Please join us for our first annual

Dance for Their Chance 

A night of dinner and dancing benefiting 

Orphan Aid Liberia

Saturday, October 20th at 7:00 pm

331 Kingston Hwy 293 NW

Cartersville, GA 30120

This night will include a bonfire, hayride, and chili cook off for your family to enjoy. All proceeds and donations will provide our Liberian children with deworming medication and educational opportunities.

Adult ticket: $10        Child (ages 3-12) ticket: $5

*Tickets sold at the door

RSVP number of attendees to Haley Benefield at haleyb@uga.edu or 678-478-0113

For those of you that have been following my blog, I'm home! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your prayers and support. This summer has been the best one of my life and I couldn't have done it without your constant love.

The last ten days of the trip I went with the Cartersville crew to see the kids from last year. To say it made my whole day to get to pick little Henry up and have him in my arms is an understatement. Those kids are my family. It just felt like being home. One of the older girls named Victoria ran and hugged me and said, "I knew you would come back!" And once I pulled away and looked into her sweet eyes, I realized just how beautiful that statement was. A 13 year-old girl knew she was important enough for someone to remember. An abandoned child didn't feel abandoned for that moment. Food, shelter, and clothing aside, this little girl knew that she was worth something. That people love her enough to come back. What a beautiful thing.

Throughout the week we held a vision clinic for surrounding villagers to come and have their eyes checked to see if they needed glasses. Throughout the week we got to see grandparents able to see their grandchildren for the first time, teachers receive reading glasses to better assist their students, and children excited to sport their new sunglasses around Liberia.

                       (all credit for these pictures goes to Sarah Justus--she's incredible!)

For a few days out of the trip we made lunch and held Vacation Bible School for the kids. Seeing 125 kids eating spaghetti with their little hands was one of the most incredible moments of the trip for me. I know that sounds silly, but as I walked into the school and saw so many little faces smiling with tomato sauce absolutely everywhere, my heart was filled. To see our babies full and laughing hysterically trying to pick up noodles with their hands was one of the most satisfying feelings of my life. I guess that's what it feels like to be a parent. When your kids are happy, you're happy.

Throughout our trip, I had some special moments with a sweet little girl that is close to my heart. Becky is about 2 1/2 years old (we think--you never really know exact ages when working with orphans), and she is what a lot of people call a "failure to thrive" child. Until this past year, she had an extremely hard time gaining weight. She continuously gets malaria and has had to have several blood transfusions throughout the past year. Because of her medical conditions, she is developmentally behind as well. On my first trip to Liberia, I remember holding Becky's tiny body in my arms. She couldn't have weighed more than twelve or thirteen pounds, and she was at least one and half years old. She couldn't sit up on her own and she made almost no interaction with anyone. This year when I saw Becky for the first time, she looked like a new child. Granted, she has a long way to go and is still a sick, sick little girl, but it is incredible how much God can do in a year. Every day after lunch I would feed Becky two bananas. She loved bananas! I don't know if she gets to eat them a lot because it takes a lot of time to feed a baby two bananas (and it's hard to have that kind of time when you're caring for 125 children), but I just couldn't help but think to myself, "If someone were here to feed Becky two bananas every day, or just any healthy food in general, what would her health look like?" Would she be a "failure to thrive child," or would she be totally fine? Please, please be praying with me for this little girl. As I write this my heart hurts because I want to be with her every day. I want to be able to feed her bananas. I want to be able to change her diaper. I want to be there to take her to the doctor when she's sick. But I know that even though I'm not there, God is, and He loves her more than I do. So please, pray that Becky  grows, thrives, and knows that she is loved every single day.
                                                               
                                                                Becky in 2011

Becky in 2012

There are so many children just like Becky. There are so many children around the world that are sick and all they need to thrive is a loving environment. All they need is a family that cares enough to take them to the doctor. All they need is a family to have faith that they can overcome. All they need is a family that is willing to slow down and walk with them. I know a little girl named Josie that was so sick with AIDS in an orphanage in Uganda three years ago that she couldn't even open her eyes. I held Josie in her family's home in Nashville, Tennessee three years later and she was as healthy as any of the other kids in her Kindergarten class. She was able to read, ride her bike, and beg to go to Chuck-E-Cheese. But more than anything, she knew she had a Mommy and Daddy that loved her and would never leave her. There are so many stories just like this one, and there are so many waiting to take place. If you want to know more about how you can change the life of a child like Becky or Josie, you can visit www.allgodschildren.org (international adoption) or www.adoptuskids.org (in-country adoptions).

