...and if you spend yourselves...

The size of her clothes...

2012-02-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

With tears in my eyes and a knot in my throat I folded my daughters clothes tonight. Not because I mind, I actually really enjoy folding her clothes. The tiny size reminds me how dependent she is on us, the awesome responsibility of being a parent and caring for her.

And as I fold her sweet little clothes I find myself thinking of all the children around the world who don't have a mom to lovingly fold their clothes.

So it's with a heavy heart that I crawl into bed...grateful for my little girl and grieving for all the little ones who don't have a safe place to sleep tonight.

2011 Borders Year-in-Review

2012-01-11T18:46:00.000-08:00

So is January too late to write a year-in-review of last year? I don't think so...I think any time this month would be acceptable. And speaking of January, I hope to do a better job of posting here this year...check back for info about working with me at World Orphans!

So...my family's 2011 year-in-review...

New and beautiful - Jazmine Eliza: Born on the 4th of July, Jazmine filled the second half of 2011 with wonder and delight. We love getting to know her and have enjoyed watching her grow from a tiny newborn into a little girl full of life and personality. We look with awe and anticipation to future years as we parent Jazmine and watch her grow.

Challenging - Chris's work as a graduate student: Chris continues to work and study very hard as he prepares to be a Physician Assistant. Currently in his third and final year of his masters degree, Chris has spent countless hours in a dozen hospitals around the state of New Jersey. He loves what he is learning and looks forward to completing his degree in May 2012. At this point Chris anticipates practicing in the area of primary care. The location of where our family will settle is still up in the air...we’re thinking somewhere on the eastern seaboard....stay tuned for our 2012 year end letter to find out! We look forward to seeing how the Lord leads us.

Growing and changing - Kate's role at World Orphans: I am continually grateful to be involved in supporting churches around the world that are caring for orphans. With help from my family, I hosted a few “Home for the Holidays” parties this December....thinking of how grateful we are for family and homes to gather in at this time of year and praying for all the children around the world who don’t have homes or families. While the situation is daunting, the work God is doing through his people, His church around the world is awesome. This year saw my role grow into being a senior director in our Projects department which allows me to help keep an eye on how different aspects of our ministry and organization fit together - I oversee all the teams we send overseas, as well as our holistic care emphasis which focuses on training and equipping our partners around the world. The work is challenging and keeps me busy, but I am honored to serve alongside my hard-working, gifted, passionate co-workers and our church partners.

Chris and I would love to hear what 2011 held for you and what 2012 has in store. We pray this finds you growing in the presence and knowledge of Christ. Immanuel - God is with us!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

With love and best wishes for 2012,

Kate (on behalf of all of us)

Partner with Us! I am responsible for raising funds on behalf of World Orphans to cover the costs associated with my work for them. I need to raise about $8000 between now and next summer. We would be honored and thankful if you would consider partnering with us by giving a one time or monthly gift.

Don't Worry...

2011-11-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

I nurse my four month old daughter and she gets into a comfortable state somewhere between awake and asleep while she contentedly eats. After awhile I pick her up to burp her. With her head on my shoulder she realizes that she is no longer comfortably eating and lets out a quiet cry of protest. I pat her back and gently tell her, "don't worry, there's more". She quickly quiets down, burps and then settles in to finish eating.

Each time I say, "don't worry, there's more" I find myself overwhelmed with gratefulness that I can say that to her, humbled by and thankful for God's provision. Recognizing all provision is from God's hand, at the moment I'm able to say, "don't worry, there's more" because I have enough to eat and drink so my body is producing the nourishment that she needs. Lord willing, as she gets older I'll be able to say that because my husband and I will work hard to provide for her.

For over 10 years now my heart has been breaking for children who don't have enough food to eat. But now as a new parent I find myself thinking of parents who struggle to provide for their children. My heart breaks for the moms and dads who desperately want to care and provide for their children yet poverty, drought, sickness and other challenges prevent them from being able to.

I have to admit I don't understand why. I trust God's goodness and His sovereignty, but don't understand why I find myself in a position to be able to provide warmth, shelter, protection, and food for my baby girl, while so many parents would give anything to be able to do the same and aren't able.

As I wrestle with these questions that don't have answers I find myself yet again thankful to be part of the ministry of World Orphans as we work through local churches around the world to strengthen communities, so families can be supported and encouraged, so parents are able to work and provide for their children.

One very specific way we go about this is through our Home-Based Care Programs. The objective is to assist the church in their desire to provide much needed spiritual, emotional, physical and mental care for households in their community with orphaned, abandoned, or vulnerable children who are being cared for by single mothers, extended relatives, neighbors, friends, or church members.

The program is designed to ensure that the children receive: spiritual care - through discipleship during home visitations and participation in a weekly children’s program at the church; emotional care – by providing ongoing counseling, group activities, and home visitations; physical care – in the form of food, access to clean drinking water, and access to medical care; and mental care – by ensuring access and support of education.

As I feed my daughter and lay her down to sleep, faces of dear brothers and sisters I have ment through World Orphans partnerships flash through my mind. My heart aches knowing there are grieving parents putting their children to be hungry. At the same time I am very humbled by how hard parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, community members and church bodies are working to care and provide for those children.

As we seek to care for children, whether it be children under our roof or children around the world, may we never lose sight of the greatest need we all have, for our relationship with God to be restored. Praise God that He has met that need, through the Gospel of Christ. As we meet physical needs, may we never cease to point one another to the Gospel.

Currently World Orphans has Home-Based Care programs in Haiti and Ethiopia. Click HERE to read more about Home-Based Care and click HERE to start a campaign to raise money to support orphan care ministry around the world.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing... - Psalm 68:5-6

Our baby girl...

2011-08-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

My husband Chris and I welcomed Jazmine Eliza on July 4th at 3:58pm

1 day old

I had a delightful 6 weeks of maternity leave - it was so nice to just focus on getting to know Jazmine and begin to learn how to care for her.

2 days old

I'm now back to work, so grateful to be involved in the ministry of World Orphans where my work is something I'm passionate about.

3 weeks

So often as I look at Jazmine I'm overwhelmed with gratefulness for her health and that the Lord has given her to us. And my heart just breaks for all the children who don't have a family.

6 weeks (no, she didn't ride on the motorcycle...we'll let her get a little bigger :)

I am so thankful that World Orphans is about mobilizing, supporting and encouraging churches around the world to care for children in need of a family. And I pray that the Lord would continue to stir hearts all around the world, that followers of Christ would be known as people who care for the fatherless.

7 weeks

The other children...care here and abroad

2011-06-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

Our northern New Jersey newspaper reported that a 4-year old girl was found dead in her Brooklyn, New York home. Her mother was arrested on charges of assault and endangering the welfare of a child. The mother called 911 herself after finding her daughter unconscious, but the medical examiner said the child was under-nourished and that marks on her ankles indicated she had been tied up...probably to a small bed in the corner of the mother's room. The mother was also charged with the possession of crack cocaine and marijuana. The little girl had two brothers, 5 years old and nine months. The last sentence of the small article that reported on this tragedy reads: "The other children were placed in foster care."

My heart is broken for the little girl whose life just slipped away. In a city of such affluence, she simply wasn't well-cared for and she died. And my heart breaks for her brothers. Their young lives, lives that will never be the same again as their world was just shattered, their lives were summed up in one sentence. "The other children were placed in foster care."

One sentence, a paragraph all by itself. Grammatically it reads like an afterthought. The words haunt me and I can't stop thinking about those little boys.

One of the (many) reasons the words are haunting... in theory I could do something to directly care for those boys.

One of the things that I most appreciate learning through my work with World Orphans, and that I find most challenging, is that you don't need to have a lot and you don't need to have all your ducks in a row to care for children in need. I am humbled, challenged, and inspired by my brothers and sisters I have met around the world through World Orphans partnerships who are spending themselves to care for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children. And I want to follow their example.

Some of our partners are young parents giving up the privacy of their own home and time alone with their biological children in order to raise orphans in a church-based children's home. Others are families who are living very sacrificially to bring children into their already full home. Then there are the pastors who have grown children, work full-time jobs, and spend the rest of their time shepherding small churches and caring for orphans. And those are just a few examples of people living lives of servant leadership so that children are cared for and their communities are impacted by the love of Christ.

These individuals seem to be some of the most sacrificial and at the same time most joyful people I have ever met. And I believe they are setting an example for us.

I know there are differences between America and the developing world. I know there is a lot of red tape and paperwork involved with caring for children who are not your own in America...but I don't think that should stop us.

