God spottings....

God is always at work in our ordinary, every day lives,

but SOMETIMES... He makes himself just a

wee bit easier to spot.

 - - - -

I've had quite a few times like that lately,

and for my own purpose of encouragement

when loving on the Kolfe boys gets rough...

I thought it wise to record some of this week's spottings.

Last week, I was feeling a little down.  There is so much to be done for His kingdom, and honestly, I was weary.  There are people who have closed their eyes and ears to this vision, and can be intentionally, or unintentionally unkind and discouraging.  Thursday was filled with a lot of tears... but as Psalm 30:5 says, "Joy comes in the morning." and it DID.

 - - -

Friday morning, a pastor of a small local church called.  He wanted to hear my story.  He wanted to encourage me, he wanted to pray for this trip, and my part in it.  I am humbled, and sooo grateful that God brought joy to replace the tears. 

Monday night at a Homeschool Mom's Night out.... someone new asked me how many kids I had, I responded with my usual, ♥ ♥ "Five." ♥ ♥ ♥  God spoke, and she caught the vision.... Yesterday, I ran into her at a field trip... she gave ME this.  I gave HER... a BIG hug through lots of tears.  It's enough money to buy the entire orphanage fruit... again!  Thank you, Jesus!!

He has overcome the world, don't lose hope!

There's a boy... a young man really, at Kolfe who is struggling.  You see, school is more than just something you just do over there because your young.  It's their lifeline!  It means the difference between having a shot at one of the few jobs that might be open, and a life on the streets, homeless, hungry and scared.  School is everything for these boys. 

Another friend called me last night and asked me to pray for him... he has a degree (a high degree) and yet, can't find work in his field, and will lose the job he currently has in March.  He needs a job.  Jobs in Ethiopia are HARD to come by.  My heart aches for them...

So, as I pushed "send" on another email of encouragement for this Kolfe boy, I thought... why not?  I WANT to encourage anyone who too might be struggling through a storm in their life right now.

So here is what I said to the boy I'll call "K"...

BTW... the photos I have added are really just to keep your attention!  Who likes to just read and read without photos?? :o)

My sweet, sweet boy... my heart aches for you right now. I love you so much, and it hurts me to think of you hurting. I know how important school is to all of you, and it seems like you and (another boy) are having a difficult time with school right now. 

 "K" it is in the really tough times that we need to hold on to Jesus. It's like when I was with you, and the sun was shining one minute, and the next minute, those crazy African rains would come and pour down on us. What would we do? We would run for the "cafe" outside your dorm. We would run for "shelter". Jesus wants to be your shelter, "K".

God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

We have been learning in church about troubles. Troubles will come, even as Christians, we are not promised an easy "trouble free" life, but we are promised a shelter in the storm. Jesus wants to be more than just your "religion". He wants to me more than just your "rituals" of fasting, prayers to the intercessors, celebrations, and Sunday church. He wants to be your EVERYTHING!!! Your friend, your hope, your shelter, your future...

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! (Keep going! Don't lose hope!) I have overcome the world.”

I love you, "K"! "Take heart" today, and put your hope and trust in Jesus.

How about you... are you putting your hope and trust in Christ today?  Need help figuring out exactly how to go about that?  I'd love to help!  ~ Tamara

Just a taste...

Just a teaser for the next post...

too sleepy, and running out of free time... 

but chew on this for a bit, and I'll fill ya in next time!

Garage Sale update

Thank you for your responses!

I think we have enough help to run

the garage sale on Friday the 21st!

Now we just pray that God

will bring in the funds!

7 days and counting until

I get my house back!

Whoo, hoo!

Oh, and the boy from yesterday's post?

Didn't do so well on his test.

Please pray for him... he's pretty upset.

Ponderings...

Well, the excitement is growing...

I am headed to my ♥ home away from home ♥ in just

40 days. There are a lot of things swirling around in my mind... here's just a sampling.  This morning there was an email in my box that reminds me why this is all so important.

"Tamara, How are you? I am pretty good. Tomorrow i have big exam so i am very scared so if you can please pray.  love you so much!!"

This kid (not one of our sons) needs to know that someone's got his back, someone cares.. and he needs to know that Jesus loves him.  I love the fact that John stopped on his way out the door this morning to stop and pray with Kristelle and I for this boy and his test tomorrow.  What an honor to be one of the few people that this kid feels like he can reach out to when he needs a little prayer support.

Veggie Tales

My kids loved them, John and I still do...

Do you have any DVDs lying around that you could sacrificially give to share a little of God's love with kids in Ethiopia?  Once the studying is done and the sun goes down at Kolfe...

