Orphan Sunday

November 4, 2012

As Orphan Sunday is drawing near an end today, I cannot help but write about how this day has made such an impact on not only me, but my whole family. Four years ago, Gary Schneider, spoke at our church about the orphan crisis in Zambia and about his ministry Every Orphan’s Hope. God spoke directly to me at that moment, leading me to serve on my first mission trip. Although hesitant to serve in Zambia, I found that it’s difficult to resist God when you feel his push. Since that moment our lives have never been the same.

Many of you that are reading this have been instrumental in helping both Peter and I serve over in Zambia for the last three summers and through this experience we have been blessed more than we could ever imagine. We have grown to love the Lord in a way never anticipated and have found Every Orphan’s Hope to be a beacon of light to children who desire to know that they are loved by God.

As I look back over the last three years, one thing that has remained significant to us is sponsoring children that are in the orphan homes in Zambia. We have grown to love the children that we sponsor and with each visit we learn how important child sponsorship is to them. Each of these children knows what a gift they have through their sponsors as they are given a home whose cornerstone is that of Jesus Christ.

We didn’t realize how important this was until we experienced it firsthand by a young boy named Harrison. We had met Harrison in the summer of 2011 when Peter and I served together in the village of Chongwe. Upon coming home, we spoke with Peter’s parents and after prayerful consideration; they decided to become his sponsor. Every year, we would have the opportunity to see our own sponsor children as we served, and so we understood the excitement, but how could a child get excited about someone they had never met. It was through Harrison that we saw how important it was.

This past summer, Peter and I had many days we were able to spend with Harrison. He didn’t realize that he was being sponsored by Peter’s parents. On the day that we had a celebration day with all the children in our homes, we were able to give Harrison gifts that were sent over by them. Although the gifts were greatly appreciated, there was something else that was received with great joy. Peter’s mom had handwritten him a letter and enclosed a picture of her and Peter’s father. When Harrison saw the picture it was then that he lit up. With great joy he took that photo around to anyone who would look and say “This is my sponsor!” Harrison has a contagious smile, but at that moment I feel in love with him in a way I never expected. Here are two individuals that he will probably never meet, but yet they have made a significant impact on his life. He will always know that someone all the way across the world loves him enough to provide for him. I can’t even begin to express the joy in his heart at that moment.

So why do I share this? I find moments in my life where God just pushes me to a point that I cannot hold back any longer. Every Orphan’s Hope is doing amazing work in Zambia and each year I serve and the more I learn about the ministry I firmly believe that God’s hand is upon the administration here in the states and in Zambia. Their sponsorship program is like no other. You not only can sponsor a child, but can also have a personal relationship with that child through various avenues, whether it be letters, facebook, or even serving on a mission trip to meet them one day. Their model is simple based on the scripture James 1:27. For $27 a month you can change the life on 1 child by giving them a home, food, clothing, school and above all a love for the Lord.

So each year we have thanked each of you immensely for committing to Peter and I as we have traveled to Zambia to serve orphans with this organization. Every time we return, we prayerfully consider whether God will lead us back to Zambia the following year and although we are patiently waiting to hear from the Lord as to when we will return again, we know that Zambia has become a second home to us with children that have begun to know us a Uncle Peter and Auntie Cheryl.

This year I approach you with a different commitment to our mission in Zambia. In place of sponsoring us for an upcoming mission trip, I pray you will consider making a difference in the life of a child and sponsor them.

To learn more about child sponsorship, please visit Every Orphan’s Hope http://everyorphan.org/ or you can also contact their sponsorship coordinator, Michelle Jackson (michelle@everyorphan.org).

In Him,

Cheryl

Harrison showing that picture saying "This is my sponsor!"

Christmas Rice

During this time of Christmas, it is easy to lose sight of the “Meaning of Christmas”. Our family has slowly moved out of the materialism of the holiday, it’s not easy with a 4 & 5 year old who want every item they see in the commercials, but over the last 3 years the Lord has become the focus of the holiday. But slowing down, well that’s another thing. There always seems to be somewhere that we need to go, another activity right around the corner.