Often times when I tell people about World Orphans the response is something like, "it's great that you are concerned about children around the world, but what about the children here in America?" And to that I say, "amen!" Through my work with World Orphans I feel increasingly passionate that it's a both/and situation. I believe God desires for us to have a heart for the nations, to be a part of what He is doing around the world. AND...I believe He desires for us to reflect His love and the truth of the Gospel right where we live. We can do both.

And for those of us who live in America, the reality is that children die because people neglect them or because people beat them. There are children who need homes and we can do something about that. I know the foster care system is messy, I know it's hard...but I find myself drawn to it. I want my home to be the home those little boys go to when their sister dies and their mom goes to jail and their dad is not around.

I know it will be hard. I know they will have issues. I know I don't know what I'm getting myself into and that my life will never be the same. And yet I am so excited. I write this as we are just a few weeks away from welcoming our first child. We are so thankful that the Lord has given us a baby and we can't wait to meet her. And as excited as we are to be having this little girl, our hearts continue to break for children in foster care and we feel so drawn to caring for them.

So I'm writing this for all of you to see. And whether a hundred people read this or it's just my few wonderfully loving and faithful family members who always read my blog...we want to be held to this:

When we have a home that would pass a home study, because let's face it...we love living with my grandmother and it's all we can afford at the moment...but I don't know that we would pass a home study and I'm pretty sure we couldn't handle it at the moment....but in a few years - we will do foster care. Most likely that will be when Chris is done with school. And I'm not saying we're going to do it indefinitely...(if it works out and we adopt a bunch of them we'd have to take a break at some point)...but we're going to do it.

And I'm asking you to consider it. Consider what it looks like to be aware of and involved in what God is doing around the world, and right in your community. It won't be glamorous, it will be hard. It won't be easy, it will be risky. But as a Christian living in America I can't think of anything I would rather do than be in relationship with brothers and sisters around the world - supporting and encouraging them, and take care of children who don't have a family.

So just consider it. I know God calls people to different things, so I know it's not what EVERYONE is called to, but I think more of us are called to foster care and/or adoption than dare to consider it. And if you don't bring children into your home you can still be supportive and encouraging to those who are. What does it look like for you as an individual and your church as a community?

So as you are drawn to be a part of the work God is doing around the world to care for orphaned and abandoned children...let us know. I can tell you that the World Orphans Church-to-Church model is an awesome and exciting way to be involved and would love to tell you stories of how the Gospel is transforming lives. And I hope in a few years we are doing foster care and I can tell you about the ups and downs of caring for orphaned and abandoned children in America and tell you more stories of God’s great love and faithfulness.

Will you please...pray

2011-02-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

A co-worker posted this on her blog:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41360579/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

I wish there was something I could say, "please do THIS" to help stop the sex trafficking at the Super Bowl...but I don't know what tangible things there are to do, so I would beg you to pray.

Let it be said...

2011-01-24T06:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked a year that a man from our church died suddenly...he left behind a wife and 4 children (high school through young adults...) It was devastating, but it's been remarkable to watch the church grieve with them and care for them. And remarkable to see the affect that one man had on so many people, the affect he had of the Kingdom of God.

The worship team played this song and I couldn't help thinking about in the very brief time I knew him, how I could see how he blessed and serve others in the name of Christ...it was amazing.

And I found myself being reminded as we work to care for children around the world, how important it is that we be intentional about reflecting the Gospel and the love of Christ in everything. Whether we're doing something that seems exciting like taking a trip to another country...or we're just doing the routine things of life... In the grand scheme of things I believe it's not that some things matter more than others, it's that we depend on Christ to honor Him and reflect Him in whatever we are doing...and I'm thankful to know people who live like that.

The Blessing

By John Waller, Troy Denning

Let it be said of us while we walked among the living
Let it be said of us by the ones we leave behind
Let it be said of us that we lived to be a blessing for life

And let it be said of us that we gave to reach the dying
Let it be said of us by the fruit we leave behind
Let it be said of us that our legacy is blessing for life

Let it be said of us that our hearts belong to Jesus
Let it be said of us that we spoke the words of life
Let is be said of us that our heritage is blessing for life

This day, You set life, You set death right before us

This day, every blessing and curse is a choice now

And we will choose to be a blessing for life

'Cause blessings and curses are choices
Will we build up, tear down? The moment of truth is now

For your kingdom, for our children
For the sake of every nation
For your kingdom, for our children
For the sake of every nation
We will choose to be a blessing for life

Haiti - One Year Later...

2011-01-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

Haitian churches continue to care for orphans

Today marks the anniversary of the devastating Haiti earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people and left 1 million people homeless. Left behind were thousands of orphans, adding to the estimated 380,000 children previously without parents or someone to care for them.

Following a February 2010 trip to Haiti, World Orphans established the Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program at ten Haitian churches. These churches had already taken in orphans in their community and placed them within church families. With the OVC program these families receive the support they need to continue caring for the children.

By partnering these churches with a U.S. church that provides financial support, the 200 children in the OVC program are receiving food, education, medical care and trauma counseling.

We praise God that all 10 Haitian churches identified last February have been partnered. But, of course, the need continues.

World Orphans would love to expand the OVC program in Haiti as we can raise fund and identify U.S. churches or groups of individuals who have a desire to get involved in helping the orphans of Haiti. For more information, e-mail Alan Hunt.

$8 for Clean Water

What if you could make a huge impact with just $8?

World Orphans was given 300 water filters to distribute to our OVC families and others in need. To use the water filters those families need two buckets which cost $4 each.

Your $8 donation will provide clean water, critical in preventing disease and malnutrition, to a family. We still need buckets for 266 filters.

GIVE NOW

New Year Update

2011-01-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends and Family,

Happy New Year! It has been an eventful few months both personally and in my ministry as we wrapped up 2010 and started 2011. Let’s see, where to start…

The holistic care trip I was preparing for in the fall went really well. We worked hard getting ready and it was so encouraging to see our partners soak up and process the information we shared. We believe those who attended will really be able to apply the information we discussed regarding emotional care of children who have been through trauma. We are already planning another holistic care training for this April; this one will be in Haiti and focus on education, among other aspects of holistic care. Provided we are able to raise the necessary funds, we hope to do additional holistic care training trips this year, as well as continue to network with other organizations to provide the best possible support and encouragement to our partners while making the most of the resources God has given us.

Me and my co-worker, Kathy Davis, in Kenya

The group that participated in the Holistic Care Training

The training site

As for my mobilization role, we now have over 20 trips on the calendar for 2011! Thankfully we’re using new software that is very helpful as I oversee the details of all those trips. I’ll be attending a conference in April to continue learning about how to make our mobilization and trip-sending process more effective. It is going to be a busy year, but I’m very excited about the work ahead of me.

On a bit of a logistical note, this year finds me continuing to build my financial support team. One of my significant supports is no longer able to give to World Orphans to support my work so I’m looking for others who are able. In order for my salary to remain where it’s been over the last two years, I need to raise an additional $1500 per month. I would ask you to pray that God would raise up people to partner with me in this work. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact me. If you’re interested in joining my support team you can let me know or follow the links to the right. And for those of you already part of my support team – thank you!

On a personal note, this fall was particularly eventful for us because Chris and I found out that we are going to be parents! We are expecting baby Borders in mid-July and are very excited! We definitely have moments of feeling nervous as Chris will have one more year of school and I’ll continue my full-time work with World Orphans. But we are thrilled to be having a baby while we’re near family and completely confident that this is God’s timing and excited about what we know will prove to be a wonderful and crazy new adventure.

In related news, Chris survived his surgery rotation and did very well. It was really challenging, but he learned a lot and definitely grew from the experience. This spring he’ll do rotations in internal medicine, long-term care, psychiatry, and obstetrics. While he’s keeping an open mind, he’s leaning towards practicing emergency medicine when he’s finished with school… I’ll keep you posted. Speaking of finished, we officially past the halfway mark and are in the second half of his program. We anticipate Chris graduating and taking the boards in the spring of 2012 – keep praying for us!

I hope this finds you well. I would love to hear how you’re doing and what 2011 has in store for you.

Blessings,

Kate

Days of Hope

2010-11-20T09:39:00.000-08:00

Does the countdown to Christmas fill you with anxiety and stress?

World Orphans wants the 33 days before Christmas to fill you with hope and faith.

During the next few weeks World Orphans will be introducing 33 of the children who's lives have been impacted by the faithful partners of World Orphans.

These 33 are just the beginning of a much larger story. The story of thousands of orphaned and abandoned children being taken in by the local church in areas like Haiti, Ethiopia, China, South Africa, Uganda, Thailand and more.

