Shattered - once again

Nearing the end of an AMAZING trip, I'm so glad God has arranged some "alone-time" for me - which would have been the last few hours and tonight.

Just to have the freedom to process some of what I've experienced - material that you'll read about for the next little while, for sure...

I am soooo devastated - and touched, both at the same time.

Have been crying my eyes out for most of the afternoon.

Didn't help that today I had my last (short) visit with our son Richard - saying good-bye to him is never easy.

But what REALLY got me today, was what I witnessed in a small 2-bedroom house in Kampala...

Before you read on, go back to this post, cuz I'm talking about his same single 24-year old beautiful Ugandan called Praise.

After entrusting her 10 children into the wonderful permanent care of the OKM family, she's been going back and forth from that family to Kampala, where she grew up and also has lots of ministry opportunities (doing music and youth ministry, speaking in schools etc about abstinence etc).

As we sat around the pool the other day (she came specifically just to watch her kids have fun in the water, it was such a treat for her to see them having so much fun - you can see her photo in the post about the pool - surrounded by some of her kids), she shared some more of her story with me - and today I visited her and the 17 children that God has brought into her small rented home since January .

Yes, you did read right - no typo - 17 children - since January!!!! (well, truth be told, some of the kids had been with her before but she was planning on taking them to some other families after taking the other 10 to Jinja)

She didn't want to care for children any more but pursue her music and other ministry.

But God had other plans.

He asked her to be available to take in more.

And they started coming

one by one.

Actually, there was a pair of twin girls that came together

She found them on the street after they had been raped

And took them home.

They are Kylie's age...







One little boy in particular immediately stole my heart and I picked him up and held him for the whole time I was there (photos coming after I get home).

Little Joseph (we are guessing he's around 4, nobody knows his exact age) was cuddling with me - just resting on me - it was so wonderful!

I loved every minute of it and would've loved to take him with me! He was the cutest little "thing"!

Joseph - that's what Praise named him, after he was found in a public transport mini-van, left alone, very sick.

She explained why she named him Joseph:

She believes that one day, he will be a great man, even though he was abandoned, just like the Joseph of the Bible.
His middle name is the Lugandan name for hope.

Hearing some of the children's stories while they sang and danced for me - I had to use all the self-control I could muster not to cry the whole time...

As I talked with them in between songs, I was mentioning the verse that says,

Even though my mother and my father forsake me, the Lord will receive me as his own.

I wasn't even quite done saying this when one of the kids quoted the exact Scripture, including the reference, Psalm 27,10 - - - (I didn't even know the reference)

I was - ahem - shocked/surprised - wow, these children know their stuff!
They proceeded to quote all kinds of other truths from the Bible...

So here's this single girl who - out of her meager earnings - rents this house and cares for these children. She has 3 people helping her. When I asked her if she pays them or they volunteer, she said, "They need money".

They live by faith, trusting God to provide for their needs.

She says, sometimes people bring by some food.

Irresponsible???

After all, she had come to her end with the first lot of 10 orphans!

And by law, she doesn't even qualify to have guardianship of these children...

Well, if I hadn't seen and gotten to know her other 10, I might have thought of irresponsibility to take on 17 more.

BUT - she has done a awfully incredible job raising those ones for the time she had them.

They are amazing!!!

Sooo - all I can do is take my invisible hat off to her

And somehow know that these ones, too, will be ok longterm.

They will be loved, cared for, know Jesus' love and healing power in their lives.

I guess what struck me particularly hard today was the fact that Praise is living out what I have been dreaming about doing most of my life.

She's ACTUALLY taking in all these abandoned children, off the streets!

Oh how I would love to come alongside her and help ease her burden!

That's the least I can try to do...

She's able to do this job SO MUCH BETTER than I could ever do, even if I tried hard!

They are in their country, culture, language, songs, dances... and LOVED!!!

One of the last things Praise told me (without the children hearing),

"Next time you come, you can take THESE children to the pool!"

Yup - sure!

If God allows!

But my hope and prayer is for much more support than just a trip to the pool.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got photos and video-clips of today, but am writing from a public computer.

