Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Saturday, July 7, 2012
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
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."
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.
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."
Monday, June 11, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
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."
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."
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
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.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
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!
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!
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