Our greatest calling, is simply to love...

Monday, January 10, 2011

Uganda, June 2-11

There have been lots of questions about what exactly I will be doing in Uganda. So here are the details as of now...

I will be traveling June 2-11 to Jinja, Uganda. The trip is being organized by the organization Visiting Orphans.

The vision of Visiting Orphans is:

*To enlist Church volunteers to visit orphanages so they may meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs of orphans.
*To develop relationships, provide comfort and to share the Gospel with orphans.
*To provide financial aid for child sponsorship, medical assistance and construction to improve the living conditions of orphans.
*To mobilize Christian churches to help orphans experience the blessing of family.

I will be traveling with a team of about 30 people. The team will be lead by the wonderful Kari Gibson and Michael Smalley.

Here is our team website.

While in Uganda, we will be working with:

*Return Ministries

*Canaan Children's Home

*Amazima Ministries (Katie Davis's ministry)

*My Father's House (Rebecca Sorensen's ministry)

The trip will cost approximately $3,000-$3,200 depending on the cost of flights. This does not include extra fees such as required vaccinations.

You can support me and my team in several ways:

*You can make a direct donation to my Paypal account.

*You can purchase one of my awesome t-shirts. There is a link to the right.

*You can purchase some yummy coffee.

*You can donate any unwanted items to a yard sale I will have in the spring.

*You can be my billboard. Tell your friends, family, enemies, whoever about our work in Uganda. Advertise on Facebook or Twitter.

*You can make a tax deductible donation through Visiting Orphans. Just be sure to select the June 2-11, Uganda trip. Select "yes" when asked, "Would you like to designate this donation to a specific team member?" Type "Amanda Smith" in the box provided.

Most importantly, remember to PRAY for my team over the coming months. I am so excited to see how God is going to use us!

God's Heart

The numbers

The number of children in the world that have lost their mother or father, are parent-less, or have been abandoned, now exceeds 147 million. This absolutely staggering number is almost equivalent to one-half of the total population of the United States.
Every day 5,760 more children become orphans.

An estimated 17.5 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS; more than 14 million of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Diarrhea is the second most common cause of death in young children, after pneumonia. It kills more than 1.5 million children under 5 years of age every year, representing 17 per cent of all deaths in children under 5.

Diarrhea is caused by germs that are swallowed, especially germs from feces. This happens most often where there is unsafe disposal of feces, poor hygiene practices, or lack of clean drinking water.

Each year, over 1.4 million children die from diseases that are preventable with readily available vaccines.

In the US there are approximately 500,000 children in foster care. Approximately 130,000 of those children in foster care are waiting and available for adoption.

In the past hour 1,625 children were forced to live on the streets by the death or abuse of an adult.

In the past hour 1,667 children under the age of five died from malnutrition and vaccine preventable diseases.

In the past hour 115 children became prostitutes.

In the past hour 66 children under 15 were infected with HIV.

In the past hour 257 children were orphaned because of HIV/AIDS

The faces

This is Andrew. A team with Visiting Orphans met him a couple of days ago. Andrew was living under the care of Renee Bach and her ministry, Serving His Children. Renee is serving the least these in Jinja, Uganda. When the team met Andrew he was four years old. Andrew was extremely malnourished. On this past Friday, Andrew went to be with Jesus. His last words? "I want my mommy."

Christie Cotney is serving the least of these in the Bugabo Village in Uganda. She met this man last week. He is the father to three children. Someone came into his home, stole all he owned, and beat him. They then hung him by his arm.

This is his arm now. He and his children were found living in a church.

This is Isaac Sembajwe. I sponsor him through Christie's child sponsorship program. He is nine years old. He lives with his father, 4 brothers, and 1 sister. He wants to be a pilot when he grows up. His favorite animal is a cow. His favorite color is yellow.

This is the Korah Dump in Ethiopia. These people live amongst the filth. They dig through the garbage in order to survive.

These are all real people, real children, who want LOVE.

There is one thing about God's nature that is inescapable. God LOVES.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8

There are two things that we are called to do as His followers. LOVE Him and LOVE others.

"'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'" -Matthew 22:36-40

Another truth that is clear from God's word is that He LOVES the orphan, the widow, and the alien.