Off to sleep now

Then one more full day tomorrow

Looking forward to it!

And then I'll fly out in the evening.

50+ hours of traveling, longest trip I have EVER had in my life - 4 different planes.

Thanks for prayers!

Convicted

Before going on from here and not being sure about the internet connection in the next place (I was given a stick to use here), I can't resist to upload this short video clip of the first night I was here.

One of the things the father of this beautiful African family told me, and I have thought of this, too, many times, in raising our children:

"We look at the end result of how we want our children to turn out  - and then we invest what is needed."

I can see it in their older children - they are all lovers of God and strong yet gentle leaders, hard working and serving joyfully.

Rich and I have kind-of been raising our children with the end-result in mind, too.

But when it comes to developing our children's relationship with God, I admit it's been a struggle over the years to really invest what is right, good and necessary (and our kids love the Lord now, don't get me wrong).

Yet - why have I/we given in and gotten discouraged when feeling the resistance of the kids to spending time in God's Word, prayer and worship as a family - and it's felt more like a drudgery than the highlight of the day?

Yes, we've done some, but doesn't the Word of God tell us to

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Col.3,16

Can't say we've done that.

It's been barely, just enough not to "bore" them and get them all fidgety, even with different devotional books for kids.

YET - how many hours do we spend as a family doing things like reading wordly books to them or letting them listen to whatever songs, watch movies (nothing wrong with them, but if they memorize THOSE and NOT the TRUE, LIFE-GIVING spiritual FOOD that ALONE can make them strong and whole INSIDE - something is wrong.)

It's been stirring in me for a while now, but I think there are going to be some changes in Betts-house when I come back home.

Yes, again.

Get yourselves prepared, family!

It's really SOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!

Our Western families have so many distractions - we diligently run our kids around to all kinds of sport, music and church activities, and at home they're doing Wii, playstation, video and other games, TV, movies, ipads and iphones, facebook and other internet stuff - and once again, in and of themselves, these are not bad.

But seeing the contrast from our lives to theirs here - I am convinced now that as Christian parents we are actually ROBBING our kids from the GREATER TREASURE! The RICHNESS of GOD and HIS WORD becoming deeply ingraned in their hearts and spirits, FILLING them to overflowing with REAL LIFE!

May I suggest that we have fallen into a trap???

All these exciting and FUN things are STEALING the real treasure from our kids!

Do we want our kids to be entertainment addicts when they've grown up,

yet empty in their hearts?

Having a form of godliness, but no power? (and once again, I am not saying my kids are like that - just talking generally)

Or do we want them to be so FULL OF GOD that HE IS THEIR TRUE SOURCE OF LIFE - and no matter what comes along for them in life, they will stand strong, because their "house will be built upon the rock" - in a VERY REAL WAY!!!

I was so humbled last night, as the kids kept quoting many different Scriptures by heart, including their references - spontaneously.

And it was no rigid, religious exercice.

They were enjoying themselves, having a different sort of FUN!

I would have been hard pressed myself to come up with half of them...

I'm glad they didn't ask me to quote a Scripture, although they did invite me to share - and the Lord had put something on my heart that I was able to give them - although I had to get my reading glasses out and read it from the Bible rather than quoting it - but that was alright :)

One of the things I told them is that they many times think that the white people are rich (in Uganda, if you are white, you are automatically rich in their eyes). I told them that the REAL RICH people are THEY, not us! You get what I meant...

What an IMPACT these words of truth, exhortation and comfort that they memorize will have when they go back to school and face all kinds of challenges, issues from their past creeping up, lies from the enemy attacking their minds etc.

The Word of God is POWERFUL and VERY EFFECTVE!!!!

And we have neglected it - I admit it and feel DEEPLY sorry for it.

Kids, if you read this - I'm sorry for robbing you of the BEST!

We have many times treated it as an accessory ~

Not a necessity!

Here, dinner is eaten only AFTER the spiritual food is eaten -

and yes, it's been 9pn (I'm not sure - the kids may have had their porridge or beans before family devotions at 7pm - but definitely not the older ones, or the parents)

And no, I'm not saying we'll wait til 9pm til we eat dinner from now on :)

There so much more to say, but I've got to go now. Here's the short clip, taken without them realizing I was filming.