These cute little guys like to watch tv.  Now, they could continue watching episode after episode of Tom & Jerry, OR they could watch some Veggie Tales and learn stories from God's Word in a silly way! 

 - - - - -

Since I know you will ask... no, they don't have a VHS player... just DVDs.  I know you have some of these in your home... how about letting your kids pick one of them to send with me for these precious little kids?

Africa Garage Sale... is comin'!

Our fundraiser Garage Sale is a comin'!  The house is filling up with great things from so many of you. 
THANK YOU!!

Our hope is to be able to run the sale Friday (21st) and Saturday (22nd).  Saturday, I have a couple of helpers, but Friday it is me and the kids for the morning... 

So... if you have no desire to GO to Africa, but you would be willing to give of your time to help SEND us... (this sale will benefit both the February and summer trips) please let me know! 

♥ Even a couple of hours would be wonderful! ♥ 

Kristelle is planning to play her keyboard for tips, but would love to share the keys with a buddy, and Kyle is going to be running our bake sale, but he would love some company! 

New this time, Denise (one of my g.s. customers, now turned friend) and I are taking a leap of faith.  Seems like I am always pricing things cheap, only to have people ignore my efforts and ask me to go lower. 

Denise and I have decided to step out in faith and simply ask people how much they would be willing to give, rather than individually price things. (except for a few big things)  Yes, this could get really crazy, but we are trusting that God is in control, and will bless our efforts. 

We are excited to see what God does!!!  Would you help us pray for this sale?

Wanna help?

KLM has changed their baggage rules since

I went to Ethiopia just 4 months ago.

They used to let you bring 100 pounds for free...

Not anymore...

but I just got this dropped on my doorstep...

15 pounds of baby formula!

So, fees or no fees,

I'm taking 100 pounds!!!

It's too important not too.

If you read our blog, and have yet to

jump in and get involved...

Now's the time!

Can you help?

45 days and counting...

Change of plans...

Our family trip has been pushed back to 

this summer when John is better able to join us.

We are praying that he be an "official employee"

by then and will have paid vacation.

In the meantime,

God has opened some doors

that John and I both felt were

important to walk through.

 - - - - - - -

So... I will be flying to Chicago

at the end of February

to meet up with 3 friends...

and traveling to Ethiopia with them.

Love this photo...

From a T-shirt that two of my team members

are selling for $13!

More details later... right now,

I have a garage sale to prepare for.

A happy cry...

Kolfe got another round of fruit

(and The Nativity Story movie) on Saturday,

thanks to an AWESOME group of women

who responded to my request for help with the cost...

and my sweet friend Jennifer who is in Addis right now.

Look at all those oranges and bananas! 

Emnatu, Sintayehu, Harrison, Ephrem, Kaytlynn, and Mezgebu

But THIS brought tears of joy, and a little sadness too...

Jennifer said, "I squeezed them all extra long with tons of tears I could hardly hold back and let them know that you loved them so very much and how you wished you could be the one to give them a big mamma hug."  "This is one of the few places I couldn't hold back the tears. Mostly, I felt so intensely how much you all wished you could be together. Broke my heart. " 

Sweet tears, and thankfulness for lots

of help lovin' on some orphans!

In the words of my friend Charlie,

"Ain't God Good!"

Sweet Christmas Surprise....

(American) Christmas Day at Kolfe... 

 was a pretty fun occasion!

A few of the boys have families,

(Wouldn't it be nice if there were more?)

so Skype and email were working overtime.

Thanks to my friend Fekadu,

for playing errand boy for me.

Fekadu stopped by the mission house to pick up

some things I had sent to ET with Emily,

stopped by a lucky fruit vendor and

bought fruit for the entire orphanage,

and then took some Christmas cheer to Kolfe...

all on American Christmas morning!

The perfect day for this delivery!!!

 Our Emnatu had something up his sleeve.

I'm not known for just letting things happen,

(I am the worst kind of planner.)

so I almost spoiled it!

Christmas morning we got a Skype call from Emnatu,

he asked us to close our eyes,

he had a surprise for us,

for Christmas...

this is what we saw when we opened our eyes.

Emnatu John, AYAL John, and Mezgebu John.

Our three sons...

all together, all on skype,

This was Ayal's first time using Skype.

 - - - - -

Our sweet boy spoke right to the

♥ of my love language.

My favorite gift,

sacrifice (Ayal would be sharing a tiny bed

 with Emnatu again)

for the gift he knows his mom loves best...

T-I-M-E!

"Marry Christmass" from the Kolfe boys.

How much does it cost to get there?

