Valdez Vacation

O.K., for all those who are wondering where I went:

Alaskan Adventures

is "our" blog of all the crazy stuff we do up here in Alaska.

I have taken 10 days off work to come out and stay with my hubby while he works out here in Valdez (a 9 hour trip by car).  I am trying to make his stay easier and more fun, so if you'd like to see what I'm up to, check it out there.  To be honest, I don't have anything all that deep to say, I'm just enjoying being a part of God's creation that is absolutely breathtaking!

Lucky 13!

Isaiah is my 13th N&N, and I happen to find that a very happy number!  

If you'd like to see more of their Ethiopian journey, click here!

I think this is my most favorite picture!  

He likes to read in bed.  Of course we're related!

Beautiful family!  Can't wait til it's a full family portrait!

And seriously; how precious is this?  

I've had the amazing opportunity to see two sisters adopt and choose two of my nephews.  It has been so surreal for me to watch.  I wonder why more people don't adopt.  I know the reasons why more people don't, but for all those reasons, Jesus answers. 

 You might ask me why I don't: a valid question if I pose it so blatantly.  All I can say is that God hasn't put it on our hearts to have children, instead we want to do the most we can for as many as we can through our "five loaves and two fish."   Is it enough?  Well, are there still orphans?  We want to do more and I know we will, and what we do can be exponentially increased by the Spirit.  Won't you join us?

Six Hundred

This is a post from Ali's African Adventures - a link is on the right as well as a button.  This broke my heart and I hope it does the same to yours.

Tuesday, August 3. 2010

six hundred

Update #1 (4 August, 12:30 Africa time) : 102 of the names on the pink sheets have been e-mailed out across the world, and people are starting to pray.



We laid them out on empty stretchers in the recovery room. Six hundred pink sheets, filled with information we had gathered at screenings throughout the outreach. From all over Togo they came to us, and we sat with them, learned their names, recorded their pain, filed their stories in a desk drawer and asked them to wait for their healing.

Six hundred pink sheets.

They were the ones we turned away. The ones who were too sick or not sick enough. The ones who missed their surgery dates and couldn't be rescheduled because there were hundreds more to take their places. The ones we tried to call but couldn't reach.

Six hundred of them, and when I looked at all the pages strewn across the room I wanted to scream.

Because they've always been there. They're in every country we visit, but we've never seen them before, never made it to their villages to peer into the darkness of their little mud huts and bring them into the light. And this time we did, this time we drove to meet them and we said we'd call if we could help and then we never did.

Instead we laid them all out in an empty room and we did the only thing left to us. We prayed. We didn't finish today; there were too many, so we're going to do it again tomorrow. We prayed over each one of them. Over Yema, the little boy who just turned one in July, too small for his cleft lip to be fixed but probably not getting enough to eat at home because of it. Over Maka, eight years old with a left arm that can't straighten and fingers crippled from the burns he suffered when he was two. Over Abel, a young man with a hernia the size of a football who we tried to call and who never picked up his phone and so his paper was moved to the back of the pile again.

Over Yema and Maka and Abel and hundreds more, lives reduced to words on a sheet of pink papers. A pile of cleft lips. Important,more often than not checked on the bottom of the forms, no, no, no scrawled across the tops when we realized that time had run out. A handful of tumors, all marked positive for HIV and turned away because in the time it would have taken for them to get their CD4 counts done, we would have found five more to replace each one of them.

I cried this afternoon. Frustrated, angry tears, and I don't think I've ever been so aware of the scope of the need here in West Africa. By the end of an outreach, we usually have a few pink sheets left in the drawer in the OR office, lumps and bumps that didn't quite make it into the surgery schedule but weren't going to mean the difference between life and death. This time we found the forgotten, called out to the ones who've never heard the voice of hope and then we turned away because the time was too short and there were too many of them.

Six hundred pink sheets. Hundreds and thousands more sleeping on dirt floors tonight, nursing their pain and their fears as we get ready to sail away.

Pray with us. Please pray with us.

If you'd like to pray specifically for a patient, let me know in a comment or an e-mail, and I'll head down to the office and choose one or five or twenty names for you. If it's children who touch your heart, I'll find you a child to pray for. If you're drawn to those who have suffered burns, there's a whole pile of them. There are mamas and papas, old men and little girls, and they have all been told no.

Wouldn't it be incredible if we could find six hundred people willing to pray for these six hundred?

Please pray with us.

Awesome August!

This week has already been an incredible week!

If you read the previous post, my sister and her husband are in Ethiopia meeting their new son!  It's been an incredible experience so far for them and if you'd like to know more details they are on her blog here.  I've felt so excited for them and a bit bewildered at this entire experience!  I'm so thankful for modern technology, even though it's tough to connect with the even the phones there.

