holy week tidbits

1. been loving following along with what was happening (chronologically) the last week of Jesus' life. makes it all seem so much more real to think of His last days!

2. been reading along with these devotionals for the last couple weeks (even though they're designed for kids). she is so gifted with words.

3. been listening nonstop to this song. so worshipful. He is worthy of our affection!

4. excited about experiencing my 1st ever messianic Passover Seder tonight. we, covered in the blood of Christ our Passover Lamb: the final sacrifice.

5. anticipating Good Friday night, learning from David Platt about the crucifixion, salvation & the glory of God.

6. then lastly, celebrating this great event on Easter Sunday here.

testifying about our abba

my church
gave me this great opportunity
to talk about my experience in Africa!
check it out :)

also thinking about these ones today,
grieving their lack of an earthly father...
those kind of wounds cut so deep.
praying that they and i both
more and more and more
grow in intimately knowing
the love of our Heavenly Abba Father.
amen.

holy week part 2: alas, and did my savior bleed?

i have been playing this song nonstop for a couple weeks now

check out these beautiful lyrics:

Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head

For such a wretch as I?

At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day.

Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine—
And bathed in its own blood—
While the firm mark of wrath divine,
His Soul in anguish stood.

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
While Calvary’s cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do.

holy week

...Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God,
did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped
but made himself nothing,
taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men.


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And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient
to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
[philippians 2:5-8]

happy :)

Pure Religion: Uganda 2011 with Visiting Orphans from Jennifer Hanson on Vimeo.

Jen made this incredible video that perfectly encapsulates our time.

those lyrics (shared below)...
those sweet memories captured...
all those big brown eyes!!!

just when i thought i had gotten acclimated to being back in the States.
finally felt like i was out of the fog...
i watch this
and my heart nearly bursts -
i want to go back.

but until then,
i give
i write letters
i pray.

but oh how i MISS these sweet faces.

I Refuse
by Josh Wilson

Sometimes I
I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone's alright
When I know they're not

This world needs God
But it's easier to stand and watch
I could say a prayer and just move on
Like nothing's wrong

But I refuse
'Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse

To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse

I can hear the least of these
Crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet
Of You, oh God

So, if You say move
It's time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
Show them who You are

'Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse

To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse

To stand and watch the weary and lost
Cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back
And try and act like all is well

I refuse to stay unchanged
To wait another day, to die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse

'Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse

To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse

I refuse
I refuse

one thing i learned
from the people of Uganda?

God is ENOUGH


...used to want alotta things
all the stuff that's on TV
education, cars & clothes
fashion, lights & jewelry...
[focused on the wrong stuff]
now I got my eyes on You
and now I know that:

God is enough!

Return Ministries

after spending a few days in Jinja

we packed up our little van
and journeyed 3+ hours
to Kampala, Uganda

[i'd say those guys were livin' on the edge]

selling sugar cane roadside

LOTS of traffic in Kampala

finally...we arrived at our destination:
Return Ministries Uganda
check them out their awesome website HERE

we were greeted by these little ones singing :)

this is Pastor Samuel. he runs Return.
such a sweet, humble man FULL of godly vision.

this ministry does so much.
there are orphans living at the Return home.

including these 4 siblings:
Joel, Sam, David, and Esther
[sam and i particularly bonded]

elvis, sam, jimmy

Return also runs a
sponsorship program,
sends kids to school,
hosts a church
feeds kids,
and reaches out to the whole surrounding community.

they are being the hands of Jesus
to the community around them!

they are a relatively new ministry
working SO hard
for the glory of God
and the good of others.

please consider giving a donation
to help sweet ones like Dora & Robert

$9000 Ugandan give-away :)

as is the case with most mission trips,

we all had to raise financial support to help us get to Uganda.
not only were all of our travel expenses met (!)...
BUT as a team we raised a combined overage of
$9000!
that is a whooole lotta money!
especially with the conversion rates between US & Ugandan dollars,
$9000 in Uganda goes a long, loooong way.

our last night as a team,
we gathered together to decide what to do with all this excess money.
what an amazing privilege this was:
God's people giving to God's people around the world...
we got to assess each orphanage's needs
& decide how to bless each one!

Canaan Children’s Home:

• one-year sponsorships for 5 older orphans living at Canaan - covers food, care & school fees ($3000 total)
  
• one-year scholarship for 1 older teen who has "graduated" from Canaan. this is the only way they can go on to University- this pays for their University fees ($500)
  
• gift of $200 for newly-weds and amazing staff members George and Sylvia
• gift of $100 for our incredible cook Annette who is a sweetheart-and-half and works so hard to send her two children to school (but only gets to see them twice a month)
• gift of $50 to each of the 7 aunties and uncle at the orphanage (the incredible people who live with and help raise all the children at Canaan)

sweet Peace - one of the auntie's at Canaan's

Pillars of Hope:

• 1 full-sized loom, or wherever most needed ($900)
  
• double supply of material/thread for looms ($400)
• the above is used for the branch of the ministry that helps rehabilitate prostitutes by teaching them a trade skill - namely creating beautiful scarves, rugs, etc

Rose, one of the sweet ladies working here.
you can check out one of her rugs in my living room :)

Return Uganda:

• final term of school for the children sponsored through Return Uganda ($1050) - this was in addition to the 2nd term of school we already provided for them!!
  
• gift of $400 for the feeding program that provides meals to over 300 children
  
• six months rent for the ministry's house where these children live ($600)

beautiful, sweet Esther who lives at this orphanage (behind her)

Royal Hope Academy

• gift of $1000 to be used where most needed (probably for food and to cover school fees of children whose parents can't afford it, which is the vast majority of the 400 kids who attend the school)

some of the sweet faces at Royal Hope

a few side-notes:

1. there are other donations (part of the $9000) that aren't included here, as we're trying to wait on a few things to settle before we delegate everything.
2. there are ministries mentioned here i haven't discussed yet. i promise i will!
3. mucho thanks to Jen for letting me snag her neatly compiled list!

isn't it awesome to see how far $9000 can go?!

and to think, all this was in addition to dozens of bags worth of donations including:
-clothes
-shoes
-medicine
-toiletries
-books
-arts & crafts supplies
-sports equipment
-cameras
-laptops!

as well as donations providing for school fees and 30+ new mattresses
for the kids at Return Uganda!

new clean mattresses! this is the boys' room.

THANK YOU to everyone who gave!
Look what the Lord provided THROUGH YOU!