If you don't already receive the World Orphans emails, visit our website to subscribe so you can enjoy the stories and other news from the ministry.

We hope you will share the stories with your family. Some of them will include a printable ornament with the child's picture that you can hang on your Christmas tree to remind you to pray for that child.

We hope that as you meet these children you'll be encouraged and inspired. The first story will be shared on Monday....enjoy!

PS: A blog about my recent trip to Kenya coming soon :) - Kate

Party with a Purpose

2010-10-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe it's that time already. The air is getting cool, the leaves are changing, and the holidays are just around the corner.

Our thoughts will turn towards making plans, setting tables, buying gifts...

...and hopefully our thoughts won't turn away from those who struggle to find anything worth celebrating.

As North-Americans Christians the holidays can be a challenge. We want to honor our friends and family but don't want to get lost in the waste and overindulgence. We want to enjoy celebrating, but it can be hard to do that in light of the daily suffering of so many people all around the world.

What does it look like, as an American follower of Christ, to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in a way that honors Christ and the Gospel and keeps in mind the struggle and devastation of orphaned and abandoned children and honors the tireless work of our brothers and sisters in Christ caring for those children and their communities?

I don't think there's a simple or easy answer, but here are some of the thoughts I have...

Look to include those in your community who might be orphaned or abandoned in your holiday celebrations.
Buy gifts that support people working to keep families together.
Regularly remind yourself, your family and your friends about what reality is for so many around the world and talk together about what you can do.
Really think through the money that is being spent...certainly give gifts that honor people, but don't buy gifts just for the sake of buying something.
In lieu of a gift, make a donation to World Orphans or another ministry in someone's honor.
And this holiday season World Orphans has a very specific way you can gather together and celebrate with the purpose of advocating for orphans with our Home for the Holidays Campaign

Our communications department did a great job putting this together - so in one click you can visit our website to read about the campaign, request invitations, download the party planning guide, and be on your way to planning a party that will support the work of World Orphans, raise awareness and encourage others to make their holiday season about being grateful and about considering others.

If you're interested in hosting a Home for the Holidays party and want to chat about it please let me know. If you're in the Maryville/Knoxville area I know a number of people who would love to speak about World Orphans at your party. If you're in the northern New Jersey area I would love to come speak at your party. And if you're somewhere else I can find you a World Orphans advocate or provide you with information so you will have all that you need.

Happy planning!

Time to play....

2010-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

In our holistic approach at World Orphans we recognize the value of children getting to play and have the time to just be children and have fun. We also recognize that because of hunger, war, abuse, poverty, sickness and other struggles, that many children around the world do not experience the freedom of having a childhood that includes fun and games and time to play.

So as we seek to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ and care for children in a holistic way that meets all of their needs, spiritual, physical, emotional and mental, we desire to include sports and games. I have found it to be the case everywhere in the world I have been, that a big step in connecting with a child is to play with them...which is why we value our HisKids Sports Program.

Both in the United States and around the world we have seen that sports and games are a powerful tool for both outreach and discipleship.

Outreach: World Orphans short-term teams, in partnership with the World Orphans partner they are visiting, will host a HisKids Sports Outreach event. That involves sports and games designed to illustrate and talk about God's character, our need for Him, and the glorious truth of the Gospel of Christ. In addition to sharing the Gospel, it's a great opportunity to have fun, work with the local church, bring positive attention to the local church, and love on children in the community.

Discipleship: Sports and games as an avenue for discipleship - teaching and training children to help them better understand the Gospel and what it looks like to apply the Gospel to daily life and relationships. In the US we have seen success using HisKids Sports in both schools and churches, and we are pleased to announce that in November we will be doing vision-casting and training regarding an on-going HisKids Sports discipleship programs for our World Orphans partners. That will mean that in addition to outreach events done while teams are visiting, that our partner churches around the world will have HisKids Sports as a tool to use both in the homes where orphans are cared for as well as in children's ministry at the church for an on-going ministry with children of the community.

All this is why we are so excited about the soccer field that just opened at our Project in Iraq. We anticipate the opportunity to play being a door for relationships that ultimately will lead to sharing the Gospel and discipleship.

Bringing Hope to Desolate Places (Iraq) from World Orphans on Vimeo.

Click HERE to make a gift towards the completion of our project in Iraq
Click HERE to read the blog of the World Orphans family living in Iraq

Our work in China

2010-09-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

World Orphans offers only true family-care model for orphaned & abandoned children in China

China has one of the largest orphan populations in the world. Many of these children are abandoned due to physical disabilities, because of China’s one-child policy, or simply because they are girls. Although the Christian church is not able to have a physical presence, our network partner is reaching out to these precious ones with the help of local house churches.

Watch our new video to see how World Orphans is helping provide biblical family care for 76 children at the Bejing Training Center – children who are not eligible for Chinese government assistance under their strict guidelines. Without the center, these children would be left to indifferent family members or forced to survive on their own.

The Training Center is located in a former school that has been renovated to form 10 apartment-style homes, a central eating area and the training areas. The children are divided into families of eight who live with carefully selected Christian house parents devoted to providing the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental care they need.

Each of these 10 apartment home is in need of immediate monthly financial partnership of $810.

There are 3 ways you can help:

Give a one time gift to this project
Pledge $44 a month to this project. (You can set up easy recurring monthly payments online.)
Raise up a group of partners and sponsor one of these 10 apartments for $810/month.

And you can watch our video here: http://vimeo.com/14649748

Fight Child Trafficking - You can do this NOW!

2010-09-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

Please take a minute and do something tangible to fight against child-trafficking.

The International Justice Mission has put together very simple instructions we can follow to support a bill that would help eradicate child trafficking.

Here are the simple steps. To visit the IJM page click HERE.

Find out who your Senators are and how to contact them (Find your state in the upper right corner and look for the “Contact” section on your Senators’ websites.)
Check to see if either of your Senators has already committed to co-sponsor the CPCA.
Make the call – use these sample scripts as a guide:
For Senators who are not already co-sponsors of the CPCA:
“Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [City, State]. [Optional: Can I speak to the legislative aide who handles human trafficking issues?] I’m calling to ask Senator [NAME] to co-sponsor S. 3184, the Child Protection Compact Act. This bill would help to eradicate child trafficking, an issue I really care about. At a minimum, I’m hoping the Senator will commit to voting to pass the bill when it reaches the Senate floor. Would you please pass my message on to the Senator? Thank you!”

For Senators who are already co-sponsors of the CPCA:
“Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [City, State]. I’m calling to thank Senator [NAME] for his/her co-sponsorship of the Child Protection Compact Act. This bill would help to eradicate child trafficking, an issue I really care about. I appreciate the Senator’s leadership on the issue, and I’m hoping the Senator will vote to pass the bill when it reaches the Senate floor. Would you please pass my message on to the Senator? Thank you!”

I just did this and it literally took less then 5 minutes - PLEASE take the time...

Help a Photographer support World Orphans and other ministries...

2010-09-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

Actual post from Julie Gumm - click HERE to see actual post

I (Julie Gumm) have a friend who has entered a photo contest sponsored by Sigma and is hoping to win some great camera gear from them. Josh is passionate about using his skills as a photographer and videographer to help non-profit ministries like World Orphans and so I would love to see him win this contest. So much so that I’m offering a cool giveaway if you will help me spread the word.

He’s entered in 3 different categories and you can vote for each photo.

It’s a 2 step process.

1) Go here and click the button under one of the photos.

2) You have to enter your e-mail address and then click VOTE

3) Check your email for a confirmation message and click the link. You ONLY have to do this on the 1st photo.

4) Now you can vote for the other two photos.

You won’t get spammed, they are just validating you’re a real person.

THE GIVEAWAY

To encourage some voting I will be giving away one of the beautiful necklaces that Mark brought home from Ethiopia (read more about the ministry they came from).

You will get one entry for each of the following things that you do.

1) Vote for all 3 photos

2) Post a link to this blog post (here’s the URL: http://juliegumm.com/wordpress/?p=2099) on Facebook so your friends will vote.

3) Tweet about the contest and link this post

4) Blog about Josh’s entries and encourage people to VOTE.

Leave me a comment for each of the above actions you take.

IMPORTANT: You need to make a comment on JULIE'S BLOG POST for EACH thing that you do. I will use a random number generator to pick the winning comment so if you do all 4 you need to make 4 separate comments to increase your chances of winning. Just a quick “voted”, “facebooked”, “tweeted”, “blogged” will do.

I’m going to run the contest for a week and draw names at the end of the day on Thursday, September 8th.

