A Thanksgiving to remember.

*side note, I thought I would have way more time to blog about the happenings of living in a children's home but alone time comes very infrequently and I'd like to apologize.  

The last few days I started to feel a little sorry for myself...which is pathetic.  This time last year I was eating street food Pad Thai in Thailand and looking forward to finally spending thanksgiving with my family the following year.  However through a turn of events and God leading me this way and that way here I am in Kenya and I am the ONLY American in sight.

I started feeling sorry for myself that I wouldn't be eating anything special, in fact I'd be eating the same Kenyan food I've been eating every day for three months, and that the last time I was with my family on this holiday, was when I was 17 years old! It's easy to get down on yourself but then God has an amazing way of reminding us of Truth.

This morning I woke and took a little extra time in getting ready, making myself look extra nice for a day that was simply another thursday in Kenya.  But after I spent the morning reading with several children and then wrapping all of their christmas gifts, I was alarmed to hear wailing coming from outside the home.  I rushed outside to see what the trouble was but ran into our director and 4 new little kids (for their sake I'm keeping their names private).  They had just arrived at the home and were getting out of the car when this little girl (about 4 years old) came rushing out and began running to the gate and screaming at the top of her lungs.  I immediately went to go and investigate.

There were two young boys who were obviously quite traumatized by the screaming and wailing.  One little boy was quite good at english and was able to communicate with me.  He was so sweet and introduced himself to me, and told me the names of the other kids.  I told him I was so glad he joined us and excited for him to meet all the other little boys.

The other little boy was virtually silent and did not understand any english or swahili, making it nearly impossible for us to communicate with him without using some kind of charades.

The two little girls were sisters and while one was already at the gate screaming and wailing the other stood back and was fighting back the tears.  I walked to her and rubbed her back and gave her a big smile telling her I was so happy to meet her. I told her my name and asked some questions about her, but again it was obvious that she did not understand english or swahili.  These two little girls were only about 4 and 5 years old but going through one the hardest challenges no child should ever have to go through.

After taking the kids to be introduced to the other children, our director later told us that the oldest boy (who spoke english) was the product of a rape.  His mother was raped at a young age and was so poor that she wasn't able to take care of him any longer.  Seeing such a confident happy boy coming from such a violent act is amazing and unimaginable in my mind.  But then again, God is bigger than sin.

The younger boy comes from an extremely poor family, the reason why he only knows his mother tongue and not Swahili or english.  He came to us because his aunt could no longer take care of him.  His father a few years ago murdered his mother and then committed suicide in front of him.  How can a child go on after seeing such acts of sin?  How does this kid have even a chance at a normal life? But then again, God is bigger than sin.

The two little girls' mother is a teenager.  Imagine a teenager having a 4 and 5 year old, not to mention we didn't even take their younger brother.  The mother is an orphan herself and was living with her aunt who had 6 of her own kids.  The mother and her 3 children were unfortunately a burden and they could not support all the kids.  So the mother decided to send her first two away so she could focus on finishing high school.  Can you imagine?  When I asked our director what was her reaction when he took the screaming little girls away from their mother he said she was more relieved than anything.  How can a teenager have three kids?  How are these little girls supposed to go on after being abandoned by their beloved mother?  But then again, God is bigger than sin.

My job now is to simply poor the love out on these kiddos.  All that I had been worried about earlier that day about spending this day with my family and eating turkey seems so pointless. God has blessed me with this opportunity to share my love and more importantly Christ's love with these kids.  I am brought to tears at the thankfulness I feel today.  These kids deserve so much more, but I will love them with all that Christ has given me.

At our evening devotion tonight I shared 2 Corinthians 4:15-16 which says:

 "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.  Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." 

I am not here in Kenya because of the money, the traveling, or even the experience.  I am here because I truly believe that by loving these kids God is glorified.  I told the kids that my prayer is that by God using me and the rest of our First Love staff that they would be overflowing with thanksgiving.  That not only I, but they would give all the glory to God, and even in those days when I'm tired and sick, my soul would be renewed daily and God would give me the strength to carry on.  