More than anything this summer, I have learned that God loves His children more than anything we can imagine. He will provide, no matter what it takes. Orphan Aid Liberia was started four years ago. In four years, God has provided food, clothes, shelter, and most importantly, love, to 125 children that had absolutely nothing four years ago. He didn't care that Liberia was 5,000 miles away from Cartersville, Georgia. He knew that 125 of His babies needed to be taken care of, and He found the means to make it happen.

If you would like to know more about Orphan Aid Liberia, check out the website: www.orphanaidliberia.com. If you click on the "IMPACT" tab you can learn more about sponsoring a child and what $10 a month can provide for one of our little ones. If you're interested in learning more about Orphan Aid Liberia, email me at haleyb@uga.edu and I will send you to the right people! We (and the kids) are always excited to have new members of the Orphan Aid family!

"But in my mind's eye I can see a place
Where Your glory fills every empty space
All the cancer is gone
Every mouth is fed
And there's no one left in the orphans' bed."

I remember the first time I was taught about slavery. The first thing that came to my mind was, "How could we have been so stupid? How could we have thought that it was acceptable on any level to treat another human being like an animal?" I remember thinking that if I had been alive during that time period, surely I would have done something. Surely I would have known in my heart that Christians weren't supposed to treat their brothers and sisters that way.

I just finished watching a documentary on the war in Liberia. Just seven years ago, right outside my window, bullets killed hundreds upon hundreds of innocent people, countless orphans were left without food for weeks on end, and untreated disease (because of hospital closings during the war) ran rampant. I watched the film in horror as soldiers dug giant holes in the ground and threw in dead body after dead body. Mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and children alike laid shoulder to shoulder. No one to recognize their death. No one left for these children to cry on because both of their parents were in that hole. During the documentary, a journalist talked with the mother of an orphanage. She was keeping 175 children, some severely malnourished, with absolutely no food left to give them. She begged, "Please, even if you can't stop the war, tell America to at least bring us food. We are dying here." This was seven years ago.

I remember being so thankful that I wasn't around during slavery. Thankful that my faith wasn't put to the test in such close quarters. I hoped that I would be different. I hoped that I would stand up for what I believed in. But unfortunately, the way the world usually works is that if enough people around you accept something, you will too. If enough people ignore something, you will too. 

While watching this documentary, I realized that just because I didn't live during the Civil War doesn't make me exempt from my test of faith. Just because I don't wake up and see poverty and hunger and war every day doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I love America. If you were to ask anyone, I think they would describe me as a small-town, southern kind of girl. I am so thankful for our freedom. I love our culture. I love that we are able to dream and know that if you work hard and set your mind to it, you have the ability to become almost anyone you want to be. But I will say that America has done a good job of putting itself in a protective bubble. I can honestly say that I feel like I am living on a different planet over here. 

Of course I want to go home and lay by the pool and listen to my iPod and pretend that everyone in the world is as happy as I am. I want to go to my social events and spend all the money that I want to without feeling guilty. I want to be comfortable and pretend like everyone else in the world is okay. But the raw truth is, they aren't. Some are right outside your door, others are on the other side of the world. They don't live on the same continent as you? They don't believe the same things you do? I'm sorry, but SO WHAT. That does not make them any less of your brother or sister. Jesus says, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me." He said, "Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." We've done a good job at making these seem like options. They are commandments. They are the gospel.

I'm sorry if I sound frustrated in the this post, but the truth is, I am so frustrated. I am frustrated with myself and I am frustrated with our culture. We  want to hear the part of the Bible that we want to hear and put aside all the hard stuff. We wear our church clothes and our kids hear the Sunday school story and we think that makes us a Christ-follower. Jesus did not come so that we would talk the talk. He came to teach us how to walk. Helping our brothers and sisters is not an option. It isn't something we should do if we have extra time and extra money. We are supposed to love our neighbor AS OURSELF. When Jesus said those things about giving Him water when he was thirsty and food when He was hungry, I don't think He meant we do that once in our life. I think He meant that we do it day in and day out. When it's comfortable and when it's convenient and just as much when it's not. 