The winner will receive this gorgeous silver and coffee bean necklace…

Encouragment in Haiti

2010-08-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

It was truly an honor to partner with Dr. Phyllis Kilbourn and her team from CCTI (Crisis Care Training International) to provide training for our partners in Haiti at the end of July. Based on her education, training and many years of experience, Dr. Kilbourn provided not only training and guidance to our partners in Haiti, but created materials specifically geared towards helping the children of Haiti process the trauma they have been through.

As Dr. Kilbourn talked about the many aspects of trauma and tools for helping children process their experiences, I was blown away by how hungry our partners in Haiti are for more information and specific answers to their questions. Over just two short days a lot of information was shared that I believe will be helpful to our partners: pastors and teams of volunteers that visit orphaned and vulnerable children in their communities. During that time it was evident over and over again that the volunteers are passionate about and committed to not just the physical care, but the emotional and spiritual care of those in their community who are hurting.

But the overwhelming reality…everyone is hurting. At the training we gathered with pastors and volunteers who want to learn how to better care for children, but there was not one in the room who isn’t in the midst of grieving pain and loss themselves. One in particular who stands out…a pastor who lost his wife and children, yet he still desires to care for those around him who are hurting as well. Praise the Lord that there are many churches full of believers who are placing their hope and trust in Christ and watching Him give them energy and strength to care for others in the midst of their pain. But the need for support and encouragement is great. Yes, the finances are a piece – funds are needed so the OVC (orphaned and vulnerable children) program can operate. But just as crucial is the relationship – for a church in Haiti to know that a church in the US is committed to them. Not only committed to helping with the funds, but committed to praying, to encouraging, committed to caring that our brothers and sisters in Haiti are trusting on a daily basis that the Lord will sustain them and guide them as they rebuild their lives.

This Night...

2010-08-12T22:02:00.000-07:00

This night as I sink tired, yet comfortably, into bed I am overwhelmed by all those whose place of rest is so uncomfortable.

This night some sleep too hot, so hot it takes your breath away. Yet others sleep too cold. Some too dry, their bodies parched for clean refreshing water. Others too wet, the rain soaks their roof and walls and beds...takes away their comfort and threatens their safety. But their exhaustion drives them to sleep...but I imagine it's a fitful sleep. Sound sleep interrupted by questions of safety and wondering...wondering what tomorrow will bring and what will fill the empty bellies of the children.

So this night, overwhelmed with gratefulness for my safe and comfortable bed, I am reminded of my need for mercy. Why I have the safety and the comfort I do not know.

I am also overwhelmed with gratefulness that my acceptance by Creator God is based not on my work or my righteousness, but on the perfect righteousness of Christ. His perfect, saving, redeeming sacrifice.

So while I rest in being a child of the most high God through faith in Jesus Christ and nothing more, I am reminded of His words, "to whom much is given, much more will be required."

So this night I find myself sinking into my safe, comfortable bed begging that HE will allow me to be spent on behalf of those who are hurting - that they may know His redemption, not only in their hearts but in their lives.

Lord Jesus, have mercy.

Growing ministry in Haiti

2010-06-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

Just last week, World Orphans secured a location for our new guesthouse in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. With the introduction of the Haiti Orphan & Vulnerable Child Program (OVC) we saw a need for an inviting and restful place for the visiting church ministry teams to stay.

World Orphans desires that this guesthouse be a place of rest, connection, support, encouragement, nurture, and preparation for service.

Through the generous support of one of our churches we have a beautiful home leased to serve as our Haiti Guesthouse but we need to raise $8,000 to secure a generator, create a secure environment, buy appliances for the kitchen, get furnishings, and the various other items needed.

We have a team arriving at the guesthouse on June 11th ready to put in the work to make this place a temporary home for our first mission team that will arrive on the 18th.

You can not only give a gift online, but on our new World Orphans web site you can create your own fund-raising campaign that lets you make a customized fund-raising page, set a monetary goal and then just share the link with all your friends and family and ask them to help you meet your goal.

Partnership Question

2010-05-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

My recent trip to South Africa was wonderful. It's always encouraging to spend time with our church partners and see how God is using them to care for their communities. And I learned a lot that will help me do my job better, both for our Mobilization department and our Biblical Family Care department.

But this is my big take away. I watched the western church we were with ask wonderful questions and think about the longevity of their relationship with our partner in South Africa. I watched them think through how they could serve the church in South Africa, and how they could learn from the church in South Africa. At one point during a meeting with church leadership someone said it would be great to have a time of training where the western church trained the South African church using their strengths, and the South African church trained the western church in their strengths. I love it. That's exactly why we work to create partnerships.

As I processed our trip and thought through how I would explain our time there, I realized a lot of our time was spent seeing the life of the church and it's members and what their ministries entail.

Then I asked myself this question: If this church from South Africa came to visit my church in New Jersey, how would we spend our time? What would I show them to say, "this is who we are - this is what we are about"?

So that is my question for myself and for you - if a believer from another part of the world came to visit you - how would you spend your time? What would you show them to say, "this is me - this is my church. This is my ministry - this is the ministry of my church"?

This is what I saw in South Africa - what would South Africa see if they visited us?

Families in the church doing foster care

Orphans being cared for in a family-style home on church property.

Land purchased by the church to build another church and a school to serve an unreached community.

A church-run school

Small business, micro-enterprise encouraged and helped-along by the church

A woman who makes jewelry to help support her family - she patiently showed me how she makes the jewelry

A woman the church works with who cares for orphans and the elderly and runs an affordable day-care for struggling families working to feed their children

Land given to the church by a member of a community who is hopeful the church will bring not only the Gospel, but also jobs and education to her struggling, rural community

A bakery on church property - selling affordable bread to those in the community and giving bread to those in surrounding communities as a way to meet a physical need and share the love of Christ

Wagon of Mercy distributing bread

And the of course it's always nice to see the beauty of God's creation wherever you visit...

Local Care

2010-04-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

The unfamiliar sound of cars brought her out of her hut when we were still far off. She stood outside as we drove past. With a hand motion out the window of the car, the pastors wife assured her we would stop on our way back. I imagine she spent the next few hours waiting and preparing for our visit. When we made our way back to her and entered her hut it was obvious she was excited for our visit. We spent a few minutes visiting. We thanked her for the orphans she has taken in to her home and presented her with some bags of food as a token of our gratitude. She tried to hide her disappointment as the pastor's wife asked her to share the food with others since we didn't have enough to go around...promising that more would come soon. We prayed for her, asking God to bless and protect her - to provide for her and her children. And then we said goodbye. She quietly sat down on her bed - our long awaited, special visit was over already. My heart broke as I watched her gently sit down with a wave goodbye. Most days she works hard and struggles to get by with few special moments. Our short visit and small gift didn't feel like enough. And it wasn't. The only reason our visit was good and helpful is because it was in the context of the local church. There will be more food and more visits even though our team left. The pastors wife regularly visits the rural mountain community, spending time with the women and connecting their jewelry business to a larger community. The local church in that South African town is committed to being involved in that rural mountain community. They have hopes for a church and a school, business opportunities that will make life better for everyone. Our visit was part of a much larger context of local care.

I am very grateful for the time I had in South Africa. I am encouraged by what God is doing through the church. I am humbled and challenged by how much my brothers and sisters are doing with very little resources. And I am again reminded why I am excited about World Orphans. Apart from partnering with local churches, Western influence (yes, even biblical, Christ-focused influence) is too isolated. But a World Orphans partnership that connects a church in the west with a church in the developing world for a long-term relationship isn't isolated, it's in context. We as westerns get to see and be a part of what God is doing around the world...but to people that we meet it's not just a random moment and then we are gone. Meeting people as we travel is a moment when we get to point to the local church that is not going anywhere. Praying, distributing food, giving gifts to children, thanking people caring for orphans, sharing the Gospel...it's all in the context of the life and ministry of the local church - day-in and day-out.

So I am grateful for the 10 days trips. I am grateful to be a part of mobilizing the western church - allowing people to see what life is like outside America and how alive and passionate followers of Christ are all over the world. And I am challenged. The reason a 10 day trip makes sense is because it's in the context of the day-in and day-out ministry of the local church.

What about the day-in and day-out here in America? While there may not be entire communities living without electricity and running water and the streets aren't filled with AIDS orphans...who are the lonely, hurting, tired, hungry people in your day-in and day-out that you can consistently reflect the love of Christ to?

World Orphans in the News

2010-02-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

Check out our Press Release on Yahoo!

