100th Day of School Challenge & Giveaway!

As of today, March 2nd, we have been doing the homeschool thing for 100 days!! The girls and I are so excited about our plans for today, and have been looking forward to this "new tradition" in homeschool.

Among other things, we're having 100 cereal pieces in our bowls at breakfast, making bag fulls of 100 things in our house, listing 100 things we've learned in school so far, thinking of 100 people who we are thankful for, and shopping for 100 items to bring to the orphanage in Rwanda this summer!! Kendyll is planning to buy toothpaste, Carlie is buying toothbrushes, and Abby Kate wants to buy paint sets.

We also get to celebrate with our homeschool group from church on Friday, since most all of the families are close to their 100th day as well. We will be doing all kinds of fun activities as a group, which the girls are also excited about.

But, today, the thing that has excited my girls the MOST...is a challenge to all of YOU! To see the video message from the girls, visit our Facebook page.

Or, you can keep reading. :)

At dinner last night, we started talking about 100 pennies and then 100 dollars. We talked about what you could buy with 100 dollars. And, somehow that began the conversation about how MUCH MORE 100 dollars can buy for orphans in Africa. So, THEN...we thought of the greatest idea!!

We began to DREAM BIG about what would happen if everyone we know gave $100 to His Chase today in honor of our 100th day of school! If just the 922 "fans" on Facebook gave, we would have almost $10,000 for the kids at Noel Orphanage in Rwanda this summer. And, that's only the BEGINNING of what could happen!

It was so fun to dream with the girls at what all we could do for this orphanage that literally has NOTHING. They don't have enough food, or enough beds, or toys, or books, or clothes, or shoes. We could do HUGE THINGS, as Kendyll said!

And, we hope to.

With your help.

Will you give $100 for this special day? EVERY SINGLE PENNY will go directly to these little ones at Noel who need so much. There is no better return for your investment than to put a smile on these precious faces.

AND, for our first TWENTY FIVE generous friends, we have a FREE Rwandan paper bead necklace for you, made with love by our sweet friend Jane!

We'd be honored to celebrate with you today, as God does something significant with an insignificant school holiday. :)

Go HERE to donate...and be sure to select "Rwanda Summer 2011" on the funds menu, and let's get this party STARTED!!!!

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think!" Ephesians 3:20

How Can She Be 9?

Tomorrow, my biggest girl turns NINE!

I have alot to blog about for our birthday celebrations, but here is a sneak peek of our family birthday party this week:

A hippy birthday party at the skating rink. :) It was so much fun, and I was surprised at how the roller skating thing came back to me after all this time. And, Kendyll was a pro, of course!

Kendyll got a second celebration the next day with some church friends as they surprised her at her ice skating lessons and joined her for the afternoon!

Even more skating fun!

But, those updates are coming soon...

Right now, I just want to share one special thing about Kendyll from this week that I don't want to forget. As anyone who knows her already sees, she has a sweet, compassionate heart that is growing bigger by the year. She loves deeply, gives freely, and lives joyfully.

And, she really loves Africa. :)

The other morning, she bounces downstairs in her usual early morning cheery mood, and told me she had the coolest dream.

LISTEN TO THIS...in Kendyll's words.

"We were all in Africa, like the whole Branch (our church) and everyone who goes to Africa on your trips. It was really sad because it was all brown everywhere and there was, like, a famine. Even the waterfall had dried up and everything was dead. Mr. Jaron (our worship leader) was leading everyone in Chris Tomlin's song "God of This City" (see video below) and we were all singing loud. Then, Jaron said "We love you Jesus!" And, as we all started saying it, everything started turning to green! Everything started blooming again and the waterfall started pouring new water out!"

I sat there with my jaw on the ground, as she described new life coming to Africa. And, then I proceeded to tell Kendyll just how AMAZING this dream was! I told her that so often God speaks to us in our dreams, and that I think He just spoke in hers! Oh, how her eyes lit up at the thought. And, so did mine.

And, to know that Kendyll was dreaming about this song! "You're the God of this city, You're the King of these people, You're the Lord of this nation...You're the light in this darkness, You're the hope to the hopeless, You're the peace to the restless. There is no one like our God!"

I haven't shared completely about what God spoke to me on my retreat a couple of weeks ago, but one thing He clearly said to me is that "Chase is a seed planted for My glory. But, he's not the only one. All four of your children are seeds that will be harvested. I have plans for My glory to be revealed in each one in such different and amazing ways. Just watch, Chelsea."