A friend asked today about our travel costs.  I appreciated her suggestion on a way to trim some off of our flight costs.  If you know me well, you know I am all about spending less!  Traveling on our own actually is a savings already. Most mission trips to ET, are about $3,000-$3,500 per person.  So, it's like a coupon in use, already!!!  I love that!

It did give me a chance though, to explain some of the costs further.... so let me share some of my answer with all of you in bloggerville.

To get to Ethiopia and back, it will take:
4 plane tickets (We hope to be able to get them for under $5,000, but it takes some work... tickets for August are running about $8,000 right now.  So you have to catch them at just the right time!)
A driver (to save on costs, last time, I rode in a car, but we will happily fill up a van this time)
A translator (Not all that important at Kolfe, since most of the boys speak English, but a must outside of the orphanage.)
A salad bar full of travel shots. 
Travel visas
3 rooms at a Guest house for us and some special guests. ;o)
Meals for at least 9 (it is customary to pay for the driver and translator's meals as well)
Fruit for the orphanage
Help for our 2 oldest boys who IF they can get time off work, won't be paid...

That's the run down... hopefully our numbers will shrink some as things get firmed up.  Less spent on the "have to-s" means more available for blessing the people we come in contact with!

Journey to Ethiopia 2011

No plane tickets for the trip yet. 

We are waiting on some answers

 from John's job and the boys' schools

 as to when we can go.

We are still looking into February,

just 2 months from now.

YIKES!!!  That is fast approaching!

Our costs at this point, are somewhat estimates,

since the flights are steadily going up
 as time passes and we are still working
 on a guest house that

 will be affordable enough for
 all of us to stay at together.

We are collecting items for

another garage sale in January...
Let us know if you have anything ! 
Thanks!

Some updates...

At our garage sale a few months ago,

I met a sweet woman name Denise.

She has a love for Africa, and asked if she could

call me later to learn more about Kolfe.

I love this woman's heart...

at the end of the conversation, she said,

"Give me an assignment, what can I do?"

What a blessing it was to hear those words!

So... fast forward a few months, and Denise

called to say that she has been collecting things

for us to take in our suitcases...

She's been shopping at yard sales for clothing

for us to take for the orphanages, and 

a doctor friend of her's had given her $100

to buy cans of formula for a baby orphanage

we want to visit while in Ethiopia.

Praise God! What a huge blessing

to the workers & children at this orphanage!

We are so excited about Denise

and her partnership with us!

 - - - - - - -

One more update I am long

overdue for posting....

A sweet homeschooling friend of mine,

Juli, has been partnering with us since I

began fundraising for my first trip to Kolfe.

She has been such a blessing to us!

Juli is a major bargain hunter, in fact,

she has a fabulous website

 called Bargain Believer

that is spreading pretty fast.

In November, she showed up

at our door with these....

59 soccer shirts!

These FANTASTIC SHIRTS

were donated

to the boys by JCPENNY.

How cool is that!?!?!

I can't wait to deliver these to

 Gladney Adoption Agency

 for the orphanages they support.

(Including Kolfe)

I am going to send you to

Juli's site to read the rest of the story

(click on this link)

of how these fabulous shirts,

and a check for our trip, came to be

 in our home awaiting
their journey to Ethiopia.

While you are at it, you just might

pick up a bargain or two!

Standing Firm

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:58

Today is one of those days when I am thankful for promises like this one.  Fundraising is tough....  Getting to Africa with 4 of us in tow is expensive, and every time I get a few steps closer to the goal, something happens to make us go backwards a bit..travel shots, specific needs for one of our boys there, a fundraiser idea that goes kaput...  (Like the one I have been crafting for the past few weeks, that didn't end up happening, and I now have Jesus and Me tree ornaments a plenty!) 

But going backwards isn't always a bad thing.  Twice this month we have had offers to take our boys something with a visitor...Rather than send them Christmas gifts, we have taken the opportunity to reach out to the whole orphanage with love and send money for every boy to have fruit.  A few of you have even committed to helping us give some "sweet" love this Christmas, and we are forever grateful!

Fruit... a banana, an orange... they seem so simple and ordinary to us here in the States... BUT when you live in Ethiopia, in a Gov't run orphanage, and your very existence is essentially a version of bread and water each day ... fruit is a luxury, it is something special.  It means a rare treat, packed with vitamins.  It's what growing boys need...  so, I am thankful for the opportunity to go backwards in our fundraising... or  maybe, just maybe, that's what HE intended be done with HIS money all along....

Thankful that God's purposes are better than our requests...

My heart overflows with thankfulness...

 I stand in awe of the blessings God has given

us this past year.  A year ago, we had never

heard of Kolfe Orphanage.

