He is the groundskeeper who was caring for the property before we arrived. He was the happiest man alive when we hired him to stay on as the groundskeeper. He is the hardest worker you have ever seen. He is always so quick to do whatever is asked of him. You can tell he wants to do his best at all times. He is way too thin and lives in the village across the drive from the house. He is Muslim and we just keep showering him with the love of Jesus. He came walking up yesterday carrying his son to bring to us to show us. He was so proud of him. He has also shared his story with us as many of them have about being orphaned himself from the war. He then was adopted and then his adoptive dad died and then he ran across a child in need and even though he had nothing he said he could not leave the child so he adopted that child. He then married and had this child of his own as well as his 4 year old adopted child. He has such a sweet heart. He will definitely be shown the love of God around this place. He is very poor and is so thankful for this job.

We have the halls decorated with some of our own homemade signs for the kids to make them feel like home when they arrive.

Speaking of the kids....they are still not with us. We just need you to pray. God has a plan that we cannot see yet and we are trying to stay strong until we do see it clearly. We know He wants these kids set free from the life they are living in and we know that He has us here to help make that happen. We have just faced many obstacles and have seen the enemy raise his ugly head a time or two but we also know that God goes before us and makes a way. He is bigger and He wins in the end.

Again, I am always good at having my camera ready when everyone seems to reach their max of all of the frustrations.

Everyone on this trip has a heart for a specific child that they feel they have connected with. It really tears our hearts out to have a center ready for them and yet they are still not here. I can't go into the reasons on this blog but trust that we are doing all that we can on our end to give the children their new home.

But in the end, after a long day, we always manage to come back to the hotel and let it all out in one way or another. Sometimes tears....and sometimes laughter. But it usually all comes out in one way or another. I would have to say that God did a great job of picking each one of us to come on this trip. Our hearts are one and our personalities click so well together. They are an amazing group to hang with for two weeks, I must say. Among the pressures of it all, we also have a lot of funny moments together.

This is Muhamed's little one below. He is such a sweet, beautiful child. However.....I must cut that string from around his neck asap. It is a tradition they have here. He told me it will heal his baby's teething and ear infection to have this string around his neck. It somehow goes under his armpit as well and then up around his neck. Not to worry....that thing is history as soon as I locate some scissors. Maybe then would be the time to tell him about the healing power of Jesus...and not the string. Whatcha think?

He had a rag on for a diaper with a plastic trash bag wrapped around it. I don't even know where he came from. He just came up with his baby and handed him off to me. We noticed he had a dirty diaper so we took him in to change him. This may have been the first real diaper that he had ever had on. I can't explain the arrangement he had going on with this homemade diaper. There was not telling how long his pants had been soiled and he had an awful rash. He was more raw then rashed. I put powder, which was all I had, on him and a pamper. Then I loosened the string around his neck as best I could and took him in and held him.

At the end of a day, after all the frustrations and let downs, God still gives us our little reminders that our work is not done but that He is still with us. Many are getting blessed each day......even as we wait on the children to arrive. God shows up in the small things....as we we wait on the big.

What an adventure this is.

Need Prayer

We have a lot going on and need prayer for today. We feel we are getting close to everything taking place according to what God has in store. We are also feeling the enemy try to raise his ugly head so thank you for continuing to pray for us all over here and pray for the children and their rescue.

I hope to post more pictures and have another update tonight. We are down to the last hour for these children and we are feeling the pressure on them and us.

Thank you for your prayers.

Another day preparing

We are getting ready to head out for our day of preparation. I have been sending out private emails for prayer. If you would like to receive an email update on more of the things that have been going on and can prove you are a follower of this blog or have some kind of connection with me then email karsonearly@aol.com.

Off for another day. Keep the prayers coming.

His Hands and Feet

There has been so much going on here in Sierra Leone. I have done my best to put on the blog all that I can share at this time. We all do thank you for your prayers and we all feel them here on the other side of the world. There have been many, many God moments here that I will share about at a later time when all is well with the children. The Raining Season is such a true example of what being an Ordinary Hero is all about which is why I took such a leap of faith to join up with them on this amazing trip. It is truly an honor to be a part of such an amazing time of redemption for all of these children.

We came across this scripture this morning which explains all that is going on here.

Isaiah 43

"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.

I've called your name. You're mine.

When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.

When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.

When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end

Because I am God, your personal God,

The Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you:

all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!

That's how much you mean to me!

That's how much I love you!

I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.

So don't be afraid: I'm with you.

I'll round up all your scattered children,

pull them in from east and west.

I'll send orders north and south:

'Send them back.

Return my sons from distant lands,

my daughters from farwaway places.

I want them back, every last one who bears my name,

every man, woman, and child

Whom I created for my glory,

yes, personally formed and made each one.'"

These children have such life inside of them just waiting to burst out. They long for someone to notice and help them reach their destinies. By God's grace we will help make that happen for them.

We are all working very hard to get the center ready. There is a lot more than expected to get done but we are working tirelessly into the nights to get it all prepared for these little ones.

I can't tell you what a blessed sight this new building was the first time I saw it. After leaving the place that the children had been staying and then driving over to the new place it was like night and day. Above you will find the view from one of the top balconies of the new building. It is breathtaking. As I looked around I could just take in all of God's beauty and feel the oppresion just lift off. The new center sits high atop a hill as if set apart from all of the hardships that lay below. It is a place of hope and healing and such a perfect picture of God's glory and redemption that replaces all of the darkness that these children have lived in for sooo long.
It is a beautiful building with 12 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms and two kitchens.

We have all been working hard to get it cleaned and prepared for the children. These children have not had any running water or bathrooms or beds or any of the things that we take for granted every day. My words could never describe how they have been living. Our dogs in America live better than these children have been and I'm not even kidding.

We had an exciting day of picking up the mattresses from the factory. It made it all seem real once we saw them loading them all up. It was very exciting to watch. We have 75 of them and there are 90 something children. Can you believe that this new center is hopefully going to be maxed out right from the beginning!! There will probably be kids doubling up in bunks....but they will love it, I'm sure.

Many thanks goes out to all of you who have given towards the purchase of these beds for The Raining Season and this new center.

