Well that dream I had back on Feb 15th is becoming a reality. http://wildprairiefarms.blogspot.com/2011/02/rivers-of-living-water.html
We are in the process of starting a Non Profit Organization, called Rivers of Living Water - Helping Orphans and Widows in Need.
Our desire is to help place clean water wells in orphanages and villages of adopted children. Our first project is to place a well in The Kamashi Orphanage in Kamashi, Benishangul-Gumuz region of Ethiopia. This is the orphanage that our daughters came from. For more information, take a look at our new website.
http://www.rivers-of-living-water.org/.
Please pray for us as we begin this new adventure!
Friday, April 1, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
A Day of Fasting and Prayer for the Orphans of Ethiopia
Hi Y’all ... and I’m not even from the south ... it just seemed appropriate.
We are declaring a fast. At our house we fast from sundown to sundown, therefore it would be from sundown tonight to sundown Sunday night. If you care to join me, do it whenever you want.
This article was posted on Voice of America yesterday concerning Ethiopian Adoptions. They are about to cut adoptions by 90%. A very sad day for the estimated 5 million orphans of Ethiopia.
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/-Ethiopia-to-Cut-Foreign-Adoptions-by-Up-to-90-Percent-117411843.html
Let’s pray for the captives to be released...
For the devil’s hands to be bound ...
For the schemes of the enemy to fail ...
For there to be confusion in the camp ...
That justice will be done for the children who wait now, and the ones who are coming ...
That compassionate leaders will step up and step in and put an end to these plans ...
that children who need a home will have one ...and not wait any longer ...
The Lord is TOTALLY for the Orphan and the Widow. So, none of these wimpy “if this is your will, Lord.”
Justice and compassion for the Orphan are completely in His will. Pray with faith that the walls will come tumbling down and these little captives will be set free.
Will you join me?
Quoting 2 Chronicles 20:6-23
“LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his[c] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever.”
22 As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
Amen.
We are declaring a fast. At our house we fast from sundown to sundown, therefore it would be from sundown tonight to sundown Sunday night. If you care to join me, do it whenever you want.
This article was posted on Voice of America yesterday concerning Ethiopian Adoptions. They are about to cut adoptions by 90%. A very sad day for the estimated 5 million orphans of Ethiopia.
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/-Ethiopia-to-Cut-Foreign-Adoptions-by-Up-to-90-Percent-117411843.html
Let’s pray for the captives to be released...
For the devil’s hands to be bound ...
For the schemes of the enemy to fail ...
For there to be confusion in the camp ...
That justice will be done for the children who wait now, and the ones who are coming ...
That compassionate leaders will step up and step in and put an end to these plans ...
that children who need a home will have one ...and not wait any longer ...
The Lord is TOTALLY for the Orphan and the Widow. So, none of these wimpy “if this is your will, Lord.”
Justice and compassion for the Orphan are completely in His will. Pray with faith that the walls will come tumbling down and these little captives will be set free.
Will you join me?
Quoting 2 Chronicles 20:6-23
“LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his[c] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever.”
22 As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
Amen.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
The Alaska to Africa Project - March Blitz for Schilling Family and Drawn from Water
During the month of March, The Alaska to Africa Project is donating all the proceeds from their sales of beautiful hancrafted artwork, their Africas and Crosses, to both The Schiling Family Adoption Fund and Drawn From Water. Please check out their website for samples of their pieces. They are beautiful and would make an awesome gift to anyone who has a heart for Africa or for the cross of Jesus.
Thanks for your support!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Even YOUNG men will dream dreams ...
Last night my Ethiopian son, Gezaw had a dream ....
"The whole family was walking, taking a LONG walk, trying to go somewhere. And we saw HUGE water coming. And we looked and we saw Noah's boat was coming for us. And then we get on it. And then after that, we get on it and we have animals, too. Our animals get on the boat, too. And then, one day we saw no more water and we saw land and we come out of boat."
I believe this is a dream from the Lord.
"The whole family was walking, taking a LONG walk, trying to go somewhere. And we saw HUGE water coming. And we looked and we saw Noah's boat was coming for us. And then we get on it. And then after that, we get on it and we have animals, too. Our animals get on the boat, too. And then, one day we saw no more water and we saw land and we come out of boat."
I believe this is a dream from the Lord.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Rivers of Living Water . . .
I had this dream yesterday morning.
We were invited on a vacation with some old church friends of ours, who live in Oregon and have just recently adopted an adorable, baby girl from Ethiopia. When we got there, we were all sharing this HUGE room, that was like, 30 feet long, and had partitions in it. Along the one wall was this 30 foot long picture window, floor to ceiling, that overlooked this huge, wide, white-water rapids, gushing river. We were about 5 stories up overlooking this river, but it still looked violent and ominous.