HUMBLED - and SOOO BLESSED!!!

What is EVEN MORE PRICELESS than seeing the kids enjoy the pool and playground is seeing and hearing the children every night when they have a long time of singing and worshipping God, praying, testifying, reciting memorized Scripture, getting discipled by their parents and/or older siblings.
It is sooooooooo precious!!!

Totally spontaneous,

yet led gently

Everybody feeling free to participate - or not -

a feeling of freedom

and at the same time order and respect

There's dancing

Rejoicing

Celebrating

Thankfulness

Hands raised

Eyes closed

No show put on for a muzungu white lady.

Just simple, sincere, deep, yet childlike faith and love expressed to God!

BEAUITFUL!!!

I have a hunch it is the highlight of their days!

It's the school holidays so they are all home (the younger ones at least)

There's no distractions, no toys, no computer, no sports activities or other things they leave the house for - (there IS a TV, but it's not on much)

I also KNOW (cuz the parents told me) that drawing near to God as a family - daily - is the ONLY WAY to do this kind of life - and THRIVE!!!

As JESUS becomes REAL to the children, they find healing and restoration!

HIS love, acceptance and comfort heals the broken-hearted and restores the wounded spirit!

ONLY HIM!!!!!!!

There is an incredible RICHNESS in these children and this family that I have never seen anywhere before!

They have so much pain, loss, trauma and grief in their lives - they should be really messed up.

And YET - they are so free, loving, happy,

getting along with each other so well and caring for each other - 'course still children that sometimes squabble (though rarely)

And can you imagine a house full of teenagers?

Besides the 10+ that haven't reached that glorious age yet...

I have pretty much only heard peaceful or happy noises.

Everybody plays their part, has their job and quietly does it.

It was a PLEASURE and HUGE HONOUR and PRIVILEGE to spend these few days here!

I am MAJORLY INSPIRED - but gotta go to bed now.

Had excellent meetings with the leadership of OKM - some exciting plans in the making - inspired by GOD! WOW!!!

Rich and the kids should be landing in NZ in a few minutes - whoop whoop!

Tomorrow, I'm off to the YWAM base for further ministry/planning...
Speaking to a group of HIV+ widows tomorrow ~ ~ ~ doing some visits as well...

AND - I'm sorry, but I just COULDN'T make myself take photos of the children worshipping and praying (though I quietly filmed their worship - just didn't want the flash to disturb their intimate time with God)

O.MY.GOODNESS!!!

The title is the short version,

 describing my time here

sharing in the life of an African family that has adopted around 30 children!

WOW ~ WOW ~ WOW ~ WOW ~ WOW !!!!

There would be SOOO much to say, but just today ~

Seeing the smiles on the children's faces

hearing their laughter

as I was able to treat them to an afternoon at the pool in a local hotel

including a playground

was AMAZING!!

Many of the children had never experienced either

IT WAS PRICELESS!!!

And worth E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G!!!

Knowing the story of many of them and their horrific former existence life

made it even more special!

From the streets - into a loving family!

What a JOY and PRIVILEGE to bond with them while having fun!

And I could just feel the FATHER smiling and laughing with us!

I couldn't have had more fun!!!!

on the way, a few piled in the car, the others walking (a long way)

in the pool for the second time - after getting all sweaty again on the playground -
 first time around I went swimming with them

warming up after the first swim - it was overcast and not very hot, so most of the little ones were shivering - and they had only brought 1 towel - for 20+ swimming...
Guess what happened to the small towel that I brought along? My one and only one?!

So wonderful to love on these ex-orphans - and especially because I know that they DO have incredible parents looking after them - I just get to be "auntie" for a few precious days...

these smiles are completely sincere - not just for the camera - I saw them all afternoon :)

waiting for some food and drinks - what a treat!

don't ya just want to scoop 'em up and hug 'em?!!
They all asked me to take a photo of them (there are more...)

such beautiful, tender-hearted children - - - and there are SOOOOO MANY MORE roaming the streets.... breaks your heart!

good thing this slide was SOLID! With 10+ on there - for a loooong time, sometimes all at once, it'd better be!

priceless

this little boy Brian was collected from the streets when he was 2 - with his sister who was 4 and caring for him -
he's the youngest member of the family - now 6 - SUCH a sweet-heart

At the end of the day:
some falling asleep, while others are preparing paper for paper beads -
after only getting back from the pool at 8pm!
About 20 all working together
And that's after (very lively) family devotions

'Night!