A year ago, our family of 4 was "enough".

Our world was small,

and we wanted to serve the Lord,

 but we had no vision big enough

 for God's plans for us...

 Only God could give us something

 better than we knew to ask for. 

 Emnatu John, 19.

What started eight months ago as just a
penpal friendship, has blossomed
 into so much more.
God has used this sweet,
sweet young man,
our son,
 to open our eyes
to a world we never knew,
 and to become the family
we never could have dreamed of.

Mezgebu John, 15 on his "1st birthday"
later this week.

I am so thankful for our son, Mez.
He challenges me greatly,
and his journey in life means
this isn't always easy,
 but when he opens up
and shows us glimpses
 of the sweet boy inside... oh, the joy.

Ayal John, 20

What a journey God has taken

us on this past year.

Orphans are real,

they are many,

and God clearly calls us to do something,

 anything! to show them His love.  

John and I struggle with how best to use

the money God has blessed us with.

There are so many in need..

is it better to send our money

 rather than going ourselves?

It is a question we struggle with even today,

 as I make plans for another trip to Kolfe,

 and next time take John and the kids

with me.  The connection we have with

 our sons keeps smacking me in the face

 when I think of not going. 

The best I can come up with

 for now is that we do both...

we dig a little deeper,

we give up a few "wants" here

 so that we can meet some "needs" over there,

 and yes, we go.

We touch their lives in the way that

 only a physical hug,

or the action of holding their hand can do,

 and selfishly...

 well, our lives get touched,

stretched, challenged and

changed in the process.

We have had many of you question why we don't travel with a "tax deductible" charity, so that we could get people involved in helping us get there.  Truthfully, we don't do this because of the boys at Kolfe.  We could travel with an organized group, but after getting tax deductible donations, and spending so much time, money, and effort to get there... we wouldn't be able to do what we most want to do.  Spend time at Kolfe. 
 

Kolfe doesn't make it on the list of orphanages groups visit.  If we went, we would see wonderful things, (most spend time sightseeing at least a bit) meet wonderful people, share wonderful experiences... but, we would miss out on the joys of real relationships...the kind that last well beyond a whirlwind trip with makes a different stop each day.  We would miss out on the kids who ask us to pray because they are hurting over something that has happened in their life, or pray for a test that is coming up in school.  We would miss out on... family.  That's why we will go, and that's our main priority.  Yes, we are collecting baby clothes, formula, and children's clothing for a couple of other orphanages that we hope to visit, but our reasons for going are deeper than a quick 1-2 hour guided tour stop.

 -- - - - - - --

On a side note...

I got a phone call this week,

from a visitor to Kolfe.

Her words, and later, her photos,

 made me smile.

"I just LOVE your son!"

"There is something so special about him."

"He is such a sweet young man."

"I had so much fun spending time with him."

Me too, my friend, me too...

God has blessed us abundantly!

Our Response to the Israelites (Parts 2 and 3)

Want to know more about any of the groups
 I mention here?  I have got the links to
 their websites built in,
so click away, friends, click away!
 - - - - - - -

I love Thanksgiving week.  It's an opportunity to stop and think about all of the ways God has blessed us.  Stop and think about your finances today.  I know times are tough...trust me... the hubs took a 35% cut in pay this summer in order to have a life again.  Times are tough, money is tight... and yet... God has so incredibly blessed our family!  We have all we need, and the blessing of being able to share... How great is our God!

Today's response to the Israelites is two-fold...  One of our family's favorite radio stations, Air1 is raising money today for a great organization.  ICM's Church Builders in Africa.  It's a chance to build a church and an orphanage in one.  A chance to meet the physical AND spiritual needs of children who need to know that someone cares. 

But wait!!!  There's more...  KLOVE,  Air1's sister station usually does a fundraiser on Thanksgiving week for the Phoenix Rescue Mission.  This year, they aren't... so that's where we come in. 

Are you eating Thursday?  How about ensuring that someone local can eat too.  Without KLOVE's support, I know they will be hurting.  http://www.phoenixrescuemission.com/

Our first response to the Israelites...

If you haven't read the previous post about the Israelites, then encourage you to

read read it here... and see how the Israelites got something right...

I told you I would post some ideas of things

 you could to make a difference this Christmas Season.  Here's the first one.

Feed My Starving Children is a great organization that needs our help.  Go HERE to read my post about FMSC, and be sure to watch the videos at the bottom to see the fabulous work they are doing in so many countries overseas.

http://www.fmsc.org/

You have already given more than enough....

