VILLAGE OF HOPE

This is where i met some of the most hurting children in the world. Most of the children living at Village of Hope, were kidnapped and forced to become child soldiers, some even forced to kill their own parents. This is hard to talk about, so I’m finding it hard to know what to say. My heart breaks now and I’m overcome with sadness for what they gone through. I pray that we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to offer healing and hope to them in a real way.

My experience at Village of Hope was different to say the least. I lived in a mud hut for 4 days, had no electricity, no running water, lets just say it was nothing like America, but it was AMAZING. I woke up every morning to the sound of girls and boys laughing and playing outside. As soon as I would come out of the hut, they were there waiting to greet me with a hug. Makes me smile. We spent our days reading the bible, playing soccer, swinging on wooden swings, dancing, singing, and eating lots of rice and beans. haha. but it was really good, I miss the rice and beans actually.

The first couple days we just got to know the kids, the last 2 days we spent time talking with them about their pain, their heartaches, and also their hopes for the future. Some of their dreams were pretty cool, basically things we take for granted. Some said their dream was to drive a car, some said to have a house, some to get married, a lot of them wanted to be pilots.

Overall my time there was life changing. I can’t wait to go back and kiss their faces. I pray that together, we can do whatever it takes to see their dreams come true.

The main thing we can do is pray.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and I will heal their land. Lets Pray!!!!

to love

Since I have gotten back from Africa, I haven’t talked about it much. I came back to some pretty hard family stuff of my own so I had no time to really think about what all happened in the two weeks I was there. Looking back over the video footage, I realize how broken some of these kids really are, I also see there contagious joy and loving smiles. I miss them. I miss Africa. It was calm, peaceful, relaxing, beautiful, it was everything my heart desires.

At the core of me I desire to love like Jesus. There is a reason He loved children so much. There so real, so pure, and they just don’t care what others think. I care too much what others think. I feel like I am home when I am with children. They make me feel accepted, I know I can trust them, they love to love, laugh, and rest. I love all of these things, a lot. There is a reason God told us to become like children. Do we really try though? Do we take God serious when He says that? I feel we just pass by it. We are too busy with our lives that are sooo important.

If we don’t have love, we don’t have anything, so I pray that you and I can figure out how to really love and be loved. That is why I am here, to love. God told me that once when I asked him what my purpose was. I asked Him what my mom’s purpose was, my brothers, my dads, I kept naming different people, and the answer was the same, to love. Why do we find it so hard to love? Is it because we have never experienced real love, is it because we are afraid, or because we just don’t know how?  I think we are so caught up in ourselves that we forget to love. 

I love that Gods word says that the entire bible could rest on these two commands, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. If I can get those two things down, I’ll be feeling pretty solid. ☺

These are pictures of children that I met. They love unconditionally. My prayer is that I can be a voice for them, that God would use me and you to help some of the most broken and lonely children in the world. They live everyday without moms and dads, some live without food, and its time for us to do something about it. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

LET’S MOVE!

I KNOW YOU GO WITH ME, SO I WILL NOT FEAR

My first night in Africa. I have to admit that with all the excitement, there was a part of me that was scared. I don’t like to admit that, but I was in a new place and I didn’t really know what to expect. Before I left, everyone was talking about deadly mosquitos, dangerous water, eating the right stuff, taking all your meds, making sure your always with another person, it was so much to take in. So, hopefully you can understand my fear a little. I know, like I always know, in my heart of hearts that God is with me but sometimes I need to be reminded, you know what I mean?

1st we arrive in Nairobi. The airport was very different from airports in the states. I could hear different languages being spoken, ones I had never heard, and there were people from all different nationalities. The stores inside the airport were pretty cool…really enjoyed shopping. I only got to see what Nairobi was like from inside the airport, but I could tell right away that I was going to love Africa.

Inside the Nairobi airport. I had just got on the internet to let my family and friends know that I made it safely. :)

Now off to Entebbe.

getting on the plane to Entebbe, almost there

 

me and amanda, sooo happy and sooo ready to get there. we haven't showered in two days, and we've been on a plane for over 24 hours, but all we can think about is how amazing this is going to be.

oh yeah, it was raining! i know i look pretty. haha

P.S. i don’t like plane food! blah :0 we had beef cakes.

Finally after 2 days of travel, we arrive!

I was beyond excited!!!!!!!!!! But, when we went to find our driver to take us from the airport to the Entebbe guest home, he was nowhere to be found.  Amanda says that we will have to take a taxi. This scares me a little because the men who were the taxi drivers, weren’t wearing anything to show they were real taxi drivers, neither did their cars show any kind of identification, they just looked like normal cars. I know i shouldn’t fear but it was after midnight, we were the only ladies around and we were in a foreign country without our driver.

So Amanda assures me that it will be fine . Not long after a man walks up to us and says ” do you need a taxi?”  We get in the car with him and I was asking Amanda, ” are you sure we are ok?”   I could tell she was a little worried as well, even though she was trying to assure me that we were fine. The driver gets in and starts the car, and out of the speakers, I hear the most beautiful and timely words sung over me,

” I KNOW YOU GO WITH ME, SO I WILL NOT FEAR”

Are you kidding me???  God showed up. This man was listening to a worship cassette, not cd, that someone had just given to him.  Those were the exact words that I needed to hear in that moment. Has that ever happened to you, God showing up right when you need Him most? You will see that these words, ” I know you go with me, so I will not fear,” end up carrying me through the whole trip. ” I know You go with me, so I will NOT fear.” Talk about God being on time, God knowing what you’re dealing with and having enough compassion and love and patience to remind you 1 more time that HE IS WITH YOU. He is real and He loves you and me so much. God has not given us the spirit of fear or timidity, but a spirit of power, of love,  of a sound mind. Stop fearing.

Entebbe guest home here we come, without fear!

Tears run down my face as we drive to our destination for the night. The African air is so clean and fresh, and Gods presence is clearly with us.  This is a night i will never forget.

my room, don't know if you can see the mosquito nets, but they are the white clothe things hanging at the top of the picture. we have to sleep with these over us every night to keep the mosquitos out. i kinda like them, not the mosquitos, the nets.

As i walk into my room and tell Amanda goodnight I breathe in and think, ” I’m finally here, and after 2 days, now i get to sleep.” ( me and amanda became friends really fast after 2 days of travel together, we went from ” so tell me about yourself,” to “can you move i’m trying to get comfy ?”… we tried to sleep on the plane, haha ) so I’m shutting my door that has big metal bars down it and i look up and scream, ” Amanda there is a ginormous orange lizard in my room, Amanda just looks at me like thats absolutely normal and says, “Welcome to Africa.”

ok here we are, time for bed, hope the lizard doesn't eat me!

Can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds.