A lot of time has gone by since last I posted ... a lot has happened. And I can't go back and try to capture it all. So I guess I'll have to just start where we are. We have been watching the Lord opening doors before us. Seems as tho just because we are willing, He is giving us more opportunities to be part of what He is doing. We have become aware that there is a standing invitation.
A few months ago we started up our organization, Rivers of Living Water ~ Helping Orphans and Widows in Need. We thought we'd only be raising funds for water wells, but the Lord had other plans. We partnered with an organization in Ethiopia that plants churches. We then partnered with Living Way Orphan Ministry. Within the first week, sponsors were found for the first 51 orphan kids in the village of Gojjo, Ethiopia by a church in Colorado. So I asked them to get me the names and photos of the next 51 kids. We began a campaign to find sponsors for the next 51 kids.
Through Facebook and church the Lord found all 51 orphan kids sponsors. When that was finished, I thought ... OK what's next? I was thinking about the fact that there are 1000+ orphans in the village of Gojjo. What could we do for them? Then I thought, Christmas is coming, why not raise funds to feed all 1000 kids a Christmas Dinner.
Then I thought .. I want to be in the village to serve the kids. So we also posted and began to plan a mission trip for the end of December so that we could be in the village that week and serve the kids dinner for Ethiopian Christmas, which is January 7th. We've had a few people sign up and we are still working on the details. Praying it can actually happen.
FEED 1000 was a great success and within a short time we were able to raise a little over $2000 so that we can feed all 1000+ kids that day. Now we're working on raising funds to purchase 102 lambs to raise for an ongoing food source for the kids. But somewhere along the line, we realized something else was going on ... there was a deeper call. An invitation ... to go deeper. We felt Him taking us to a different level ... And then we knew .. God's asking us if we would be willing to go to Ethiopia .. as a family. Whoa.
My husband went off on a hunting trip and prayed and God spoke to him and confirmed what I was hearing. Suddenly I was afraid. The very thing my heart longed for was actually happening and I was scared! I found myself bargaining with God telling Him I wasn't ready to sell my house but I'd be willing to go for a year. What about our kids? WE HAVE 6 KIDS and we are in the process of adopting 2 more! I felt scared of what we would encounter there. Then I got this revelation .. He was not asking us to GO ... He was inviting us to COME ... come to where He already was ... to join Him there. Then the peace came ...
So now what? We are waiting. We will need funds to go. He knows that. We have nothing. Our first adoption of 3 kids He paid for completely. I have total faith that He will fund the current adoption, and when He's ready we will get fully funded to be able to leave and live in Ethiopia for our year. My gut feeling is though .. it may not just be for one year.
Here I am Lord ... Send Me!
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