As we are completing Alyson’s 2^nd quarter of home school, she had a Christmas program to perform along with the other elementary students. God moves in strange ways. There was a small portion that the kindergarteners participated in, they were angels and shepherds and at the end of the program they set gifts before the baby Jesus. These gifts were rice bowls. The assistant school that she attends had the older children collect money for an organization (ricebowls.org) to help feed orphans throughout the world. At the end of the program, Alyson is anxious and wants a rice bowl of her own. She wants to go out and collect money to help feed orphans. This is not a new thing for our family, or even Alyson. This is where our heart is, and where God has spoken us to serve. Over the last two years Alyson has been very inquisitive about why I go to Africa in the summer and what I do over there. I recall the first year I went. When I came home, she was looking through all my pictures, then looked up at me and said, “Mommy, if you need to go back to Africa again, it’s ok, because I want you to be able to help these children and I know now you will come home.” That blew me away, weeks before my departure she had been in tears, asking why I had to leave. This from a four year old! Well, now close to 6, she has gotten more serious, asking when she can go and help too. We even had the pleasure of seeing the Ugandan Orphan Choir sing at the beginning of this month, and she wanted to choose her own sponsor child. It was hard to explain to her that we already sponsor four children in Zambia and right now that is where our heart is. She listened as patiently as she could to my explanation, thought for a moment and simply responded; “Ok, well when we help all the orphans in Zambia then can we go to Uganda and help them too.” What was I to say? Of course I said yes.

So this isn’t something new, but we do try to let our girls find their own way to serve the Lord. This rice bowl took me a bit by surprise, but I guess it shouldn’t have. We asked around to see if there was any way we could get one, but they were all full. We just decided to go to the website and do it ourselves. No big deal. Life does have a way of distracting you when you get home though. Sadly, we lost track of her desire as the weekend continued. (I should just state that this was the same night we came home and found our dog unable to stand any longer and the next morning we had to put him to sleep, but I know myself, I would have still forgotten about it; it was the weekend of course and Christmas was just around the corner.)

Have I said God works in strange ways? I always love how when he lays something on one heart, he also does it on another. When she returned to school on Tuesday, she came home as normal. We talked about the day, had a snack and just planned for dinner. As I started unpacking her school bag, I looked inside and there it was. One of the teachers had found her an empty rice bowl! I was so excited for her. “Alyson, you didn’t tell me you got an empty rice bowl?” At which she became excited and said, “OH! Can I go out right now and collect change?” I knew she had to return in on Thursday. She decided to ask our neighbors in our small cul-de-sac for spare change. Very independently she practiced what she needed to say “I’m collecting spare change to feed orphans throughout the world with ricebowls.org; can you help?” She was so cute. But then to my surprise she firmly stated that she wanted to go by herself. With much compromising, I was at least allowed to sit on the sidewalk in front of our house and watch her through the neighborhood.

Peter and I decided to home school for one important reason, we wanted a focus on our girls to learn to serve the Lord. Although this is not a fit for everyone, it was the best means for our family. I question this decision occasionally, mostly because I would like the time to myself, but still there are moments. Well, this moment was one that reconfirmed our decision. As I watched her walk to each door, my eyes filled with tears. Not because she was being independent, or that she learned a sweet little phrase. What I see in her is a child that is growing to see the need of other children in the world. Those who are vulnerable and in need of everyone’s help. She is taking her own initiative and going out to tell others that there are children that need food, shelter, and education; basic needs we are so blessed to have here. She may not be saying it that way, but she’s only 5. Can you imagine the young woman she will become as she continues to grow in the Lord? (Really, we can’t get her to keep her opinions to herself much now, so look out.) She is growing a servant heart. What a blessing! This is something that as adults I believe we all struggle with. All the shiny things keep us distracted, the treadmill of life keeps us moving, but this young girl in the midst of the shiny lights of Christmas took a moment to serve the less fortunate, to serve the Lord.  Isn’t that what we are all called to do?

I pray that as Christmas approaches, we all can find a way to serve the less fortunate during this time of need and,as Alyson has shown me, that we all grow in faith as seen through a child’s eyes.

