Monday, September 28, 2009

YESSSS!!!!!!!

I found out today that I won a NZ$50 voucher for food in our supermarket!
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This money will go to feed some hungry children in Africa that would otherwise not eat.

I am always looking for ways to squeeze some money so that we can help.
As a family, we have started "only" eating rice and beans on Sundays - to help us identify a little bit with the African orphans for whom this would be a treat - and to save some money that can then feed some of them.

Remember that for US$0.14, Children's Hopechest can (and WILL, if you designate your gift) feed someone a meal of posho and beans. (posho is cornmeal, which is filling and beans are protein).

I immediately started doing the math - that food voucher will feed 215 children a meal! YAY!!!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Hmmmmm....

Every 3.6 seconds someone dies of starvation.

15 million people a year die from starvation.

To satisfy a year's sanitation and food requirements for the world would take about 13 billion US dollars - what the US and European Union spend on perfume in a year.

Does something stink?

Monday, September 21, 2009

random

Here are some of the little darlings (under 2s) I get to take care of on Sunday mornings at church - too precious!




Kylie's new creations - decorated hat and a sock-puppet (eating a muffin) - made at school


funny girl


Thursday, September 17, 2009

When it rains, it pours

First, I don't update my blog for ages, then 3 shots in one day - or is it four?



Well, here ya go - with all this orphan/Africa passion spilling over, I haven't even told you about the "Discipleship Training School" that started on August 31st. Rich is only involved part-time with it this year. It seems to be a great group of 11 students!



We had them over at our house last Saturday. Here is more about our hang-out time and a photo from Josh and Misty Cole who are leading the school.

I just can't sh...t up

"If only 7% of the professed Christians in the world would open their lives and homes to an orphan, there would be no orphaned children, crying out for a place to call home."



How many orphans? 147 MILLION

More, Lord, more!

Break my heart with what breaks YOURS!

I think I know which book I'm gonna read next - also written by Tom Davis:

Have a look at this website!

What I'm thinking about...

2.2 million people die every year from contaminated water

= 20 JUMBO JETS crashing E.V.E.R.Y. D.A.Y!!!


How come we don't hear about THAT in the news???

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

On another note...

... since I've known that AFRICA and ORPHANS are on my horizon, it feels like I've been breathing, thinking, praying, dreaming, reading and whatever else you can imagine about Africa and the situation with the orphans there! What a journey - and it's just begun!

I just finished reading another book - all I can say is W-O-W!!!!

Here is a trailer for SCARED - a novel on the edge of the world - written by Tom Davis, and based on true facts about the situation of orphans in Africa.
Heart-wrenching and VERY challenging - not for the faint-hearted.
But if you want to get a realistic picture of what is happening RIGHT NOW for millions of children in Africa, get a hold of this book and read it!
It is worth every penny and minute!!!!!!!!
But watch out - it may CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Shayden's a champ!

This morning, I took Shayden to the hospital straight from bed (at 6:30am). We were supposed to be there at 7am and he was the first on the list of operations.


He needed grommets (tubes) put in his ears, since he has had chronic "glue ear" a condition that makes hearing hard. He also needed to get his tongue-tie cut. (he'd been on the waiting list for this for over a year!)
Everything went REALLY well.

I was definitely the ONLY ONE that was - let's say - anxious/nervous.
Obviously, he didn't know what was gonna happen...

They started operating at 8:30am and we were back home before 11am. He only cried a tiny bit when he woke up and I wasn't quite there yet and then just cuddled on me for a while.

No whining, nothing! What a champ!

How grateful I am that we live in this day and age - and in this country - where these types of operations are performed at all - and in such a non-traumatic way (I held him until he was put to sleep). PLUS, totally free for us!

THANK YOU, JESUS!!! (I was going to write last night asking for prayer, but the computer was occupied by another family member...)

Now we're hoping and praying that all will heal well and that the little guy will start taking off in his speech - and hopefully - eating!!!

In the recovery room



Dressed and ready to go home!

Kylie's recovering from a bad flu - once again - after she was just healed from a cold - and before that the chicken pox. Seriously, we've HAD ENOUGH of sicknesses in this house - but somehow aren't able to shake them... YET! But we will - with God's help! (I am also taking antibiotics for a recurring sinus infection...)

