Babysitting

It was one of those times. Those wonderful, frustrating babysitting experiences that come just when you think that you really know what you're doing.

Don't get me wrong, I love babysitting, as I've said before. I always have. Many different babysitting adventures have left me feeling drained and stretched, as I've vented to my mother on the way home, but never once have I regretted doing it. Never once have I walked away loving the children that I babysat less. Never once has my tiredness caused me to forget that caring for children is my love and my calling --- the highest calling that I can conceive of.

I think its good for me to be reminded just how much I still have to learn. Just how incompetent I am even in doing the littlest things like taking care of some friend's kids for a few hours, without the grace of the Lord. I need Him to be my teacher. I need Him to give grace and strength and wisdom to me. I need Him to remind me how much my behavior towards Him is often very similar to the behavior of the kids I babysit (including my own little twins).

New Idea:

I know that most of the people (all like, 5 of them) who occasionally read my blog are teenage girls and that you also have many babysitting stories and opportunities. What if we made the personal commitment to pray for grace and wisdom every time before we embark on another babysitting adventure? What if people who we don't even know started thinking to themselves "I want to make sure that we get a Christian girl to babysit our kids tonight. It seems like something different happens when it is one of them"? What if babysitting became, rather than another chance to make money, another part of our mission field? Maybe babysitting would come to have a whole new meaning ---- mentoring.

Waiting Children

You hear these stories and you see the families, thinking that they are really stepping out there. Bringing kids home despite finances, racial difference, fear, special needs, time, distance, prejudice, persecution, and misunderstandings. You think: "They are so brave, wise, good--- they deserve to be praised for handing out such a blessing."

You look at the waiting children-- their faces on the internet-- and you cower at the need, the numbers, the despair. And you applaud those who are braver, holier, than yourself. And you cower.

But then something changes.

You start not just looking, but listening too. Is that laughter? Is that singing? Is that joy pouring out of those very houses where some of those scary, overwhelming, despairing faces now live? It sounds like a home over there. And you start to wonder why those sounds stir you.

Eventually, curiosity gets the better of you, and you jump. You start the paper work, maybe a blog too. You look around, now a part of "that" group, expecting to be patted on the back. You notice something strange: they aren't looking at you or even each other--- they're looking up. Its not the club of really good people that you thought it was. Someone passes you a note saying: "you are about to be blessed".

Confused but undeterred, you complete your dossier. Looking around, not up, because the sun is too bright. You get on a plane to bring her home. The waiting child with the little face in the picture that still makes you nervous.

You arrive. Someone opens the door, tugging a little pink bundle by the hand. The nanny leaves.

Suddenly, something starts to happen. The little face looks up at you, her eyes are sparkling and her legs are running forwards. You realize yours are too. As you embrace and she whispers "I love you, Mama", you break. Weeping, you begin to understand. All this time, you have been the waiting child.

Julia Maureen Tigist

The Blind Side

This past Friday evening, my dad took me on a date and we saw one of the most incredible movies ever made. I mentioned it in my last post, its the true adoption and football story of Michael Oher called The Blind Side.

It holds very true to the actual story of a high class Christian Memphis family who took in an orphan boy of the street and eventually adopted him.

This movie was BEAUTIFULLY done, incredible music, cinematography, intriguing, fabulous acting, everything. It makes the audience cheer and laugh out loud half of the time and cry the other half. The story is redeeming and uplifting and really, as all adoption stories are, a beautiful picture of the Gospel. The marriage relationship is healthy, the family isn't perfect but they have true love for one another, the story is real, believable, convicting and close to home.

As I said before, adoption advocates--- do not miss the chance to see this AMAZING movie in theatres this week.

And have a blessed Sunday!

Many Updates

First and foremost, I would like to announce that my beautiful brother and sister are officially FOUR YEARS OLD!

Could I possibly love these kids more? I could gush about them all day, and since this is a (late) post celebrating their birthday-- why not?

Michael,

Oh Meza my wonderful brother, when we began the adoption process I was only expecting to get one little brother and I can not tell you the countless hours I spent dreaming of you, imagining what you'd look like, pretending that I was showing you off to all my friends, praying for you future, blessing the the Lord for your life, and waiting, waiting, WAITING for you to come home! You bring me laughter everyday. You are so smart, funny, strong, athletic, an AMAZING dancer, an engineer and such a silly head. I love you brother, and I'm eager to see where the Lord carries you as you continue to embrace life to the fullest. Your sister,

Audrey.

