Tag Archive - missions

Bheveni Carepoint Pictures

September 21, 2010 in Across My Heart, Across Our World, Mission Trip 2010, Swaziland with 0 Comments

Tuesday has been a big day for the B-Team! We got to see our kids at the carepoint today! It was eye-opening, mind-boggling, heartbreaking & exhilarating all at the same time! J Though I’m often a woman of many words, I’d like to share the story of our first day of Bheveni Carepoint ministry through photography. It goes without saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Here in Swaziland, it’s worth ten thousand…

Pray for the children you see in these pictures.

Yum!

Kids washing hands before breakfast. They are excited to eat!

B-Team Prayer T-2 Days!!!

September 15, 2010 in Across Our World, Mission Trip 2010, Swaziland with 2 Comments

Everything our team and supporters have done this summer – blood, sweat & tears – is for this.

In two days we depart for Swaziland.

Yeah, we’ve done a lot of work to prepare for the trip, but the reality is that in & of itself none of that work matters without us going & sharing Jesus with the children of Swaziland.

This is not a missions trip for us to ‘see Africa’ & get closer to God, though I’m sure we will. This is not to pat ourselves on the back so we can say, “Look what we did for God!”

This is not a vacation. It will be hard & will be a challenge, for most of us, one of the greatest challenges of our lives.

It is not even to deliver supplies & provisions for the Beveni kids, though we are blessed to take them so much that will bless their earthly lives.

So why are we going then?

We go as ambassadors of Christ. We go to bring the message of hope to a dying nation. The hope we bring is that Jesus loves them & wants to spend eternity with them, that He has NOT left them orphans!

If you haven’t read Erica’s blogpost that I added earlier today, read it now. Prepare to have your heart broken. And let that brokenness cause you to PRAY. PRAY. PRAY. for the children of Swaziland, that includes our Beveni kids.

Reality Check.. by Erica Zeiler

Honestly, it’s easy for me to get caught up in the tangible business of this mission. Today, I’ve had a dose of reality that came through one of my team members blogs. Thank you, Erica.

Once again thank you for praying for us. Today please pray more fervently for this request than any other.

Salvation is the mission.

Danielle & The B-Team

Reality Check… A Closer Look at Swaziland Statistics

September 15, 2010 in Across Our World, Mission Trip 2010, Swaziland with 2 Comments

Erica Z.

Erica Zeiler is on the B-Team. I will meet her for the first time on Saturday, but our hearts are already being weaved together! She wrote the post below on her personal blog In The Blink Of My Eyes Thank you Erica! What a powerful post.

Prayer Team: Please pray for the salvation of our Beveni kids & caregivers.

Reality Check…. A Closer Look at Swaziland Statistics

I recently read that if you are a 15 year old in Swaziland, your chances of living to the age of 32 are 6%! SIX PERCENT!!! Translated…that means your chances of dying before you turn 32 are 94%. You are probably more likely to be struck by lightning or attacked by a hippo than live to be 32 if you live in Swaziland…all because of the AIDS crisis. Of the 900,000 people in the country, the orphan population is closing in on 200,000. And half of all 20 somethings have AIDS already. But the one that hits me hardest is the first statistic….6 %!

To put this into perspective, I have just finished packing 140 bags full of school supplies and vitamins. God has provided enough money, through so many generous people, for our team to also be able to buy each child a pair of shoes for school, have a party with a cooked meal for them while we’re there, and give out a ton of clothing…but reality is still there. According to that first statistic, only 8 or 9 of those kids will live to be 32…meaning that 132 of the kids I will meet next week will probably die of AIDS (or some disease like TB resulting from a weakened immune system) before they are my age! God, have mercy!