Monday, September 7, 2009

Back in New Zealand...

After all this sharing about AFRICA, here's a short presentation of what we're involved with here in New Zealand - EXCITING stuff!!!

Rich has been working on this project for a while now.
I am helping in the setting up of a walk-through exhibit about needs (and involvement opportunities) around the world.

Can you guess what needs I'm working on presenting - in a (hopefully) creative way?

You guessed it:

The needs of orphans and street-children worldwide - particularly in Africa.

An estimated 8-10,000 people around New Zealand will be confronted with the needs - and given ideas of possible involvement. YAY!!!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Aching heart(s)...

I have just read another post on my favourite blog and it M E S S E D me up... BIG time!!!

Here it is - Katie (the 20-year-old American in Uganda that has adopted 13 children and is caring for 100s more), your word is getting out (I've got her permission for this):

"*be warned: I always re-read things before I post them. I didn't re-read this one, it is liable to be messy...

I am processing so many emotions right now; I'm just going to go ahead and let you know that this post will not be eloquent or well written. It will not be a beautifully worded story, but just the ramblings of a mom who is tired today.
It will just be, and it will be good enough.

On Thursday of last week,I went to check on Michael, a sweet little boy from the Karamajong village that we took care of a few weeks ago. I found him with open sores all over his body. As a result of severe malnutrition, Michael weighs just ten kilos at 6 years old. He is no taller than Jane (my two and a half year old). His skin is breaking and unable to repair itself because his immune system is so weak. His hair is white as snow and his skin is yellow and splotchy and his smile and little bug out eyes can melt your heart and light up the room. Michael is fearfully and wonderfully made, created in the image of my Savior.I have warned myself over and over that I must NOT start bring home children from the Karamajong village. We feed them lunch and supper every day and twice a week I drive my van, the trunk loaded with a mini pharmacy, into the middle of their village and treat anything I can.

And I told myself and told myself that I would not bring them home for treatment, that twice a week visits were all I could handle right now. I wanted so badly to guard my heart because here's the thing: once you take one, you may end up with 13.

I knew that once I had taken one sick child from this village home for rehab, there would be not stopping point because these children are ALL ALWAYS sick. But as I looked at Michael, I saw no alternative. He needed to be bathed in warm water every day. He needed milk and eggs and ORS and multivitamins and fresh fruits and vegetables and there was no way I could get him all those things regularly where he was. Even if I did, there was no guarantee that his parents would not sell these things and continue only feeding him posho (corn flour). So he came home.

He tested negative for HIV, TB and typhoid and we began a pretty rigid deworming routine as well as a highly caloric, protein packed diet. In the last 5 days he has gained 2.5 pounds (that's a lot if you only weigh 20!) but he has gained more than that. I have watched him transform from a lifeless, expressionless little boy who slept all day and was unresponsive to a over-the-top cheerful, sometimes down right ornery little boy who hardly ever stops smiling and loves playing games with other children. The transformation has been remarkable.I will keep him for about another week as I begin counseling his father and step mother (this is the biggest issue, often second wives do not want to care for their husband's other children and sometimes even write them off as cursed or not worthy of food and provision...) about the most nutritious foods for him, frequent meals, bathing, ect. My heart will break to take him back and yet I will know that it is what is best for him and his family.

Wednesday as I met with the Karamjong children for Bible study a woman walked up to me and handed me a baby that I presumed to be dead. And then she breathed.The mother told me that she was quite positive that she (the mother) had HIV and therefore was not breastfeeding her 10 pound, 9 month old little girl. I asked, quite obviously, what she had been feeding her then? And this was the response that awaited me, "Nothing. We have no food." Um. NO wonder the baby looked dead. She almost was. I pleaded the mother to let me take her with me, to be tested for HIV and be fed. The mother instanly agreed but fist wanted to show me her house.

I think I have seen it all. And then this happens. Their house was made of cardboard and was smaller than the bed I sleep in at night. On the floor lay filthy old rags on which they slept and a pile of charcoal which they cooked on (when they did have food, I guess). I almost dropped on my knees right there. It was one of those I-just-don't-have-a-clue-what-to-do-next moments. So I did the only thing that comes naturally to me. I scooped her up. I prayed for her mother and the 6 other children living in the house/box and promised to return. I drove as fast as I safely could to the nearest semi-good hospital and then to get some high energy formula.