Both of our families were there. They now have 5 kids, we have 6. I went and looked out this other window on the corner and saw a red suspension bridge, that resembled the Golden Gate Bridge, then on the other side I saw this huge mountain/rock. Masses of people were climbing up the side of the rock and were hanging on by holding on to the rocks jetting out from the wall.
Then suddenly, like someone turned on this huge faucet, water gushed out over the mountain like a mighty, rushing waterfall. The people hung there, reveling in it. Then after about a minute or so, the water turned off again. The people were laughing and thoroughly enjoying the fresh, cold water. It happened again and again, like someone was turning on and off a huge faucet, a massive waterfall of white-water. There was a huge pool at the bottom and people were swimming and playing in the pool, in the cool, clean, fresh water.
Then I woke up.
I've been waiting to blog about this .. but I feel like I might just burst if I keep it in any longer. We believe the Lord is birthing a ministry through our family. We have this strong desire to place water wells in the orphanages of, not only our adopted children, but in those of other families who have adopted from Ethiopia. In the orphanage where 2 of our kids are from, they take a truck into the river a mile or so away, and hand fill big containers full of the dirty river water. Then they haul it back to the orphanage. The ones who have been adopted are the blessed ones, but still they come to us with parasites and worms, skin disorders and malnutrition. The ones who remain still continue in this life ....
"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who keeps our hearts and weighs our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12
We have been doing a LOT of research in the past few days. Asking LOTS of questions and knocking on LOTS of doors. There are many wonderful Water Organizations out there, even some doing water campaigns to help villages in Ethiopia, but they all have their own partners and work in their own specific areas, and are unable to help us fulfill this vision we believe we have from God: water for the orphans. I am beginning to get discouraged. But as my friend, JT told me today, "Keep on asking ... all you need is one 'Yes'."
Seems like we will need to start a non-profit organization, or perhaps partner with an existing organization who might want to help us fulfill this vision from the Lord. Please pray for us as we continue to look for that one, open door. If you are an adoptive family and are interested in our project, please let us know!
Thank you and Blessings
We were invited on a vacation with some old church friends of ours, who live in Oregon and have just recently adopted an adorable, baby girl from Ethiopia. When we got there, we were all sharing this HUGE room, that was like, 30 feet long, and had partitions in it. Along the one wall was this 30 foot long picture window, floor to ceiling, that overlooked this huge, wide, white-water rapids, gushing river. We were about 5 stories up overlooking this river, but it still looked violent and ominous.
Both of our families were there. They now have 5 kids, we have 6. I went and looked out this other window on the corner and saw a red suspension bridge, that resembled the Golden Gate Bridge, then on the other side I saw this huge mountain/rock. Masses of people were climbing up the side of the rock and were hanging on by holding on to the rocks jetting out from the wall.
Then suddenly, like someone turned on this huge faucet, water gushed out over the mountain like a mighty, rushing waterfall. The people hung there, reveling in it. Then after about a minute or so, the water turned off again. The people were laughing and thoroughly enjoying the fresh, cold water. It happened again and again, like someone was turning on and off a huge faucet, a massive waterfall of white-water. There was a huge pool at the bottom and people were swimming and playing in the pool, in the cool, clean, fresh water.
Then I woke up.
I've been waiting to blog about this .. but I feel like I might just burst if I keep it in any longer. We believe the Lord is birthing a ministry through our family. We have this strong desire to place water wells in the orphanages of, not only our adopted children, but in those of other families who have adopted from Ethiopia. In the orphanage where 2 of our kids are from, they take a truck into the river a mile or so away, and hand fill big containers full of the dirty river water. Then they haul it back to the orphanage. The ones who have been adopted are the blessed ones, but still they come to us with parasites and worms, skin disorders and malnutrition. The ones who remain still continue in this life ....
"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who keeps our hearts and weighs our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12
We have been doing a LOT of research in the past few days. Asking LOTS of questions and knocking on LOTS of doors. There are many wonderful Water Organizations out there, even some doing water campaigns to help villages in Ethiopia, but they all have their own partners and work in their own specific areas, and are unable to help us fulfill this vision we believe we have from God: water for the orphans. I am beginning to get discouraged. But as my friend, JT told me today, "Keep on asking ... all you need is one 'Yes'."
Seems like we will need to start a non-profit organization, or perhaps partner with an existing organization who might want to help us fulfill this vision from the Lord. Please pray for us as we continue to look for that one, open door. If you are an adoptive family and are interested in our project, please let us know!