I absolutely hate it, but there is hunger and poverty and war right now. We can't ignore it anymore. We can't pretend like it isn't there. I'm not saying that everyone has to fly to across the world, even though some of us need to. I'm just saying we HAVE to care. If you call yourself a Christian, you have no option. I'm just asking us to re-prioritize. Whether it means loving prostitutes, visiting prisoners, feeding hungry bellies, holding orphaned babies, telling pregnant teenagers that they are loved, we HAVE to start making our lives about others instead of ourselves. 

We were sent to serve, not to be served. 

Adoption has always held a special place in my heart, but in the last year it has become part of my heart. I didn't hear God speak to me and I didn't have a huge awakening moment, but it just makes sense to me. There are 147 million children without parents and if I have the means, I want to help.

Just like college kids know that they want to be teachers and doctors, I know that I'm supposed to be the mother to orphaned children. In fact, my heart aches for the day that I get to see their precious faces. Sometimes during worship on Sunday mornings I just want to burst into tears thinking about the day that I get to hold them while I sing praise songs. I was up in the middle of the night last night (thanks, Malaria medicine), and I couldn't stop my mind from wondering. Have they been born yet? Are they healthy? What is their poor mother going through? I couldn't stop the questions, so the next day I decided to write them a letter for when they are in my arms.

Dear precious angels,

I've never even laid eyes on you and yet I already love you more than I could ever explain. I wish more than anything that I was with you right now, holding your hand, wiping your tears, and hearing you giggle. You are the light of my life and every day I wake up looking forward to the day God leads me to you. I want you to know that I will love you no matter what. I promise. Good, bad, sick, sad, excited, or lost, you are mine. You can never do anything to make me love you less. There will be a day when you wonder where you came from, and on that day I will be there to hold your hand. I wish I could take away every moment that hurt your little heart before I met you, but I can only thank God that He brought you to me. Never doubt that you are less of my child because you didn't grow in my tummy. God has woven you into me and you are as much a part of me as my own heart.  More than anything, please always know that you have a Father that is so faithful. All the things He promises are true. He loves you more than anything. Don't try to be perfect, just let Him hold your hand. Always remember that you are my sunshine.

I love you,
Momma


And after I wrote that, it all hit me. I'm a twenty year-old girl that doesn't even know the names of my children yet, and yet I love them so much my heart hurts. I could almost hear God whispering again. "Haley, if you can love someone that much, imagine how much greater my love for you is. You know how you long to be with your children? Now you have a taste of how I feel about mine."

So far this week we have started our "About Me" books, had our shoe distribution, and loved a lot!


Although I've been learning so much about orphanage homes, government funding, and the potential foster care system, this experience has taught me more life lessons than I could ever have imagined. I thought I would share a few.

1. You have family everywhere. I was talking with Andy Postell the day before I left and I remember him asking me what my biggest fears were about my upcoming trip. Leaving my family and living with strangers for six weeks was at the top of my list. He said, "Haley, if you truly believe in what the church is supposed to be, you have family everywhere." I am so blessed to say that those complete strangers have become my family. And it's really fun living with 7 brothers and sisters! Each of them show me a different part of God's heart. This experience just reminds me to never be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone--just think, we have family all over the world that we haven't even had the chance to meet!

2. Our relationship with God doesn't always have to be clean cut. Like I've said in previous posts, I have experienced an extremely broad spectrum of emotions since I've been here. Some moments I have felt so inspired and hopeful that I could burst, and other moments I have felt so discouraged and overwhelmed that I question why I am here. Throughout all of these days though, God has reminded me that He will always, always love me, no matter the circumstances or emotions that day may hold. I think about my most valued relationships and am reminded that genuine love is not always filled with perfect, cookie-cutter days. For instance, my Mom is my best friend and total hero, but I don't think that either of us would say that every day for the past twenty years have been filled with rainbows and butterflies. We have had our fair share of rocky days! She even cancelled my birthday party when I was little because of my smart-mouth (haha, Mom sorry I'm still a little bitter...)! Through all of that, though, there has never been a day when I doubted if she loved me or would do anything for me. And I hope she always knows that despite my mood swings, she's always my number one hero. Rocky times don't change true, genuine love for someone. And I think that our most valuable relationships on Earth are a good representation of what our relationship with God is supposed to look like. It's okay to be frustrated with God sometimes...because Lord knows he gets frustrated with us! It's okay to question things and be unsure and have bad days. You aren't any less of a Christ-follower for that. He is our Dad and He isn't asking us to be perfect, He's just asking us to walk with Him.

