Final Blog!

Hello friend, I hope that you are having a great great day today. I just wanted to share some pictures and stories and Scripture with you today-this is more than likely my last blog entry…we leave next Wednesday to come home!

Last Friday going to the zoo was so much fun! But it seems that we chose one of the coldest days of the winter to go. It was warm in the sunshine but quite cold in the shade and when the wind was blowing. Our kids were very very warm-we put them in snow suits and think hats and blankets in their stroller. I do believe that they greatly enjoyed this time at the zoo. I think my favorite and their favorite was the seal feeding. The man would throw the fish way out into the pool and the seals would swim after it and then shake it and the fish head would come off and fall to the bottom on the pool. Then the other seal would eat the fish heads off the bottom. The little boy that I was holding during this was just in awe. I also enjoyed the giraffes. We were able to get closer so very close to giraffes-closer than I have ever been. They really are pretty animals but they look so funny! Their tongues come out so far and they walk real funny. God surely is a beautiful, creative God.

When K and I got back to the Baby House, Auntie Francinah asked us if we could drive to Baby House 2 to pick up a baby who the police brought. She was found naked on the floor of a public restroom in a park. She was born that very day. Door of Hope took very good care of her for they gave her a good cleaning and the medical attention needed and wrapped her in thick blankets. She truly is a beautiful child and I wish that I could show you a picture. When we arrived at Baby House 2, we were met by 2 other aunties who were there taking care of her. She had only been there about a hour before we arrived. As we listened to this precious little girl’s story, I felt once again my heart breaking but knew that she has hope. She is at Door of Hope and will be matched with a forever family, but my heart broke for her mother. What kind of circumstances could lead you to leave your newborn like this? She must have been desperate and felt like she had no hope at all. As I have been praying for this little girl, I have also been praying for her mother. I pray that she will find true love and hope in Jesus Christ. After we had all listened to her story, we gathered around her little crib to pray. Much to my surprise, Auntie Francinah asked me to pray. I could hardly get the words out to our Heavenly Father to pray for this precious little one.
I had the opportunity to sit in the back of the car with her while K was driving back to Baby House 1. I was holding her little hand when I just all of the sudden felt a name on my heart. I told Auntie Francinah that we should name her Rebekah. We now have a Precious Rebekah in the small babies. She truly is beautiful. I am once again reminded of Isaiah 49:15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will never forget you.” God loves little Rebekah more that we could ever imagine, just like he loves us more that we could ever begin to comprehend.

On Monday, I woke up feeling very homesick and did not understand why I was struggling so when I knew that I was coming home in nine days. K and I had the day off and we had decided to go help our new housekeeper named Auntie Lucy with the laundry and various chores because Mondays are always so busy. When I got to the baby house and spent time with the children and the aunties, my spirits were lifted. God sent encouragement and love to me through them.

Yesterday K and I took two of our children hiking! We went to a park that is about 5-10 minutes away from where we live. There are animals roaming free and hiking trails here. It was a beautiful day and the kids loved being outside in the sunshine and fresh air. Katherine carried her little girl on her stomach in front of her in a carrier and I carried my boy on my back with a blanket. This is a very common way to carry young children in Africa and the aunties taught me how. It is quite easy and works well. I am so thankful for this special time that we were able to share with the children.
That night six of us volunteers went out to eat at an authentic African restaurant which is called Moyo’s. It was very funny because a lady comes to your table and paints your face. All the other volunteers had pretty designs painted on their cheeks. But for some reason when it came my turn she decided that I needed a design on my forehead! The girls told me that I looked like an Indian woman. Oh me, I know I did look silly.

I want to try to share with you a few things that God has taught me this summer. I am not very good with words but I will try my best to tell you. This summer I followed where I felt God was leading me. There were times when I did not think I was going to go because of my own fears and doubts, but I followed where I was certain God wanted me to go. In my relationship with God I have never had to depend and truly cry out to the Lord in the ways that I have the past two months. I feel more committed and more in love with my Lord than I ever have. I know how it feels for the Lord to be my only hope. I have felt broken and alone in a desperate sort of way and come to realize that God is the true source of peace, hope, and joy. I have prayed Psalm 86 so many times, “Bring joy to your servant, for to you Lord, I lift up my soul…you are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you…I will praise you, O Lord, with my heart.” I have also prayed Psalm 119:76 “May your unfailing love me by comfort, Lord, according to your promise to your servant.” I realize how unworthy I am to know the Lord and to live in His love each and every day. God wants us to share everything with Him-each day of our life he wants to live in us and through us. God desires for His children to be fully committed to Him, his disciple willing to take up their cross and follow where He leads. It is only when we do this that we can find the abundant life that God promises us; “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love…these things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

God has given me the opportunity to love the children here with my whole heart. They will forever be in my heart. Their stories have taught me that God truly does have “plans for a hope and future” for his children (Jer 29:11-13). He loves each of these precious orphans and will never leave them or forsake them. I am only thankful that I have had the opportunity to love and care for them in this short time. The love that I have felt from the aunties here reminds me of God’s family. Believers around the world are all bound together in the Lord’s name making us a family in Christ. Back home I will forever remember the “family” that I have here in South Africa.

When I get home, I am not exactly sure how long it will take me to adjust back to my “American” life. I have seen a poverty here that is hard to accept and I have learned that I need to be so very thankful for what I have. I do not understand why I have all that I have and many people here have so little, but I hope to have a more thankful and giving heart when I am back home. I have come to realize how much this world truly needs God’s message of love and salvation. But I also realize that one does not have to be a missionary overseas to share this. God does not call all his followers overseas to share his love in a foreign country. He calls us to be his lights of love right where we are. We can share and serve those in our very own community in so many ways, we may just need to ask God to show us how.

I have also realized the importance of prayer. This is something that I believe Christians so much take for granted; to be able to continually and steadfastly approach God with a praise or a request. We are to “devote ourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Col 4:2) and must remember to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil 4:6) Are you praying continually to your Heavenly Father each day, in every circumstance?

There are a few verses that God led me to to encourage me this summer and I wanted to share those with you:

Ephesians 3:7 “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power.”
This verse reminds me to be a servant for the gospel and that it is only be God’s grace that I am His…

Colossians 1:9-14 “I pray that you will be filled with the knowledge of God of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way…being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father…”

Psalm 119:32 “I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.”

2 Corth 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you…”

Deutronomy 30:20 “Choose life, that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life…”

I also want to share a song with you that has been a prayer for the children that I have loved on this summer. I think that the chorus it is a beautiful prayer also for yourself or your own children. The song is called “Hold on to Jesus”.

You’re a little piece of heaven, you’re a golden ray of light
And I wish I could protect you from the worries of this life
If there’s one thing I could tell you
Hold to Jesus, he’s holding on to you

(Chorus)
Hold on to Jesus and cling to his love
Rest deep in his mercy whenever things get rough
Don’t lose sight of his goodness and don’t ever doubt this truth
That when you’re holding on to Jesus, he’s holding on to you

Hear me Dear Jesus rock this little one to sleep
Keep her close when she’s scared and give her grace when she’s weak
I know she’ll stumble but I know she’ll make it through
If you hold on to her just like you said you’d do
Hold her to Jesus, so she’ll hold on tight to you

Thank you so much for your support and love and prayers that you have shared with me this summer. And thank you for reading my blog and encouraging me! I love you all!