Open Your Eyes

 I’m always amazed when God moves me to the next step; especially since I never see it coming. Kind of like a huge truck that hits you square and knocks you off balance. I looked in the mirror and opened my eyes and saw James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (emphasis mine)

I get it today. I know to some of you that may be surprising. Two years ago I was spoken into motion to become involved with Every Orphan’s Hope and James 1:27 is the cornerstone of the organization. Surprisingly, I truly didn’t get it until last night!!!  I was humbled by the Lord.

I’ve seen the need, I’ve been moved and brokenhearted beyond what I could imagine, but last night my heart broke again in another way. The orphan crisis is huge! I’ve been focused solely on Africa; Zambia to be exact. How wrong I was. My heart is for Zambia, but it was amazing how much I still hadn’t changed. Wanting others to have a heart for Zambia and Every Orphan’s Hope, I still want that, but James 1:27 didn’t say Zambia only, it says orphans and widows. That’s worldwide. I know this isn’t shocking, but I was still closing my eyes to other areas. It’s impossible now. The number continues to grow, now at 163 million.

Two weeks ago I found myself going to a Together 4 Orphans conference in Arizona. Ok, so sitting there with like minded individuals all aware of the orphan crisis and I still didn’t get it. I received a book while at the conference, No Longer a Slumdog written by K.P. Yohannan. My Kindle decided to stop working last night, so I looked for a quick substitute (yes, I succumbed to the electronic book a year ago). Reading about the children in India just broke me. Starvation, child labor, human trafficking; I had no idea….well that’s not true. I knew, but I was still changing the channel so to speak. Only concerned with my corner of the world; not wanting to see the whole 163 million, just my 1 million in Zambia. My heart hurt, my eyes opened and James 1:27 flooded into my soul. It is so much more.

As Peter and I spoke about how God humbled me, he shared how he was also amazed at the number. We’ve been working together for a video on Orphan Sunday (Nov. 6) and what he says still lingers in my mind. “It stuns me that even though as a world we are more civilized, this crisis is still growing. You would think that the number would get smaller, but it’s growing larger every year. I don’t get it.”

Our eyes are open…and our hearts break. It’s not enough to just sit here comfortable in my home when children are suffering like this. The number is huge, I agree. But Jesus didn’t worry about the crowds, on the contrary, when the crowds got too big, he would always say something that would make them question why they were following him and they would desert him. He had 12 men that he truly gave his message to. Twelve men, that’s all he needed.

I think of the starfish story often when I see the large number. Here is the quick summary for those of you who have never heard it. “A man was walking along the shore, watching the tide wash in the starfish. Seeing the number he knew that when the morning sun came, the starfish would all dry up and expire. As he walked along, he saw a young man picking up the starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. He came up to the young man and said, ‘Why bother? You can’t save them all? What difference are you making?’ The young man replied as he threw one back in, ‘I made a difference to that one.’”

Peter and I know we can’t save all 163 million, but we can do more than what we are doing now. Sponsoring one child is no longer enough for us. We have been blessed by the Lord abundantly, and as I look at my breakfast, lunch and dinner every day; I know there are children that will have nothing to eat today. So I can make a difference to a few more and give up a latte, my fine manicured nails, the gym membership that I’m not even using because I can’t find time….we waste money on so many little, unimportant things…our time has come to scale down again and see where we can make the difference in that one, and may that one, and even a few more…..

Orphan Sunday is Nov 6, if you would like more information on how to help children throughout the world let me know. I can probably point you in the right direction based on the country you are looking at, even if it is just right here at home.

“I’ve seen miracles just happen, silent prayers get answered, broken hearts become brand new,
that’s what faith can do”….Kutless “What Faith Can Do”

Not this time...

My first year to serve the Lord through Every Orphan's Hope was an amazing moment for my journey to my Papa. Some of you were with me on that journey, whether in spirit or physically, and the gift of the sweet children that I was allowed to minister to has touched my heart daily. I can close my eyes when I hear the song Amazing Grace and feel little Grace on my lap again, holding her in my arms, singing it just to her as I did over a year ago after she accepted Christ. That moment of pure peace and love in the Lord was one I will always cherish. Or my sweet Daliso, my tough man. Came in with a pain that was never uncovered but by the end of camp ran after the bus, blowing kisses to me and smiling as I'm in tears. (I will have to share Daliso's story in another post, because he will always symbolize Camp Hope to me.)