It was so neat to pull up and see women standing on the balcony waiting to be interviewed for their new jobs as the mattresses were being loaded inside the building. I have to tell you that we have had some amazing people show up for positions in the center. Several of them are from the same church and they have been having an all week, all night long time of praise and worship. It starts at 10 every night and lasts till 5 in the morning. Our head facilitator that we have hired, we found out ,had been attending these services and we did not know. Then she would show up every day and hang out with us to help get stuff done. But the neatest thing is that several others from her church have come to interview as well and they are all finding employment during this week of prayer and praise for them. I love how God works it ALL together for good, don't you? Many have been looking for work for years.

Below, you will find that even the boys on the wood truck were excited when they pulled in. This is all the wood being brought in to build the beds.

We have been hitting the markets as well. It is such a madhouse I can't even explain. It is so hard to buy supplies here. The streets are so packed with people that you can't even drive in them. It takes 30 minutes to just get to the next block. People walk by your car wanting to sell you everything from dishtowels, to underwear, to fish or fruit....and it is all carried on their heads. I am very impressed.

While some are shopping for supplies and cleaning, others are interviewing for positions.

Not to mention the meetings taking place for Erica's adoption as well. We are believing that God's favor will be on this adoption and many more to follow in this country.

Any time you are set out to make a difference it does not come without obsticles. It makes for sleepless nights and long days but God brings good news in the end. Below I was able to capture some of the reality of how emotional this trip is for all of us. There are things taking place that need much prayer. These things weigh heavily on our hearts for these children as their lives hang in the balance as we continue to fight for them. We witness all of this first hand and I wish I could go into detail on the blog but I can't at this time. Our hearts are broken for these children and we continue to lift them up and believe that their end result will be in our center and we continue to prepare for them as only God knows what will occur. We have seen things that we will never forget and it makes us all the more confident that what we are doing is completely led by God.........even if it is hard on the heart.

We then pick back up and walk in God's strength and not our own and continue to prepare.


Erica met up with her adopted daughter's birthmom for a special meeting.

Every evening as the day comes to an end and it has been one more day without the children while we continue to pray for the children I am reminded of God's goodness and His peace that He longs for these children to have as the sun sets over our new center and over the ocean in the distance as if it is a warm blanket of strength and peace that is saying...."Not much longer."

I wanted to leave you with one more glance at some of the beautiful faces that we long to rescue. These faces are what keep us going each and every day. We thank you for your continued prayers for each of these little ones. May not one of them be lost.

I know that many of you have sent messages asking how you can help us so I want to throw this out there......

We are looking at receiving double the number of children that we thought we would be allowed to take in. Therefore we are having to hire double the staff and double the supplies and food and you get the picture. We are thrilled to think that these children could walk in our doors in just a couple of days but the funds were not collected for this number of children. So if you feel led to give in any way toward this project then you can give to the following link on Paypal which will go into The Raining Season account and they will get it to us to finish getting all of the supplies. We are also praying that the doors swing wide open for adoption in this country so continue to pray for that.It has been difficult up to this point and we pray things are about to change. I know some of you have inquired about it. There will also be sponsorship opportunities available for these children after we get them all in and settled and I can take all of their pictures to see exactly who we get. I will have a personal story for them and am honored to meet each and every one of them. You may contact Erica to let her know of your interest in sponsorship and we will get back to you once it is all set in place and we discover the true capacity of the need of each one of them. To inquire about sponsoring one of these children contact info@therainingseason.org .

To give to the cause while we are still here you may go to this link.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=6356798

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. And thank you for being Ordinary Heroes to these children in need through your prayers and support. I am honored to share the same heart with you as well as everyone here with The Raining Season.


God Bless!!

A Little Bit of Reality

We went by last night to visit the children and take pictures of them in order to get medical assessments. As beautiful as these children are and all of the wonderful pictures that they take, these next group of pictures show the reality that these children face. Most are malnourished and are in very poor health.

I want to show you the reality of some of the lives of these children as well as show you more pictures of this trip.

The children just cling to me to get any ounce of affection that they can.

Even in the horrible conditions in which they live, they have the most beautiful smiles that sometimes shine through.

These children are just beautiful.

This little one could not move when we arrived. After just two days of interaction with her she was standing, swaying when music would play and smiling.

The children just kept coming and coming.....I think 90 something in all.

These are a few of the village children.

A harsh reality of where they use the bathroom.

Lori is a speech therapist and has already made progress with this little one.

They pull their water up from the well which is too impure to drink.

Kelly has loved on this little one the whole time. They are truly bonded.

Adama was scared when Erica first approached.

Erica broke through her timidness and got her more comfortable with all of us light skinned people. She is the cutest baby!!!

This is such a sweet picture of them bonding. A true Momma's heart.

Tina's daughter, Emily met up with some of her birth family for the first time in 5 years. The above picture is all of them waiting for them to arrive. It was quite emotional and such a special day for them.

Emily, with her birthmom after 5 years.

The two mothers meet again.

Emily's birth father was very loving and happy to see her. They were very sweet.

I feel this picture is a foreshadowing of how God is using Emily to lead her people to their destinies. She is just 14 and carries herself with such maturity and has such a calling on her life. She has grown and blossomed over the past 5 years Into such a beautiful person .

The two families really bonded and had such gratitude toward one another.

Katie met up with a familiar face by chance in the crowd which made them both emotional.
This was a God moment and such a miracle that they saw this little girl.

Peggy, Erica's mother in law has been such a sweet addition to this trip. She has such a mother's heart and cares for all these children so much.

You will see just how emotional this trip is. The emotions are all over the place....up and down. It is all such a wake up call as to how these children live. Sometimes you just have to stop and cry.

They are just so precious and have such destiny if only given the chance which is the most heartbreaking .

Jesse does so great with all the children. She loves them sooo much. She is truly in her element.

Some faces that stay in our minds after we leave. It is very hard to lay down at night knowing that these children sleep on the floor.

Please continue to pray for these children and our mission here to rescue them into a better life. WE are working hard to set up the care center and get it all ready. At that point we need God to relinquish these little ones into our care. We then hope to transfer them into the new center and give them beds, baths, food, nutrition, .......a home, for the first time in their lives. We pray God's favor is with us and his mercy falls on these children and on the people who hold their lives in the balance. We pray they want the best for these little ones and allow us to move them over quickly and with their blessing.