This is what I thought about today, as I had five little girls holding onto my hands arms, shirt, legs, this is the Truth that God has reminded me of today.  This is the Thanksgiving I will never forget. 

Girl's Dorm Transformation!

One thing that all the kids asked for was decoration in their dorms. They have these giant bare walls and because there are nearly 70 rowdy kids living at the home, frames and pricey art seemed like it was out of the question.  So I ventured onto a new adventure and decided to paint murals on the walls myself.  It's taken me a few weeks, trying to avoid painting while the kids are home.  But I've pretty much finished the girls dorm and am on to the boys.  Just wanted to show a little update of what I've been doing in my spare time.  The girls are absolutely in love with their new artwork!  

Quinter with their requested bunny friend.

Birds in the sky

They specifically requested a bunny

This was my first painting, the easy birch tree

Kendi and Grace showing off their tree and swing

Obviously they chose a nature theme, I hope to come back and add some more native Kenyan animals.

The Waterproof Nation Needs Your Help!

My heart remains in the Philippines and it breaks to see the suffering and devastation right now in my southeast home.  As my newsfeed and inbox fill with emails pleading for prayers and families searching to hear from their loved ones I am convicted to write this update in hopes that it will touch someone else's heart and give them an opportunity to help!  My good friend sent me this update just on Sunday morning from Manila:

Filipinos sometimes call themselves the Waterproof Nation. Typhoons are not uncommon but this one most definitely is. On record as the most extreme storm of its kind ever, Typhoon Yolanda has dramatically impacted the most vulnerable of this country - the fishermen with shack homes on the beach, the women and children taking refuge in evacuation centers that turned out to be inadequate, those too poor to stock up on necessities of food and drinking water before the storm hit.There is little information coming out of the central Philippines yet as cellphone towers are off-line and Internet access has been cut. The info we are getting is coming from satellite phones and military planes taking supplies down there. The number dead is projected to be more than 10,000 with thousands more injured and displaced. The video footage is horrific. So much suffering!Please pray with me. 

First Love has numerous missionaries working down in areas that were greatly affected by the storm.  First Love has already raised $12,000 that has been sent to our missionaries down there, but we are quickly realizing that this isn't nearly enough.  Our president, Tom Clinton, has sent out a new challenge of $25,000 to be raised in order to better help the people of the Philippines.  

This is where the money donated will go to...

We are going to focus most of our relief efforts with the needs of our missionaries,Dan & Tori Beaver, and their work with the poor on Boracay and Panay Islands.  Their pre-school for the Ati Tribe children on Panay was destroyed and their housing apartments for teachers was also severely damaged.  100's of poor residents of Boracay are currently staying in their 3 story ministry center and are in need of food, water, dry clothing, and a bed.  We will also try to help as many as possible with repairs to their homes.  We will also wire funds to our missionary teachers,Mary Olson and Lindsay Pund, who are teaching at Bethel Christian School in Tacloban so that they can assist those in need who they personally know.  I would also like to help Cleo Undheim's brother and his family who lost everything they own during the earthquake last month in Bohol and now they are even more distressed as this Typhoon has hit them.  Obviously, the more money we can raise the more people we can help.  I would like to "go deep" with our help of people, so that it is not just a one time gift of a small amount of food, but 3 months of a deeper commitment to assist as many as possible to get back on their feet over the long haul. 

After seeing so many typhoons in the Philippines already, I know how resilient these people are, and they will not let this beat them. It was always amazing to me to see a family, after losing everything in a storm, get up the next morning and start sweeping the dirt floor and cleaning the mess the storm had left.  Help us out by praying for these people, for the government and give to relief efforts.

Here is how you can give…. You may make out your check to First Love International Ministries and mail it to: PO Box 15836, Loves Park, IL 61132 and write: "Typhoon Relief" on the memo-line of your check or you can make a credit card donation if you wish by logging onto our website at:  www.firstloveinternational.com and clicking on the donate button. 100% of your gift will go directly to relief efforts.  Thank you!

Thanks much for your willingness to help our First Love missionaries in this time of great need! May God bless your efforts richly! 

The Devastation is much worse than we imagined!!!