Not that I didn't already know this. But, He clearly reminded me through my quiet time and a few other lessons that what He's doing through Chase's life is only part of the bigger story. He has big things planned for all of my children! And, I am so excited to watch Kendyll's seed grow. She is a planting for the Lord, and He is revealing His heart to her, even in her dreams.

Kendyll, you are my precious big girl and God is doing AMAZING things already through you. I pray He continues to ignite your passion for His calling on your life. You are a seed planted for His harvest, and He has such a HUGE plan for you, my sweet girl. Happy 9th birthday! I love you SO much, missy moo!

A {Heart} for Africa

Coming home from Africa is usually hard. Part of your heart (or most of your heart) stays there.

But, this week has been GOOD. We are feeling giddy about what lies ahead, and can already see some clear direction from here. And, it has been so good to be back with my girls and Mark.

In His goodness, every single day has involved Africa in some way. Whether it be through conversations with others, lunch with some VO teammates, or long dinners with friends, we have been so encouraged by how many are walking this journey with us. Some amazing teams are already being formed for the summer trips. Some plans are already being formed for new His Chase projects. And, God has given us some wonderful friends who share a love for Africa.

Our sweet Mrs. Suzanne brought these cookies by earlier this week:

And, it was the perfect way to celebrate what God is doing in our lives, and in our family.

She brought a little cookie decorating kit for the girls, complete with icing and directions on how to make a heart for Rwanda, "because part of our heart lives there". How precious.

The girls had SO much fun decorating these...and so did I!

Of course, we had to show our Ghana love a little too! We had Rwanda hearts...

And Ghana hearts...

And a whole lotta icing bites. :)

Thank you, Suzanne, for the perfect "welcome home" surprise!

And, then, to continue the {heart} for Africa theme, we got to have dinner with a group of friends, who are all adopting from Ethiopia. Angie had the CUTEST decorations on the table, showing our LOVE for this continent:

It was SO cute and it just might inspire some new Valentine decorations around our house.

It was such a fun night, and I can't wait 'til this group of families has expanded by five beautiful children!!

We {heart} Africa.

We {heart} our little one.

And, we {heart} our many friends and family who share our love for Africa.

We are SO so blessed.

My Bonus Time in Rwanda

Note to my Readers: I wrote all of these blogs in advance (on the 16 hour plane ride), and am posting them now that I'm home. But, I'm trying to spend as much time as possible just being mommy today. I've received quite a few questions, comments, ideas, etc. and I am going to answer each one, I promise! It just might not be today...or tomorrow. :) Just know that I absolutely love the excitement that so many are showing about God's call to take care of the orphans. Don't stop!!! Keep sending it all my way. And, I will definitely be sharing more on a future blog about Visiting Orphans and some opportunities you will all have to support the places we have gone. Mark and I are already working on some of those things and would love your involvement! Thank you for your patience, too, as I re-enter life here...loving on my kids, trying to get over jet lag, and experiencing my usual "post-Africa blues" too. Love you all so much! Your prayers and support are amazing and humbling and encouraging. :)

Now, on with the blogging....

After two intense days at Noel, we got to have dinner Sunday night on the beach at a very nice hotel called Serena. This is a vacation spot for many local people and I can see why. It’s on Lake Kivu and it was the perfect place to celebrate our last night as a team. These are the Texas representatives on our team. :)

I just love our whole team. And, I'm missing them all. Even though most of us did not know each other beforehand, it was hard to believe that this was our last night together after what seemed like months of being by each other’s sides! (Two weeks seemed much, MUCH longer than that!)

And, here is my sweet friend, Jane. I love her. We were all sad to say goodbye to her. But, I've already told her that she is going to be my guide every time I come to Rwanda!

The next morning we began the beautiful drive back to Kigali, had lunch at our favorite little spot, Caribou, and then headed to take the team to the airport.

It was such a mix of emotions for me. I was tired and ready to see my family. And, I knew I would miss my friends who I had served with over the last two weeks. But, at the same time, I was so excited to have two extra days in Rwanda. I am still so thankful that it worked out for me to stay a little longer, to get to know Jana and her family (who is facilitating our adoption), visit the orphanage where our baby will eventually wait for us, and just experience more of Rwanda in a different way with people who live here.

And, it was SO good.

Jana, Dave, and their daughter Sophia picked me up at the airport, and we went to see the church and school they have started here in Rwanda. I was so impressed, not only with what they have done, but also with the way God aligned it all from the very beginning. It was very obvious that the Lord has found favor with the Jenkins and is blessing their efforts there in amazing ways.