For the first 24 hours, I could hardly stand to look at sweet baby Patricia (her parents had not named her for fear she would die, and I could think of no one better to name her after than my precious Mommy). The hurt and the hunger in her lifeless little eyes was simply unbearable. Every time I changed her diaper, more big fat worms (we are talking really large, earth worm sized) had come out. I cried for the things this child has had to endue for so long. And I cried to know that though I deworm her now, the minute I take her back to her mother, the worms will return. Her HIV test came back negative and I am praising Jesus for that. She was diagnosed with severe pnemonia and malnutrition. She can hardly sleep at night for coughing so much.

Friends, I ask for prayer. For these children and for my heart. I have fallen in love with Michael and Patricia. Their sweet faces that are Jesus. The tears stream down as I write this and have to think about taking them back to their parents, who I will try to help as much as possible, but still have such fear in my heart about. I look at their surroundings and simply wonder how children survive in this harsh world.

I am sad and I am angry. Between no sleep and a million doctors appointments (imagine that in Uganda you wait even LONGER in the hospital than you do in the US...) and Bible club on Thursday and Saturday program tomorrow and trying to raise 13 children and spend enough time with each of them, maybe you will right my saddess and anger of as the rantings of an exhausted mother and maybe they are, but this is my blog and I am going to say what I feel like. I am MAD. I have been sad and broken for these children for so long and it has finally turned into a hardened anger. I am angry that this culture so lies to women that Michael's stepmother believes that she does not have to care for this child who is not biologically hers, though she has ample means to. I am angry that in the "Pearl of Africa" and the most fertile region of it at that, a mother has litteraly NO food to feed her baby, not to mention herself or 6 other kids. I am angry that the result of this is that these sweet ones suffer in their innocence.

I have said it before and it still holds true: I DO NOT BELIEVE that the God of the universe created too many children in His image and not enough love or food or care to go around. In fact I believe that He created the Body of Christ for just that, to help these little ones, the least of these. And I believe that except for a handful, the Body of Christ is failing. And its not just me who thinks this. When I'm angry, I like to research so that I can at least feel a bit justified in my rage ;) According to several differnt resources, there are an average of 147 million orphaned children in the world today (this statistic includes children who have lost only one parent as well), 11 million children starve to death each year or die from preventable, treatable illness. 8.5 million children work as child slaves, prostitutes, or in other horrific conditions (making things like that cute baby Gap dress Jane wore today...) 2.3 million children world wide are living with HIV.

That is 168.8 million needy children like Michael and Patricia. Seems like a big number, huh? It shouldn't, because there are 2.1 BILLION people on this earth who profess to be Christians. Jesus followers. Servants. Gospel live-ers. And if only 8 percent of those Christians would care for just ONE of these needy children, they would all be taken care of.

And now I'm just sad again. And I want to take care of all 169 million. But as I look into Patricia's eyes, that since just 48 hours ago have turned bright and smiley, as I smell her hair freshly washed with baby shampoo and snuggle her into her new footie pajamas (side note: is their ANYTHING cuter than a baby in soft cotton footie pajamas?!) God tells me that this one is enough. That He will hold the others while they wait for someone to come along and hold them tight and give them their milk and their medicine. That He doesn't ask me to take them all but to stop for the ONE because that one is Jesus, His son. Stop for the little boy with white haid and scabs covering his body, stop for the baby with feces covering her dress, so weak she can't hold up her hear. Stop and take the ones right in front of me any trust Him with the rest. He whispers that it will be ok and that I can smile because tonight 2 less children are hungry and that is good for today.

My anger is gone and I am just a mom who is tired and going to make another bottle and tuck her children into bed and love them the best that I can, as we as a family love the ones God has entrusted us with. Tomorrow I will brainstorm and pray and come up with the best way to take Michael and Patricia back to their homes, possibly find their parents jobs, or supply them with food and medicine. Tomorrow I will remember that they were never mine to begin with, that they are HIS and He will go with them where I cannot. But tonight I will just be. I will just sit with my Father in my sadness and brokeness and anger and ask Him why His innocent children must suffer and beg Him to move people to action and let Him hold me as I hold the baby He has blessed me with for today."
posted by auntie katie at
11:15 AM on Aug 26, 2009