A different baptism

Saturday was wonderful! Spending time with friends, and Richard, our son! 

When I arrived at the place of the baptism, I thought, "Wow, this is nice! Looks like a great beach." And yes, it WAS beautiful! But then I was told that swimming in Lake Victoria is NOT an option - unless you want to risk getting REALLY SICK!

I couldn't help but remember the clear, sparkling stream that we baptized Leilani in many years ago in Tahiti - or the swimming pool in our church in NZ that Nathalie and Jeremie got baptized in.

Getting baptized here is a whole different ball-game, when you have to take medication to try and prevent getting sick from being dunk... and then are still not sure that you won't get sick.

Well done, Josiah! Go hard after God!

just missed the actual baptism of Josiah (15) - oldest son of the Gordons - friends from Tauranga, now serving the orphans and disadvantaged children and widows in Uganda - just been here 6 months

some of the family watching

celebrating with a nice dinner afterwards - also with Nicky, another missonary from Tauranga, and Richard!!! More about my time with him later

Today, I'm going to Jinja, where I'll stay with one of the core families of the "Orphans Know More" network! YAY!
Should be an interesting time ~ ~ ~
Probably no internet for a while...

Safely arrived in Uganda!

Just a quick update, as I am waiting for my ride and it's already late...
Had a good flight and was thrilled to set foot again of African soil!

I just LOVE Africa - particularly Uganda - 'course!!!

Sooooo good to be back!!!

Had a very good time in Germany - and YES, I love Germany, too!
Wrote a blog post about my time there but it disappeared strangely just as I was pushing the "publish" button... - oh, well, what's new?

We've had so many communication challenges during this whole trip away - USA - Germany - and here I am in Uganda - and at least for a few minutes, I've got time and internet...

I boarded the wrong train yesterday on my way to Frankfurt airport. Was chatting away with my sister and didn't pay attention that there were 2 trains scheduled in the same direction - just 4 MINUTES APART! I was scheduled to go on the second one, but went on the first one instead.
German precision - imagine that!
Just 4 minutes difference - ya gotta pay attention to the minutes in Germany!

And here I am in Uganda and my ride is already more than 30 minutes late - haha!

Anyways, thank God, the controller came straight as the train left and told me I was in the wrong train and that it wouldn't take me to the airport - oups!!
No problemo, though, was able to hop off at next stop and wait the extra 4 minutes until the right train came chugging along. OUFF! That was close!

When I arrived in Uganda at 2am this morning, there was nobody from the guest-house to pick me up - as arranged.

No problemo again - just took a taxi - and then asked the guest-house to deduct the cost from my room, since airport pick-up is normally included.

Anyways, after a few hours sleep I am off now to spend the day with our beloved son Richard at a baptism service somewhere not too far from here - where I'm also meeting up with the wonderful Gordon-family who moved to Uganda 6 months ago, with their 6 children! Will spend the week-end with them - and Richard! Am so excited!

Traveling alone gives a whole new dimension to my relationship with the Lord.

And as scary it can be at times, it's absolutely, incredibly wonderful!

Cuz JESUS is the best companion, helper, counselor, provider, protector - and HE knows best!

To be so vulnerable, incapable and weak - and - to walk hand in hand with the one who is capable, powerful, all-knowing, wise, loving, caring, protecting, helping - it's "da bomb"!

He's the absolutely best to be walking this journey with!!!

And - by the way, God also came through financially! Not only are my expenses and airfare covered, but I've got blessings to give out to the poor! I"m so grateful and happy! And it came in the most unlikely way - as usual - in the 11th hour (not literally, but almost).

Would appreciate your on-going prayers! Love to all

Oh, the FAITH of a child!