God, help us help them. We feel your prayers and have peace while here in this country.

Pray!!

Need everyone's prayers for the destinies of the children. A lot going on right now that I can't go into but hope to post about later tonight or tomorrow. Just pray for all of us involved and the children right now. Got a lot going on.

A Few Pics of our Day

A couple of the cuties that we are working with.

The little one above was drinking her water after finishing her bowl of rice.....no cup...no utencils.

These are just a few of the beautiful faces that greeted us. They just kept coming out. More and more orphans....it was unbelievably sad to think that these kids don't have anyone to call Mom and Dad. They were so love starved.

They warmed up quite a bit and decided they loved having their picture taken.

They were so adorable.

Here is our group on a stop we made in a village.

A few of the cuties above became my special friends.

This is part of our group just before we took off on the plane.

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Finally at least one picture that uploaded from the trip. I wanted to post it before it shuts me off. This is at least proof that I am totally in my element.

Working on more.

Finally a post from Sierra Leone!!

We have really been having trouble getting online. I have tried to load a picture on here for over an hour with no success. You can imagine how bad it hurts my soul to post without adding pics of our amazing trip.

The trip over was very smooth. It took a lot to get 10 girls and 30 something bags over here but we did it. We visited the children yesterday and I can't even explain how absolutely precious they all are. They just LOVED having us there. They are so full of love and they are so in need of love. They hang all over you always waiting for a smile or a hug. They had fun braiding my hair and I would look down as they were holding my hands and they would be rubbing their fingers up and down my arms, examining my white skin.

We have seen some very sad things as well with the children that I will have to go into at another time but trust me.....it hurts me so bad to not be able to post any pictures of these precious children.

We went today and checked out the new building which is going to be awesome!! There is so much room for all the children. We are so excited to get it all set up.

Once again, my eyes are opened as I realize how blessed we are in America. Everything is just so hard here. And I mean EVERYTHING (internet). We were with the children yesterday when they got thirsty for water. Two boys that looked about 9 and 10 loaded up two big water buckets and took off out the door through the field until they were out of sight. They came back about 10 minutes later with water for all 86 children to share....just after they had eaten their bowl of plain white rice....and that's it. They were lined up all the way up the hall and out the door waiting for their meal for the day. They had their bowl of rice, then poured the water in the same bowl and drank their water out of it. There is so much here that I can't even explain in a blog post. But let me tell you how sweet it is to see such poor conditions that these kids live in and then to hear them all break out into sweet song about Jesus all in unison. Their hearts and their spirits are just so in tune to God here because it is the only hope they have.

The group of women I am with are all amazing women. I do believe God has each one of us here for all different reasons. We all share the same heart for the orphan and the same passion to try to make a difference. Tina, on our trip adopted a daughter from here 5 years ago and brought her back to visit her family on this trip. She is 14 now and hasn't been here since she was 9. I documented the whole reunion yesterday which was so completely heart wrenching and sweet.

We have lots going on and we are only getting started. We have lots of work ahead of us and lots of little children to help by doing it. I can't wait!! I also can't wait to get some pics up to you all. I guess you will have to be patient. I will keep trying and get them up as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued prayers for everyone one of us here and all that we are doing.

More updates to come.

Love and miss everyone!! Signing off from Sierra Leone.

Kelly

Off to SL .....AND NEW WAITING CHILDREN

I am off tomorrow on my big journey to Sierra Leone. Keep track of this blog for updates. I always welcome your comments.


ALSO.....


I am excited to announce our partnership with Celebrate Children Adoption Agency. I have all kinds of new little ones from Ethiopia added to our OH SITE. There are even babies on the waiting list....I am shocked!! These kids are precious!! Go to the site, then Waiting Children, then Ethiopia, to check them out. Then call the director of CC and ask about them....it can't hurt.

THEY NEED FAMILIES.

Thanks for all your prayers and support and the next blog post will come from across the world.

Two Days Till Sierra Leone!!

Just want to remind everyone to be praying for our trip to Sierra Leone. I leave in two days and will be gone for 16. The building for the children was finally secured and we hopefully have the beds being built as I type. That is the plan anyway. There are many children there right now whose lives are in the balance and are hungry and have no where to lay their heads at night and no one to care for them. We believe that God will direct us to them and allow us to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we start this care center. They have no idea that their lives are getting ready to transform in just a few days. I am excited at what all is in store and I feel honored to be a part of it.

I will be sharing updates and photos on this blog according to the internet availability which I have heard is good. I hope to update each day with the latest happenings.


Many thanks to those of you who have donated toward this trip and those of you who offer your prayers for this trip. They are all greatly appreciated.

Our featured Ordinary Hero

I want to introduce you to our new featured OH on our Ordinary Hero site. I have known Wally Bryan my whole life as he is one of my father's life long friends. He served as mayor in Hopkinsville, Ky and is now striving to make a difference in my hometown of Hopkinsville unlike anything I have seen there before. He started a ministry called Challenge House in that city. He started out himself by seeing the need in the inner city and moved there on his own to live amongst them. He started by refurbishing a home in the community and then moved in. He then realized how his house became a safe place for the children and he would find himself mentoring adults and children alike. He was helping them get jobs, ged's, and giving them resources to grow and the hungry children a place to come for food. He has since had others jump on board to help from individuals, and many different churches, as well as schools around the city. He started out with one Challenge House and is about to refurbish his third. He has found others like himself who have stepped up and moved into the challenge houses to be the light in that community. Great things are happening. Yet he can't do it without support.

The best way for me to explain all that is going on in this ministry is to let you read his latest newsletter for yourself. As you read you will find how the simplest acts of kindness can go so far. We all look for ways for God to use us when in all actuality the needs are right in front of us everyday and we miss them because our eyes are not open.

I encourage everyone in the Hopkinsville area and surrounding areas to get involved with Challenge House. All you others that this hits home with......contact Wally to start a Challenge House in your community. It is an awesome thing.

