An Opportunity

My heart has been hurting to go back to Ethiopia since we left last November. When our church sent a team there in February I was crushed that I could not go. (Caleb was just home) When a dear friend of mine told me about a mission trip she was planning for October I knew I had to go, but fear crept in. " No money, No childcare," So I briefly brought it up to hubby and then I let it go, but I never stopped thinking about it. After praying for the last few days hubby said that I should go. If God wanted me to go then He would provide the money and He would provide the childcare. (Hubby has to work and has no days off)

There is so much about Ethiopia that I love. It's not just about children hurting and no families and lack of...everything! There are amazing Jesus filled ministries that are all ready there. Being able to go there and help out different ministries in anyway God sees fit would be incredible!!

Before I tell you the costs, let me tell you all the wonderful things we will be doing. (taken from my friend's blog)
 Our approach will be to support existing sustainable ministries making a lasting impact in Ethiopia both now and for the future.


We will be working with several different grass roots, sustainable, gospel centered ministries in Addis and the surrounding area. We will visit a womens beading project, a day care, an HIV community, a leper hospital, a family based orphan and widow ministry, and much more! 

There is even more that God will have planned, as He always does.  

The total cost of the trip will be $1975. 

The break down is this:

$100 due June1st ( in two days)

$500 due July 1st

$975 due August 1st

$400 due Sept. 1st

Instead of my normal freak out about how I am going to raise these funds. I will be praying and will just take one thing at a time. 

I need to raise $100 by June 1st to be put on the list to go. Talk about waiting til last minute.  I want the Lords will and I am praying that He does want me to go and love on some wonderful babies and families and to help in different ministries for His Glory. 

Please pray and see if God would have you help me go!  Even $5 can add up! You can donate to my paypal on the right of my blog. Feel free to also email me for my address.

 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. James 1:27






Praying!

REFERALAVERSARY!!!!!

Exactly one year ago today, we received the call that we had a boy waiting for us.

                                                            The Call

On a Monday we were watching our friends daughter Karis. Karis was about 8 months old and the kids were so excited to have a baby in the house that they all got up early just so they could play with her. My hubby had off that day and we spent the whole day loving on this sweet girl. As the day went on our hearts started hurting for our boy. We all were so ready to have a little one in our home. Hubby thought we should just pray since we all were feeling this longing. We sat in a circle with Karis on my lap and one by one we all cried out to the Lord. It was beautiful and I had a wonderful peace come over me.

On Tuesday we were watching baby Karis again and hubby was also off again so we decided to run some errands.

I dropped my hubby off to get his hair cut and I took the kids to Target. As I walked in the store my phone rang. I looked at it with disbelief seeing that the number was from my agency in St. Louis. I answered the phone with a Heeelllllooooooo?? ( Picture me talking as if you know someone is going to tell you something and they are just not getting it out) " Hi, Melissa it's Angie (acting like its just a random call) How are you guys doing?" Me- " I'm ggggoooooodddddd." (still anticipating) Then she screams " We have a referral for you!!!!" Me- Screaming and crying hysterically. My kids look at me and ask if it was the call and I said yes and they start screaming. Karis is screaming but hers is more of a " I have no idea whats going on and these crazy people are scaring me" kind of cry.  I was shaking so bad I could barely stand and people in Target were concerned. I reassured them that it was all good news as I'm running out the door crying and shoving all the kids back in the car. I called hubby to get out of the hair cutting place. Let me back up.... So in my mind I calmly call my hubby and tell him we got a referral and  that he needs to leave now so we can go home and see his picture. Apparently that's not what happened because He keeps saying " What?? What happened?? Who got hurt??? Then I screamed at the top of my lungs in a not so nice voice to get his butt outside NOW!!!!  (later he told me that I was so hysterical that he had no idea what I was saying)

Moving on!

We all went home and recorded ourselves looking at our sweet boys face for the first time.

Here are the pictures that we saw.

 Sorry they are turned. For some reason it won't let me fix it.

Awwwww look at those precious eyes <3

For those that don't know. In your referral packet you get a picture and all the information or lack of that they have on the child and then you can say yes or no. No was never an option for us and we knew whomever the Lord gave us was suppose to be a Maser.

Here is the video:

One thing that I wish I would have done differently was to just enjoy this moment. But shortly after all the excitement I started to worry about the money that we needed to even say Yes to him. I should have known that God had it all under control. Through all of you He brought our referral money in 4 days. 4 looonnngggg days ;) but He did it! And I should have known that He would. For those of you in the wait and still need to raise money. GOD WILL PROVIDE!!! I have countless stories of how God provided at each and every need. I really didn't want to be that person that didn't have it ready when needed and I was, every time. Believe it or not, I was thankful. I got to see God move in the hearts of people in such a mighty way.


Thank you Jesus for our sweet Caleb! We could not imagine our lives with out him.


Also, today is exactly 6 months since he has been home. I will write a blog tomorrow about all the ups and downs and ups :) with lots of pictures!


To God be the Glory,