So what has God called us to do in this seemingly hopeless situation? Without wanting to be too morbid or a Debbie-downer, the thing that I keep coming back to is that we must prepare them for eternity. Yes, we can encourage them in school, help them set goals, encourage them to dream about their future, provide them with food, clothes, and school supplies…but we must balance that with the reality that some experts have said that with the current birth/death rates the way they are, Swaziland won’t exist by 2050 because AIDS will have ravaged it beyond repair. And James’ words come ringing true to my ears….

“What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes”

(James 4:14).

And for children in Swaziland, this verse describes the frailty of life all around them, that they will be looking at death and eternity all too soon.

So as we go next week… prepared to bless the socks off of the kids and the gogos (“grandmas” that cook, teach, and care for the kids at the carepoints), as well as those we will meet through house visits…in the back of my mind I will be thinking about the best gift that I can give them…the gift of the Gospel that we have been entrusted with. As much as I anticipate seeing their joyful faces when they receive clothes, shoes, and school supplies, the look on their faces when they realize they can have eternal peace and be with the Lord beyond this world is beyond description. To look in the face of a 28 year old woman who has “the peace that passes understanding” as she prepares for her death, to sit with a grieving gogo as she realizes her new responsibility of parenting her orphaned grandchildren…the only thing that can get anyone through those times is trusting in the sovereignty of God and the eternal hope that we have in Christ.

As we go to teach VBS and love on these kids, I hope to be used by God to pour into them, pray for them, teach them, and encourage them as if they were a terminally ill child in the hospital…because they are…statistics have given them only 25 more years to live at most. Yet I go hopeful, because as we trust in what Christ did for us on the cross, we can cling to the promise that

“the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away…for He is making all things new.”

(Revelation 21:3-5)

This world is temporary because we were created for another world with unhindered intimacy with the God of the universe…and we can begin to live in that now!

B-Team Prayer T-3 Days!!!

September 14, 2010 in Across Our World, Mission Trip 2010, Swaziland with 1 Comment

It’s crunch time, Y’all!

It's Crunch Time, Y'all!!!!

Our B-Team is busy, busy – finding, filling & crunching suitcases to make all the supplies fit! We have been so blessed by our generous family & friends that are sending provisions for the Beveni kids!

And not only are there provisions of clothing, toys, bandanas, candy, crafts, backpacks, and school supplies, and more, but we’ve had so many monetary donations as well!

Notice the Give-O-Meter ‘s total is OVER $5,000! In fact, I had to raise the goal to $7200, just so you could see how far over our goal of $5,000 we actually are. Extraordinary!

Please pray for the following:

Ask the Lord to help us finalize the details of the trip, as the B-Team are making final arrangements for departure.
Pray for continued health & healing for everyone on the B-Team. There are several of us who are fighting sickness.
Pray that God would continue to prepare the hearts of the 131 (and growing!) children who are cared for at the Beveni Carepoint, that He would keep them strong & healthy that they may participate in all the fun we have planned for them!
Pray that we spend the money wisely & put it towards what the kids & the Carepoint need the most to provide long term sustainment.

In His Service,

Danielle & The B-Team!

Beveni Outpouring 72

July 22, 2010 in Across Our World, Swaziland, VIsion with 2 Comments

$7200 in 72 hours for Beveni

Finally! I can announce what I’ve been so excited about! I teased on a Facebook post two days ago that my excitement was almost palpable & I still have people waiting to hear!

As of tomorrow morning we begin Beveni Outpouring 72.

But first… I have to tell some quick background for those who aren’t yet familiar with Beveni.

What’s a Beveni, you ask?

I’m the sponsorship coordinator for the Beveni Carepoint in Swaziland, where we have sponsored a young lady for over a year now. In fact, at the Beveni Carepoint 132 children receive care including food, education, emotional support, and medical attention if necessary.

There are over 20 carepoints like Beveni in Swaziland – all begun by Children’s HopeChest Ministry. The Carepoints are funded through churches & people desiring to see these kids find hope & safety & love where they live. Beveni is the only Carepoint that is not funded by a specific church, but simply through a group of online, like-minded individuals who have taken up the cause to help the kids find love & hope.