Stories, observations, and news bites:
Hammer and large nail: Yep---that’s all it took! We can be so wrong in the little things, and in the big ones too. Was this big or little? I really don’t know. With an affectionate voice I speak out to one of my teenage friends, “Juan, pull those pants up so your butt doesn’t show”! He looked bewildered, and then says, “My belt is too large”. He walks over and shows me his belt. Truly it was way over-sized. I had every emotion from embarrassment for both him and me, to gladness that we were about to “fix” the problem. I retrieved a hammer from the toolbox (one of the donations from the Frances Fairleigh Estate), a large nail, and headed to the back yard with Juan. Together we made a new hole in his belt; he smiled as he walked back to the street, pants at his waist! I hope that was relationship-building. A million times I’ve had that thought: “Pull those pants up”. From now on I’ll think twice~~Have you had thoughts like I did?

His brother is the young man who we helped birth a lawn-mowing business. You may remember reading in the May Report about the business venture where the young man gained a bank loan, went to Sears and purchased a new push-mower, and launched his business! Well, just recently the banker notified me that Jalen had repaid the loan in full, and now “owns” the lawn-mower! A pretty positive business experience for a 14 year-old!

Edgewood Baptist Church holds BackYard Bible Clubs at the two Challenge Houses, and both members and kids smile a million smiles!

MLK Elementary School leaders hold two separate events at Challenge House #II: one was Math Bingo, and the other was a follow up to its “Lunch Bunch” reading program held this summer. Parents attended too. Education back to the neighborhood----ummmmmm----a pretty time-tested idea!

August 14th—time 1:00 PM---notice two boys in the street! School Day! Signals go off in my mind! “Hey guys, come on in for a minute. What’s up”? The story goes that one over-slept, and the other is out early for a doctor’s appointment. So one hops in my car and I take him to Hopkinsville Middle School; hopefully the other went to his doctor. Later that night I come to realize that all 4 students in the family overslept and all missed school. Yes, let’s close the “achievement gap”! How is that going to happen when so many miss school for no good reasons? Sadly, I’ve seen this happen a lot for this young school year, and “yes” I do report it to the respective schools. Eyes in the streets! Yet another time-tested idea which is coming back! I’m very impressed with the cooperation between us and our schools.

“Read and Seed” is a tutoring program spawned by New Work Fellowship. Mondays from 4:15 to 5:30 adult women show up to help kids (5th grade and under)with reading, math, homework, and certainly they “seed” into them the love of Christ! “What if”? What if we had other groups come on other days? Such is the Body of Christ! Something kind of special about programs that lead to sustained relationship-building! Think about that~

The Sara Bell Bassett Sunday School Class at First Baptist takes it upon itself to provide pounds and pounds of drinks and snacks for Challenge House kids. I remember I was always hungry when I got home after school. Even an old brain remembers that! I think I remember reading where Jesus fed and shared. A pretty time-tested idea! Thanks be to God! There is something special about Christian hospitality~

Pastor Brad from Restoration House wants to meet with me. That makes me glad. We walk the streets, and what we see makes us sad. Maybe the “sad” will turn to “mad”, and more and more of us will enter this battle for the hearts and souls and minds of the kids and their parents. “We can’t change what we tolerate”; I’ll never forget the impact that quote made on me. Thanks, Pastor. Remember how we felt as we walked the steps of the nasty interior hallway to the second floor of that apartment house? Sickening~

Matthew Harris invites you to attend “Mrs. Smith’s Inner-city/Inter-racial Bible Study Mondays at 10AM. Guaranteed: Come once and you will never forget it!

William McAllister, Resident Facilitator at Challenge House #II, oversees “work for pay” at the house on Bryan Street owned by the neighborhood association. Solid relationships are built. Time-tested idea: work along side of someone and watch friendship bloom!

Forthcoming in a few weeks-Resident-Facilitators at House #I, Aida Vega and Christina Hand, will send their own report, and it will include pictures!

Challenge House #III will be at 123 South Fowler Avenue. I like the one, two, three address! Perfect for Challenge House #III. This House is behind the Subway on West 7th Street, at the corner of West 2nd and South Fowler. Heath and Paige Wilson will become Resident-Facilitators there. This will be a major renovation. I hope that many partnerships will form to raise the funds and carry out the work to bring this House to even more than “its former glory”! The first day I went there, to meet architect John Mahre for his ideas, two little children were standing on the front porch. Before we knew it, two teens were there too, looking for work, and a young mother strolling her baby, stops and talks, and leaves saying “I need my GED”. We can help make that happen!

A major Christian Community Development Association national conference will be held in October in nearby Cincinnati. Would you consider attending? Go to WWW.CCDA.org to read about it.

Thanks for reading this long report, and for your heart for this work here in America, here in Hopkinsville. Maybe someday this concept will travel to other cities. We are in it for the long-haul. We want to become “time-tested”. Thanks be to God!

Wb www.challengehouse.org 270-889-3395

Another Trip To Africa

I am excited to announce that God is on the move again. An unexpected, quick trip to Sierra Leone just came my way and I am leaving in about a week and a half with the group pictured above. Ordinary Hero is partnering with The Raining Season in order to find these orphans sponsorship and help for their basic needs to survive and flourish in all that they can be. The folks with The Raining Season took a mission trip to Sierra Leone in Dec. While there, and as God would have it, they stumbled upon 86 children that were in one building being cared for by one woman. The children were literally starving to death. They rushed one little one to the hospital who was close to death. (After a two month stay, he survived) They asked "Where is your food?" and a little girl grabbed their hand and led them to an empty storehouse and to a well that was run dry. They saw that hubcaps had been used as plates to eat whatever food they could find. They were sleeping on the floor in filthy living conditions that none of us could imagine. While there, they went to the market and loaded up on bags of rice and water. They brought back enough food and water to make sure that the kids would be taken care of while they were there. They knew, however, that it would not be enough.

Erica, the director of The Raining Season, who has an adopted child from Sierra Leone herself, came home from that trip and couldn't sleep for weeks over worrying for those children. She started a campaign to raise money to support the children to supply their basic needs which is what she has been doing for the past 6 months. They have been getting food and medical attention because of donations coming in. Below you will see a before picture of a child that they found while there and then you will see an after picture of the same child after he received nourishment and medical attention for 6 months.
She now has it in her heart to open a care center for the children which will be an orphanage type facility. It will get the children out of the awful living conditions that they are in and it will provide them with food, care givers, beds, education for the first time in their lives. I have been asked to come along to photograph and document this trip. She saw the great things that came from my last trip to Ethiopia and she hopes the same from this trip. I will be photographing these precious children as well as helping get them moved into their new place to call "home" . I then hope to come back and find sponsorship for these children and have hopes for the doors to adoption to open in the future for them just as it has for Erica. There will be a group of about 10 of us going.