Thank you and Blessings
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Asleep in the Light . . .
The Lord is birthing something ... deep within me ... there is a crying out for justice for the orphan and the widow, for the oppressed ...
"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who keeps our hearts and weighs our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12
I'm feeling like Keith Green when he sang the words of this song ...
WARNING: This song will either convict you or offend you.
Do you see, do you see, All the people sinking down
Don't you care, don't you care, Are you gonna let them drown
How can you be so numb, Not to care if they come
You close your eyes, And pretend the job's done.
"Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord", You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts, No one even sheds one tear ...
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds, And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back And keep soaking it in,
Oh, can't you see it's such a sin?
Cause He brings people to your door, And you turn them away
As you smile and say, "God bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps, Cause Jesus came to your door
You've left him out on the streets
Open up open up, And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries, So how can you delay
God's calling and you're the one, But like Jonah you run
He's told you to speak, But you keep holding it in,
Oh can't you see it's such a sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark, That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead, When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave, And you, you can't even get out of bed
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead, Come on, get out of your bed
How can you be so numb, Not to care if they come
You close your eyes, And pretend the job's done
You close your eyes, And pretend the job's done
Don't close your eyes, Don't pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with Me my love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love.
Pretty harsh, right? Or is it?
"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who keeps our hearts and weighs our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs 24:12
I'm feeling like Keith Green when he sang the words of this song ...
WARNING: This song will either convict you or offend you.
Do you see, do you see, All the people sinking down
Don't you care, don't you care, Are you gonna let them drown
How can you be so numb, Not to care if they come
You close your eyes, And pretend the job's done.
"Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord", You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts, No one even sheds one tear ...
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds, And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back And keep soaking it in,
Oh, can't you see it's such a sin?
Cause He brings people to your door, And you turn them away
As you smile and say, "God bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps, Cause Jesus came to your door
You've left him out on the streets
Open up open up, And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries, So how can you delay
God's calling and you're the one, But like Jonah you run
He's told you to speak, But you keep holding it in,
Oh can't you see it's such a sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark, That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead, When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave, And you, you can't even get out of bed
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead, Come on, get out of your bed
How can you be so numb, Not to care if they come
You close your eyes, And pretend the job's done
You close your eyes, And pretend the job's done
Don't close your eyes, Don't pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with Me my love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love.
Pretty harsh, right? Or is it?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Relationship Not Behavior
This post was taken from another source ... 3rd Degree Parenting
I am reposting it here because I think it is an excellent reference for adoptive families. Read on:
By Claudia
October 6, 2009
In retrospect, I have one major regret in my earlier parenting. For the first two placements of older children, I focused on behavior -- attempting to modify it, change it, fix it -- instead of attachment. And the results have been less than satisfactory.
When these particular boys moved into my home my immediate reaction was, "Oh My Goodness!!!! i have so much work to do to prepare them for adulthood." I needed to get busy and fast because their behaviors were completely unacceptable.
Imagine if this was the approach of someone who had begun to get to know a person they thought they wanted to marry. What if on the first date, a woman said, "Welcome to my life. I can see right now that your table manners aren't appropriate, so let's begin working on that right now. Let me show you how to hold a fork." How long would the relationship last? It would die before it began.
Since my first placements I have learned that my first task should be to be the kind of person my child can fall in love with. I need to do and say things that will make them feel good about me. When they do make a mistake, or break a rule, I need to remind them lovingly that this is not how we do things, but that I am still committed to them and love them unconditionally.
This is one of the most important things I have learned as a parent who adopted older children: No child is going to attempt to please or obey an adult to whom they are not attached. When I was growing up, I didn't want to disappoint my mom and dad. I wanted to please them. This was because of our relationship which was healthy, attached, and foundational.
Demanding that children obey us while they are basically still strangers simply because someone has told them that they have a new parent is downright ridiculous. And yet I did it and many parents do. The focus is all on behavior and the child or teen moves in thinking "wow, did I end up with a witch for a mom."
A couple things about behaviors: First, some of them never go away. Mental illness or organic brain damage due to prenatal exposure to alcohol will not go away just because a child is placed in a loving home. And secondly, they'll be around later and you can deal with them then.
When I was a college administrator responsible for discipline I learned the concept, "Get them to respect you first, and later worry about them liking you." I took this principal into adoption and parenting and it ABSOLUTELY DID NOT WORK. Some of the kids never really came to love me as their mom and respect never came either.