So returning to Zambia for 2011, I had my cherished memories tucked away but hoped that I might just see a glimpse of them. I have to say I couldn't help it; as we drove down the road I would watch the streets; hoping to see one if my sweet children from the year before. Looking anxiously...but not once did I see them.

I convince myself it's ok; we will be at Deliverance Church on Sunday and I KNOW Michael goes to that church. I have an over active imagination, so of course I envision that I will see Michael, we will hug and then of course the next Sunday Michael will have shared with the others in the group I am there; he's friends with Daliso so of course I will then see him before I leave. Clinging to this image in my head I can't help but look through the children's faces in Deliverance before the service. Please just one face I recognize Lord, just one.

God speaks clearest to me when I am disobedient and there is never a question in my mind it is Him. All he said was "Not this time". If you know me well, you know I really didn't listen the first time; I try to focus on the message, but still look at the children's faces. Papa definitely let's me know it then...Focus, Not This Time...now Stop and Serve how I have called you. 

He reminds me often through this trip while I am looking for my sweet faces in the road and longing to hug them and make sure that they are ok that these children accepted Him in their hearts when I was there. He reminds me that they are not mine; but His and I need to let go. I recall a dream that I had one night where I had passed and my sweet ones were with the Lord waiting for me; I remember awakening with a smile on my face. I told them on the last day I saw them that I would see them again "One Day"; they are His and I must rest in this. This is not for me to have...I am here to serve in another way....so I let go and find my joy through others. The next Sunday at Deliverance Church, I didn't look; I was with my Lord, my Papa; focused on His Word; preparing my heart to return home the next day. Leaving the service it happens; Diana saw one of her children from last year...hugging each other I found my joy in her.

I pray for them daily. Prayers for Charity who was 11 and had already lost her dad and was now not only caring for her sick mom but also baby sister and trying to go to school. Prayers for Daliso that he will always see the Lord's presence as he did that week and will continue to cling to him. For Robert who already loved the Lord and was growing in Him and now just wanted to be able to go to school again. Prayers for Grace who had lost her mom and just needed to feel love. Prayers for my two Agnes'; Naomi, Regina, Jivison, Michael, Emmanuel, & Nivwa...They are His and I will wait for that One Day the Lord promises us all.

Brokenness becomes Passion

I want to preface this blog that we were truly blessed by having a nurse as one of our short-term missionaries. So as this is read; please keep in mind that these are/were my thoughts during this time period and at no time was I unappreciative that God enabled us to serve these children medically; but this is just raw Cheryl....

Those of you that know me well, to say I am a type A personality would be a mild understatement; I can actually micromanage to a point of annoyance. So it should be no surprise that in the midst of chaos I will try to control anything that is available to me.

On the third day of Camp Hope the only thing I could control around me was inventory.  Everything was good; first day went smoothly with registration,  a few minor issues but they were workable; it was the sight of the medical issues with the children. I know that this present last year too; but we just didn't see it. So seeing sores covering children's bodies, injuries that would have had no help; hearing about children coughing or urinating blood; it was becoming too much for me to bear. I did what I do best; isolate myself and try to not feel it. Organize my internal chaos; try to push through and in acknowledge it but not feel it. I hate showing my feelings; it's a trust issue; I know this and am opening with every encounter with my Papa; but it's a process. Do you notice through this that I'm doing what I was supposed to; I knew when I left I needed to FROG it (Fully Rely on God). I knew it; but this day I didn't even let Him in. Even when others tried to focus me with prayers, I wouldn't give this pain to God. I fell back on my old self; the one that solved independently because no one else can understand. The lesson comes quickly this day....

It's inevitable that Papa always pulls me back to let me know that I can't fix it. I have no control over anything. I actually am glad to have grown to this point in my relationship with Him; at least I acknowledge He is in control.

The day just seems to be getting out of control medically. It seems there is an issue everywhere that we truly cannot fix. Short-term, yes, we can fix this; but long-term my head and heart are screaming all we can do is give them Jesus; but I don't know how to say this with compassion so I continue to either be blunt with others and slowly try not to feel it. I actually started to hide in the fact that all we can give them is Jesus; because I don't want to see it anymore. Then Mama comes (Mama is Margaret, our EOH Zambian Director); she has just visited with a child about the sores on her feet with only the intention of giving her flipflops...she looks at me with sorrow in her face, hugs me and says "she has been defiled by a family member". I can't ignore anymore; I'm broken....