You can support our work in Haiti by clicking "Buzz up" at the bottom of the article, posting a link on your facebook page or blog and emailing to your friends

Other ways to support the long-term relief effort in Haiti:

Sign up for church, organization, or individual involvement at http://www.haitiorphanrelief.org
Put a HORT badge on your Website and/or Blog (found at top of post)
Blog about Haiti and HORT as the most effective, scalable response (churches here, partnered with churches there . . . for the reunification, rescue and care of Haiti's orphans)
Join the HORT Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/haitiorphanreliefteam?ref=mf
Invite all your friends to the HORT Facebook Page
Put the HORT Facebook Page link on your personal profiles, pages, and groups
Comment on Facebook updates at the HORT Page
Visit the blog and/or Facebook Page of Paul Myhill, president of World Orphans for regular updates...and leave a comment! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paul-Myhill/165526949753 and/or http://www.facebook.com/paul.myhill?ref=profile
Subscribe to Paul's blog at http://www.abandoned-orphaned.com for more info and daily updates
Twitter to www.twitter.com/haitiorphan
PRAY!

Thanks!!

Caring from a world away

2010-02-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

How do you begin to think about or respond to the crisis the Haitian people face as a result of the recent earthquakes?

How do you begin to think about the vast amount of suffering that exists around the entire world, for that matter?

The situation in Haiti is devastating and it's urgent. But reality is that most of the world faces challenges and suffering beyond what we as westerns can comprehend.

How do you respond from a world away?

As a follower of Christ I find myself thinking about it in these terms. Everyone who follows Christ is part of God's family. How does family respond when someone is hurting...they work together to care for one another. And wait, as followers of Christ we are called to love and care for everyone - what does that look like?

World Orphans exists so that believers around the world can be in relationship. So we can begin to know one another and function like the family that we are. We may not all be in the same place, but we can work together to care for one another.

Here are some steps we can take to respond to Haiti specifically...or anywhere:

1. Some people are able and will give money to provide resources and equip those doing the hands-on work:
Click here to give to Haiti specifically or World Orphans in general

2. Some people are able, have the opportunity, and will actually go:
Click here to learn more about and support those going to train and equip churches in Haiti

Click here if you are interested in traveling with World Orphans

3. Want to have real, lasting give-and-take relationships where you are giving and serving as well as being challenged and growing yourself?
Click here to contact World Orphans about getting your church involved in a Church-to-Church partnership

Trash can dignity...

2010-01-12T14:00:00.000-08:00

It was the end of 2002. I was home for the holidays visiting my parents and I went into the city (the only city you refer to as "the city" in northern New Jersey...New York) with a friend.

We had a fun day just wandering around, taking in the sights, oohing and aahing over the Christmas decorations.

We were in Penn Station waiting for the train to take us back to my parents house. We were just standing there chatting and both happened to see this...

An older man, probably homeless, was going through a trash can. He was holding a cup or can that had liquid in it. A group of teenage boys walked by and one of them hit the cup so that it splashed on the man and got him wet. The boys continued on their way laughing. The man looked up and saw my friend and I watching him -he calmly said, "that wasn't very nice." We shook our heads saying, "you're right, that was not nice of them." And that was it.

On a somewhat regular basis I cry myself to sleep thinking about that man....and write this through tears as I think about him. I am sad that he didn't have a table to sit at and sad that I don't know what happened to him. And I am deeply grieved that my compassion for him stopped at a kind look. How I wish I could do it over...walk up and put my hand on his shoulder and tell him I'm sorry that those boys were so rude and thoughtless...maybe have a meal and get to know him a bit - take the opportunity to affirm his dignity and reflect to him the Gospel love of Christ. (And maybe give those rude boys a piece of my mind for being jerks - but I digress...)

I am so excited about World Orphans model of caring for orphans around the world by connecting churches here with churches there, supporting and equipping the local church around the world. I firmly believe in the model and am honored that I get to work hard to see that it played out.

But the face of that sweet man that I can see so clearly in my mind implores me that it can't stop there. Praise God that our hearts break for orphans around the world, and praise Him that we can be involved in what He's doing to care for them. And I pray that our hearts will also break for the broken and the hurting that we see as we're out and about - as we go to the store, coming home from work, taking the kids to the park...

Lord give us eyes to see and give us boldness to respond to what your Spirit wells up in our hearts...may the Gospel be reflected in our lives.

Lord, what can I do?

2009-12-24T03:34:00.000-08:00

On the eve of celebrating Christ I find myself with mixed emotions. I love that we set aside a special time to celebrate His birth, yet I long to always be in awe of the humble way He came to serve and give His life as a ransom for many...

I am so grateful to be with family... that we'll enjoy giving gifts to each other and that yummy meals will fill the day in this warm, comfortable home. And at the same time my heart is breaking for the countless people around the world who are not even safe and cared for on this day...preparing to celebrate is about the farthest thing from their mind.

The ever-present tension of enjoying and being grateful for what I have while wanting to extend the love and care I have been shown to others...

While the story that follows is not a traditional Christmas thought...it's very Christ-honoring so I think appropriate to share.

A friend of mine, Christina*, lives in France and is part of a group of believers who are reaching out to women who have been trafficked and forced into prostitution.

Last weekend they went out at night to give Christmas chocolates to the women working in a particular district as a way to break the ice and get to know them. By going out regularly to the same area, they hope to build relationships and trust with these women to then help them as needed.

In two hours they met 19 prostituted people - they were from Brazil, Romania, Nigeria, Croatia, Chile, Bulgaria, Ghana and one from France...the women were thankful for the Christmas chocolates.

There was one girl in particular that Christina feels burdened for, I'd like to introduce you to her now. She is about 18 years old, short and has a wonderful smile. The language barrier made communication between she and Christina a challenge, but the girl had a genuine smile the whole time. In 40° weather, her bare legs were covered in goosebumps and she fidgeted, shifting her weight from one leg to another, as she shivered - and yet she smiled. She gave the standard line many of them are told to say: she'd been in France just under three months (the max time you can stay without legal paperwork) and said she'd be going home in 15 days. However, as she said it, her eyes teared up. She smiled and said, "Life here is good for me." But that time, her beautiful smile was forced and broken.

My heart aches for this young woman and the men, women and children who are being mis-treated, have no family, or don't get to be with them. And at the same time I am thrilled that Christina and many others are reaching out.

Lord, what can I do? Who can I give Christmas chocolates to? I know there are people all around me, please give me your eyes to see...

*Christina is not her real name

Celebrating Adoption...

2009-11-17T13:10:00.000-08:00

November is National Adoption Month, with National Adoption Day coming up this Saturday, 11/21/09....setting aside time to celebrate adoption.

Here are some questions to get you thinking about how you can celebrate adoption - not just this Saturday or this month, but all the time.

Do I consider myself a follower of Christ? Praise God that I can be His child because He has adopted me into His family because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Do I know anyone who has adopted a child? How can I look for ways to encourage them in their journey of parenting adopted children?
Do I know anyone who is adopted? When can I make time to spend with them and ask about what it's been like?
Do I know anyone who is planning to adopt? How can I support them emotionally, spiritually, and/or financially?
In what ways can I generally be more encouraging and supportive of adoption on a daily basis?

As you think through these things, I would very highly recommend this book, Adopted for Life, by Russell Moore. He does an amazing job of describing the theology of adoption in a very personal way through his personal story - it's amazing. And...while my thoughts are not as good as his, I certainly have some and would love to chat with you if you want :)

Always reason to celebrate this...

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." - Ephesians 1:3-8

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." - John 1:12-12

"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. ¹⁷Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." - Romans 8:16-18

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" - 1 John 3:1

Praise the Lord!

World Orphans in Iraq

2009-11-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

Are you interested in what God is doing in Iraq? Know someone who is? Please CLICK HERE to read a letter and invitation from the President of World Orphans.

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." - Matthew 9

Faith like a child...

2009-10-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

Dear Kate,

Today our class learned about "telling and giving." Our story told us about Paul and Barnabas going to Antioch to tell the people there about Jesus. Many people in Antioch became Christians because of Barnabas and Paul telling them of Jesus' love for them. Then, Agabus visited this new church in Antioch and he told them there was not enough food for the people in Jerusalem and throughout the Roman world. The Christians in Antioch wanted to help, so they gave their money to the church in Jerusalem.

The children in our class also heard about your work with World Orphans. They decided they wanted to give money to you so you and other missionaries can continue to go and tell the orphans about Jesus, and buy them things they need.

In Jesus' Love,
The River Oaks Community Church Pre-K and Kindergarten Sunday School Class

Matthew 18:1-5
¹At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

²He called a little child and had him stand among them. ³And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

⁵"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.

Fighting Slavery

2009-10-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

Want to know how you can fight trafficking and slavery around the globe from within your own community?