I ask for your prayers concerning this trip. Pray for our covering and protection and for God's hand to go before us and along beside us and behind us and guide us and open doors for us. Just as this group stumbled upon these children, there is still more to be stumbled upon. I will be updating this blog from the trip to keep everyone posted and to allow you to feel that you are on the trip with me.

One thing that I would like Ordinary Hero to contribute to this awesome ministry is to furnish them with much needed beds and mattresses. These children have never slept on mattresses before and she has a man building the beds in a bunk style for all of these children. Please consider donating towards the construction of the beds and the purchase of the mattresses. She only has half of the money raised for them and we leave in a week and a half. I would love for OH to come through and support in this way and then allow you to follow along with the pictures that I will be bringing to you from this trip. I would also like to supply vitamins for the children, formula, and much needed medical supplies.
To Donate CLICK HERE.

Also keep my family in your prayers while I am gone. I will be in Africa for 2 weeks...Wow!! My husband is a saint and is taking on 6 kids to allow me to live out my passion and God's will for these children in Africa. Every time I embark on a journey of this nature amazing things come from it and God uses me in ways I could never imagine. I am believing the same for this trip.

I would like each of you to view this AMAZING video by CLICKING HERE!! It is a video from The Raining Season and it documents their trip in Dec when they found these children. You will notice their ribs showing through their skin. These are the very children that we will be going back to help. They are just precious. This is also the group that I will be going with. Keep us all in your prayers and follow along on our journey with us. We leave one week from Saturday.
You can also visit the site of The Raining Season for more info on their ministry.

New Waiting Children

We are pleased to announce our partnership with Gladney. We have added new waiting children from Ethiopia to our OH site. Please go to the site to view their info under 'Waiting Children' from Ethiopia. All these children are precious and are waiting for their forever families to find them.

Please pray for these children as you look at their pictures. Consider whether you just might be their Ordinary Hero.

This Week's Reasons To Speak Up

Featured waiting child this week is Little Angel 7 yrs old. She is at risk of being moved to the older child orphanage and needs her family to find her fast.

These pictures are examples only of our featured waiting children this week. These children are from Bulgaria which is a country that does not allow any form of a picture on a website. Ordinary Hero has a Speak Up Campaign that allows me and you to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. If you sign up for Speak Up then you receive an email that has the child's picture and a link to their info on the website. You then have the opportunity to forward the email to your contact list in order to spread the word that these children are waiting anxiously for their forever families to find them. You just might help play a part in leading these children to their forever family.

I have to say...these children are just absolutely adorable!! My gosh it is hard to imagine that they are orphaned and just sit and wait for a family to find them.

Please click on the links to read their stories. If you are interested in Speak Up Campaign then email me at info@ordinaryhero.org . Please continue to pray for all the children who wait for their families.
Boy/Girl Twins 4 yrs old
Charm's the Word 7 yrs old

Project Backpack 2009

So many thanks go out to everyone who contributed to our Project Backpack. There were almost 30 kids including toddlers and pre schoolers staying at the mission that we provided something for through Ordinary Hero. So many joined together to make sure that these little ones had the proper school supplies and backpacks. It was amazing. I was so blessed to see so many show up with their own little ones to help yesterday with the outreach. I always want to make sure that our own children take part in reaching out to those less fortunate than they.

These were three siblings that were blessed with new backpacks. This little guy above did not want his picture taken until......

I took a cute picture of his sisters.

Then he decided he didn't want to miss out on the photo opp.
Then he turned into quite the camera cutie and decided he liked having his picture taken.
He and my son, Cam the man, buddied up.
So many families came out to help. It was awesome.
This adorable little girl was all about her new backpack. Someone gave her the perfect backpack for her little cute personality.
Her mother was very thankful to have her daughter all ready for school. Also notice the bag that the mom is holding. An ordinary hero made sure that every mom walked away with special treats as well as made sure that every backpack had it's own custom made name tag. Thanks, Holly.

Her mom said that she has become best friends with this little guy in the mission. She and her mom have lived there for two months.
I love that the kids stick so close together when they find themselves in such similar circumstances.
Amazing volunteers showed up to help in what we found were very tight, hot quarters while trying to organize getting everyone their backpacks. It was a good reminder to everyone what these mom's and kids live in everyday.


Cam and this cutie decided to ham it up for the camera. Also notice the large amount of snacks in the picture that a couple of amazing Ordinary Heroes donated to this outreach. This cool dude wanted to show me his awesome trick of rolling his eyes back in his head....very attractive.

A few of our amazing volunteers. It was so amazing to see people show up to help that I had never met before. There were people from all different churches, and even blogger friends that I had never met.
Sometimes it's hard to look at a mom and her child and imagine her reality of being homeless. The two pictures below are perfect examples.

These two little ones below were such dolls. They were the cutest little one's ever.
They loved their new backpacks.


The little one with Shane below was a little unsure at first. But then we pulled out all the tricks and...
There's that cute smile.
This mom and her children were all set with their new backpacks.
This Ordinary Hero and her children got to meet the young girl that she bought the backpack for.

Could she be any cuter??
Her mom told me to take as many pics of her as I wanted because "she knows she's beautiful."

Yet another adorable little one with her mom.



More amazing volunteers.



These two sisters had no problem showing off their beauty for the camera.

I loved watching the children of the volunteers take on the role of helping the other children.
The children all got to pick their own coloring book and crayons.
This mom was very sweet as she explained to me their situation.


These are some of our children volunteers. The one below wins the prize for the best helper.
My friend, Janet, and I have been friends since 7th grade. I love what God is doing in her life these days and how she has found her passion now through helping others. It's been amazing to watch her gifts explode. What a huge heart she has....a true Ordinary Hero.
On my way out I caught this adorable little cutie for one last shot. I would say that our very first Project Backpack was a huge success. Most of us will never know what these women and their children face on a daily basis by having nowhere to call home...the struggles just to survive....and the tears that they wipe from their children's eyes because of it. Many lives were touched yesterday and I can't thank everyone who organized,donated and contributed in so many ways...enough. These little one's and their mother's were blessed because of you. Thank you for being an Ordinary Hero.