Julia,

TeeGee, my beauty baby girl, could you be any more sweet, hilarious, adorable, loving and joyful? Eyes are the window to the soul, Julie Love, you must have the brightest, most gleaming, hopeful, overflowing spirit in the whole world. Your eyes are so incredibly sparkling and bright. Your loving spirit overflows in your contagious laughter and helpful attitude. You are always making sure that everyone is ok, telling them that you love them, singing praise songs, playing "house guys", asking us to read you stories out of your little Bible, and talking about the babies in "Epiopia" who don't have mommies and daddies. You are so caring and compassionate and I can already see what a wonderful mother and housewife you are going to be. You bring me endless joy and I am cannot express how proud, honored, and overjoyed I am to be your sister. Happy four years baby girl,

Audrey

PS. For those of you who are wondering, Meza is Michael's Ethiopian name that we kept as his middle name. Julia's Ethiopian name/middle name is Tigist, which in Ethiopia people use interchangeably with the nickname for Tigist, TeeGee. In our house, we refer to the twins as Michael, Mez, and Meza, Julia, Tigist, and TeeGee- but Michael and Julia most.

..................... On to other things:

"King Arthur" went WONDERFULLY! I wish I had pictures to post but I don't have any yet, hopefully eventually. It was definitely hectic, but it was really a ton of fun and I learned so so so much about the art of Theatre, and the art of Relationship. God really took this opportunity to teach me what it means to do something for HIS GLORY, I guess because working back stage doesn't get quite the same attention as the actors do but also in many other little details. Preforming on stage enables and calls you to display the glory of the Lord to the audience, working backstage calls you to display this same glory and love to your friends, to the people that might be frustrating you right at that moment, while you are running around crazily, in the midst of tight spaces and complicated and precise work--- not only during the entire show but also ALL OF PRODUCTION WEEK------ every minute of it. You are called to a role of encouragement and management and leadership. Anyway, all that to say, this show really stretched me, but I am so glad I did it and I can't wait to find out what we'll be doing next semester.

Finally, I want to introduce you all to a family that I sort of know but got more connected with through the blog world. Meet the Hollis family who are try to raise all $20,000 to adopt a sweet little girl named Darya before Thanksgiving. Yes, this Thanksgiving. I've have been so inspired and encouraged by hearing their walk of faith and I can't wait to see what God will do through their daughter Lydia as the Lord uses her to and she chases after Him. If any of you are interested in supporting them in this their blog is: the30dayjourneyforhope.blogspot.com. (If you can't get this link to work, just type the address in).

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

PS. The movie THE BLIND SIDE comes out today--- its the true and recent adoption story of Michael Oher, and it looks fabulous. My family is seeing it today and I ABOLUTELY encourage every adoption advocate to bring a big crew to go see this movie to ensure it does well in box office.

~"If you always go where you've always gone,

and you always do what you've always done,

then you'll always be what you've always been."~

some updates and King Arthur

Ok, so I know that I've abandoned my blogging and I won't even try to excuse it.


BUT, I will apologize for the coming abandonment. Since I was in eighth grade and fell in love with the Broadway musical "Wicked", I have absolutely loved theater. I've been a part of my school's drama department since my freshman year and have participated in two plays and two musicals with them. Right now we are working on a production of King Arthur. In the past, I have always performed in the show, but for this one I decided that I wanted to try working back stage since none of the characters really caught my attention anyway. It has been a lot of fun to get this new experience of being Props manager and Stage manager for the show.




All that to say, if any of you have ever participated in any kind of stage performance, you know what a lot of craziness comes with "Production Week". don don donnnnn


:)


Basically from tomorrow until the cast party after the last show on next Friday the 13th it'll be nonstop King Arthur for me and my fellow dramamates. All day except for during school (and we're even getting some time off of school) we'll be a-workin'. Literally, 'til about midnight every night. One of my friends is even living with us this coming week since her family lives to far out to come get her every night that late and its easy for us to just take her to school in the morning.


I am so honored that the Lord has chosen me to help be a part of this beautiful art for His Glory. I am so amazed at the incredible teamwork and relationship building that I see around me and am so blessed by my director and even fellow students continually leading our team to prayer, even in the middle of a rehearsal, if something is going wrong or we really need help with a specific thing, or even if we are just losing our focus for a minute, its drop everything and pray. Even with all the work ahead, I am so excited because God has called us to excellence in everything we do to show forth His Kingdom to a hungry world. And, its fun. :)


On another note, Michael and Julia, my precious brown babies, are turning FOUR on Monday! Wow. They're still my babies. I'll hardly get to spend any time with them on Monday but I'll still try to do a birthday and a blessing post for them after some of the craziness wears off.