Most of the 132 kids are orphaned due the AIDS pandemic, but all are vulnerable & deal with issues children should never have to deal with. In fact, the life expectancy in Swaziland is only 32 years old.

A 15 year old is considered middle-aged.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Beveni Outpouring 72 is simple 72 hours set aside to raise $7200 for Beveni kids!

We are part of a team who is going to serve at the Beveni Carepoint in Swaziland September 18^th-29^th. We have a huge opportunity to get the kid & the caregivers some much needed supplies – things you & I take for granted.

° Basic medical supplies – Tylenol, cold, allergy meds, first aid needs

° School supplies – pencils, crayons, paper, rulers, mathematical drawing sets, flashcards, music cd’s & a carepoint boom box, etc.

° Personal items – soaps, deodorants, toothbrushes/paste, shirts, socks, shoes

° Fun! – soccer balls, jump ropes, dolls, card games, candy

There is a potential for us to ship the medicines & first aid supplies through a great humanitarian organization. The shipment leaves the US very soon. Thus the need for a 72-hour campaign. For the rest of the supplies, we will buy them in Swaziland and hand-deliver them to the kids & the Carepoint leaders! This will also help the local businesses & economy.

So Friday morning (this morning!) the Beveni Outpouring 72 begins. And by Monday 8a.m. Monday morning, I expect that we will have EXCEEDED our goal!

We WILL raise $7200 in 72 hours for the Beveni Carepoint. Do you want to help create hope? Of course you do! Give what you can, but give from your heart!

It’s simple. Here’s how…

READY… SET… CLICK! SHARE! PRAY!

1. CLICK on this link to HopeChest.

CLICK HERE TO GIVE TOWARDS BEVENI SUPPLIES

2. Indicate the $$$ you wish to give Your gift will be tax deductible.

3. **VERY Important** in the NOTES section write: BEVENI SUPPLIES

4. SHARE this information on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, with your church, your friends, and your kids… ALL WEEKEND LONG!

5. PRAY that God blesses this event of outpouring. Pray that He also provides an outpouring of hope to our kids at Beveni, their families & all those involved in serving the kids in Swaziland. And pray that He blesses those that give!

HopeChest won’t have the totals processed until mid-next week. So do me solid & email me at danielle.moms4change@gmail.com to let me know how much you were able to give towards Beveni Outpouring 72. Names will not be shared, only dollar amounts.

I will keep a running total on Moms4Change Facebook Page as well as my personal FB page. So stay tuned, cuz we’re about to be a part of something BIGGER THAN YOU & I!!!!

Shine On Sisters!

Danielle Brower

ps. Shout out to ZekeDesigns for the graphics & logos! Holla! You can find them on facebook HERE!

Good Grief, Charlie Brown

May 12, 2010 in Across My Heart, Across Our World with 6 Comments

Dear God, Remember me?

Today, I’d like to share what started out as a private journal entry. My heart is on the table.

Today I feel grieved. My heart feels heavy, burdened with the pain & suffering in the world. Really it’s a good thing to ‘feel’, but sometimes good things are hard to go through, right?

Is there such a thing as ‘good grief’?

I find myself wanting to scream from the rooftops about the injustices I’ve been reading ~ about children who are stolen & made slaves for sex, or the people groups who are treated worse than animals. All else seems insignificant compared to these travesties.

