It's time again - youppieeeee

You may have guessed it already...

It's time to take off - once again -

To the country that Winston Churchill once called "The Pearl of Africa"

Still waiting for some emails from Uganda to make sure all the people I need to meet with will be there during the dates WE are planning on being there.

YUP

I will be going with my friend Amy - originally from the USA - but now in Tauranga - from our church.

This is EXCITING - more details in another post.

Main challenge for both of us: 

somehow getting on that airplane the 8 airplanes total to get us there and back

(still waiting for the free miraculous transportation method we can read about in the Bible)

C'mon, Lord, you can do it - again!

Where God guides, HE provides!

Can't wait to see how he will do it this time {chuckle chuckle}

The God of the impossible

“God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity when we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.” -- A.W. Tozer

Our whole adult lives, Rich and I have lived on the "edge".

Never an ounce of security

No plan B

Giving up everything to follow in Jesus' footsteps,

living out the Gospel

Radically.

Seemingly foolishly.

We've laid EVERYTHING down for JESUS

Not held back ANYTHING.

Given him our lives like an empty check that HE can fill in whatever he likes.

Go where he wants us to go,

Do what he wants us to do,

Give what he wants us to give,.

In a way, it's been an exhilarating way to live

it feels so FREE!

And oh - the experiences we made along the way! WOW!!!!

In another way, it's kept us on our toes knees.

and - not gonna lie - 

it's been plain HARD, too.

It seems like we've been walking on water with the vision/projects God's laid on our hearts.

Beyond ourselves

our capacities, possibilities, resources

Nothing's changed, really, even now.

I don't know if you've noticed, but I changed the quote on the right-hand side bar of my blog (see quote above).

Little did I know that once again, a situation was going to creep up on us that would require - once again - a huge step of faith.

Definitely in the "planning what we cannot do by ourselves"- category

YAY GOD!

Time for YOU to do the IMPOSSIBLE!

Summer fun

The continual struggle of my heart is to reconcile our life here in New Zealand with what I know reality is for so many people around the world - particularly in Africa.

YET

I feel God is allowing me to enjoy the blessings we so UNDESERVEDLY have in this beautiful and blessed country!

Since it's summer here and the kids are on vacation, we went away for a week to relax as a family.

Through generous Christmas gifts from a family member last year and this year, 

we were able to get camping gear - and off we went to explore a part of NZ we hadn't seen before.

It also happened to be the only place in the NZ that had no rain during those exact days!

What a wonderful blessing this was!

Have a peak at this delicious slideshow to enjoy God's creation with us

Create your own free slideshow

By the way, just for the record, there were no coconut trees :)

Absolutely OVERWHELMED...

... by HIS GOODNESS!

JESUS - you're AWESOME and there's NO place I'd rather be than IN YOUR ARMS OF LOVE!!!

For lack of words, just a few - totally - random photos

Kylie and Shayden at a recent trip to the beach with playground (before the rain started)

Oh, I wish you could hear the beautiful sounds of the tahitian ukuleles flooding our house! By the way, Jeremie's T-shirt says, "I love Papeari" (the place where we spent the last years in Tahiti)

What a joy to have Gideon around so much - and how grateful we are for his LIFE!!!

lil musician

Just HAVE TO share!

I am praising the Lord tonight and doing the happy dance! 

This surely IS a VERY. HAPPY. NEW. YEARS. DAY after all!!!

My friend Praise and her 17 children will have a roof over their head for the next 3 months!

YAY   GOD!!!!

And THANK   YOU, you know who you are - for your generosity!!!

Can't wait to call her with the good news 

(after she gets out from church)

I KNOW that these children will have been praying - 

I can just imagine them doing the happy dance, too!!!

Our GOD is GOOD and FAITHFUL - ALWAYS!!!

HE is the LOVER of the ORPHANS - and I  LOVE  HIM!!!

in front of the house they were supposed to vacate yesterday - Praise is in the back (middle) with the red top

HAPPY (or not so happy?) NEW YEAR!!!

WOW!!!

2011 is DONE!

2012 is HERE (at least in New Zealand!)

There's much to say, but for now, my heart is preoccupied with this situation.

The latest news - as from this morning - are:

This precious young lady, caring for 17 orphans, was supposed to move out of the rental yesterday.

The house in the village is not ready to move into.

She's got no money to do anything.

She was going to ask the landlord to allow her one more week in the present house with the rent paid at the end of the week.

Not sure if this was okeyed (it's still Sat in Uganda now).

Together with the Orphans Know More leadership, we think it might be best for her to rent another place for 3 months while hopefully finishing the house in that time.

Could you please PRAY for Praise and her children?

For GOD to open up a solution for her and the children?

If you want to help with money for rent (or towards finishing the house) -

we need US$600 (3 months rent) - NOW!

Just send me a short email and I will let you know how you can give.

If you're in New Zealand, you can give online here (mark: OKM - Praise) and the money will be sent off as soon as it shows up.

THANK YOU FOR CARING!!!

Talk later - gotta get ready for church.

HAPPY    NEW    YEAR    TO    YOU!!!