3. Live today while it's here. I know this sounds cliche, but being in a culture that move at least 100 times slower than our American culture has made me slow down too. So slow, in fact, that I've actually read a few books (not a common occurrence). One of the books asked how many times I have actually watched the sunset in the past week. Before coming here, I don't think I had intentionally watched the sunset all year. And when you think about it, seeing the sunset is one of the most beautiful things we can see here on Earth. I think when God painted it, He did it because he knew it would be a beautiful thing for us to enjoy. But how many times do we actually take the time to appreciate His gift? It just reminds me that watching the sunset may be something I need to pencil in before running to the next meeting or sitting inside watching the next reality TV show. How many other gifts of His are we missing out on because we're too busy? Be outside to watch the sunset three times this week...I dare you.

Today was most definitely one of the best days of my life. 

We started the day off going to an orphanage that isn't one of the ones financially supported by Orphan Relief and Rescue. The more time I spent there, the harder it was to fight back the tears. I've never visited an orphanage that doesn't have someone financially supporting it, so it was a huge reality check for me to see. There are around 110 orphanages in Liberia and the vast majority of them are just like this one--leaking, rotting, and filthy, and filled with sick and skinny children. There are only a select few that have been fortunate enough to be sponsored by a church or some other sort of organization, and even those aren't necessarily up to standard. I walked into the kid's bedroom and my stomach nearly dropped. It was a room filled with twin sized bunk beds with thin, rotting mattresses that didn't even completely cover the wood frame. I asked the "father" of the orphanage how many kids slept in each individual bunk. He said three. That means six kids sleep in one bunk bed. The thought of three babies sleeping on those rotting mattresses was enough to make me feel physically sick. 

Needless to say, my morning started off very emotional. You know that feeling when you know God put you somewhere for a reason? I KNOW in my heart, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I was supposed to see that orphanage today. And despite the overwhelming sorrow I felt for my brothers and sisters living in that condition, I also felt such a hope when I thought of the possibility . I could almost hear God saying, "Haley, I am the God who makes beauty from the ashes." And I have complete faith He will do just that. 

After lunch, we took thirty kids from one of our core orphanages to the beach. Seeing their little faces when they saw the water was worth every minute, every penny, and every inconvenience of traveling halfway across the world. You would have thought that we had just walked into Disney World if you didn't know any better. They laughed and laughed and played for a solid three hours in the first three feet of water. I held onto "Eddy Boy", a precious three year-old who was everything but scared of the water. Within minutes of being on the beach he was completely butt naked and running as fast as he could for the ocean! After jumping waves and building sand castles for the entire afternoon, little Eddy was worn out and fell asleep right on my shoulder. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day. 

The only words I have to describe today are "pure joy." To see the faces of abandoned children light up is the closest thing to heaven on earth I've ever experienced. With each new day in Liberia, I am learning that one thing is constant. God is faithful. One day at a time, He is changing people's hearts to fall more and more in love with His children, and I couldn't be more thankful to have a front row seat in watching His plan unfold. 

This post has nothing to do with Africa, and everything to do with the reason I am here. 

Dear Dad,

Happy Birthday! I can't tell you how bad I wish you were right here beside me so I could give you a big hug and tell you that I love you. I hope Mom got you a good present because I know how much presents mean to both of you! (Hahaha, that's a big joke for everyone that doesn't know my parents.)