How can you fix this??? You can't; it's happened and it happens often. How do you reconcile it? I couldn't; do you notice that "I"; but He can.

The hard thing about leading the group is when you are there; it's hard to process. You truly have to FROG to sustain. You want to be mad; you want to stop; but you are still there to serve others; so how do you continue? We all have to do this, whether you lead or not; take a mini break; process quickly and then come back to relying on God so you can share the hope that Jesus brings.

Coming home that was hard to accept. I know that it is only through the Lord that we are healed. I've seen it in my own family; but somethings just break you. Then Satan uses it against you. Makes you question what you doing; is it worth it....a week ago my answer to that would be I don't know....but I have some amazing people that surround me who truly love the Lord and help me come back. Starting with my husband who knows me so well at how I will close myself off and shut down; who knows when to say enough and guide me back to the Lord.

So I've laid it at His feet; brokenness becomes passion again. I'm amazed at how the Lord can take something truly horrible and move us into a stronger sense of urgency to share Jesus with others. I fell in love with Every Orphan's Hope last year. The Lord moved me quickly to have a servant heart for this organization; and through this brokenness; He also strengthened my love for Him and what He is doing in Zambia through EOH.

I have wrapped myself in prayer and trust in the Lord; His plans are perfect and who am I to question. One day these broken "Memory's" will be with the Lord; there will be no more pain; no more sorrow only joy in being In Him. We can give a glimpse of this now; this hope that He gives daily through faith as long as we stay on path and don't let the sin of this world defeat us. So FROG!!!!

Grocery Bags

Made my first trip by myself to the grocery store yesterday and thankfully it was just Sprouts Farmers Market; I wasn't overwhelmed with Nabisco or General Mills. Everything was fine, bought groceries, came home and put everything away. Then I did what I would have normally done, took the plastic grocery bags, crumbled them up and got ready to put them in the garbage....looked down and I didn't see grocery bags, I saw a soccer ball. Tears filled my eyes and I felt so wasteful; my heart just broke.

In Zambia children use plastic bags for numerous things, some use them as kites, but what I've seen more often is them used as soccer balls. That's right, they take the plastic grocery bags and keep wrapping and tying them around each other to make a soccer ball. I look around my home and see all the different types of balls my girls have: softballs, baseballs, bouncy balls, giant beach balls, etc....need I go on. For what, they only have two hands; half the time they don't even play with them...

Last year I went through this, so my disgust with my personal wastefulness is not new. It is just expanding. We are so inundated by things...we confuse our needs with our wants. Actually, we don't even say "I want" we say "I need"...do you???? I mean really do you need that? At least be honest and say I want.

I know that Zambia has distractions there too; they're just different. God is present as long as I remain in Him; the moment I try to do it myself and become too independent I lose my focus. As much as I complain that He stretches me; it is never too far but just enough to realize that even a plastic grocery bag can bring me to tears. I pray I allow Him to continue to stretch me daily.

64% Raised

What a blessing this weekend has been. Peter and I are 64% raised, so that's only $2800 left to go. We are so excited. We only have 35 days left to fund raise and 80 days before we leave. I can't believe we will be boarding an airplane together that soon to go on our first trip without children together.

Ok, now that seems sort of funny. We've been together for 16 years and we've never been on any trip/vacation just the two of us and the first one we are sharing without children is to share the love of Christ with the orphans in Zambia. That just makes it even more special.

It seems like everything is right around the corner. Our two interns, Kate & Courtney Joy will be leaving next Tuesday for Zambia and will be over there for a little over 60 days. How exciting for them. I can't have a small pull of jealousy as they will be spending all that extra time with the My Father's House children, but what an adventure for them. If you would like to follow their journey, please look at their blogs as they will be blogging while they are over there.
http://www.courtneybissell.blogspot.com/

http://katecolwill.blogspot.com/

They have been such a blessing and I know they will do great work over there!!!