When my heart is heavy, it now pushes me to run to my Savior & seek His face. His grace is sufficient. Its been a life-long learning process for me to run to Him.

~~~~~~~

I told a friend today that I might need to get a job just so I can support all the ministries that are ‘on the ground’ trying to meet the needs of the widows & orphans, the needs of the hungry & persecuted. I say this with humility, wondering to what extent I am called to serve. Do you ever wonder that about your own life?

This heaviness tends to happen to me when I open my mind & heart to the needs around me. Back in 1998 Mike & I took some youth on a Missions Trip to Chihuahua, Mexico through Teen Mania Ministries. There were so many highs and so many lows during those ten days. (If you’ve ever been on a missions trip, you know what I’m talking about.) I think I felt every emotion a human could feel. Shock. Fear. Hunger. Sadness. Sickness (don’t ask). Unbelievable Joy. Thankfulness. Exhaustion.

We came back to the States on a Sunday & shared our story with the church. We shared our joy, but we also shared the incredible need of the people who lived in poverty and their desire to hear the Gospel. We were beside ourselves. For weeks. Maybe even a month Mike & I could hardly function in society. Seriously, we were spoiled. Yeah, we knew that before the trip, but afterwards I felt gluttonous. Both of us desired to serve more and go where the need was so strong. In fact we even talked & prayed about moving to Chihuahua.

I shared that story because today I’m feeling a measure of that again. You guys, by now know my heart and my desire to be a voice for those who cannot cry out for themselves. Well, they are crying out, but for some of them, they believe no one is listening.

~~~~~~~~

I’ll share another story with you. I’ve been there. I’ve been at that point in my adult life where I genuinely felt as if no one was listening. Not even God. Now, of course that couldn’t have been further from the truth – I had people around me who loved me and all my physical needs were met. I was still depressed though. Deeply depressed. I very much thought I could die and no one, no one would miss me. I believed the lie. Looking back I don’t recognize that Danielle anymore.

It grieves me to think anyone anywhere else in the world would feel even a portion of the loneliness I felt for over a year. There are children who are in fact alone, having to care for themselves, find their own food and shelter. Do they hear God’s voice telling them not to believe the lie? Do they know that He is there with them in their darkest hour? I pray that they sense His presence. I believe that they do. I believe God is reaching in, scooping them up and comforting them as only He can do.

But He does that through US! I had people in my life who prayed for me, reached in and scooped me up. They became His hands, His feet, His tangible love to me. One woman in particular looked me in the eyes and with a compassionate, strong voice she spoke words that set me on the road to freedom, that gave me hope.

She said, “Jesus is your Defender. In the courtroom, against all the accusers who tell you that you’re alone and not worth your very life, He is your Defense. He’s fighting for your life. You simply trust Him and the Judge who is seated on the throne. The case has already been won.”