Happy Thursday!

Sorry

Sorry that I didn't do my hero monday post. It has been a CRAAAAAAAAAAZY weekend. Happy Monday!

Babysitting

I love babysitting. Serisouly, its the best job ever. Today, I'm keeping the twins and Lela Grace at home while my parents are out and Joseph is at school, and later I'm getting to hang out with a sweet little three year old girl from church.

Trying to be a good, fun, big sister, I got the kids dressed to go outside even though its kind of dreary here today. Unfortunately, I dressed them up for dry cold weather but it was actually hot and wet. We only stayed out for about five minutes.

Oh well. I tried.

I'm learning.

And, they're cute in their hats. :)

I need Africa

Have you ever heard of African Leadership?



They are an incredible organization working in 22 different countries with many different projects, but focusing on pastor training. When my mom and I first went to Africa in 2004, we went on one of their short-term, vision trips and our family has been involved with them ever since.

Anyway, the reason I bring that up is that they have started to spread this idea that totally makes my heart sing: "I need Africa more than Africa needs me." How incredible is that? If you've got Africa (or any people group/country) on your heart you know exactly what I mean. They are selling these incredible t-shirts (there are more on the website) for just twenty dollars as a fundraiser, and I'm hoping to give a lot of them as Christmas gifts this year.








In case you're interested. :)

EDIT******
ok, so when I just tried those links none of them worked, so here they are in order:
African Leadership: http://www.africanleadership.org/
"this idea...": https://www.mochaclub.org/i-need-africa
T-shirts: http://www.zambooie.com/mochaclub/

try that.... :) sorry for my lack of computer skills!

Hero Monday- Daddy

I haven't ever really thought much about being a Dad. Probably because it is something I'm sure I'll never be. But have you ever really thought about what it takes to be a father?

I am blessed with the most wonderful dad in the world who loves his wife, his children and the Lord so much. He leads our family and provides for and protects us every single day. What an incredible calling, to be a father- the one who represents God to his family and to the whole world. A father demonstrates the way that Christ loves the church to his wife and the way the Lord shepherds His flock to his children. He models what it looks like to be to be a Provider and caregiver in establishing a Godly home in front of the watching world. He treasures his family the way that the Lord treasures His children.

One of the most wonderful things about my dad is that he is a teacher. He often teaches other people, at church or Sunday school or other places like that, but more than anyone else he teaches his children--- by example and instruction. Yesterday I was struggling with some things and worrying about the future and we had the opportunity for a little father daughter time. Nothing could have been better than for me to hear first, what he had done in a similar situation, second, how much he and mom love me, and third that I don't need to fear because my worth is not in what I do. I am free to fail in Christ. And he was promising me that I was free to fail in him to, because he would still love me, just like Christ would.

If you have a father who loves you and cherishes you- don't forget to thank them and appreciate them every day.

But even if you don't have a good relationship with your earthly father, maybe you don't even have an earthly father, there is one thing that I know you have. A heavenly Father. His love is even more perfect than the very best of earthly dads. And you are His adopted child.

I love you Daddy.

Family Pictures!

Our family had photos done by an AMAZING photographer, Claire Wise. She was so nice and did such a fabulous job. We won a sitting from her at a silent auction fundraiser for some of our friends who are adopting two little boys from Ethiopia. Anyway, here are a few of them!

The five kids standing on our church front steps

Lela Grace, Julia and I

The Family :)

Broken

Sometimes, I feel so helpless, so alone, thinking about those children around the world who truly are utterly broken and abandoned. I feel this weight, thinking that it all depends on me, wanting to scream for the church to stand up, to look around, to open their eyes. How can we keep sitting here comfortably? How is the plight of the one lonely, scared, hungry child not our focus all the time? How can we be so ready to get all worked up about the economic decline in our country, when most of us have never missed a meal in our lives? And how can one person make a difference for so many? How can I keep having hope?

Today, my hope is drained.

Today my heart is broken, my hands and feet are screaming to move, to work, to go.

I so rarely fall back to this place of desperation now, that I don't even know what to do about it.