IJM's powerful new documentary was designed to help you do just that — At the End of Slavery: The Battle for Justice in our Time^* is a 31-minute film that takes viewers into the dark underworld of human trafficking and arms them with hope for a final end to slavery.

Help Us Grow the Movement — Just a Few Hours of Your Time

More than 27 million people are enslaved today, but if just 10% of Americans took action, we would have an advocate for every slave in the world. Bring new advocates to the fight by hosting your own "house party" screening of At the End of Slavery to introduce your community to the reality of modern-day slavery .

To date, hundreds of passionate IJM supporters like you are planning events that will reach more than 20,000 people in their homes, dorms, theatres and churches this fall. With your help, we can reach our goal of 50,000 people. Planning and hosting your event will take just a few hours, but the impact could last a lifetime.

Just 3 Simple Steps

IJM has created a house party planning kit, which includes two copies of the film and takes you step-by-step through the process of planning a successful home screening.

1. Order your house party kit.
2. Plan and register your event.
3. Host your event!

Act Now!

Visit www.attheEndofSlavery.com for more resources to plan your party and consider hosting your event during the Weekend to End Slavery (November 14, 2009) when IJM President and CEO Gary Haugen will host a 10 minute live webcast to kick off the evening events. A film alone will not end slavery. But by working together, we can.

Eileen Campbell
Director of Justice Campaigns, International Justice Mission

Food for Thought...

2009-10-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

October 16th was World Food Day and October 17th was World Poverty Day.

I would ask you to take a minute and look at these slide shows...think about how we as Americans eat in relation to how people around the world eat:

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1645016,00.html

It's a hard thing for me. I love to cook. I love to eat good, healthy food. I like to make special meals to celebrate people. I think sharing a meal is a God-ordained, powerful way to build relationships. However...I also realize that most people in the world have so much less food than I do.

I want to (and learn more to) enjoy the food I have been given, praise God for how He provides for me, my life to be about sharing with those who don't have as much as I do, and pray that I will continue to trust His goodness if a day comes when I don't have enough...

Thoughts?

Too much...not enough...

2009-09-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Water is so...unique. That's not really the word I'm looking for, but can't think of another one.

It can be so calm and beautiful, and it can be raging and ravaging.

Right now there are parts of the world that are too dry and in desperate need of water. And simultaneously there are places where the volume of water is destroying homes and lives.

So as you sip water today, be reminded to pray.

Pray for those in need that they will have clean water to drink and rain to cause the crops to grow. And pray for those who are flooded - that God would rescue them and help them trust in His goodness in the midst of unexplainable devastation. And pray for all of us, everywhere - whether thirsting for water, drowning from the excess, or have what we need and don't really think about it. May we all thirst after the Living Water that never runs dry...

Close to home

2009-09-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

We all need to know that trafficking is going on all around us.

Lord Jesus, have mercy and show us who is around us that we can speak up for.

My husband drives through Newark everyday and goes to school one town away from East Orange.

Woman describes journey from Africa into human bondage

Wednesday, September 16, 2009- The Star Ledger

Joe Ryan - Star Ledger Staff

Vida Anagblah said she was a teenager when a prosperous merchant came to her West African village and offered to take her away to a nearby city and teach her a trade.

With nine other children, Anagblah's parents had no money for school. So they sent the girl away with the woman, Akouavi Kpade Afolabi, hoping she, too, would find prosperity.

"She said she was going to buy me a sewing machine," said Anagblah, who was the first alleged victim to testify yesterday on the opening day of a trial in federal court in Newark where Afolabi is accused of running a human trafficking ring.

Authorities say she smuggled girls from Togo and Ghana to New Jersey and forced them to work without pay in hair braiding salons in Newark and East Orange.

Most of the alleged victims were uneducated and spoke no English. To control them, prosecutors say Afolabi used fierce beatings, threats of voodoo curses and draconian rules, which included forbidding dating or telephoning Africa without permission.

"You work every day. You don't make friends. You don't call home "Â¦ and if you disobey you get beaten," Nancy Hoppock, deputy chief of the U.S. attorney's office's criminal division, said during her opening argument yesterday.

But Afolabi's lawyer, Olubukola O. Adetula, urged jurors to listen skeptically to prosecutors.

The lawyer has argued the girls were, in fact, paid. They were not forbidden from making friends -- they worked in public salons, Adetula said. As for calling Africa, the lawyer said it is complicated to reach a village where the nearest telephone is miles away.

The attorney described Afolabi as a benevolent mother figure, who once adopted an infant abandoned outside her home in Togo. The girls, he said, she treated like daughters. "She took them in. She took care of them. Clothed them. Housed them," Adetula said.

Afolabi sat quietly during the arguments, wearing a yellow floral print shirt and black slacks, which concealed the shackles binding her legs.

She was arrested in 2007 along with her former husband and son. They have already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit forced labor. Both told a federal judge that Afolabi, who has been in custody since her arrest, was the group's ringleader.

Prosecutors say the group manipulated a visa program to slip up to 20 girls and women into the country, ranging in age from 10 to 19. If convicted of forced labor, Afolabi faces up to 20 years in prison, said Shana W. Chen, an assistant U.S. attorney.

During her testimony yesterday, Anagblah, now 24, recalled Afolabi's large, two story house in Lome, Togo's capital city. There were about seven other girls living them when Anagblah arrived in 2000. They worked six days a week selling jewelry in the market, and they were forbidden from talking to men, Anagblah said.

She testified that when Afolabi suspected her of breaking that rule, the defendant tied five mango switches together and ordered the girl onto her knees.

"She beat me all over my body," Anagblah said.

Browsing...for children?

2009-08-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

Being that we just moved to New Jersey, I was online looking for volunteer opportunities in our area. Somehow I ended up on the Department of Child and Family Services website.

While we're not in a position to adopt at the moment (Chris is in school full-time, I'm working full-time, we're living with my grandmother and there's not much extra space) we are excited about adopting in the future. So...just for kicks I decided to click around some of the adoption links on the website.

It was devastating and I haven't been able to stop thinking about them. There they were, posted online like items to be shopped for. Pictures, names, birthdays and "a brief description".

Almost all of the children were older teenagers, almost all of them had extreme challenges, and many of them had severe physical disabilities and/or medical conditions. And almost all of the descriptions said something along the lines of, "...what he really wants is to find his forever family where he will be loved and cared for."

Aside from the fact that pictures, names and birthdays on the internet seems like a security issue...it is heartbreaking and I have no idea what to do. Will we ever be in a position to adopt an older child with severe medical conditions?

I don't know what to do, I don't know what to suggest, and it makes me so, so sad...

But I do know this. Along with the children on the NJ DCS website, there are countless opportunities for all of us to care for people around us who are hurting.

At World Orphans we are working on a resource to help families and their young children care and advocate for the orphaned and abandoned in their community and around the world.

So I hope to soon be able to point you to a specific resource. But in the meantime it starts with just looking around, asking the Lord to give us eyes to see those who are hurting. The children in foster care, the elderly person who lives alone, the kid at school who no one talks to, the lady at church who always sits by herself.

Matthew 25:40 "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Lord please, help us hold our schedules and agendas loosely so we can be available to show your love to those around us...please.

Forgiveness...

2009-08-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

As we seek to engage the orphaned and abandoned around the world who have been sinned against in horrifying ways I cannot really grasp, I long to keep this biblical view before me. For myself and for those who have been hurt that I have the honor of knowing and caring for...

From Ken Sande:

To understand what forgiveness is, we must first see what it is not. Forgiveness is not a feeling. It is an act of the will. Forgiveness involves a series of decisions, the first of which is to call on God to change our hearts. As he gives us grace, we must then decide (with our will) not to think or talk about what someone has done to hurt us. God calls us to make these decisions regardless of our feelings--but these decisions can lead to remarkable changes in our feelings.

Second, forgiveness is not forgetting. Forgetting is a passive process in which a matter fades from memory merely with the passing of time. Forgiving is an active process; it involves a conscious choice and a deliberate course of action. To put it another way, when God says that he "remembers your sins no more" (Isa. 43:25), he is not saying that he cannot remember our sins. Rather, he is promising that he will not remember them. When he forgives us, he chooses not to mention, recount, or think about our sins ever again. Similarly, when we forgive, we must draw on God's grace and consciously decide not to think or talk about what others have done to hurt us. This may require a lot of effort, especially when an offense is still fresh in mind. Fortunately, when we decide to forgive someone and stop dwelling on an offense, painful memories usually begin to fade.

