Surprise!

I am constantly reminded of how we now have 5 children, and another on the way, soon to be an official family of 6. The level of noise, the constant giggling, playing and the amount of food that goes in & out of the kitchen is a clear reminder of how we are indeed growing. And, we feel so blessed to have the titles of Papa and Mama.  

Lina & Fatima ready for their first day of school!

Our three girls (Lina, Fatima, & Marieta) have been with us for just two months, and have adjusted very well. ALL of our girls are finally in school, after begging a teacher at the local school to accept them into her class. Our girls have NEVER been to school so it has been a whole new experience for each of them.

They left the house on their very first day of school in their new uniforms, a light blue top with a dark blue skirt & leggings. The pride in their shoulders & the smiles spread across their faces told us that school was exactly where these smart girls belong. They are learning so much, and we're thankful we had a little time with them at home to teach them the basic letters & numbers.

The girls also received the SURPRISE of a lifetime on Saturday. Several ladies from their former village, Nantira-Mogovola District, came to visit and check in with us. These women are not related to the children but many are from the same tribe and often helped to care for the girls before we met them.

We decided not to tell the girls they would have visitors, in case they were unable to make it or had trouble getting to the city. When they arrived, the door opened, the girls peaked around the corner of the living room into the entry way, and they all jumped & attacked our unknowing visitors.

The girls leapt into the arms of the women they hadn't seen for several months. They were so excited to see someone familiar and remember a bit of home. The girls were eager to share with their visitors, chatting about school and showing off their uniforms & notebooks and other school supplies.

Lina was the most talkative, showing off to a woman she considers to be like her grandma. Fatima & Marieta also wanted to show off their school uniform, but neither of them like to be in the spotlight like Lina!

We were able to enjoy breakfast & tea together, we prayed and looked at pictures from our visit in April to Nantira, when we first met the girls. There are about 25 children in that area who have been orphaned by at least one parent, and several more who have lost both, so were updated on the status of several children who are not doing well.

Our visitors from Nantira with Fatima, Marieta, Lina & Jadon

One little girl, about the same age as Fatima, is severely malnourished and her health continues to get worse. We are praying to be able to visit Nantira again soon, possibly in August. Our friend, Antonio, who introduced us to his friends & pastors in that area, travels several times per month to Nantira to check on the church members and orphans. If the girl isn't responding to the treatments we've sent her, Antonio may bring her back with him.

[SIDE NOTE: This is the exact reason that having a solid 4x4 is so important for this work. We need to be able to travel to rural areas where the road conditions can be extremely bad. There are many churches & communities we would like to work with; unfortunately, we are unable to do so at this time because our little truck just wouldn't make it!]

After a fun morning with our visitors, we saw them off and were reminded of the community that loves these children. While these woman are not able to care for these children now, they may be able to in the future, or at least continue to mentor them as they grow.

These kiddos are extremely loved and cared for, and not just by us. Imagine a whole community coming together to make sure these 3 women could afford to make it to the city, check on these girls, and bring an offering of amendoim - peanuts - to say thank you.

All of the kids seem to be in better spirits this week, encouraged by the visitors we received, and excited about life in general. Lina can have a bit of an attitude at times, but she seems more at peace and more laid back. Fatima usually follows what Lina does, and she is far more reserved than any child in the house. She is calm and gentle, but has really come out of her shell since starting school. Ali just continues to go with the flow - he's always smiling and always happy!

I start my journey to the States on Friday, which I know will be a big change for all of the kids. Praying for peace for them, and sanity for Phil as he takes on the challenge of being Mom, Dad, and everything in-between. If you think of them, please pray for business to continue as usual, and for the kids to adjust well to the changes.

Can't wait to get this show on the road! Hope to see many of you while I'm in the States for a fast & furious trip.

Be STILL

ALL of our kiddos are off to school today. The house is quiet, and for the first time in what feels like years, I have a moment to sit down with my steaming mug of life-giving coffee, my blanket and my Bible.

This cool season brings very cool temps in the mornings, before the sun is in full effect. Being a Colorado girl, you'd think it would be nothing for me. But the difference is: 100% humidity - the chills sets in when you least expect it, usually followed by a cough. So I take every opportunity I can to pretend like it's a blizzarding Colorado winter, and cuddle up on the couch.

As I am following my Bible plan on my phone, a plan to read the WHOLE Bible in one year, I realize I'm way behind. Like, 100 days or so! This doesn't mean I don't read my Bible, but sometimes I'm looking things up or studying for a woman's group or a class at church or a class I'm teaching. It's rare that I get to sit down and follow the chapters and verses listed out for me each day.

I decide instead of playing catch-up and not getting a lot out of each day, I'd read my lesson for the day. If I have time, I'll come back and do another in the afternoon & one before bed. I'll get caught up in no time.

I open my Bible to Exodus, chapter 14. This is one of my favorite books of the Bible, as Moses is literally leading the Israelites out of Egypt. This chapter focuses on the Israelites fleeing their captors, with the Egyptians on their heels.

And then verse 14 caught me so off guard, and made my eyes well up with tears:

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

God speaks right to us when we need to hear it. I needed this word SO badly today. And right before this, Moses tells the people to not be afraid, to stand firm, and watch God deliver them from the Egyptians.

I may not have an army chasing after me, and a giant body of water in front of me, with seemingly no where to run, but there are times I feel like a frightened Israelite. I have tried many a times to remember not to worry, to remember that God is faithful, that God is with us and for us, and not against us. But at times, it's so easy to feel so disconnected, so far away from those we love and those who love us, and so inadequate at this whole parenting & ministry gig.

There are days when I feel so ineffective, so tired, so ready to move into a new season. And there are days when I feel like the most blessed, fulfilled person on the face of the planet. But these are feelings, not always an accurate and reliable source for me.

Then God gives me moments like this morning: He is fighting for us. He just wants me to be still. I know God will always provide, I know God will always see us through every trial, and I know who I am in Him. Being still is sometimes the hardest part for me.

Beloved, if you're feeling like there are a thousand armies chasing after you today, in your marriage, in your finances, in your children, your ministry...God knows your need. God knows what you're going through. But we have to let Him fight for us. We have to be still.

I recently started attending a Bible study with an incredible group of ladies here in Nampula. It's a study by Lisa TerKeurst, called Uninvited. There's a section in the study where she says:

                                    God is good.
                                    God is good to me.
                                    God is good at being God.
                                    And today is yet another page
                                      in our great love story.

This has been a beautiful mantra for me over the last few weeks. Having a baby, having crazy hormonal stuff going on, as well as an upcoming trip away from this country - my home now - for an extended period of time, has really run me ragged.

My overtired brain & body can't seem to rest most nights. I lay awake thinking about Jadon's school fees, the plane ticket I slapped on my credit card, how will the kids do while I'm away for so long, will my absence cause more trauma, Phil is going to be all alone, shouldering everything. But when I speak my mantra over these worries, and remember that God is fighting for me; I can finally rest.

God is good at being God. He doesn't need me to interfere. He doesn't need my assistance. God doesn't need anything from me. He doesn't really need me at all! Yet, he WANTS me and YOU. He loves each of us, no matter what we've done or how we've failed. There is nothing we could ever do to make him love us more or less. What a reminder, eh?!

I hope this little mantra from Lisa will help you to remember that God is in control, and he only needs us to be still. I'm praying that you will find rest in Him when you feel weary. In fact, I'm thinking I've earned a nap.