It is so much easier to keep your head in the right place when you're actually on a mission trip or in a third world country, because your calling is right in front of your face all the time - and you are FORCED to be completely dependent on God's mercy.

But that is the problem, isn't it? I've lost hope, because I've ceased to depend upon Him. I feel like a failure because I've got it into my head that it is mine, my duty, my strength. But it isn't. It's not my way or my will or my strength or my hope or my love or my courage--- its His.

And He never fails.

And His plans are never thwarted.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

~2 Corinthians 14:9~

His strength is made perfect in my weakness! How beautiful and relieving! Really, Lord? Your grace is sufficient for me? And not just for me, but for the whole world, every single last child? Blessed be your name!

"...for when I am weak, then I am strong."

Hero Monday - Corrie and Betsie ten Boom

The ten Boom family

Most of you probably already know the story of Corrie ten Boom as she tells it in her eye witness account of the holocaust, The Hiding Place. Corrie and her sister Betsie were seperated from their family, dragged from their little home in Holland, watched as their elderly fatherwas brutally murdered, and endured the horrors of one of the Nazi concentration camps. Betsie, who was already in weak health, struggled even more than Corrie did physically. She eventually died in the camp after months and months of unimaginable suffering.

Do you know why?

Corrie, Betsie and their father were a modest, Christian, happy family in Haarlem when the effects of the German invasions drove them to make a serious decision. They were not Jewish, so they weren't in the most danger yet, but the ten Boom family made a choice. They chose to sacrifice.

Through several years before being taken prisoner, the ten Boom's opened up their home to the most desperate people. They DAILY put everything they had, even their own lives at risk to serve the Lord. Without hesitation, this FAMILY of God gave up their present comfort and future (earthly) security and learned what it means to RELY upon God.

Even while in the concentration camp, Betsie's forgiving heart would actually weep and pray not just for the prisoners, but for their Nazi oppressors. Before her death, Betsie had a two visions. Her vision was of hope, and forgiveness and redemption. Betsie had a vision of a concentration camp that was transformed into a home and place of restoration for the Nazi soldiers to recover. She also had a vision of a beautiful house to be a renewing and healing place for the holocaust victims. Betsie died in the concentration camp. The last words that she spoke that Corrie heard were "....so much work to do...."

It was Corrie, in the pain and struggle and grief that followed the war, who was entrusted and empowered by the Lord to make these visions become a reality. Not on her own strength but on His. The Lord blessed Betsie with Hope and the foresight to see where the need was, and He blessed Corrie with the strength and the tools of see it fulfilled.

Sometimes, it is so hard to balance both of those things. We are either inspired with a burst of imagination and ideas from the Spirit of ways to help or things to do, but we lack the courage or diligence to trust the Lord to use us to carry them out. Or we are filled with a passion and a zeal to act for the Lord, but doubt where we should begin.

God gave Corrie and Betsie the strength, courage, hope, and ability to do what He had called them to do day by day, and we are still experiencing the blessing of their ministry and hearing the Hope of the Gospel that they helped to spread to the people who it was hardest to love. If the Lord can enable people like Corrie and Betsie ten Boom to forgive the ones who cruelly oppressed and in Betsie's case even killed them, can He not enable the church to rise up to plead the cause of the orphans and widows? We don't have to rely on our own strength or our own vision. Because like He did to Corrie and Betsie, the Lord will give us both. Wait on Him. His plan never fails and His love never ends.

The ten Boom house/watch shop in Haarlem

Corrie ten Boom

October Challenge

My new blog-world friend Molly started a new blog called This Next Generation for and about the young people that God is raising up in the church who are called specifically to loving the orphans. Anyway, her "October Challenge" to get it started off is for us to be purposefully and daily in prayer for widows and orphans around the world. I thought I would expound on that idea by giving a specific example of how we can be praying for them.

I suppose I'll start with a story, what else? I mean, that is really how it all started.


While in Ethiopia, my team and I for just a few short hours visit AHOPE (and HIV/AIDS orphanage) in Addis Ababa. Most of the older children were having school while we were there, so it was mostly all children under the 5 or 6. Some of us took a brief little tour of one of the house where the little kids slept, but it was mostly empty because the kids were outside playing with the rest of our team. Mostly empty.




But...