NEW WAITING CHILDREN...ET and Bulgaria

These beautiful sisters are a new addition to our site. They are from Ethiopia and wait for their forever family. These two are considered full orphans as both of their parents passed away in 2004 and 2005. They had been living with their 16 year old sister before being placed at Hannah's Hope orphanage. They are said to be very sweet girls and are adjusting well to their new environment. Let's all rally together to find these two their forever family by lifting them up in prayer right now as you think of it.

Also we have several new waiting children added to the OH site from Bulgaria. That country does not allow photos at all so I tried to describe them on the site and I found photos of some random children that resembled them. These children are so precious and beautiful. There is one 2 yr old. There is one 4 yr old boy, one 4 yr old girl and Twin 4yr old boy/girl. One 6yr old boy, one 6yr old girl, three 7 yr old boys, and one 7 yr old girl. Go to the site and look at them. Many of these children have waited a long time to be adopted.....some of them have been waiting their whole life.

There is an Urgent need for the 7 year old girl from Bulgaria. She is at risk of being moved soon to the older kids orphanage if she is not chosen quickly. Once moved they say their chances of being adopted are very slim. The agency is really trying to find her a home quickly. Let's all pray for this little one to find her forever family very soon. She is simply precious. I tried to describe her picture on the site.

Please visit the Ordinary Hero Site and look under waiting children to view the info on these precious little ones as well as many others.

New waiting children coming to the site very soon. I am excited to announce our partnership with Gladney.

Thank you for your continued prayers for all the waiting children.

This Week's Waiting Children and a Praise!!

I am so thrilled to announce that these two waiting beauty's in Ethiopia, that stole so many hearts, have been chosen for adoption. They are listed as the Beauty Queen Sisters on our site. These are the two that walked for miles to show up so that I could take their picture in order to advocate for them. I can't even explain how totally precious they are. I am praising God right now!! Everyone's prayers for these two sisters and God's hand are what led them to their forever family.


This Week's Waiting Children
Precious Brothers ~ I am totally in shock that these two brothers are still waiting to be chosen for adoption. I had the privilege of meeting them and taking some adorable pics of them as well during my last stay in Ethiopia. Oh My Gosh they stole my heart!! They are simply precious which is why I named them as such. Besides being the cutest kids in the world they have very cute, fun, sweet personalities. The little one had the biggest time driving his car up and down my arm while I made the car sound. The older one was pushing another baby around in a stroller playing with it and being so gentle and sweet.

So....OK PEOPLE....someone has got to hear the call from God concerning these boys. Let's crank up our prayers for these two so that their forever family will find them soon.

Girl/Boy Siblings

This incredibly cute and sweet brother and sister pair need a home. That is the bottom line. They are waiting in Rwanda for their forever family to find them. They are full orphans as they have lost both their parents. They are in perfect health and just need a family. The little girl wants to be a nurse when she grows up and help people. Keep in mind that girl's hair is kept shaved in Rwanda in order for them to attend school.




Precious Sisters

These beautiful girls wait for their family to find them in Rwanda. Have you ever seen more precious smiles than what is on the faces of these sweet girls?

These girls are full orphans as they have lost both parents due to Aids. They, however, are in perfect health and just wait for their family to find them and take them home. They are said to have sweet dispositions. Right now they have each other....and we thank God for that.


We ask that you lift up all these children in prayer. Prayer changes things and prayers get answered all the time. Every one of these children have a destiny that they long to meet.

For more info on these children click on their names above to go to the link on our site.
Or visit www.ordinaryhero.org and click on Waiting children.

Lamentations 3:56 (New International Version)

⁵⁶ You heard my plea: "Do not close your ears
to my cry for relief."

The Latest News and Needs

First of all I would like to say thank you to all who have donated toward our outreach and given backpacks and school supplies for our Project Backpack. It always amazes me to see how generous people can be when given an opportunity to give. We are excited about our Outreach at the Family Life Center on Aug 14th at 4pm to pass out the supplies as well as love on the kids down there. All are welcome to attend and reach out to a child in need. Check out the OH site for more info regarding this outreach.

Mentors Needed
As a result of helping lead a bible study with the women(most all of them are mothers) in the Gateway program at the Family Life Center and Hope Center, I have come to realize the great need for mentors for these ladies. I always allow the women to talk with me afterwards and there was one women who came up to me and specifically asked if we had mentors. She said she just really needed someone to stand with her during this tough time and encourage her to make the right choices. I told her to write her name and info down in my notebook. When the other ladies saw what she was doing and what it was for, I looked up and they were all lined up to sign up to have a mentor.

These women are at a crucial place in their life. Most of them have no family support at all. Many of them have left their families due to abuse and other circumstances. Many of them are overcoming addictions and need encouragement to stay on the right path. They are learning about God, for a lot of them this is the first time. They are so hungry for truth and guidance. They are assigned bible passages to write as a part of the bible study and the instructor showed me how some women complete a weeks worth of studies in one day because they are so hungry for the truth and hope.

I had one woman who has been clean for 4 months and she had expressed an interest in wanting to share her personal story and have God use it to help people. I always use my own personal testimony to break ground with the women and show them that they are not alone. This precious woman shared her story for the first time in front of people and it was so powerful. First of all, I had never heard of so much abuse happening to one woman in my life. But as I looked around and saw tears flowing from the eyes of those women who walk beside her every day, I knew that her words were speaking straight to their hearts. She ended with a message of hope. She said she knows that God has better things planned for her life and that she hopes to turn her life around and use it for God.

These women need encouragement, guidance, hope, truth, and most importantly, God's love shown through an Ordinary Hero. These women are no different than you and me only they have been brought up around hopelessness and the wrong road to life therefore it has led to bad decisions and abuse. We encourage anyone interested to sign up to be a mentor by writing to a specific woman in the Gateway program. I have been told the highlight of their day is to receive mail. Many women never receive anything. This is a great way to get to know someone and also give them something to look forward to. When writing you would need to include stationary and stamps in order for them to write back. It is a simple yet wonderful way to reach out to many of these mothers and give them encouragement.