Wanna know something interesting? Danielle means “Judged by God’. Yep. I never liked the meaning of my name until that day. I wanted it to mean “beautiful as a thousands sunsets” or “wise ruler”! Suddenly “Judged by God” was now my mantra and I wear it proud! I no longer live in judgement over myself. (Though there are days I still have to remind myself of this!)

~~~~~~~

Will we listen to the voices crying out or close our ears?

Will we be the vessel for the “Defender” to those that are suffering?

That are hurting? That feel there’s no hope?

I’ll admit that sometimes the need overwhelms me, like today. So today instead of turning away, I turn that heaviness into prayer & a call to action.

Jesus, you have pulled us out of our darkest places. Your Word brings freedom & justice. Your Word says you will never leave us or forsake us. Just as Your promises are true for us, they are true for the destitute, poor, and hungry all over the world. You have called us to bring Light into the darkness. May we let our light, the Light of Your Truth, shine and go forth. Open our eyes. Show us how to actively pierce the darkness inside that seeks to blind and deceive. Be our strength. Give us your compassion. Give us Your heart. Cause us to be vessels of your grace & love. In Jesus’ Name.

Take the time today to remember God’s faithful promises.

How has God shown Himself strong on your behalf?

SOS {Shine On Sisters!}

An Orphan Spirit, Part One

An Orphan Spirit, Part Two

What moves you to get off your butt and do something?

April 20, 2010 in Mom Matters, VIsion with 0 Comments

What moves you to get off your butt

& do something?

For some disciplined people little things move them to change.

Can you feel my jealous sarcasm already oozing from the screen? Yeah, you know the ones that get on the scale, have gained 1.43 pounds, who suddenly realize they better make a change before it gets any worse!? and then DO IT!!!! This might even be you! I congratulate you in a confused, envious, what planet were you birthed on, sort of way.

That’s not me, in case you didn’t guess. And anyone who knows me would tell you the same (if they had the guts!).

I’m the one that steps on the scale & questions the integrity of the machine. If it says I gained a pound… even 20 pounds, I try to reason it away, “That stupid scale! I knew I should’ve bought a digital one, ‘cuz this one has a mind of its own!” I’m the delusional one that tries on jeans and thinks, “I just know they are making clothes sizes smaller to fit skinny girls with no hips. The cut of the jeans is made for a 12 year old’s body! Darn America’s obsession with a size 2!!!!” Okay, you get my point. Enough about my self-induced delusions!

What moves YOU to change? Catastrophes? Like Hurricane Katrina or more recently the earthquake in Haiti? To be honest I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t do much to help in these tragedies. I prayed for the people & the volunteers, but it didn’t cause me to make a change or to give in the way that it did many others who sacrificed their time & resources to help.

A few weeks ago, though, something clicked for me, and it wasn’t my mouse. I started researching (keyword: started) topics I’m interested in. I’m interested in all sorts of things like scrapbooking, making money, coming up with lame jokes, cooking, music, movies, planning events, and books. At the moment my favorite fiction books are The Twilight Saga. I know, I know I hear the groans! Can’t help it, it’s an addiction really…

Okay, back to my point. My answer to what moves me is this: Passion. Passion Moves Me. In any form, it stirs my soul when passion is involved, (which actually would explain my Twilight obsession). So, I started researching topics I’m passionate about, not just interested in. That research led me to articles, books, websites, videos of injustice that, in my head I knew was happening, but my heart hadn’t connected. Yet. I got to a point where my stomach felt sickened and quite frankly I was pissed (yeah, i said it) that I’ve cornered myself into this little bubble of my comfortable life.

Let me stop here & say I really do love my stay-at-home mom life, my family, and I do my best not to take anything for granted. But educating myself on what’s happening in my both my town & across the world brought my life into perspective. I needed to change!!! Not wanted to. I needed to be moved out of my complacency. My heart began to soften & look outward. I need to challenge this Comfortable American Mom {CAM} to do more. I challenge you as well. Here’s the knowledge you NEED to have.

Photo Courtesy of Dan Fellner, www.FellnerTravelInfo.com

We can be a passionate voice for those who can’t speak for themselves – the orphaned children who have been stripped of their families due to the AIDS pandemic in Swaziland.

Swaziland has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS anywhere in the world.

If you are a 15-year-old Swazi, your chance of reaching 30 years old is only 6%.

I read that by the year 2020, if the death rate continues to soar, there will be

NO ADULTS LEFT in SWAZILAND!!!!

***

We can be a passionate voice for the young women who are being sold, SOLD! into sex trafficking.

In Moldova, a small country in Europe…

There are more than 250 brothels in Chisinau, the capital city.

One of the greatest targets for sex-trafficking are girls

who leave the orphanages.

There are 30,000 women who have literally disappeared in Moldova,

many of them believed to have been captured for the sex trade industry.

Yeah, it’s an industry funded on the

repeated rape

& brutality

of women.

I will be talking about them a lot in this blog. It’s not pretty. It’s ugly. It’s despicable.

Before knowing all this, we could have easily turned aside… NOT NOW!

With knowledge comes a responsibility to make change.

When change comes, chains are broken, and joy abounds!!!!

So this week, go about your days with this new knowledge. IF you let these words & truths pierce your heart, you’ll find yourself thinking about them through this week in some random way. Please take time to pray for these orphans & slaves. And think about how you can get off your butt & do something. And I mean that in the nicest way.

Keep Lovin’ Moms!