In one room there was a little child curled up on the bottom bunk of one of the beds, I thought it was a boy, and I thought he was asleep. This wasn't really that surprising, because the further advanced that the HIV is, the more tired and lethargic the kids get. The other thing is, many of them are sick and/or have warts all over them. I absolutely wanted to get out of that depressing room and play with the happy kids outside, and I started to. I'm telling you, I wanted to leave. Right then. But in the Lord's mercy, He held me there and I had the most amazing privilege of getting to stay, to pick up little "S" (she looked about 4 years old), and carry her outside. She was weak and shaky and didn't move her legs quite normally. She didn't smile or talk, just sat in my lap and watched the other kids play while I spoke the little (very very little) Amharic that I knew to her, and some English too. She began warming up, and then I had to set her down to help with a little puppet show that we had prepared for them. It was so much fun, but the very very best part was seeing "S" absolutely shine. She smiled and giggled and even outright laughed while we played with the puppets, colored paper bags, and painted fingernails.

I can't really explain the bond between "S" and me, because I don't understand it. Other than this: the Lord chose for us to spend those few short hours together on that day, on that time, in that way, for His glory, since the beginning of time. He has a purpose for our relationship, even though I'll probably never see "S" again.


The orphanage director's English was very good and he told me that "S" is being adopted!!! He offered to let me write a letter to her family with my information on it so that they could contact me, and he would give it to them when they came to get her. I did, but I haven't heard from her family.


The thing is, since I've been home, I've had a hard time trusting the Lord that He really loves "S" even more than I do. That He really does know what is best for her and will do it. I've been afraid for her health, I've been afraid for her relationship with God. I've been afraid that maybe her family won't care for her, or that they won't raise her up in the church, or that they'll be abusive or neglecting. Or, that the orphanage director was confused, and that they aren't coming at all.

The focus of the October Challenge is to give these precious children, "S" included, who are already the Lord's, over to His care. To pray for them, and to trust Him that He hears and has an even better plan than we do.


I think that there are three ways that we can pray for the orphan crisis: for the children's physical needs, their spiritual needs, and for the church to take action and to follow the Lord where He leads.


Ways to pray for the Orphans
Physical: As you probably all know AIDS is prevalent in almost every country on the world but especially in 3rd world countries where it is taking a staggering tole on the population and leaving so many millions of orphans behind. But God is still faithful and He is still bigger than this horrific pandemic. We can pray that God will have mercy on the children orphaned by AIDS and those infected by HIV. He is faithful through sickness and He is the God who does more than we can ask or imagine. He is a Healing God.


Spiritual: That the Lord will reveal Himself to the HIV positive children of the world and not only draw them to Himself, but use them as mighty tools for His kingdom.


For the Church: Aids is a bad, horrible, terrifying thing. The people who have Aids are not. They are not just a problem to be dealt with, or to be pushed out of our minds and hearts as I tried to do that day at AHOPE. They are children of the Living God. We can pray that God will place the Aids crisis in our faces so that we might be driven to action. My biology teacher is one of the leading DNA specialists working on finding the cure for Aids. He is right in the inner circle of all the newest discoveries and they are so so close! The church can take heart and have hope in that! We can pray for the few Godly scientists in that field that they will remain firm in their faith and determined toward their goal.

"Death is swallowed up in victory

Oh death, where is your victory?

Oh death where is your sting?"

~1 Corinthians 15:55~

"S" and I

Happy Birthday Joseph

I can't believe that my little brother turned 13 today.

I also can't believe that of the 5 posts I've written, 2 of them have been about birthdays. Praise the Lord that Life is worth celebrating. And celebrate we did! After a family tradition of strawberry shortcake for breakfast, Lela Grace made cookies and brought them up to school for him at lunch time, and we had a delicious steak dinner and chocolate cake tonight, along with 13 presents for the birthday boy. I love food. :)

I am so happy for Joseph to be beginning the experience of life as a teenager.

I truly hope that this year will really grow our relationship. I love you Joey. Happy Birthday.

ps. Ok, so this picture was not taken even close to today, but none of the ones from this evening turned out very well, and I want to try to have at least one picture in every post. Mainly because I enjoy reading blogs more when they have a lot of pictures. Anyway, there are the five of us last spring. :)

Autumn is Coming!

For the past two weeks we have had nothing but rain and gray skies. But yesterday and today the clouds have left, the sky is clear and the weather is absolutely GLORIOUS!

