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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Visiting Miracles

I traveled far into the countryside of Ethiopia to visit a new partner ministry that rescues abandoned babies. I looked at each of their little faces with their own unique personalities already, and saw God's mercy and grace in their eyes looking back at me. I knew that they shouldn't even be alive. I fed a two week old baby girl that was so small she couldn't figure out how to take a bottle. As she kept refusing the bottle and turning into my chest, the mother in me wanted to scoop her up and give her the comfort and security of a nursing mother that she deserved and longed for. Instead, her reality is that she was found by a farmer, laying abandoned in a field...and she has no mother. Another baby with a personality as bright as the sun was found in a toilet. And another was found thrown over the fence of a High School, bloodied and bruised from the fall. These children are miracles. They are survivors and they don't even realize it yet. These children are a drop in the ocean of orphans in Ethiopia. But to God, each life matters. Each one has a destiny. A future. A hope. I look at my children from Ethiopia in my own home. They were drops in the ocean as well. But, my God, how they will change the world! They have already changed mine.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

One Night in an Orphanage

I spent the night in an orphanage. I slept in a bottom bunk bed in a room filled with girls and three bunk beds lining the walls, some with two girls per bunk. 10 girls lined the floor so that we could sit up and talk through the night. I asked them what their dreams are for their future. EVERY SINGLE one of them had a dream! And EVERY SINGLE one of them tied that dream into helping others in their future. Oh my, how we can all learn from these precious girls! You can see we talked until they couldn't hold their eyes open anymore. 

I experienced one night in an orphanage that some of these girls have lived in almost their entire lives. The sounds in the night in a black room filled with children breathing and mumbling in their sleep, the early dawn of a rooster crow and children in other rooms starting to stir and talk, music starting to play in another room, the smell of the bathroom filling the room each time the door is opened because they don't have running water. I woke to a wall right beside me with a picture taped to it of a sponsor family that gives a young girl hope each morning she opens her eyes because she knows someone in the world cares for her. I watched them each dig through their cubby of clothes while pulling things from under the bed to dress themselves. They fixed each other's hair and ate bread and tea for breakfast. We then all walked almost two miles to church where I watched them all worship God and sing from the purest hearts I've ever seen....thanking Him for all their blessings. There are no words. These girls teach me how to love. James 1:27 

Friday, April 10, 2015

April Team in Ethiopia - Part 2

The team had an incredible day in Korah meeting their sponsored kids, visiting families, praying, and offering love and support.













Witnessed the lives changed through Lila products and had bible study with the kids in Bira's feeding program.






A few of us traveled toward Hawassa to visit the babies in our new partnership, Talita orphanage. Thanks to all of you who have sponsored these sweet children. This orphanage also supports HIV stricken families in their community. They are a tremendous blessing and need more support if you are interested. Please contact us.












This couple and their story really touched my heart! In their youth his family didn't accept her because she was from a different tribe. They ran away to be together to this village where they have lived for over fifty years and have children and grandchildren of their own. BUT GET THIS....she has now gone completely blind and he is now deaf! One never leaves the side of the other. She is his ears and he is her eyes. They are beautiful together in the way they care for one another. Her hand always reaches for him and he always guides her as she listens for him. They live down a long path in a little mud shack.



Thursday, April 9, 2015

OH Ethiopia Trip - April Team

Our April Team headed to Ethiopia on April 7th!



I was so glad to see my sweet girls waiting on me at the airport for me when I arrived!


The team arrived in Ethiopia and had a full first day of loving on little ones in an orphanage, hearing stories from street children and meeting some of their own sponsored kids. We visited Kidane Mehiret orphanage where the team was greeted by big smiles and got to show God's love to some sweet little ones.












Matt met his sponsored son for the first time! 




Space is still available on summer trips! Join us on a life changing adventure this summer.