TADA!

I am thrilled to share with you the website of

Have a look HERE

check out the wonderful story 

all the cool happenings

and sign up for our e-news on the website

or straight here!

AND

If you are German-speaking

click HERE!

Leilani Joy

Today, a VERY SPECIAL, AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL and MUCH beloved treasure of ours is turning

  21! 

WOHOOOOO!!!!!

Leilani, you are an exceptional mixture of

pure delight

tenderness

sensitivity

compassion

feistiness

determination

and quiet strength!

What a GIFT and JOY you have been to us as parents since the moment we laid our eyes on you!

You have always known what you wanted
  (let's not talk about your tiger-fits)
and pursued it,
even speaking your first word in English as you just HAD TO find a way to get that cookie
(and I wasn't responding to your German request)!

Now that determination has taken you across the ocean
 - far away from us -
to the place where you felt called to.

Your tender nurturing heart (that was easily broken)
 has been a trademark of yours from your early days as you were caring for multiple dolls and then soon children, becoming a most cherished and fun baby-sitter for many!

How special that you have found the man of your dreams and are now a Momma already!!!!

Your servant heart stood out to us.
You were always wanting to help, serve,
and even cleaning the shower regularly
(taking the hair out of the drain - yuck!)
without being asked
when you were still very young!

"Herculena" was your nick-name as you would insist to carry the heaviest bags and do the hardest jobs - all just because you wanted to be helpful. 

"As I rainbow, I will be a good helper, pleasing Jesus every day." 

That lil phrase learned at a program at church when you were 5 became your motto.

You knew when somebody was having a bad day and you would find a way to cheer them up with some sweetness that only you could come up with.

You showed great courage and gutsiness when you walked out of a movie while at the theatres with your teenage friends because it wasn't appropriate - even at the risk of loosing their friendship!

You are kind, fun, loving, intelligent and a lover of Jesus!
You have many talents and abilities that will take you far in life and I know that you will be a FANTASTIC mother!!!

Sweet Leilani, heavenly flower, you are my sweet-heart and 

I love you SOOOO MUCH and wish you

MOST WONDERFUL, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Miss you like crazy and wish I could celebrate with you today
and give a big cuddle to your lil angel...
 :-(

I am very proud of the radiant young woman you have become, 

Leilani, 

and celebrate beautiful YOU (inside and out!)!!!

ENJOY this little re-collection of some special moments of your childhood!

VERY VERY SPECIAL NEWS!

Well, since pictures speak thousands of words, 

I figured I'd save you the pain of reading thousands of words.

Have a look at what 

ONLY

GOD

COULD

HAVE

DONE!!!!!

  Young Achievers Christian School, Uganda from Isabel Betts on Vimeo.

To HIM be ALL the GLORY!!!

Story to be continued, as 

MORE

EXCITING

THINGS

have been happening!

VERY EXCITING News

My - oh - my - the VERY VERY EXCITING news announced in my last blog post is now already a bit old, and has been followed by a lot of other EXCITING happenings, but for the sake of keeping some sort of record on this blog, here I go.

It IS coming

 in the next blog post,

as there is some other VERY EXCITING news I would like to share first!

By the way, I really DO enjoy writing on here, it's like a hobby. 

As you may have guessed by now, hobby-time is rare these days, but hey, how glad I am that I have written what I HAVE written over the years! 

Kylie and I have recently spent some fun moments reminiscing and laughing as we read stories from long ago, including this very first blog I started 10 years ago. 

Such a neat way to record things I would otherwise forget.

Though these news coming I for sure won't forget - EVAAH- hahahaha!

So - the first EXCITING news is that

has been renamed, as our ministry is now reaching beyond giving orphaned children
a home, to also encompass

• a school and a soon-to-start boarding school to give impoverished children a chance for an education 

• wholistic community development and strengthening of vulnerable families in order to prevent orphans

• and hopefully sometime in the not-so-distant future a medical clinic in the community that does not have easy access to health-care.

SOOOO

Are you ready for the new name - and logo?

Drumroll....

IT

IS

Maisha means LIFE - and that's what we're all about - YEAH!!!

And here is our motto:

Walking alongside children and youth to achieve their full potential by impacting their lives, families and communities

Read on for the next news - which IS the VERY SPECIAL NEWS I promised to share with y'all.