I took Michael out on a walk/tricycle ride after school today and it was beautiful. A little difficult to steer him along and keep him on the edge of the road and actually peddling forward,

but beautiful. :)

Hero Monday--- Rahab

So, I had this idea that every Monday I would write a summary of the life of one of the Heroes of the Faith that have encouraged me. This Monday's hero is my favorite heroine in the Bible, Rahab. The story of Rahab in the scripture is less that a chapter long, but her name is repeated throughout the Bible as a Old Testament believer and as one of the five women listed in the line of Christ. I have also read this short little incredible book by Francine Rivers called Unashamed about Rahab, I know is historical fiction but it aligns with the Bible story and has captured my imagination nontheless.

Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho, but despite the secular, pagan culture she lived in, she heard the Stories. She knew the things that God had done in delivering His people from Egypt and she recognized Him for who He was, even though she probably stood totally alone in Jericho as the only one believing in the God of Israel. When the two spies from across the Jordan came in to see the city, Rahab took a step in faith without expecting anything in return, risking her life to serve a God who she knew was the True God. She tricked the guards, hid the spies, and lowered them out of her window in the Wall of the city where she lived (which indicates that she was a woman of consequence) by a scarlet cord. She and her family's lives were spared because she had faith and the Lord had mercy on her (Joshua 2). Forgiven, Rahab was accepted into the Covenant, a daughter of Israel, one of the Chosen people, and one of the five recorded women in the ancestral line of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews lists Rahab as an example of one who "did not perish with those who were disobedient" (Hebrews 11: 31) but instead "died in faith, not having received the things promisd, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowleged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth" (Hebrews 11: 13).

Rahab, like Abraham, Moses, Abel, Noah, and all the other faithful Old Testament believers were saved by faith through grace just like we are. We look back on the death of Christ and see our salvation by the Cross. They had to do something perhaps even harder, they looked forward. But in the same way all of the believers have been saved by grace through faith, it is not of our own doing, it is a gift from God (Ephesians :8) who died once for all mankind for all time.

I love Rahab's story because it isn't her story, it is God's story. The story of Rahab shows God's perfect plan being fufilled through the most unlikely of people. His redemption and His forgivness are the theme of Rahab's adventure.

Happy Birthday Alyssa

My sweet friend Alyssa just turned 16. She and I went to Africa together this past summer and I can't wait to spend the evening with her to celebrate 16 years of life. Love you Alyssa!

Alyssa after getting her hair braided by some little girls at the AWAA transition home in Ethiopia

Welcome

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for visiting. I don't have a super clear vision of what this blog is going to look like so far, but I am excited to have a place to record this time in my life.

A little bit about me:

More than anything, I am loved by my Savior, who I seek to glorify with all of my life. His faithfulness is unfailing and His mercies are new every morning. I am very blessed with a amazing family who loves me and accepts me. I am the oldest of five children with two younger brothers and two younger sisters (Joseph 13; Lela Grace 10; Michael 3; Julia 3). Michael and Julia are twins and they came home to our family from Ethiopia when they were 6 months old. I have attended the most amazing classical Chrstian school in the world since my sixth grade year and am blessed by the my teachers, friends, and education there every single day. My family and I are renewed every Sunday at a beautiful little church in my town that is associated with my school, so we get to fellowship with many of the same families in both places. Finally, and the biggest reason for me starting this blog to begin with: When I was 11 years old, my mom and I traveled to South Africa and Kenya on a mission trip. Since then, the Lord has slowly but surely called me to serve His children in Eastern Africa. When I was almost 13 Michael and Julia came home and since then I have had a tried to use every oppurtunity to spread African Adoption/Orphan awarness in my community.
My desire for almost 5 years was to return to Africa, and this past summer God fufilled that dream as I spent a week in Ethiopia and a week in Uganda on a mission trip visiting orphans. It was definetly a learning trip for me, and I know I'll be going back one day. I hope to live there either full time or at least for a while whenever God directs.

"To whom much is Given, much is expected."

The Lord has definetly blessed me immeasurably, even though many things aren't perfect and evey day there is something new to wrestle with and to learn from. But more than what God has given me, I am blessed by who He is. Lord help me to keep that in front of me at all times, and to not get caught up in what is going on around me and loose sight of who You are.

ps. I am somewhat modeling this blog after another girl's who I met in the blog world who also has a heart for orphans. Reading her blog (http://guatemolly1.blogspot.com/) encourages me all the time. It is also somewhat modeled after the first blog I ever followed, a friend of mine's from church (http://raechelmyers.blogspot.com/).