The other day, while doing laundry at a laundromat, I needed to use the bathroom.

Nothing unusual.

But as I was going in, I couldn't figure out how to turn on the light.

Hmmmm....

I fiddled and pushed and pulled and did whatever else I could come up with to make the light switch turn on (it was pitch dark in that hallway and bathroom).

No success.

I ended up finding one of the employees to help me.

When we got back to the bathroom, there was another lady trying to figure out the light switch

Also no success.

All of a sudden, no idea why, the light went on and I let her go first.

When I came back later for my turn,

same thing.

I couldn't figure out how to turn on the light switch.

STRANGE!

THEN - Kylie, who was with me, came along and just RAN into the dark bathroom -

AND VOILA -

THE LIGHT WENT ON!!

BINGO!

The light-switch was a SENSOR and turned on when there was movement in the room.

Oh boy!

It took a child to just RUN IN THERE to get it to work.

No complicated - "Figuring-it-out-before-you-step-in" - kind of stuff.

And then it hit me:

THAT's what FAITH is all about!

God speaks to your heart,

You obey and "Run" -

No need to figure out the light before-hand

And AS YOU RUN

The light comes on!

God's provision flows

Be it strength

health

finances

whatever the "light" is that we need.

We've got to take the first steps into the dark sometimes

and TRUST God to take care of us!

Another lesson one of my children reminded me of.

Thank you, Kylie (who's been sick in bed today)!

"Now faith is confidence that what we hope for will actually happen;

it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Hebrews 11:1

Kylie showing off one of her gifts my mom sent for her 8th birthday
that we celebrated with aunts/uncles and cousins a few days ago

In 4 days, I will take a plane to Germany to see my mother

 (who's in hospital at the moment with a broken femur - please pray for her!) and

5 days later

 2 more planes

to my beloved Uganda!

I will be traveling for 3 weeks

~ all by myself ~

As exciting as it is,

 not gonna lie

it's also a bit daunting.

Traveling to Uganda with Rich last year was SOOO good!!!

I wasn't supposed to go by myself on this trip, but it has just worked out that way.

And I feel I DO need to go and have peace about it!

I will be meeting up with different people all along to further plan and strategize about partnering to

"help, visit and care for the orphans and widows"

(definition of true religion according to James 1,27)

It does feel a bit like running into a dark room, though.

There are a lot of un-knowns,

lots of "stuff" could happen.

My health hasn't been the greatest.

Our USA-trip has been very taxing/tiring and I'm not exactly at the height of my energy levels.

Finances for the trip are only covered partially

I will need God's help MAJORLY in every.single.area !!! 

But here I come

RUNNING!

Extravagently LOVED by God

Who is the FATHER of the fatherless - the DEFENDER of widows!

Fully EXPECTANT for HIM to turn on every.single,light.that.I.will.need!

Youppieee!!!

AND - if you think of me - and Rich and the kids, too - please PRAY for all of us!

Rich will be driving from New York to Los Angeles with the kiddos and then fly home to NZ.

An Afternoon in New York City

First things first: the highlight of the afternoon - especially if you ask Kylie - was this - on Broadway: 

Kylie was mesmerized by the LIVE snakes that this guy was showing off to everybody - inviting people to take photos while holding one of them - for pay ('course!)  

Kylie kept sticking around, petting the snake again and again - until the guy just decided to put it on her (without pay) and telling everybody what a very brave girl she was (he didn't even ask our permission - oh well, too late - she loved it!!!)

Even Spongebob was there!!!

Here are some more photos from this afternoon - - -

WOW!

What a city!!!

It's INTENSE

INTERESTING

BUSY

CROWDED

NOISY

CRAZY

TOURISTY

MULTI-CULTURAL

GOOD TO VISIT -

 but are we ever glad we don't live here :)

No offense - we're just not city-people...

Taking the Metro - first time ever for our little ones

VERY EXCITING - especially for this lil guy!!!

Coming out of the Subway

Lots and lots of interesting things to see today - looking at the re-building of the World Trade Centre

All the cranes and work being done is fascinating to watch - in the background you can see one of the towers built more than half-way already

New York was definitely way too noisy for Shayden!! He was plugging his ears most the afternoon...