I know you've heard me say this before when I talk about Africa, but you and Mom play a huge part of why I'm here to begin with. I'm in Liberia this summer because I want children to know that there is a God that loves them unconditionally. That God's love is something that never ends, and despite what we sometimes think, never lessens. I want them to know that they are not forgotten. That they mean enough to God that He will send people half way across the world to hold them and tell them that they are loved. I know that their little heads don't comprehend all that yet, but when they look back on their life, I want them to know that He provided for them. 

The only reason I know what it means to be loved unconditionally is because you and Mom have showed me. Day after day, for 20 years, you have been a living example of what unconditional love means. I have never once gone to bed wondering if I meant something to someone. You and Mom are the reason I know what it means to be loved day in and day out, no matter what conditions, no matter what circumstances. 

I know you don't think you're anything special, and you probably don't think you've been a perfect parent, but you're my hero just the way you are. Thank you for always, always being there. For taking care of me when I'm sick. For telling me I don't look pretty gossiping, and telling me not to stress so much. For letting me figure life out myself, even when you already know what's best for me. For showing me what humility looks like. For being the best husband, Dad, and man I've ever met. 

I love you so much, Dad!

I've been waiting to post until I got to visit both orphanages! What an incredible two days it has been. The first day we visited an orphanage named Frances Gaskin, where about 30 children live with a husband and wife that have been married for 23 years. What an incredible example of marriage--they have 30 kids and they were still flirting like high schoolers! Today we went to the second orphanage, named Danny Feeney, that has about 40 kids living there. From the minute I got out of the car, I had what felt like hundreds of little hands all over my entire body. In the three different orphanages I've visited in my entire life, one thing is never different. The kids love touch. No matter how old they are, and no matter what is going on, they want your hand to hold. I wish I could rock every one one of them to sleep every night. We didn't get back until late, so I just ate rice with pumpkin soup (we have a precious cook we call "Ma Mary"), and took a shower under the stars on one side of a cement wall, with a night club on the other side. Nothing like having a little back up music to your shower!

Since I've been in Liberia, I've experienced about as many emotions as I think one person can have. However, through every emotion, one thing remains the same. God constantly whispers to me, "Love one, Haley." In the past two days, I've seen about sixty orphans. There's a  part of me that just wants to be the mother to all sixty of them. I would love to be able to give them all enough food for them to be perfectly healthy, to help them with their homework, to dress them in the morning, and rock them to bed at night. But I also know that I can't do that alone. I am one person. I have two hands. And then I remember, I love those kids with all of my heart, but my love for them pales in comparison to the Father's love for them. He is at work all over the world, fulfilling his promise: "I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you." Take my life for instance. If you would have told me my senior year of high school that in two years I would be in Africa for six weeks, I think I would have laughed and cried all at the same time. But God's plans are so much bigger than ours, and He will make a way for His children to be taken care of. So, because I know His heart is so big for His children, I am able to step forward with His command to, "Love one."

Since before I came to Liberia, I've been thinking about a challenge for myself, as well as anyone who would like to join me. In the Bible, Jesus tells us that, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look out for orphans and widows in distress and keep oneself from being polluted by the world." --(James 1:27) I think it's interesting that Jesus specified two kinds of people that he wanted us to help in particular. Of course He had a heart for all people, but I think he specified these two because they have especially fragile hearts. Orphans and widows can both feel abandoned and forgotten, and I think that is the last thing that God wants them to feel. So, the challenge is for everyone to have a genuine, constant relationship with one orphan and one widow. I know this sounds time consuming and it may be, but I think that God will smile if he sees His children taking time to care for these two special kind of people. And I also think that in the long run, we will gain so much more from getting to know them than they will from us. Even if it's just for an hour every week, take the time to show them they are loved and remembered. If you're having trouble finding someone to visit, try asking a pastor. They usually have a list of people within the church that are in need of some company! 

p.s. I'm having a hard time uploading pictures to the blogger website, but I'm trying my hardest to upload them to Facebook! Love you all!

Before we start our full-time work at the orphanage, we went to the beach for two nights to get to know each other, talk about what this summer would look like, and laugh a whole lot! Although I was hesitant to go at first (because I am so antsy to see the kids), I am so glad that we had those three days together. It made me so thankful to have the opportunity to spend four weeks with these incredible people. We are all so different, but everyone brings something to the table that adds so much to the group.