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing." -Deuteronomy 27:19

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." -John 14:18

He calls us to LOVE and care for the orphan, widow, and alien.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." -James 1:27

"Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow." -Isaiah 1:17

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." -Zechariah 7:10

I don't know about you, but I want more of God's heart. I want Him to break my heart for what breaks His. I want to see through His eyes. I want to LOVE because He LOVES.

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise...

...To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!" -Revelation 5:12-13

Statistics taken from: www.unaids.org; abbafund.wordpress.com; www.unicef.org; www.hfgf.org

Monday, December 6, 2010

Depraved Indifference

I want ALL of God's heart. I want to hurt for His cause. I don't want to suffer from depraved indifference. I want to be broken, and then I want to DO SOMETHING. It's not enough to see the suffering and feel saddened. I don't want to be blinded. I don't want to forget. I want to be burdened by what breaks God's heart. I want it to weigh upon me until I HAVE to do something. Watch this video. Are you willing to ask God to break your heart?

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." -1 Corinthians 12:27

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." -James 1:27

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Beanie Babies Take Flight

I wanted to take a break from my story of transformation, to tell you the exciting things that are happening with my old Beanie Babies! I was one of those girls who was absolutely obsessed with Beanie Babies. I had to have them all. My mom would be at stores before they opened waiting for the newest Beanie Baby. There have been so many times I've thought that I need to get rid of them. They have not done anything but clutter our attic. Yet, I have never done anything with them.

The other day this amazing woman posted on her Facebook that she would love to give all of her kiddos Beanie Babies for Christmas. Rebecca is the founder of My Father's House in Kampala, Uganda and is currently loving the kids at her ministry's children's home and school. So, tomorrow I will be hitting the road with these guys...

...We will be making the drive to Tennessee to meet Rebecca and give her the Beanies. I cannot tell you how excited I am to send all 109 (yes I counted) to Africa. I think it's awesome that God is allowing me to pass along what I once treasured to 109 precious children on the other side of the world. What is even more awesome, is that My Father's House is one of the places we will be serving with Visiting Orphans in June! You can learn more about Rebecca and her testimony here at my crazy team leader, Kari Gibson's blog. I cannot wait to hold the hands and faces that will be receiving my Beanie Babies!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Changed - Part 2

Read Part 1 here.

When the doctor told my parents of the damage my brain had suffered, I of course knew none of this. My parents kept me from the grim reality. I can clearly remember the doctor visits, but that was not the scary part.

What I remember more than anything were the nights. It was at night that my fears were at their greatest. During the day I was surrounded by people. At night I was alone. Every night when it was bedtime, the terror set in. I would cry and beg my mom to stay with me until I fell asleep. I did not want to close my eyes for fear of what the night would bring. Fearful that another seizure would happen. Fearful that I would not live to see the morning.

After taking the seizure medication for some time, doctors decided to begin to ween me off of it. Shortly thereafter, I went back for more scans and tests. Doctors were baffled by what they found. All traces of brain damage were gone. There was no evidence I had ever even had a seizure.

"...and the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well." -James 5:15

"...for I am the Lord who heals you." -Exodus 15:26

Jehovah Rapha had moved in me. The Mighty One had worked a miracle in me. God truly is so good.

Let me diverge from my story for a moment to make it clear that even if God had not healed me, He would STILL BE GOOD. He would still be the only Jehovah Rapha. He would still be mighty and awesome. He would still be the creator of the universe that longs for an intimate relationship with each of us and would still be so deserving of our praise.

Of course my parents were ecstatic over the doctor's news, but I was still terrified. The memory of that Sunday still plagued me. I still cried and begged my mom not to leave me at night. I remember my mom telling me that if I had Jesus in my heart, there was nothing to fear. But I didn't. God used my seizures to stir my heart. It was during those long nights that I came to realize I so desperately needed to be forgiven of my sins. I so desperately needed the one called Jesus to come into my heart.

When I was 13 I made a decision that changed my life forever. I prayed for God to forgive me of my sins. I prayed that He would come into my heart to stay. I promised to serve Him alone. And God was right there to answer my cry, to cleanse me.