Hmmmmm...

What can I say???

Seen from a distance on a (free!!!) ferry-ride - trying to imaagine what early settlers might have felt coming into the city by boat -

Crazy sisters - enjoying the afternoon

No comment needed :)

Empire State Building in background

Musings while traveling

"Gonna see the White House!"

Those were the first words coming out of Shayden when he woke up yesterday.

Yup, we'd been to Washington, DC the day before - for the afternoon. Went to a couple of amazing Museums, saw the Capitol from a distance and as we were leaving, we hoped to see the White House.

Unfortunately there are a FEW things in the USA that can't be done by "drive-through" or "drive-by" - one of them being the White House. Oh well - we preferred to get back to Rich's brother and family to spend a little more time with them instead :)

We had such a wonderful time with them and also Rich's sister and family - camping together and celebrating Kylie's birthday!!!

Yesterday, while visiting friends in Pennsylvania, Shayden commented on the spread of raw veggies on the table with a sing-songy voice:

"We're having VEGGIE TALES! - Broccoli, Celery..."

Writing in the car - coming close to New York City now - can see the sky-line in the distance... gonna park at a campground and then planning on going in for a few hours to see the "Statue Liverty" - as Shayden calls it, after we taught him that it's NOT Superman - and a few other sites! 

Hysterical laughter and doughnuts

Sorry, but somehow my blog won't keep all the spaces/paragraphs I am writing when I publish. Trying to fix the problem... In the meantime, here's a lil update:

As we're nearing the end of our trip throughout the USA (just family from here), and I finally have some quiet moments in the car while Rich is driving - with a new laptop (yup, the other one gave up) and a fixed internet stick (was defective), let me share about the amazing few hours we've just had:

Last night, while visiting a friend and his family in Virginia (from a YWAM school 27 ago!!! - thanks so much, Tim and Lisa for a fabulous evening!!) , sharing about Orphans Know More, Shayden had an uncontrollable, hysterical laughing fit for about 10+minutes nonstop - not kidding!

It was the most refreshing thing that has happened in a while!

We were all cracking up with him, as he was obviously a bit on the tired side - and re-playing a "Goofy"-DVD in his mind, having pushed the "repeat" button of one particularly funny scene.

This little guy has humour like no-one in our family and laughs like no-one! What a gift he is!!!

This photo was taken this morning at the doughnut place - read on...

Later, shortly after arriving at the church parking lot, where we were parked for the night, a fuse blew and that meant no airconditioning for the hot night... Oh well, what's new?

Yesterday morning, we had detected a water leak in the campervan/travel trailer which led us to a leaky pipe - that we need to get fixed today - on our way to Washington DC.

So, no water, no toilet-use, no shower, and a hot, sticky night after a hot sticky day - (although most the day was spent in the airconditioned car, I've got to admit :)

This morning, as we were out of food/water for breakfast and couldn't possibly go to a supermarket the way we'd climbed out of our "beds" - sticky, icky, smelly - we decided that a stop at a near-by doughnut restaurant was in place - of course ONLY to use the bathroom and get a bit cleaned up... hehe

With less than $10 to our name (yup, we are in need of some BIG provision!), Rich made an order for doughnuts and drinks for the family ('xcept me, I can't handle the sugar and fat in those critters).

When it was time to pay, this gentleman who'd been sitting in the doughnut place when we walked in, intervened and insisted to pay the bill! WOW!!!!

Rich started telling him what we were doing and before this generous, kind-hearted man left the place, he gifted us with another whole tray of freshly baked, still hot - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - doughnuts, you guessed it!

Not only breakfast, but lunch today - YAY!!! Not the healthiest, I know, but at least Rich and the kids are happy!

We were all having to hold ourselves together not to start laughing out (too) loud!

How bad must we have looked - walking into that place????

Or was it just God's smile on us and a lil encouragement and treat - just at the right time?!!

Off now to get the trailer fixed and Kylie to the doctor (not the first doctor visit for our family) - - - before heading to the campground -

WHATA TRIP!