It was also such a blessing to have three days to just think about why I am here. It's amazing how much God can show you in the span of six days. My mind has been going a mile a minute. As I was sitting on a beautiful beach, surrounded by children climbing trees, it made me think about what I was really doing here in Liberia. What was it inside of me that made me want to come here? See, initially, when I think about a mission trip, or a third world country in general, the first thought that comes to my mind is, "Oh, I feel so bad for those people." However, sitting on that beach, seeing those laughing children, I realized that yes, there are so many things wrong in Liberia, but my goal should not be to make these people's lives just like mine. Yes, I have been so blessed. I have grown up with a nice house, a car, swimming pools, Christmas presents, and paved roads. And I have absolutely loved my life. But these people have a culture they love too. As I looked around, I realized that they are surrounded by some of the most beautiful land in the world, they appreciate people in a way that I have never seen before, and they have faith that is stronger than mine has ever been. My goal has always been to give these children my childhood, but I'm slowly realizing that's not what they need.

Yes, my heart breaks in two for kids that don't have the love of a family. That's why I'm here. Please don't mistake me for saying that these people don't need help. These kids need families. They need someone to show them what limitless love looks like. They need someone to feed, clothe, and protect them. I'm not down-playing the deep need in this country.  I'm just saying that I think sometimes it's easy for us to want to "Americanize" other cultures in our attempt to help them. These people don't need everything we have. They are content living simple. Yes, of course we need to make sure our brothers and sisters are fed and healthy and loved. But I do not feel bad that these people don't have iPhones, retirement plans, and the nicest cars available. I don't think any of those things are bad, but I just want us to remember that their way is different than ours, but just because it is different does not make it wrong. Whenever you're helping someone in any situation, it's easy to just want to take over and do things for people so that it gets done fast and our way, but who does that really help anyway? Whether in Africa, or teaching school in America, I think the best way to genuinely help others is to immerse yourself in THEIR world. It is so easy to do the opposite, but I think we will all find that people can teach us a lot of valuable lessons if we just take a minute to listen to their perspective instead of ours.

Well, I'm here! I can't believe that after a year of planning, I am finally sitting here next to my mosquito net typing out a blog post.

I wish so bad that I had an inspiring post to make everyone feel good, but the truth is, I'm a little overwhelmed myself right now! Not in a bad way; I'm not sad, and I'm so glad I'm here, but I just have a lot to think about at this point. If I've learned anything so far, it's that talking about doing this, and actually going, are two totally different things. I have read blogs for an entire year. I have been to fundraising dinners. I have talked to people that have been. I have thought about this trip and what life would be like for an entire year. But to really be here, in the middle of this poverty, is a completely different thing. To really know that I won't see my family for six weeks is hard. To be constantly (and I mean constantly!) hot is hard. To not have running water is hard. To not know what I'm eating all the time is hard. It's all a lot harder in reality.


Overall, I'm starting to understand that truly and deeply loving people is not always easy. It's so, so messy. I want to be here and I KNOW I'm supposed to be here for a specific reason, but it is not to say this is fun and games. This is hard. And half the time I want to sit in my Mom's lap and just cry my eyes out because it's so confusing. But I also know that there are millions of kids that want the same thing, and that's what keeps me going.


It also made me think about Jesus' life. He could have come and healed every disease with the snap of a finger. He could have come here, lived the high life, sat back and merely said, "Let every disease be healed." He could have healed every disease without touching anyone. He could have raised people from the dead without meeting any of their family. He could have changed the heart of a prostitute without hearing her story. But he never did that. Jesus made extremely long journeys by foot and did things that were not culturally acceptable in order to make relationships with these people. I think sometimes we forget how important relationships are. Jesus realized these people weren't just hurting. They had stories. They had pasts. They needed people to pray with them. To touch their hands. To hear their stories. To hug them without being afraid. To love them.