And, it was such a blessing for me to experience Rwanda with a family who lived there! Just being in their home, listening to their conversation, seeing their love for this country and its people, and getting to know their sweet children….it was all just incredible.

Jana and I got to have some wonderful conversations on their back porch (with a beautiful view!) about all kinds of subjects, and I can tell already that God has brought us together, not JUST for this adoption, although I’m SO thankful that we were led to Jana for that! But, it seems bigger than that. He has brought us together for His even greater purposes. I’m looking forward to finding out exactly what He has planned.

And, of course, the next day was a dream come true for me.

Early that morning, Jana arranged for me to meet Jean Marie, the precious woman who processes all adoptions in Rwanda. I have heard her name for SO long and have prayed for her constantly. So, to meet her in person (especially when she was SO busy) was just wonderful.

We sat and talked for a while, and I was able to tell her how much we appreciate all that she is doing, and that we pray for her always. As I asked her how I could be praying for her, she said, “Pray that I can do it all. I go to bed at night and think “how can I do this?” Sweet Jean Marie. She has three children of her own, and she works hours and hours on behalf of the children who are waiting for their families. She said she feels like her own children are becoming orphans because of how much she works! I told her that we will pray for her strength and that God will allow the workload to not be overwhelming. She also said “Pray that we can go fast, fast, fast on the paperwork too!” It was sweet to see how much she loves these children, and loves adoption, and wants to do all she can to make the process go quickly. Believe me, she has many mommies and daddies praying the same thing all over the world.

After we met with her, I got to go with Jana to her weekly women’s Bible study. Again, another God moment where I knew He planned for me to be there that day. I sat at the feet of an amazing woman leading the study, and every word she said was just pure wisdom. If you haven't read her books, you should! I'm ordering them all today! Her name is Mimi Wilson, and she just moved to Rwanda, but was raised in a missionary family, and has lived many places serving the Lord. I can't believe I just sat and chatted with this amazing woman, not even realizing all that she has done and seen in her lifetime! What a blessing! She has written Holy Habits and Trusting in the Goodness of God, as well as a cook book called Once A Month Cooking.

I also got to meet at least 15 other women from either the US or Europe who are living and ministering with their families in Rwanda. It really encouraged me to get to know them, hear about their children, and their experiences in living in Rwanda. (And, yes, it made me want to join them!) There are some amazing things going on in this country….and it’s being done by some of the most amazing young families! It was very encouraging to me.

After the study, I got to take the whole Jenkins family out to their favorite restaurant to celebrate the first day of school and to let them know how much Mark and I appreciate what they are doing in this country. It was DELICIOUS Indian food and was a fun little time with the family. The Jenkins are raising five amazing children and I enjoyed getting to know each one.

After lunch was my favorite part. We had collected some money to spend on the orphanage’s needs, so Jana and I had a blast spending the money to stock up on cleaning supplies, towels, new mops, baby items, snack food…and lots more for the nuns to have.

And again, it was fun to see what “daily life” in Rwanda was like. I got to visit their mall and the store that I would equate to an American Wal-Mart, called Nakumatt. Much smaller, but had anything you could imagine in one place.

And, there was the Rwanda version of Starbucks across the mall from it! It is called Bourbon Coffee and it is SO YUMMY!! We also laughed as we were walking out, because look at what the restaurant was called next door: Dallas Pizzeria! With an American flag on the sign!

After shopping and filling up Jana’s car, it was time to go to the orphanage!! The sad part is that they don’t allow pictures, so I don’t have much to show you except the front gate, which I had seen so many times before. It's that symbol that we adoptive families in the US just get butterflies in our stomachs when we see...because it represents our children to us!

And, I did get a picture of my favorite sign...from Mother Teresa: Make of your life something beautiful for God. Love it. (And that is the orphanage behind the sign.)

As we drove up, I could hardly believe I was REALLY there! It was just surreal. I had been praying for weeks that this visit would be just what it should be, and that God would guard my heart as I went. I wasn’t sure what my emotions would be like, and I just wanted to love on the kids without being consumed with thoughts of my own adoption. I know that sounds strange, but I felt strongly that these children who are there NOW deserve my full attention and love. And, I truly was able to do that without any problem at all. They were all so precious!!

We met the nuns, delivered our goodies, and went on a tour of the orphanage.

It made me very sad to hear that they don’t allow visitors to go into the little baby’s room, but she did allow me to stand at the door. I said silent prayers over every tiny head I could see, asking the Lord to bless each one with love and good health while they wait for their mommies and daddies to come. (By the way, will you join me in praying about that? That visitors will be allowed to love the babies? I hate knowing my little one will someday lay there in that room without anyone coming to rub them and pray over them and love them. Of course, the nannies will, but they need more than that!!)