I read a different blog a while back that shared a very special perspective about how their 2-trip requirement emulates Jesus.  In this first trip, Isaiah has now seen the people who have chosen him to be their son.  As adoption is so close to God's heart, this is a perfect example of how God has chosen us to be His children.  Just as in adoption, the ages can vary of when we get to join this perfect family, and it never matters to our Father.  He want's us all, no matter how old we are!  Right now and for the rest of the week, my sister and her husband will be investing a little bit more each day into their son, just as Jesus did for us during His time on this earth.  They will have to say good-bye, but they will promise that they will come back for him to take him home with them - permanently!  Jesus said the same thing!  Isn't this just perfect?!  Fortunately, my little nephew will not have to wait long, possibly 4-6 weeks, before they return to bring him home.  I think our time perspective when Jesus returns will be similarly short!  For a much sweeter rendition of these thoughts from the original author, click here!

So, as we all wait for this special time to come, I am constantly in prayer for my sister and her husband and her 3 kiddo's who are waiting for them to return home.  I'm calling her everyday to get their updates and keep everyone else informed and praying!  I'm so glad that they are not only going to be able to spend more time with their son, but also meet another friend's little boy!  Her friend B just got their referral and got in touch with them to share the news!  What an amazing opportunity to love on another little boy!

This has been an exciting week so far, and it will only get better since my beloved who has been gone for 2.5 weeks, will be home on Thursday!  Three weeks is a long time to be separated, especially knowing it will happen again.  I'm praying already that our week together will be sweet, long, and fun!  Knowing my husband, it will definitely be fun!  I miss him!  I'm beginning to really love August!

Part of my Heart is in Africa Right Now!

The star is where my sister and my brother-in-law are likely just getting up "tomorrow" morning!  It is so absolutely incredible to comprehend.

Several years ago I went to spend a week watching their 3 kids while they took a trip to Jamaica for their 10th anniversary.  It was a very special time!  I remember her telling me later that they had talked, ever so briefly, about adopting some day.  (I think this was when, so if I'm wrong, I apologize!)  I remember my sis saying something about a little girl from Guatemala, but her husband said that he thought it would be a little boy from Africa!  I remember thinking that it sounded a bit far fetched, but as they weren't serious about it, it was just a "huh!" moment!

And now here they are: in Africa getting ready to meet their little boy on Sunday (Saturday night for us)!  I had no idea my brother-in-law had the gift of prophecy!  O.K., that may have only happened as a special gifting for the moment, but I'll probably think hard about any predictions he'll make from now on!

Probably like many people, my sister and I weren't exactly "kindred spirits" as we were growing up.  She was a fairly typical oldest child and I was certainly a second.  I didn't have very much in common with her, it seemed, until we got older and realized how much we truly do.  Mostly we just discovered that we like each other and our differences and have grown to appreciate what God is doing in each others' lives.  Actually, I absolutely adore my sister!  She has shown me love and forgiveness more than any one person in my life.  God has blessed me immensely by putting us together and I'm so grateful that I can come along on her spiritual shirt-tales!

I'm also so incredibly fond of my brother-in-law!  He's a definite tough guy, but I'll never forget how he waited for my sis to figure out that he was the "one!"  We all knew, of course.  I have been so impressed at how he has led in his relationship with my sister.  He takes such wonderful care of her.  He is a pretty cool dad, too!  Watching him with his little girls is so precious and it cracks me up how boys and their dads can be!  He's taught his children well.

I would do just about anything for these two people.  I wish I could do more; be there more; give more.  They are two ordinary people who have let the Extraordinary God show through them.  They are an example of what I want to be.  For the next week, these two are moving forward on bringing my nephew home, even if it won't conclude for another 6-8 weeks.  So, for now, I am praying that their trip is smooth, they will be well-rested, and they have wonderful visits with their son in his home country.  It won't be long until they can bring him home, but til then, we all have a little of our heart in Ethiopia!

THE HOLE IN OUR GOSPEL by Richard Stearns * Book Review

The Hole in Our Gospel: The answer that changed my life and might just change the world by Richard Stearns, President of World Vision International, U.S. explores the concept that there is something missing in our "Americanized" Gospel.  He suggests that as a whole, the American Christians have, perhaps in their zeal, left out the social revolution part of the Good News that Jesus brought.  Throughout the book, Richard brings out the statistical references that should make all who proclaim to be followers of Christ fall on our faces in shame.  Fortunately, he also shares in his own struggles to live out what he knows to be the "Whole Gospel" and in doing, encourages us all to to take a second look at what it is we profess and how we live out our faith.  Do we embrace the whole gospel that Jesus proclaimed, and if we would, how radically would it change our world?  Instead of letting others outside the church lead in social revolutions, we ought to be like Jesus and be the leaders!

This book was extremely wonderful and terrible to read.  My passions are ignited, and to that I am excited!  I am also heart-broken and horrified to not just read statistics, but to hear stories of how "we" are dropping the ball on so many of our brethren.  I never felt that Richard was trying to "guilt-trip" anyone into doing more or giving more; instead he had an encouraging style where you felt caught up in his passion and excitement to become involved.  Because his story includes so much of the World Vision organization, there is a lot of reference to them, but again, no pressure to choose them exclusively with which to invest.  I felt as though he was trying to open the eyes of those who simply do not realize the extent of what is going on in our world and to "spur one another on toward love and good deeds."  (Hebrews 10:24)

I would recommend this book to anyone who claimed to be a Christian, and even those who do not.  It is an eye-opening book to the struggles of the poor and the effects of non-action, both real and perceived.  In a culture who's greatest goals seem to be to take care of our "own," and to simply walk by, Mr. Stearns reminds us of who our neighbors really are, and what we do or don't do reveals who we are as well.