Focus that first year on getting the kid to fall in love with you. If you do, you can worry about behavior. I'm not saying to ignore rule violations, but under-react. Keep the focus on the child, on attachment, on learning to understand your child and years down the road you'll be much farther ahead than those who started tackling behavior the day the kids moved it.
The voice of wistful experience, combined with regret, has spoken.
From 3rd Degree Parenting
I am reposting it here because I think it is an excellent reference for adoptive families. Read on:
By Claudia
October 6, 2009
In retrospect, I have one major regret in my earlier parenting. For the first two placements of older children, I focused on behavior -- attempting to modify it, change it, fix it -- instead of attachment. And the results have been less than satisfactory.
When these particular boys moved into my home my immediate reaction was, "Oh My Goodness!!!! i have so much work to do to prepare them for adulthood." I needed to get busy and fast because their behaviors were completely unacceptable.
Imagine if this was the approach of someone who had begun to get to know a person they thought they wanted to marry. What if on the first date, a woman said, "Welcome to my life. I can see right now that your table manners aren't appropriate, so let's begin working on that right now. Let me show you how to hold a fork." How long would the relationship last? It would die before it began.
Since my first placements I have learned that my first task should be to be the kind of person my child can fall in love with. I need to do and say things that will make them feel good about me. When they do make a mistake, or break a rule, I need to remind them lovingly that this is not how we do things, but that I am still committed to them and love them unconditionally.
This is one of the most important things I have learned as a parent who adopted older children: No child is going to attempt to please or obey an adult to whom they are not attached. When I was growing up, I didn't want to disappoint my mom and dad. I wanted to please them. This was because of our relationship which was healthy, attached, and foundational.
Demanding that children obey us while they are basically still strangers simply because someone has told them that they have a new parent is downright ridiculous. And yet I did it and many parents do. The focus is all on behavior and the child or teen moves in thinking "wow, did I end up with a witch for a mom."
A couple things about behaviors: First, some of them never go away. Mental illness or organic brain damage due to prenatal exposure to alcohol will not go away just because a child is placed in a loving home. And secondly, they'll be around later and you can deal with them then.
When I was a college administrator responsible for discipline I learned the concept, "Get them to respect you first, and later worry about them liking you." I took this principal into adoption and parenting and it ABSOLUTELY DID NOT WORK. Some of the kids never really came to love me as their mom and respect never came either.
Focus that first year on getting the kid to fall in love with you. If you do, you can worry about behavior. I'm not saying to ignore rule violations, but under-react. Keep the focus on the child, on attachment, on learning to understand your child and years down the road you'll be much farther ahead than those who started tackling behavior the day the kids moved it.
The voice of wistful experience, combined with regret, has spoken.
From 3rd Degree Parenting
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Time to Worship
This video is from Woliso, Ethiopia at Emmanuel Orphanage where my son Gezaw was living for over a year until he came home to be with our family. Just thought I'd share. This is church, and they are singing about Yesus. Love it!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Matching Grant Update - Only $216.09 Short
Thank you to those who recently sent us a donation towards our Adoption!
As you know we are in the fundraising stages of our next Adoption, of 2-3 Orphans from Ethiopia, Africa. A while back we were offered a $3000 matching grant during our Both Hands Project from Lifesong for Orphans. So far, we have raised $2,783.91. Praise God! Again, thank you so much, to all who have already contributed.
We are still $216.09 short of reaching our goal for the full $3000 grant. So close ... yet so far!
If you haven't already, would you please consider making a generous donation, or ANY donation, to our Both Hands/Lifesong for Orphans account? It's tax-deductable and you would be following James 1:27:
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress ..."
In order to make a donation, please go to:
http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/bhProjComp.html
and scroll down to 11/06/10 - Charles & Bonnie Schilling
and click on DONATE.
Thank you SO much!
Love & Blessings
As you know we are in the fundraising stages of our next Adoption, of 2-3 Orphans from Ethiopia, Africa. A while back we were offered a $3000 matching grant during our Both Hands Project from Lifesong for Orphans. So far, we have raised $2,783.91. Praise God! Again, thank you so much, to all who have already contributed.
We are still $216.09 short of reaching our goal for the full $3000 grant. So close ... yet so far!
If you haven't already, would you please consider making a generous donation, or ANY donation, to our Both Hands/Lifesong for Orphans account? It's tax-deductable and you would be following James 1:27:
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress ..."
In order to make a donation, please go to:
http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/bhProjComp.html
and scroll down to 11/06/10 - Charles & Bonnie Schilling
and click on DONATE.
Thank you SO much!
Love & Blessings
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