Finally, forgiveness is not excusing. Excusing says, "That's okay," and implies, "What you did wasn't really wrong," or "You couldn't help it." Forgiveness is the opposite of excusing. The very fact that forgiveness is needed and granted indicates that what someone did was wrong and inexcusable. Forgiveness says, "We both know that what you did was wrong and without excuse. But since God has forgiven me, I forgive you." Because forgiveness deals honestly with sin, it brings a freedom that no amount of excusing could ever hope to provide.

Food for Thought

Praise God for his gracious gift of forgiveness to us! The Scripture says "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Eph. 4:32, emphasis added) You will probably have an opportunity to extend forgiveness this week. When you do, try to remember what forgiveness is not, and fix your eyes on the full and gracious forgiveness that God has given you in Jesus Christ.

Lovingly challening thoughts...

2009-08-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

An email from a friend...

As we spent time in I Corinthians 3 and 4 this morning, we were reminded to build with gold, silver and precious jewels; not hay and straw. It's possible for big events and splashy programs to be nothing but straw. How do we keep Jesus out in front of all we do?

I'd like to hear how you do this in your own lives. How have you managed to keep Jesus at the center instead of on the side?

A blog from a World Orphans colleague:

I wept this morning as I sat in the London airport surrounded by the trappings of this world – the duty free liquor shops, the endless rows of high priced jewelry & chocolate shops, realizing that my 1 much desired latte would have paid 1/2 a month’s rent for people I visited in Muthare slums this week.

I continue to pray that God would let my heart be broken for the things that break His heart, and that He would change me to be more like His son Jesus Christ – a compassionate, self-sacrificing servant, who considers others as more important than himself (philippians 2:1-8), and who loves his neighbor as himself, to be able to say as Paul did that to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

A message from a pastor...

"No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light." Luke 11:33-36

“Be careful!” This is the only imperative in the text. Be careful what you see! Be careful what you regard as bright and attractive and compelling. If it is not Christ, you will be filled with darkness—no matter how bright it seems for a season. Candles seem bright until the sun comes out. Then they are useless and put away.

Christ is the glory we were made to see. His light alone will fill us and give the light of life and meaning to every part of our lives. And when that happens, we ourselves will shine and give off the rays of Christ. “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”

Lord, open the eyes of our hearts to see the supreme greatness of your wisdom and power. Make our eyes good. Heal our blindness. Fill us with the all-pervading, all-exposing, all-purifying, all-pleasing light of your presence.

Why World Orphans?

2009-07-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

If you are reading this you are probably interested in caring for orphans in one way or another. You may be thinking that there are a lot of organizations out there and wondering what sets World Orphans apart.

Some may say I'm biased about World Orphans as an organization because I work for them, but I'm not so sure. I am beyond grateful to work for them, but that is because I'm passionate about seeing orphans rescued. Not only is that what World Orphans is about, but they are about rescuing orphans while building up the local church so that each child, each church, and each community (both here in the west and internationally) is impacted by the Gospel of Christ. As an organization we work hard to do that with compassion and integrity in a way that maximizes each moment, each dollar and each ounce of energy

In a nutshell, World Orphans exists to partner churches in the West with indigenous churches around the world (mostly in 3rd world countries) who are caring for orphans.

Why is getting involved with churches around the world important? Because...there are over 143 million orphans. And in the past hour…

1,625 children were forced to live on the streets by the death or abuse of an adult
1,667 children under the age of five died from malnutrition and vaccine-preventable diseases
115 children became prostitutes
66 children under 15 were infected with HIV
257 children were orphaned because of HIV/AIDS

There are lots of ways you can get involved - here are some of your options to stay current with what World Orphans is doing, know how to pray, and know how to take action (donate and tell others how to donate, see options for travel, etc.):

Join the World Orphans facebook page by clicking HERE
Read the World Orphan blogs - this link will tell you when people update
Sign up to be on World Orphans mailing list by clicking HERE

Side note: If you're interested in what's going on with me personally, Chris and I made it to New Jersey safe and sound. I got my office setup and we are working on getting settled and seeing what life will be like here. We miss our community in Maryville, but we feel peaceful about being here and are excited to see what the Lord has in store.

Personal Update

2009-07-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging in the past few months. My husband Chris and I are moving to New Jersey. Literally...we're leaving in a few hours. Chris is going to Seton Hall University to get a masters degree as a physician's assistant. And the big bonus, I'm from New Jersey so we're going to live with my grandmother and be near all of my family. We are very excited, but also very sad about leaving the community we have here in Tennessee. I hope/plan to blog more in depth about this transition, but at the moment I'll just say I am so very thankful for the de-centralized model of World Orphans that allows me to continue the work I do for them from New Jersey. I packed up my office here and I'll settle into my grandmother's attic and continue plugging away. I am so, so thankful. So until we're there and settled...may the peace of the Lord be with you.

Dead or Alive?

2009-05-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

I have had two conversations just in the last 72 hours that both involved friends saying something along these lines...

"I am starting to see the reality of what life is like for people in most of the world and I don't know what to do....it feels like I could just lose it at any minute....what do I do with the fact that there are children dying of hunger and I throw away leftovers...what do I do with the fact that there is so much suffering and I watch people spend so much money on clothes???"

To both of these dear women I encouraged them to keep struggling, and to be willing to share the struggles so that more people are aware of the realities.

Be honest about the fact that you can't just sit back - can't ignore the war, the hunger, the sickness, the abuse, the injustice...

I think that as our children, families, friends, co-workers and neighbors watch us wrestle with how to live our lives in light of the realities around the world - I believe we can help each other to be alive.

In scripture God has strong words for the church. He says: "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!" - Revelation 3:15

We have GOT to wrestle through this together and not let each other be lukewarm. There is such joy in living the hot, alive, joyful life that Christ calls us to. But...it's not easy and it's not comfortable. That's why He created us to function as a body - we need each other to walk to challenging, messy, fantastic adventure that He has called us to.

There are no easy answers or solutions - I think the only "answer" is to wake up each day and ask God what He has for today. What does the abundant life Christ calls us to look like for today? What does is look like to lavishly reflect God's love to the people in your life? What does it look like to give sacrificially to help meet the needs that exist around you and around the world?

"There is a sort of dead-alive...people about, who are scarcely conscious of living except in the exercise of some conventional occupation...They have dwarfed and narrowed their soul by a life of all work, until here they are at forty, with a listless attention, a mind vacant of all material for amusement, and not one thought to rub against another while waiting for the train." -From 'An Apology for Idlers' by Robert Louis Stevenson

Will you choose to be alive? Awake to the sin and the hurt and the pain and the suffering...and in being awake and responding to that, there is such great joy, glory and delight because Christ is Redeemer!

30 Hours...

2009-04-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

Millions of people around the world go for 30 hours in between each meal...30 hours.

Over 26,000 children die each day - most from preventable causes like disease and hunger.

This weekend people all across America are fasting for 30 hours to raise awareness as well as to raise funds.

I am very, very thankful to be a part of World Orphans where the goal is to fight for those 26,000 children by strengthening churches all over the world so future generations can see those children cared for and those numbers lowered.

I would ask you to remind yourself and the people you come in contact with about these numbers. But don't let them be just numbers, let them be real people...and ask God to give you an excitement about what you can do to fight for these children.

There are lots of ways to get involved - please let me know if you're interested.

Pray for Rain

2009-04-01T08:23:00.001-07:00

The Kenyan government has declared the country in a state of famine - there is a drought and therefore staple crops are not able to grow.

We have told our friends there, our brothers and sisters in Christ, that we will join them in praying that the Lord will send rain. Will you please join us in praying that the Lord would send rain...

James 5
13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Farmland in Kenya that is ready and waiting for the rain

Excerpt from an email from a Kenyan pastor:
We are praying for rains to start before we plant corn and beans though we have already bought seeds. Pray with us because we don't see any sign of rains, farmers are now wondering what next. With the famine we are experiencing in Kenya, unless God does a miracle many will suffer.

Stories from Ethiopia and Kenya

2009-03-26T15:11:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I'm feeling a bit at a loss for words, or maybe more a loss for writing. As I think about what to share with my friends, there are thoughts formulating in my mind but they don't feel like they are going to transfer to the blog very well.

As I transition back into the swing of daily life I keep coming back to these words of Jesus from Luke 12:48 "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Not in a burdensome way but in a joyful "Oh Lord, you created me how you did and allowed me to be born where I was born, allowed me to have education and food and health....please, please, please, let me reflect you with all that I am and all that I have..."

I wish I could introduce you to my friends who I learned so much from in such a short amount of time. But since I can't introduce you to them, I'd like to tell you their stories...