*This book was provided to me at no cost by Thomas Nelson Publishers for the purpose of reviewing.  All thoughts are solely my own and I receive no benefits for positive reviews.

I Can Do It - BY MYSELF!

It seems I am a toddler at heart.

I can do it all by myself!

For the past 8 years or so, my fabulous husband has been on a mission to get me to a higher plane of self-sufficiency.  He has enabled me to see past the perceived need of tents, bulky food, trails, most cooking utensils, and much more.  I have been able to learn that I truly need very little to survive in fairly comfortable environment that I can create for myself.  

This self-sufficiency fed into my deep desires to be independent.  I have wanted independence from something or someone since I could remember.  While growing up this manifested itself in wanting independence from my family, whether in name or actual physical location!  As I grew, my goals were very centered on creating an independent persona for myself - all by myself.  I was going to be someone people would admire, wonder, wish they were, etc.  I was going to do this all alone.  All through school, even through college, I detested group projects.  I felt as though they were a socialistic standard that only served to bring me down to average, which I truly aspired to be above.  I thrived when I finally got to do my relatively independent study for my Horticulture degree.  It fit me perfectly!  I got all the credit!

Even now, I feel tremendous satisfaction in completing a project or tackling a problem successfully on my own.  Just tonight, I was changing the water filter in our crawl space (more like a stoop-space), and as I was opening the water line back up, water began to pour out the pressure relief button.  This was no exaggeration.  It was pouring out.  (Did I mention we are supposed to have a showing this weekend?  No?  Well, yes, this added to my panic!)  As I shut off the water and pushed my panic into a box in my proverbial emotional shelf, I realized that the button was likely gunked up (yes, I made up that word) by some sediment.  Fortunately, I had just sprayed a thrip-covered petunia with a soap/water mix that I thought may help along with some Q-tips.  I went ahead and texted my man just in case he had any other thoughts!  In the end, I was able to clean out the valve and stop the leak, averting the crisis.  I was quite proud of myself!

Then I remembered that we aren't supposed to do anything by ourselves.

Jesus Himself said:
"'I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.'"  John 5:19
"'For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.'" John 6:38
"'My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me."' John 7:16
"'I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me.  And the one who sent me is with me - he has not deserted me.  For I always do what pleases him.'" John 8:28b-29
"'At my Father's direction I have done many good works.'" John 10:32a
"'I don't speak on my own authority.  The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.  And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.'" John 12:49-50

Now, I don't want to take this all out of context and say that I cannot do anything, ever, on my own.  I do believe that God gives us challenges that only we must go through, but am I by myself?  No.  I'm not.  I have to admit that when I was putting the filter back on that last time, I was praying that God would seal it and keep it from leaking.  Not only does He help in moments like these, but He uses these situations to bring us into a deeper reliance on Him.

Sometimes, He desires us to draw upon our community for support.  Earlier today I had a dentist appointment.  That may not sound that big to some of you, but I have had less than stellar dentist appointments in my day and I have a tendency to get a bit panicked.  My jaw locks up and hurts when they put the block in, I almost always have sinus drainage that collects in the back of my throat, and that doesn't help my claustrophobic tendencies which cause me to have brief panic attacks thinking I can't breathe, and gosh darn it: it hurts!

So anyway, I humbled myself and asked for my group and my mom to pray for me today.  Mom's are great for that, aren't they?!  I admit that I felt rather silly asking for prayer for something fairly trivial.  I should surely be able to get through this by myself.  I was reminded of what a privilege it was to be able to see a dentist at all, but I was still not looking forward to my fillings.  Today I felt so thankful for those prayers and support.  I prayed for me and the dentist throughout the appointment, and I felt a calm and relaxation that was foreign to me in that place before now, and I know it was due to the prayer support.  The dentist seemed to feel the need for urgency and made the appointment go quickly.  I now have a molar that no longer has the metal filling, but a composite one, along with a little extra that needed to be filled.  It was as pleasant an appointment as it could have been.  I didn't even feel the shots, though it looked as though I'd had a stroke for the next 5 hours.  I kept hoping I wasn't drooling.  I digress...

I had just had an experience where the coming together of sisters had blessed me, and yet I was still determined to find pride in doing things by myself!  My problem stems not from the ability God has given me to accomplish things like fixing a leaky pressure relief valve, but in taking the full credit.  I am so thankful that God has worked in me and used my husband to teach me how to take care of things.  Jesus, who was God's own Son, again and again reminded us that even He relied on the Father for direction and strength and then gave the glory back to Him.  It was never about Jesus' story alone.  He didn't do it all by Himself, and I don't want to either.