Irreplaceable

I hate feeling like something is wrong, especially when I have no means to make sure that the worry I am having is illegitimate. For example, when your husband is in a neighboring country, driving down roads he doesn’t know, with elephants & giraffes that run wild, and you can’t yet reach him by phone. Yes, this is one of those moments where until you hear something, either good or bad, you try to put your worries aside & trust God to bring your husband home.

Let me preface this by saying I used to be a worrier, and it took me many, many years to overcome this. Once I was married and became a mother, I really had to rely on my faith to carry me through the scary things of life that can make one feel completely overwhelmed. I had to take a long, hard look at myself and decide if worrying was really something from God, and if it was really worth wasting my time. My final conclusion was obviously NO because fear & anxiety aren’t feelings that come from God, so I knew if it’s not from Him, it’s not for me.

After the accident

Since moving back to Mozambique, I still don’t feel worried about much of anything and I’m thankful that God has continued to not only grow my faith in Him, but I’m thankful that anytime I have a worry, I can quickly let it go. But this last week has been a little different.

While he was driving on the way back from picking up a vehicle we purchased, I hadn’t heard from Phil for almost 24 hours. I couldn’t sleep on Friday night last week, and I finally fell asleep around 4am, the time when the accident happened.

I finally heard from Phil Saturday evening, around 6pm. He told me over the phone that he had been in an accident. I tried to choke back the tears, remembering that if he is able to talk and tell me what happened, he is probably okay.

Driver's side of the car

While driving, Phil said he was feeling tired and the next thing he knew, he was running off the road. Phil nearly totaled the vehicle he was driving. He said he remembers it rolling at least 3, maybe 4 times, but he blacked out for a minute before the vehicle stopped tumbling when it hit a tree.

Thankfully, a swollen & bruised arm along with a few cuts from broken glass was all that resulted. He saw a doctor near where the accident happened in Tanzania, and the doctor was fairly certain his arm isn’t broken, although x-rays weren’t done. We’ve given it a few days, and it’s pretty clear his arm isn’t broken.

Sore & swollen - but not broken!

We, honestly, could care less about the car. It’s metal and glass – nothing that can’t be replaced and/or fixed. My husband is another story. He’s one of a kind and can’t be replaced. I felt so much relief when he told me that he was okay. Even when he told me he was in an accident, the relief of just hearing his voice & knowing he was fine was more than enough for me.

Phil finally walked in the door Sunday afternoon, after filing police reports, and making arrangements for the van. After a nice meal and a warm shower, he slept most of the evening and slept through the night.

Please continue to pray for his healing, and that the vehicle won’t be a total loss. Even though it had insurance, that doesn’t really mean much here. We will make do with whatever happens with the van, and we know God can use anything for good.

Thank you for all of your sweet prayers. We appreciate your love and support more than you could ever know. We’re still figuring out a few details before building commences, but we will begin constructing the fence for the orphanage before the end of the week!

Until then, Merry Christmas! Remember the sacrifices Jesus has made for us, and let us celebrate His love and kindness in this dark world.

Be Blessed,

Phil, Laura & Jadon, too

Overwhelmed

The first time I ever felt truly overwhelmed in my life was my first week as a mother. Oh.my.GOODNESS. I was so in love with our easy going, laid back little bundle of joy, but I felt completely lost. I didn’t know what I was doing most of the time, and when Jadon started rapidly losing weight the week after he was born, I panicked. I remember shaking, fighting back tears, when the doctor said that it could be a heart condition. We prayed and prayed while waiting for the results.

New born baby J

When the doctor told us everything was fine with his heart, I felt the greatest relief of my life. So much peace washed over me that night, knowing it was lack of milk from mom's boobs that caused the weight loss. I remember feeling so thankful to have a healthy baby, and prayed that God would help families who didn’t receive the positive outcome that we did.

Since that time, I’ve definitely felt overwhelmed by circumstances of life, but never again have I felt the same as the day I was scared for my child, until now………………

This week, Phil has been in Tanzania, picking up the 3 vehicles we ordered to help with the orphanage. Since we are no longer chasing after any documents (because we’re ready to build now!!!), I decided I am long over due to visit the orphanages around town, learn how they operate, and help out however I can. The kids are also on their break from school, and they were getting restless, so we all went together.

The first day, I was overwhelmed. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the amount of work, because it is a LOT of work, but more about the dire situations of each child’s life. One little guy really touched my heart - little baby, T, and he is tiny. He’s 2 months old and we were told he was brought in about 2 weeks ago. He doesn’t weigh much, and apparently he doesn’t cry much either. He is so fragile. So little. I look at him and wonder what circumstances lead to him being here, and not at home.

Sweet babies sleeping 

There are also twins who were just brought into the orphanage as we were leaving on Monday. The children have parents, but they are no longer able to care for them. One cries constantly, non-stop, and the other is quiet, while he studies and watches everything around him. 

Being the social worker that I am, I know the importance of brain development during this time, and how damaging it can be to a child if they don’t have enough physical contact with a caregiver. My heart knows the quiet child will not be held as much, will not be loved on as much as he needs.

The twin that cries constantly will crawl towards his brother when he is screaming, hoping to find some comfort. I’ve tried holding them both together, but it usually ends in one wiggling out of my arms while the other screams. The child that screams will cry himself to sleep, and then I just hold him for a little bit before laying him in his bed. Then, I look for another little one who needs some attention, and it starts all over.

I could go on and on with stories about our short time at the orphanage from just this week, but I think you get the picture. I’m overwhelmed by the need, but I’m also overwhelmed with LOVE. I’m overwhelmed with HOPE and PEACE.

The situation here is difficult, and we are completely flooded by all the needs. In the midst of feeling overwhelmed, it has drawn me closer to God. I’ve cried just about every day this week, praying for miracles for these babies, praying for their families and praying for God to help us fund our project so we can help more kiddos like these.

Let’s be honest for a second, though. An orphanage is only putting a Band-Aid on the real problem – poverty & oppression. We can’t fix an entire country in a day or a month or a year, but we can tackle the issues of oppression and poverty while working in the community, meeting the needs of children who will otherwise die without a place to go. 

Remember our tiny little buddy, T? He would’ve died without the help of the orphanage in town. The issues of poverty and oppression are huge & complicated, and they will take time. But while we work on those issues, how about we do what we can to change the future for the children who need the most help?

We have big dreams. We have big plans. And, we serve a God who loves big, and will provide in every single way. There are so many people, like YOU, who can help, too. ONE dollar can purchase at least 3 blocks for our first building; imagine what $50 or $100 or $1000 can do! We only need 19 people, groups, churches, families or individuals to partner with us, and commit to raising $1,000 for Heart for the Needy. It’s that simple – can you be one of our 19? 

There is so much we can do together to make a huge impact in this country, in this city, in this community right HERE. Partner with us, and help us make lasting changes.