Meet Fred and Alice. They have 3 children, help lead a network of churches in the Nairobi area, help run a school for 300 children and a home for 30. There are children who have a roof, food, education, and hear the love of Christ, because Fred and Alice know that the joy of the Lord is their strength....Proverbs 19:17 "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done"

Derek, Cindy (with Fred and Alice's youngest daughter River), me, Alice and Fred

One of the classes at Candlelight School that Fred and Alice help run

Meet Rosemary. She is 8 months pregnant, works 40 hours a week and spends her Saturdays and Sunday afternoons walking with her husband to tell people about the love of Christ. When she gets tired, she prays that the Lord will give her strength. Oh Lord, give me that kind of fervor...

Rosemary, me, her daughter and husband

People want to be known. I was amazed when one of the boys I had seen last October walked up to me and said "Hi Kate". He remembered my name. His name is Martin. Martin reminded me that I want to spend my life knowing people and showing them the love of Christ.

Me and Martin

There is a group of beautiful, young girls at Fountain of Life who spend their days ministering with the church on a volunteer basis and then they go to class in the evenings - for hours, every evening. Those women remind me that life is not about being comfortable, being organized or being scheduled...it's about living abundantly and trusting that God will provide.

The Fountain of Life team with our group

I come back reminded that this is the truth I want to live by. Luke chapter 12...

²²Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ²⁶Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

²⁷"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! ²⁹And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

³²"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

And at the end of that chapter...From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Will you join me in spending yourself on behalf of the hungry out of the riches God has given you? Let's remind each other that we want to provide purses for ourselves that will not wear out...we want to store up treasure in heaven, not here on earth.

Here are a few more pictures, and there's an album on my facebook page.

Me and Brian, he also lives at the Fountain of Life home

One of the church plants from a church we visited in Woliso Ethiopia

A real live dust storm...amazing

Matthew 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

The Mathare slums

This flower was right outside the door where we stayed in Kenya

Fountain of Hope ministry team

(Left) Victoria and her siblings. Victoria is a smart little girl. Pray that her grandmother will have the money for Victoria to see an eye doctor and to send her and her siblings to school

Revelation 21 ^"3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

⁵He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

⁶He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

PS - More pictures HERE

Battle...

2009-03-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. - Ephesians 6

There are good things happening, all over the world, but specifically at World Orphans. I would ask you to pray for the staff and their families, for God's protection. For more details and more ways to pray click HERE.

And pray for the team I'll be traveling with to Ethiopia and Kenya from March 10-March 21. Pray that it would be a mutually encouraging time as we visit with our brothers and sisters who are caring for orphans. Pray also that our eyes would be opened, that we would have a better picture of the Kingdom of God and the church of Jesus Christ. Pray that we'll be honoring to Christ in how we handle ourselves.

We have the opportunity to participate in three HisKids Sports outreach events, pray that we'll learn from those and that it will be good for the team and for the communities we'll be spending time with.

Many, many thanks...look for pictures and thoughts from the trip when I get back!

A secret...

2009-03-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

John Chapter 2 verses 1-11:
"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."

His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."

I taught about this story for two and three year-old children this past Sunday and I am captivated by it. This is the first miracle Jesus does, it says He revealed His glory and his disciples put their faith in him. But...other than the disciples and the servants, no one knew what he had done!! The master thought the bridegroom had saved the best wine for last and the bridegroom probably had no idea where it came from!

But...the servants were the ones who got to participate. They were the ones who filled the jars with water and then brought the wine to the master of the banquet. What does that say about on whom and where Jesus places value!!

Okay, so I don't have servants. But, I desperately desire to reflect the heart of Jesus...and I just love how he secretly shared his miracle with the servants...

A challenge

2009-03-01T17:02:00.000-08:00

Blood: Water Mission is putting out a challenge - if you'd like to participate, here are the details:

"Make water your ONLY beverage for 40 DAYS starting MARCH 1 and ending APRIL 9. Gather your friends and join in solidarity with our African brothers and sisters in an effort to provide clean water for communities in need. As you do so, we ask that you keep track of what money you would have typically spent on other drinks throughout the day and save that money. At the end of 40 days donate what you saved to Blood:Water. Imagine, if you saved $5 a day just by cutting out a visit to your local bar or barista, then you’d save $200 in 40 days. That’s enough to provide clean water for 200 people for an entire year!"

Compelled...

2009-02-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:13-21

I just read this, "70% of girls in Vietnam are sold into the sex industry" and my stomach is turning. 70% - that is staggering. And I am once again beyond grateful to be part of a team that says this:

"We are determined to get involved. Education and skills training are essential to prevention. Our goal is to help children become valuable to their families, able to earn money…. rather than be sold for it. Through our in-country ministry partner, we are beginning the process of identifying churches where vocational training programs can be started. We pray that sewing classes, beauty salon training, leatherworking and more, located on church property and run by the local church, will begin quickly.

Please look at the faces below. These are some of the children who need your help. They need the church, both here and there. Please join World Orphans in equipping churches to impact and change their communities, their culture, and the future for these children."

Tension...

2009-02-23T07:23:00.001-08:00

I love how pretty flowers look in my yard, but I also like how they look in a vase on my window sill. Do I leave them in the yard where they might last longer and announce "spring" to all who see them? Or, do I cut them and put them in the house where I'll think of the glory of God's creation each time I walk in the room? I have that minor debate in my mind often during the spring and summer months. Thankfully this weekend I went for bringing them inside. The warm-sunny weather that brought the flowers out of the ground on Saturday didn't stay. If I had not brought them inside, they would not have lasted very long....

The snow certainly looks pretty, but I don't think my delicate daffodils would have survived...

I find myself often having many, more significant, debates in my mind and my heart. What does it look like to live as an American following Christ? What does it look like to honor and serve my brothers and sisters in other countries and around the corner who's realities are so different from mine?

Things I have a little clarity about:
- I like look nice and presentable - I will do most of my shopping at thrift stores and buy jewelry that supports justice (like this or this, for example).
- Extravagance has a place. I hate the thought of being showy or giving gifts for no reason. But to intentionally honor someone, I think gift-giving and celebration is very pleasing to the Father.
- My home. While this certainly has places of tension - I am so, so grateful for a warm, safe place to sleep and I like the idea of having a comfortable and place to invite people to.

Things I struggle with:
- Water. I always have water - to brush my teeth, do the dishes, even flush the toilet. It feels selfish, wasteful...something - that it is always there and always clean, even to flush the toilet - when so many people don't even have one cup of clean water to drink.
- My home. While I am thankful for the opportunities we have to share our home, there are plenty of nights when our guest room is empty. And I know there are people who don't have a place to sleep - so why are they not in the empty bed in my house?
- Time. I am thankful for a healthy body with which to work hard. I know we are commanded in scripture to rest. I enjoy resting. But do I have the right balance? What does it look like to take the rest God commands and then to spend myself all the other moments?
- Food. I love to serve people. I love the idea of making a nice meal or a special dessert for a person or a family - I think there is much potential for real, healing relationship to be developed over sharing a meal. But...then there's the fact that I know there are hungry people not far from me and there is extra on my shelves...

There are certainly other tensions floating in my heart and my mind, but these are what come to the forefront as I prepare for the trip to Ethiopia and Kenya I'll take with a World Orphans team in a few weeks. I am humbled by the opportunity to visit and spend time with our Ethiopian and Kenyan brothers and sisters who are serving Christ by caring for orphans and I pray that my heart will be soft and obedient as I wrestle with the ever present tensions...

Welcome to my World Orphans blog...

2009-02-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

Hello, welcome to my World Orphans blog! I am Kate Borders and I am the....um, I'm not sure what my title is!

I came to World Orphans through HisKids Sports. HisKids Sports is a ministry dedicated to equipping people to use sports and games as a means to share the Gospel of Christ! Over the course of a a few years, HisKids Sports formed a relationship with World Orphans and we all came to the conclusion that we could better serve Chirst and His church and the orphans that we long to care for, working together. So...now we are HisKids Sports, a ministry of World Oraphans.

My blog is called "...and if you spend yoursleves..." That is a portion of Isaiah 58 (below). I am absolutely taken by the fact that Christ has made a way for us to know Him and adopts us into His family...and I long to spend myself so that others can know that.

I am humbled by my brothers and sisters that I see spending themselves to care for widows and orphans. And I am humbled that I get to be a part of World Orphans, an organization full of people spending themselves. I am so thankful to be working for people who weep over the children around the world who are hurting and not cared for.

Isaiah 58

¹ "Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins.

² For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.

³ 'Why have we fasted,' they say,
'and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?'
"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.

⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.

⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD ?

⁶ "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness ^a]">[a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

¹¹ The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

¹³ "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,

¹⁴ then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.