My prayer for me as I'm in Liberia, and for you wherever you are, is to truly and genuinely love the people we encounter. I am definitely a dreamer, and sometimes, that gets the best of me. When I start thinking about how much need there is in the world, it becomes so incredibly overwhelming. I don't have the ability to "fix" all the world's problems. It is not just a matter of handing food to someone. It isn't even a matter of giving people money. There is disease, and corrupt governments, and lack of education, and so much more that contributes to poverty. As much as I want to, I can't be the mom to 147 million orphans. But I can make a relationship with those that are put in my life. I can change the life of one, or maybe even a few. I can be there to show one child that they are unconditionally loved. I can feed one hungry belly. I can but a band-aid on one boo-boo. And I pray that eventually, when helping that one, that God will lead me to another. For you, that may mean praying with that man on the side of the road instead of passively giving him a crumpled five dollar bill. It may mean truly listening to your friend's problems instead of always turning the conversation back to your own. It may mean forgiving someone. Whatever it may be, in whatever part of the world, I pray that we all learn how to love deeper.

I haven't been to an orphanage yet, so later this week I will update with pictures and stories about the kids! Thank you so much for taking time to pray for me! I love all of you so much!

"Pray out loud, Haley."

"I don't like to pray out loud. I never make sense and right now I don't even know what to ask for."

"Please just do it. I want to hear your prayers so I know exactly what to ask for when I pray for you."

What an incredible testament to what God intended when he created friends. We don't always have the words to comfort, and we sure don't always have the words to fix it, but we do have the power to be there. To hold hands. To cry with. To ask questions that we're afraid to ask ourselves. To love through and through, no matter what. I thank God for friendships like this one, and I pray to be more like this friend every day. 

Thank you for showing me a little more of God's love every day. 

Less than one month and I'll be in Africa! I've never been so ready for something in my life.

This summer I will be interning with an organization called Orphan Relief and Rescue for about a month, and from there the Cartersville group will pick me up to go visit our precious babies with Orphan Aid Liberia. I will be a Child Development intern for Orphan Relief and Rescue, meaning that my job could entail anything from bathing babies to organizing Bible studies. No matter what task I am given each day, my number one reason for being in Liberia is to love these children with all of my heart. On my mission trip last summer, I'll never forget telling the children that God loves them unconditionally. As soon as those words left my mouth, I realized that those children have no concept of what unconditional love looks like. Who has ever loved them unconditionally? Who has ever been there from day one? Who has not abandoned them?

If nothing else this summer, if nothing else in my lifetime, I want these 147 million children to know that they are so, so loved. That, yes, maybe they had to endure the tragedy of being abandoned, but that they are so incredibly loved by a Father that knows every hair on their head. I want these kids to know the little joys of being loved. I want them to experience bedtime kisses and birthday parties. I want a Mommy there to kiss their boo-boos and a Daddy there to play airplane with them. I want these children to go to bed every single night knowing that when they wake up, they will have someone to love them in the morning.

As I've told people about my trip this summer, I've gotten the same question more than a few times. "Haley, why don't you save the money and help here in the United States?" I understand why people ask that. My own parents asked that same question before I took my first trip to Liberia. I do believe that there is so much to be done here. There is so much poverty, so much homelessness, so much hatred, and so much loneliness here in the United States. I believe that anything we can do at home to help our brothers and sisters is a great thing. But I would be lying to you if I told you that the children here were in the same kind of need as the children in Liberia. There are children in Africa commonly referred to as "street children." That means that they live on the streets with no parents and no home. They have no food. The water they drink is dirty, and therefore makes them extremely sick. They aren't provided any education. They have no laws that protect them against abuse. While there is need everywhere, I've never seen need like this. Jesus called us to love ALL of our brothers and sisters. He didn't just say to help the ones that were convenient to help. It would be a beautiful world if we all stopped deciding WHERE to help, and simply helped anywhere.

Finally, I want to address a question a friend recently asked me. She said, "Haley, do you think you're qualified to do this?" My answer to that question will always be no. I am convinced that I will never be spiritually "ready" for something like this. I will never be good enough. I will never be pure enough. I will never have read enough of the Bible. I will never pray as much as I should. I have done things that I would be so embarrassed for anyone to know about. For goodness sakes, I'm the girl that passes out at the sight of blood and has a phobia of vomit. I am an absolute wreck. But I do know that God uses horribly broken people. I do know that above all else, Jesus called us to love God and love others with everything we have. I do know that love is the greatest of all things, even when it asks for all of us. And I do know that God is asking me to do something. He is asking me to love His children. He is asking US to love His children.