"'Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'" -Isaiah 1:18

God's ways are so above our comprehension. His plan so much more magnificent than anything we could ever imagine. If before the day I was born, God had asked me to write my life story, I most certainly would not have included seizures. But I am so thankful to have had them. I now have an awesome testament of God's glory to share with people. And after I welcomed Christ into my heart, I did not have another fearful night. I have never again been afraid to fall asleep. Fear had been replaced with peace.

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." -2 Corinthians 4:17

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" -Jeremiah 29:11

God had a plan to change me. He had a plan to invite me to become one of His own. And since that day almost 9 years ago, He has not stopped changing me.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Changed - Part 1

I don't know how many people actually read this. I know that some of the people who do, already know this story, but this is my story. The story of how God changed me. It will come in two parts, so be patient. I created this blog as a way to share my journey and passions. It's time I share me. It's time I share why I am so passionate about visiting the orphan, why I never shut up about it. It's time I share how my great, big, awesome God has worked in me. And although this is my story, it's not about me. It's about God. It's Him in me.

I had what I consider to be a pretty perfect childhood. I had a mom and dad who loved me dearly. They spoiled their only child rotten. I was at church every Sunday. I knew all sorts of stories from the Bible. I was the good girl who's biggest fault was talking too much (some may argue that to still be true!) I had everything.

One night when I was about 9 years old, I can remember my parents calling me awake. I remember being disoriented and sleepy. I did not understand why they were waking me up and making me talk to them. I did not know that their perfect little girl had had a seizure. The experience wasn't scary for me. I really didn't understand what was going on. We went to the doctor. They ran a couple of tests. He told us that sometimes this happens. Sometimes kids have one unexplained seizure and that's it. After that they simply grow out of it.

Things continued normally for me after that. I did not grasp what had happened. I never thought about it again. Then, about a year later, I was sitting in church one Sunday when something went wrong. I remember sitting beside my mom, looking at my Bible, eating a peppermint. Suddenly my body went numb. I could not control anything. I tried to reach out to my mom, but my hand was drawn to my chest. I tried to cry out, but no words came out. I was a prisoner to my body. I was trapped without any control. I was having a grand mal (or tonic-clonic) seizure.

It is hard to explain to someone what it actually feels like. It is horrifying. I compare it to what I imagine some people in a coma feel like. You are aware of things around you, but it's all sort of fuzzy. You don't necessarily hear people, but you know they are there. Inside you are screaming for someone to make it stop, but your body is not cooperating.

When the seizure was finally over, our church family gathered around me to pray for me. When we left, well intentioned people came and asked if I was feeling better. Their good intentions angered me. What sort of question was that? I never felt "sick" to begin with. If they were referring to whether or not I felt better emotionally, of course I didn't. I was a terrified little girl who although knew the stories of Christ, knew nothing of His peace.

The rest of that day is a blur to me, and for that I am thankful. According to my parents I had seizure, after seizure that day. My perfect life turned to fear. I underwent test after test. I was poked and scanned. I underwent CT scans, MRIs, and EEGs. I was put on medication. Because of the medication I had to go monthly to have my blood drawn.

My parents were told my brain had suffered too much damage from the seizures. I would never be the same. Their perfect little girl would never recover. I would never be able to drive, finish school, have a normal life. I was forever changed.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

This Christmas, Simply Love

There are 58 days until Christmas! Wow!

As I began to think about what gifts to give everyone this year, I decided I want to give with a purpose. I want to give gifts that instead of just being used for a month or so, will last a lifetime. I want to give gifts that make an impact.

I began to search for organizations and families that offer opportunities to give gifts that make a difference. While I know there are many, many more out there, I have made a list of the ones I found. Will you give with a purpose this year? Within the list below there are organizations that provide for and care for those in need. There are families raising money for their adoption. Most importantly there are people who are using their time and resources to simply love.

Of course you can still purchase your Simply Love Uganda shirt or Just Love Coffee to help fund my journey to Uganda!

I have made this super easy for you. Search through the categories to find just what you are looking for. Help a family bring their baby home. Help care for the orphan and the widow. Help society to forgive, but not forget about those in prison. Help put an end to human trafficking. Help make a difference this Christmas.

(If you are a fundraising family or an organization striving to make a difference, tell me the link to your blog or website and I will gladly add you!)

Apparel

5 Million Children Looking for a Home

Along the Narrow Road

Already Love You

Because We Are Led

Bringing Home Sophia

Compassion International