Some needs of the women in the bible study and the Family Life Center are :

Large Print Bibles~ These women are doing their study with donated small print KJV bibles. They could really benefit from large print NIV or NKJV bibles. They need notebooks, pocket folders, pens.

Bus Passes~ These women are always in need of all day bus passes in order to make it to job interviews. There is a huge shortage of these at the mission.

Phone Cards~ There is always a need for phone cards in order for these women to make the necessary phone calls to follow up with job interviews. There is one open phone at the mission and it is not enough for all of them.

Bath items~ There is a shortage of towels, washcloths, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.

Cleaning supplies~ There is always a need for cleaning supplies. You can imagine what it is like with all of the women basically living on top of one another and sharing just a few stalls in a bathroom.

Contact us at info@ordinaryhero.org to make an item donation towards any of these needs. If you would rather make a monetary donation you may do so by clicking here.


Brighten A Child's Day Kid 2 Kid Pen Pal Project

We are also excited about getting our little ones involved in making a difference in the life of another child in need. We are in the beginning stages of organizing and launching a pen pal outreach for children to have the opportunity to make friends with a child living in a shelter. All children just love getting mail. They especially need a friend and something to brighten their day when life's realities are so hopeless all around them. So a fun, simple card, maybe with some stickers or a gift card stuck in the envelope mixed with a word of encouragement letting that little one know that he/she has a friend to talk to can make all the difference in the world. It also shows our own children the importance of giving and loving those less fortunate. It opens their eyes to the needs in the world.

If you are interested in your child participating in this pen pal project email us at
info@ordinaryhero.org for more information. Holly Fisher, our pen pal project coordinator will be in touch with you.


Again, we thank you for being an Ordinary Hero and for making a difference in the life of a child in need.

We are also on Twitter for those of you who "Tweet". Come follow along on our journey.

Kelly Putty
Founder/Director
www.ordinaryhero.org

Project Backpack 2009

Please join ORDINARY HERO in providing necessary school supplies to the children living in the Family Life Center @ the Nashville Rescue Mission. The Center typically houses 30 children. As of today, there are 23 CHILDREN calling the shelter “home”. How can you help? These children need required backpacks and school supplies in the next 2 ½ weeks! Let us know what you can provide for these children: a backpack, supplies, and/or a monetary donation. We will provide you with a child’s name, gender, and grade specific supply list (approximately 10-15
items @ a cost of ~ $15), and make arrangements to
get the supplies to the children. You
are welcome to join us on August 14th when we visit
the shelter to deliver their backpacks full of supplies.
These children will be attending Buena Vista
Elementary, John Early Middle, and Pearl Cohn HS.
Are you ready to help insure that a homeless child
goes to school with supplies? Contact Bev Stacey @
davebevstacey@comcast.net. Does it
work better for you to make a monetary donation?
Just CLICK HERE.

Would you recognize America's Homeless?

Do we really know what "HOMELESS" looks like?
I was leading a bible study several years ago and wanted to teach my ladies group to appreciate their lives a little more and, frankly, to get them to take their eyes off of their own problems that seemed to be the center of their world. While, granted, some of them did have problems in this world, as we all do at times, it ALWAYS helps, without fail, to encounter those less fortunate than ourselves. When I say encounter, I don't mean run across a news story or pass a homeless person on the side of the road. When I say encounter I mean sit next to, talk to, ask one his life story, hold a little child, wipe snot from that little child and love that little child, realizing that they may not have been shown love for some time.

So my group shows up for what they thought was our normal bible study and told them all to go pile in my suburban....we were going for a ride. I had done this before with my own children when they would start acting rotten and it worked wonders to open their eyes to things other than their own wants and needs. I had the same plan in mind for this group of ladies. We head downtown and I am looking for the homeless on the side of the streets and they are no where to be found. I had baked bread and brought coffee and we were going to pass it out to them. Someone on the side of the road finally suggested that we go to the womens shelter up the road. Well I had no idea there even was such a thing. We drove and found The Family Life Center. I had never been there before and was only here this time merely by chance and the advice from someone on the streets. We all piled out of my suburban and by this time it was around 8 oclock at night. We knocked on the locked door and someone came to the door and saw us standing there with all of our snacks and coffee and hesitantly waved us in at such an hour when everyone was settling down for the night. They sent us to the back room where they told us to wait for the women to come down for a late night snack. As we walked down the hallway I glanced into the chapel and saw rows and rows of women sleeping on the hard pews. Once in the back room, I sat and waited with anticipation. ALL of the women with me had never been around homeless women before and I had only been around the ones that lived on the streets. So I think we all had our own ideas of what sterotype of a homeless woman was going to round the corner and eat our snacks. I could tell that we all were a little uncomfortable and completely out of our comfort zone. Most of us lived in middle class suburban communities and many would not be there had I not surprised them with our little downtown drive.

I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. They seemed to be small footsteps and they were running. When they entered the room, I was in complete and utter shock. These little footsteps were from about 10-15 children. They came in hurredly in anticipation of what snacks lay before them that they had been told to come down and eat. Many of them received their snacks and then graciously crawled up into our laps for love and attention. They had great big smiles on their faces as they ate the bread and the cookies that we brought. I quickly realized that we did not bring enough as it was gone in about 2 minutes.

As I watched these children who seemed to be filled with life and love and a sense of hope regardless of their surroundings I was so utterly and completely humbled. How can we complain about our lives and the inconviences that we have when there can stand a homeless child in front of us and greet us with a great big grin when he doesn't know where he will lay his head down at night and when he will get his next meal? What is it that these children know that we do not?
Jesus talked about it....
Matthew 11:25
[ Rest for the Weary ] At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

As I looked around the room, I noticed every one of the girls that I brought with me were having a one on one conversation with a homeless mother as she struggled through the shame to tell her story simply because someone cared enough to ask. These women were not what anyone invisioned. These women had children. These women had a name and a story and a heart that had been broken from despair of not knowing how to care for not only themselves but their children as well. These women had no one in the world who seemed to care. These women were desperate.