***Warning!  This may be long, and I am not a gifted writer, but hang with me... there's a gold mine at the end... I hope!
 - - - - - -

In homeschool this week, we are continuing our study on the Israelites.  We are up to the point where Moses is leading the construction of the Tabernacle.  Obviously along the way on this study, we have leaned countless time of the the Israelites sins, and short comings.  And while, there are lessons to be gleaned from the failures of others, sometimes you just want to see someone get it RIGHT.

Scenes like this are all too common with the Israelites.

It came so quick, and was so shortly documented that we almost missed it.  ALMOST!

Exodus 35:4-9 is a good place to begin.  Moses is telling the people what the Lord has commanded. "Everyone is invited to bring these offerings to the Lord: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn, fine linen; goat hair for cloth; tanned ram skins...."  the list goes on and on.  Basically, God is commanding them to "dig deep" and to offer to the building of the Tabernacle, the best of what they possess.

This is a tall order, no doubt.  They were no different from us, I presume.  Most of us, when we have something of value, tend to think of KEEPING it, rather than GIVING it away.  So you might expect that the pledge drive for Tabernacle materials would drag on for a while.  How many of us tire of KLOVE's pledge drive?  When will this be OVER? 

Don't they have enough, yet??

Exodus 35:20-21 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.   Okay, I'm mildly impressed.  just as with us, it appears that there were some who were moved to give.  No biggie, right?  We do that. 

It's what we read next that stopped me in my tracks, and made me wish I was an Israelite for just this one time... Here it goes... don't miss this!  Exodus 36:2-7  Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work.  They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.  So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing  and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.” Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

Did you catch that?  There was a need in God's Kingdom.  God commanded his people to fulfill that need.... and then... and THEN...  They gave so much to the need that they had to be TOLD to stop giving.  There was more than enough!  Wow... this makes me want to hang my head and ask forgiveness of the one who gave it all to me in the first place... How about you??

Christmas is just around the corner,

and the dreaded questions

have already begun ...

"What do you want for Christmas?"

Sometimes, I just want to shout...

"I want the hungry fed,

the orphans clothed,

the love of Jesus shared,

and... NOTHING for myself."

 -- -- --

What do you really NEED this Christmas?

Please check back, because I think we can take our love of giving gifts, and we CAN BE like the Israelites.  I've got some ideas that I will share with you soon.  

I think we can give a gift of hope, a gift of education, a gift of HIS love this season, and you just might find that it was better than another gift you really didn't need in the first place.  You just might find that in it's place is a much better gift... the gift of JOY that comes from

giving gifts that really matter!

A heart that hurts, and yet hopes in the One who can help...

I had a long talk with our far away son today.  When I asked some probing questions, his answers broke my heart.  He has a job, and that is a huge blessing in his country.  It gives him a sense of accomplishment (most of his peers are still looking)  He feels it is worth it each morning as he heads off to work before the rest of the orphanage has even had a chance to wake.  The taxi ride to work takes the better part of an hour.

It gives him experience in the working world.  He gets to work on some pretty cool things while there... parts for bone mills, honey compresses, soil block machines, car parts... the list goes on.  What it doesn't give him makes me very sad.

It doesn't give him the ability to earn a living.  We were excited to hear his salary at first.  (He makes twice that of his older brother.)  Then today, we learned the truth.  It's not enough.  It's not even close to enough to make it on his own, once he leaves the orphanage.

He spends 62% of his income just paying to get TO and FROM the job and for lunch. After working 160 hours last month, and buying himself a pair of pants, he had just 47 birr left to last him another month before he is paid again.  To put that in perspective...  my one dinner at the restaurant in Addis cost me roughly 80 birr.  Clearly 47 birr will not go far, not even far enough to pay for his transportation for the next month until payday.  He knows it... and he is scared.  Rent and food will soon need to be paid for, but how???

Please pray for John and I as we walk with our boys through this.  We want them to be independent.  They need to feel like they can provide for themselves... but right now, both work so very hard, and yet they don't earn enough to survive on their own.

There is peace in knowing that God already knows the struggle.  He already knows our son's fears.  I believe he orchestrated today's conversation as part of the solution.  Just maybe that is why these sweet young men are now our sons, and bear my husband's name as their own.  For such a time as this... so that we can step in as Mom and Dad, to help.

And yet, still we pray...

Heavenly Father, if it be Your will, give our children better paying jobs.  Provide for our boys in a way that only You can.  Give them Your peace about their circumstances.  Just as You gave the Israelites manna in the wilderness, feed our sons and keep them safe and in Your care. May Your name be praised and glorified in and through their lives..... Amen.

  - - - -

Psalm 59:16 ~ But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.