They Get It

Evelea turned ten last week. For her party, she decided to invite her friends to a packing session at Feed My Starving Children. Together with the other volunteers, they packed enough meals to feed 30 children for a whole year. Amazing!

When I tucked Evelea in bed that night, she said, "Mommy, I get it, I think we live so we can help others live". We proceeded to have an incredible discussion about her plans to spread this message to her world. I LOVE this girl. I am amazed, and yet not, because I know her life is fully surrendered to Christ and that is what happens with a fully surrendered heart.

I have no words to express how I felt watching Therese enthusiastically pack meals that will feed children who are desperate, just like she once was. It was holy ground. Holy.

EASY Activism

Did you know that Starbucks offers a re-loadable gift card that every time you use it, 5 Cents goes to the Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa?

Now, of course it would be better to forgo your latte and just donate that $4 directly to a cause that fights AIDS, but let's face it, we all crave a latte once in awhile. Plus, when you register your gift card online, you get free soy milk and/or flavor shots when you order your beverage- how cool is that?

Engage promo

Lifesong Update

William from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

Six year-old William once asked his mother, “Why do other children walk on the bottoms of their feet? Why am I like this? What did you do to me?” When she told him that it was God who did it, not her, William said, “Then please tell God to fix me.”
William was born with clubfoot, affecting both of his feet.  If William had been born in America this common deformity would have been easily fixed when he was still a baby.  But in Zambia it’s a different story.  In Zambia, where the resources are few and the funds are even fewer, healing is only a distant dream.

Last February Lifesong Zambia coordinator, Dru Smith wrote about William in her newsletter.  When Wendy in Illinois heard his story she was prompted to act.  After a thorough investigation she discovered CURE Clubfoot International, which had a clinic in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia!  In April William was fitted for casts (first in a series of 3) and then had corrective surgery on his right foot in June and his left foot in September (the video was taken in September just before his second surgery).
God used His people to “fix” William.  Today William can walk!  Soon he will be strong enough to return to school, play with the other children, and be able to do many of the simple tasks we take for granted!

Through this journey the Lifesong staff has been able to help not only William, but his family as well.  William’s brother, Bright, and cousin, Gift, have both been enrolled at Lifesong school.  In addition his father, Victor, who was unemployeed now works in the Lifesong gardens!  We’re so thankful our God is the master at doing “abundantly and immeasurably more” than we even think to ask!

*Find out more about Blogging for Orphans here.

Therese's Homecoming Video

Here is a video that the Beacon News photographer, Brian Powers, made of our family's adoption "homecoming story":

From Africa to Aurora from Brian Powers on Vimeo.

Long Day

Well, Therese's 2 hour MRI lasted more like 3 1/2 hours. This caused a little anxiety on our part, but everything is looking good. We have the report back on her brain and everything is normal there- phew! We don't have the heart report yet, but we didn't plan on that. She is VERY tired and really has not been awake more than 5 minutes straight all day. She had general anesthetic and it has really wiped her out. The anesthetic, plus the anxiety leading up to the test, plus four days of school, plus only having been America 3.5 weeks, have finally taken their toll.

We got home around 4pm and had our 30 post-placement adoption visit at 4:30pm- yikes! We're all a bit tired and glad to be done for the day. Definitely a video night tonight!

And a special thanks to Mimi who watched Ev and Sitota and Carter ALL DAY. I know she's glad to be home tonight! What a Super Mim!

Prayer Needed

This Friday, Therese will have a 2-hour sedated MRI. During this MRI, they will be looking at her heart, to determine the course for surgery, and the blood vessels in her brain, to check for damage caused by the high blood pressure going to her brain all these years.

This weekend we were visited by new friends who knew Therese in Burkina Faso. One of the women is Burkinabe and was able to explain the procedure to Therese in French. Isn't that a blessing?! Plus, this friend shares a special connection to Therese because she herself has had multiple heart surgeries. Isn't God good to give us new friends at exactly the right time?

I'll post an update on Friday as soon as I can.

Adoption High

Wow- where to start?

I have been on a major adoption high the past month. If you thought I was psyched about the significance of adoption before, I am over the top now!

Therese is AMAZING. We love her with our whole hearts. She has added a whole new element of laughter and joy and dance and song into our family. There is NOTHING like hearing the sound of that girl singing her heart out or laughing her huge laugh. Or reminding us to pray that Jesus would be with her friends in Burkina Faso (we don't forget, but she makes sure). Or seeing her face when she received her new lunch box. Or excitedly yell "come!" to the squirrel in our backyard. Or fill her cup with as many ice cubes as her heart desires. Or luxuriate in the bath or shower multiple times a day. Or ask me for a kiss on the just so spot on the bridge of her forehead.

Adoption is supposed to be hard. It is suppose to be even harder if the child is "older". Call it a "honeymoon" if you must. But I know God has done something amazing here. This child is PRECIOUS in His sight and He is covering her and our family.

Therese started school this Monday and it has been precious. She is in the same class as Evelea and they sit next to each other. Evelea astounds me once again with her maturity and joy in helping her sister adjust. Her teacher is an amazing man. He has fully and joyfully embraced the challenge of incorporating Therese into his class. He even wrote a note to Evelea to let her know he was proud of her and the way she is helping guide her sister. Another student brought in a French/English dictionary from the library so she could talk to Therese. I have gone to the school each day to each lunch with my girls and check in on Therese. I am thrilled with the sweetness of these students who have a special place in their hearts for Therese and want to help her. I pity the child who got Therese "out" in dodge ball- the other children were mortified that anyone would get her "out", but Therese loved it!

My heart is overflowing with love for my children. God is gracing us in ways I don't understand. I am SO grateful. So grateful.

Adoption Flick

This adoption themed movie will be shown on Fox at 7pm CST this Saturday night. I don't want to miss this!

2:30 Change Of Plans Trailer from Moms4FamilyTV.com on Vimeo.