I just want to briefly share some great news.
One of the main reasons I started blogging was/is to share my journey from a global missions spectator to a vital participant in serving our world’s children who can not serve themselves. I’ve just received word that I’ve been given an opportunity to serve them hands on (not just on the keyboard!).
There is a group traveling to the Beveni Carepoint in Swaziland, Africa in late September. In speaking with the director of that Carepoint, there will be room for my husband & I to both go as well! The ministry with which we are associated is Children’s HopeChest, which has set up Carepoints all across South Africa, to care for orphaned children in the surrounding areas. They currently assist near 4,000 children with food, clothing, shelter if needed, and education. Our little Swazi girl, Siphiwe is being helped at the Beveni Carepoint, so that means we will most likely get to meet her, hug her, love on her, HANDS ON!!!!! 
So I invite you to come on the journey with me through this blog. I’ll be sharing the preparatory highs & lows that are sure to come in the next few months until the September missions trip. And I, of course will be sharing with you the trip itself & the impact being made across the world!!!! Who knows it might just inspire you 4 change!
To find out more about Childrens HopeChest, please see the link on my blogroll.
Who do you surround yourself with?
Matthew 25:40 says, ‘And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Jesus surrounded Himself with ‘the least of these’. He gave them hope, He esteemed them highly, He even HUNG OUT with them – the beggars, the drunkards, the prostitutes, the tax collectors! But he didn’t just hang out with them, He served them!
Who is the ‘least of these’ in your life? He didn’t have to find out their life history to see if they deserved his time & efforts. No, he just served them as if they were kings.
So did Mother Teresa.
“The dying, the crippled, the mentally ill, the unwanted, the unloved — they are Jesus in disguise… Through the poor people I have an opportunity to be 24 hours a day with Jesus. Every AIDS victim is Jesus in a pitiful disguise; Jesus is in everyone… [AIDS sufferers are] children of God [who] have been created for greater things.”
This was startling to me. What a revelation of truth.
That filthy mess of a man dressed in ragged clothing that stands on the side of the exit ramp, holding a sign “WILL WORK FOR FOOD”. He is Jesus in disguise.
That little 10-year-old Swazi girl who has lost her entire family to AIDS, who has no one to care for her, who has little hope of living past her 30th birthday, she is Jesus in disguise.
Let’s bring this closer to home.
Your beautiful newborn baby girl, fresh from heaven, is Jesus in disguise. Serve her with joy.
Your teenage son’s friend who hangs around WAY too much & could be a much better influence on your son, is Jesus in disguise. Serve him with kindness.
That little old lady, who can barely see over the steering wheel, driving 38 miles per hour in a 55mph speed zone, is Jesus in disguise. Serve her with patience.
Serve your baby girl, that teenage boy, that little old white-haired lady with fresh eyes today. They just might be – no – they ARE Jesus in disguise. Serve them with joy, patience, and love. Jesus will thank you!
Look for Jesus today. He’s all around you!
We were so surprised when this card came all the way
from Swaziland shortly before Christmas.
Siphiwe colored it herself & wrote on the inside! 
What a precious gift, to know Siphiwe who has lost so many family members to AIDS, is struggling to survive, has very little hope for a bright future here on earth would write, “I will pray for you everyday.” I am humbled to know that this little angel is praying for me.
Siphiwe is being cared for body, soul & spirit through the Beveni Carepoint in Swaziland
Siphiwe is a Swahili name which means, “we have been given.” And yes, we have been given a beautiful gift in Siphiwe. This is a gift I want to treasure & not forget about just because she is thousands of miles away. She is 10 years old and lives in the region of Manzini, Swaziland with 7 other children/orphans. She has lost both parents to AIDS. It is not known if she herself is HIV positive but we continue to pray for her protection & health regardless.
Answers.com has several definitons of the word ‘need’ that I’d like to share with you. Stay with me, I have a profound point!
To get to my point, the fourth definition is the need I’m referring to. While the first three are true, let’s discuss what I feel is the deepest definition of the word ‘need’.
For me, blogging is born out of need. My own, but more importantly my awareness of others’ needs. Do I need to make a difference? Not for my own self-righteousness. But do others need me to make a difference? Yes. Those that are in the condition of poverty or misfortune NEED someone to speak on their behalf. They NEED a voice to bring awareness to their NEED.
Ultimately I believe this is why Jesus came, because He knew we NEEDed a Savior to bridge the deep cavern that separated us from God. He sacrificed His own desires, His own needs of comfort, His own needs of security and well being to meet the NEEDS of the poor & brokenhearted that have no hope.
I really don’t want to over spiritualize this, but I do think it’s worth stating that Jesus is still meeting the needs of the poor & destitute. How is He doing this? Through us. Through people willing to tell the truth of what is happening to others in our world. Awareness is my goal. I believe awareness is the conduit towards change & fulfillment of needs.
I want (and dare say I have a need!) to be the change & inspire change in four main areas.
Some days, I’ll be honest, I feel as though I’m just taking up space, just the shadow that follows my family around cleaning up after them & getting them to school on time. Do you ever feel that way? I keep thinking, wasn’t I created for more than this? Of course being a Mom is my highest calling & I’ll never want otherwise. I’m just saying that I can do more locally & globally to make an impact. Not only can I DO more, I can BE more. I want my heart & my children’s hearts not only to feel sympathy for those in need, but to break, to truly empathize with such active compassion that no amount of self-interest will stop us from helping them. My heart longs to bless & pour hope into the world - my world. I encourage you to keep serving your family, and perhaps serve them even more diligently by showing them a greater world with needs that we can meet. When we leave this world, let’s pass the legacy torch of pro-active, joy-filled servitude to our children’s generation.
As a Mom, I am keenly aware of my boys need for a mom to take care of them. Not just their physical needs like cooking & cleaning & clothing, but also their need to be nurtured. I’ll admit that it feels like 95% of my time is spent on their physical needs being met, but this doesn’t make their need for love & acceptance any less important. God has put an innate desire in children to be loved & nurtured, to be wanted. I’m so glad I’m a Mom!
Have you ever had the thought or even said, “If my kids only knew how good they have it…” I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve said that to my boys, “You do NOT know how good you have it!” If that is the case, then let’s show them what to do with all that good they have! Let’s teach our kids to be GIVERS!!!! Yeah, kids are selfish by nature, but they have tender hearts (somewhere along the road to adulthood, our hearts can lose their tenderness, if not cultivated). Yes, let US cultivate our children’s hearts by showing them that there are needs all around us & all over the world. Let’s bring them on this journey with us, allowing other people to speak into their lives, let them SEE the needs & BE APART of serving the needs.
Do your kids know that there are very likely students in their class that go to bed without dinner on a regular basis, simply because their parents can not afford it? Do they also know that they can make a difference & bring about change for that classmate? One great way to do this I believe is to inspire the older kids, junior & senior high to help out in their local elementary schools. And once you see these pre-teens & teens in action, you can’t help but be inspired yourself. In February, our local 5th graders put together a Food Drive for the entire Elementary School. They worked so hard & inspired over 1,700 pounds of food to be donated by CHILDREN for our local Food Shelf. Amazing! Let’s find out the needs in our neighborhoods, our kids schools & inspire our kids to bring about change across the street & in our community.
Passion ignites passion. I’m determined to make a passionate difference in the world & inspire Moms who read this blog to make a passionate difference in the lives you touch as well. Moms – I’m sounding a Call to Active Compassion! Let’s begin the journey!
Provided byFundraising Ideas Center
Provided byFundraising Ideas Center
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