We said our goodbyes and loaded back up in my suburban and headed back to the reality that we all knew. The car was very quiet and everyone seemed to be in a sense of shock from what we just witnessed. We all had pictures in our minds of the little faces that we left behind as we headed back to our homes and our loving families and our warm bed. What was it that we were feeling at that time?
James 2
¹My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. ²Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," ⁴have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? ⁶But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? ⁷Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

⁸If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself,"^a]">[a] you are doing right. ⁹But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

It is completely amazing how what you don't know can hurt you, it can keep you blinded to the truth that is right in front of you. Are we blinded or do we choose to keep the blinders on?

We left there changed that night. Everyone left with great appreciation of the blessings in their lives as the focus was lifted off of themselves and onto another. That is the key!

Now fast forward about 4-5 years....I am now very comfortable going into the shelter. I look forward to what opportunities lay there because I run across someone who seems to be planted right in my path who needs to be blessed in some way EVERY time. I head down the other day to the homeless shelter to lead a bible study for the homeless women. I run across some of the most precious children and hand them a marker and a single piece of paper. I get their mom's consent and I have them write the sentence "I need a Hero." for a future video that I am putting together.
They graciously did as I asked and wrote the sentence and held it up for me to take their picture. I did this to show what adorable kids live in the shelter and really do need a Hero to come in a make a difference in their life.
They were very sweet and yet had a sense of uncertainess about them.


After I took their picture I turned and started talking to their mothers. When I turned around they were all drawing again back on the paper that they had written the sentence on. They were adding their own touches. They were decorating it with what was inside their hearts. Their little spirits started to shine through. This was something they did completely on their own without any prompting from me or anyone else.
As their one little sentence started to turn into an expression of themselves, I noticed that they became more at ease and started warming up to me and laughing and really enjoying this one moment that they stood with a marker and a piece of paper and drew like children do, which ends up being the expressions of their heart.

Here is this little girl that lives with her mother in a homeless shelter and has nothing to call her own and yet when given the opportunity to express herself she draws a heart, a flower and a smiley face.

These children have no less imagination, dreams and desires for their own lives then our own children do.

When given love....when given attention....there is no telling what will blossom out of them that would have otherwise stayed buried.
These girls have only known each other for a few days and yet they seem to have a bond. They seem to cling to their friendship in this time of uncertainty when they both have found the same familiar ground to rest their heads when their worlds are so different.
Who knows how long they will be there.

Who knows how this time in their lives will impact them.
Who knows if these girls will remain friends or what their futures hold.
But one thing they teach all of us....God never intends for us to walk our journey alone. He never intends for us to get overcome by our circumstances. There is always someone who can give hope, or simply just be a friend whether for a few days or for a lifetime. When you have someone to walk along side you, they tend to carry the load with you and it makes it so much easier to bare. That is what these girls do for each other. That is what an Ordinary Hero can do for them. That is what Jesus does for us. And in the end...no matter what the reality looks like....there is joy.
Lord help us learn from them.

Matthew 18:3
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Another Ordinary Hero

Check out our friend's, Ken and Kelly's, Gotcha Day Video. What an amazing adventure to bring home their precious daughter from China. The song "Change the World" was written and sung by Tommy Sims and he sang this special version for them at their fundraiser just before they left for China to join her to their forever family.

This is one example of what an Ordinary Hero looks like.

If you don't feel like silencing the music at the bottom of the page then you can click here to go right to youtube and watch it.

OH is on Facebook...Come Join.

We are excited to announce that OH has a facebook group. This a great way to connect with others who are like minded when it comes to helping a child in need. We invite you to join our fb group of ordinary heroes and share your ideas, comments and topics of discussion as we all lock arms to help a child in need and make a difference in today's generation.

So what are you waiting for? Join facebook if you haven't already and come find us :) We are listed under the name 'Ordinary Hero'.

We Can All Make A Difference

There are children in need all over the globe. We are all put on this earth to make a difference and to leave our mark before our work here is through. I just received an email from a friend with some great reminders for us all. I thought I would share.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

It is amazing when you know what you have been called to do. I have known since I was a child that I had a calling to serve children, and be the voice that some of them do not have. Voice =to give utterance or expression to; declare; proclaim: to voice one's discontent. I am honored to serve our children and be one of many that have decided to make it our life’s mission.

More than 13 million children in America are poor, but they live in working families. A disproportionate number are Black and Latino. Poor children lag behind their peers in many ways beyond income: They are less healthy, trail in emotional and intellectual development, and are less likely to graduate from high school. Poor children also are likely to become the poor parents of the future. Every year that we keep children in poverty costs our nation half a trillion dollars in lost productivity, poorer health and increased crime.

Many African children go to sleep on empty stomachs; walk over 5 miles every day to get to a “shed” called school; and sit through class hungry because he or she did not eaten in days. Several of the children have to leave school early, risking their education, to sell fruits and goods at the market, just so their family can eat one solid meal for the day. This can definitely cause a child to live of life of no hope or even second chances? This is the story of many everyday African children.

God, we have pushed so many of our children into the tumultuous sea of life in small and leaky boats without survival gear and compass. Forgive us and help them to forgive us. Help us now to give all our children the anchors of faith and love, the rudders of purpose and hope, the sails of health and education, and the paddles of family and community to keep them safe and strong when life’s seas gets rough. Marian Wright Edleman (The Sea is so wide and my Boat is so Small)

For the rest of my life I will continue to pray for a world in which all individuals, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, can reach their full potential and contribute to the well-being of their family, their community, and their nation. People of all countries and cultures share both the desire for a better life and the power to create one.

Please do your part to ensure that the next generation of children will not be left behind.

Yolanda Conley Shields
Adassa Adumori Foundation

Who Will Speak Up?

Proverbs 31:8
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.


What does the above scripture mean to you? Do you often wonder what speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves looks like? Do you want to do something to help but don't know what to do?

With millions of orphans who wait for a family in this world, there is a problem. We are not speaking up as loud as we could be. There is something that we are missing, that we have not tapped into yet that will make a world of difference to a world of orphans.

We have found a simple way to Speak Up that has been proven to work. It does not cost a penny and waiting children are getting adopted as easy as a click away.

It works like this... You join our Speak Up Campaign which only involves you sending us your email address. We then send you a weekly email with waiting children's pictures attached. You forward the email to your contact list of people you feel would be interested in considering the child for adoption or advo