Will I ever stop...

... having children?

Even after being on this earth for half a century

- celebrated that yesterday -

Jippeeeee!

I keep having kids - and loving it.

As tiring as it can be at times - hehe!

No, not the biological kind.

That clock has stopped ticking (no regrets there!)

I've been blessed with another daughter.

She's 26 - which makes her my eldest now :)

I am THRILLED and love her to bits!

We look as different as can be.

The most unlikely combo - hehe!

Meet Praise!

with Praise on her arrival in New Zealand

But - oh - how alike our hearts are!

It is our FAITH and PASSION for God 

- and for abandoned/orphaned little ones - 

that have strongly attracted us to each other since we first met. 

And the rest is history!

Mother and daughter.

Of a different kind.

Kindred spirits.

We love each other from the heart!

OH - how very blessed I am that Praise made it to New Zealand on Monday

- even if she is almost an hour away from Tauranga 

and I don't get to see her much during her Discipleship Training School.

Just for 3 weeks at the end of May/beginning of June when she will stay with us before flying back home to Uganda.

A 3-month pit-stop in her life journey

A time for renewal

refreshing

input

in-filling

equipping

loving

receiving

For one that has never enjoyed a childhood/youth and has been tirelessly pouring out her life for the orphans and vulnerable children since she was 16 

that's 10 years of constant challenges

responsibility

lack

concern

poverty

And amidst all the hardship:

Experiencing God's faithfulness!

Time for a Sabbatical - don't cha think?!

It sure wasn't my idea to bring her here to do this DTS.

Would've never dreamed of this.

But it seemed to have been God's dream for Praise.

God made a way

 miracle after miracle

against all odds

innumerable obstacles to overcome

Her coming here

A fulfilment of a dream of hers

That was my best birthday gift!

Of course, besides enjoying all of my other awesome kids, grandkids and hubby

I am SO grateful - and thrilled!

My prayers are now with the 30 children she left behind in Uganda

In less than ideal conditions

Oh, how I wish that was different!

But we have to trust that OUR FATHER will look after these little ones

while he's pouring his affections on his beloved daughter here!

You may join me in prayers for their care, safety, comfort, health!

There ARE people looking after them, but there is an urgent need for 2 more teachers for the school of 130 students (only 2 teachers at the moment - God can make a way!)

In the meantime, I'm holding on to the Scripture below that came to my mind yesterday in regards to the second half-century of my life that started yesterday:

The righteous shall flower like the palm tree...

Planted in the house of the Lord,

They shall flourish in the courts of our God.

Growing in grace they shall still bring forth fruit in old age.

They shall be full of spiritual vitality

and rich in the verdure of trust, love and contentment.

To show that the Lord is upright and faithful to his promises;

He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Psalm 92: 12-15