I did get to rub some heads and bellies in the toddler room, again praying over each one as I walked. They were SO cute and I loved knowing that these will be the sons and daughters of many people I know in the Rwanda adoption family!

The rest of the time, we spent outside with the children ranging from 18 months to 5 years. We sang preschool Bible songs and played on the playground, and just loved on them all. I was really happy the whole time I was there and didn’t feel discouraged at all. I think it was because I know that so many of these children are about to be in a forever family!

Yes, there was still the usual sadness over how desperate they are for love...for food…for attention. But, I also just enjoyed getting to know them, trying to memorize each little face so I can share with adoptive families later whatever I knew about their son or daughter.

We were there about an hour with the big kids, before it was time to go. Again, it was just a surreal experience to be on the very ground that my baby will live for a while. I was just so grateful to be able to now have a picture in my mind of each room there, of where our baby will sleep and play, and of what the nuns look like who will feed, clothe, and take care of my little one until we can get there.

We then visited one of Jana’s friends who has also adopted two boys from Home of Hope, and then moved to Rwanda a year later. They had such a cute little family and showed me all the pictures of Gotcha Day for their boys. It made me so anxious to be doing that with our own baby soon!!

It was a wonderfully full day, and ended with dinner as a family back at the Jenkins house. With each passing moment of these extra days, my desire to live in this country just kept growing. No, I’m not kidding. I’ve already told Mark we need to cover this in prayer. Because it’s really not like me to be ready to move across the world at a moment’s notice. But, I’m ready. :)

On my last day, I was really just planning to pack and take our time checking email and hanging out until my flight. But, I was totally surprised to get to come back to the orphanage again! Jana came in on Wednesday morning and asked me if I would like to go back again. Of course, I said YES! And, was so glad for another opportunity to love on these precious ones.

This time was different. There were 8 of us that went this time, so we were able to do more one-on-one loving. And, after playing with a few rambunctious ones (they are always the ones who get the first hugs because they knock you over!), I noticed the ones who were hesitant, hanging out on the sidelines, afraid to get too close. These are always the ones God draws me toward.

I spent some time letting one little boy “warm up” to me. He would hardly respond at all when I touched him at first and there was not a smile to be seen. His eyes looked sad and cautious. But, as I sang songs and rubbed his back, he began to come closer. And, finally, he just gave in completely. And, once he did, it was like he couldn’t get enough touch. For the last 30 minutes of our time, he was laying on my chest, rubbing my arms, while I sang and rocked him and rubbed his little back. He also loved “Ride a Little Horsey” and would cackle laugh when I would “drop” him off my knees. It was precious to watch him open up, and I just prayed over and over about this sweet one and his soon to be family. It was hard to watch him learn to trust, and then have to say goodbye. It killed me to think of how many times they've done this.

But, at the same time, I was so thankful that this dedicated group of women who live here, come EVERY single week to love these kids. How wonderful that all of our waiting kids still receive love from mommies consistently like this! Little “E” has a precious little heart and I can’t wait to see where he ends up. I look forward to sharing his story with his mom someday soon!

It was an amazing couple of days. I loved every minute of it. And, God DID protect my heart as I had asked. I didn’t know if going to the orphanage would be harder for me, since part of my heart lives there. But, it wasn’t hard. It filled me with joy and anticipation. It just made me more eager to help and be involved in what they are doing there. And, it gave me a better picture as I pray for the children there.

Dave and Jana, thank you so very much for your sweet hospitality. You are doing amazing things and I can’t wait to see the ways God has planned for Mark and I to be involved. Sophia, thank you for giving up your room for two days. I'm praying for your college search! :) And, Caleb, Ethan, Ruth, and Timothy, thank you also for allowing me to enter into your sweet family's life for a while. You are all a blessing to me!

As I got on the plane to leave Rwanda, I cried again. (I know you’re all surprised.) I certainly left my heart there and as we flew away I prayed that God would bring me back again soon, and that He would make our way clear from here.

I know He will. And, I can’t wait to see what comes next!!

Finding Hope at Noel

The very first night of this trip, we sat and talked with Sumer, who is a mom of three from Tennessee. She went on a Visiting Orphans trip last year, similar to this trip, and was telling us about her experience. Throughout the two weeks, she visited many orphanages…and on the last day, she stood in the middle of the dump in Ethiopia, and she described what she felt there. Instead of total despair, she felt hope. She literally felt God whispering to her that this is what her purpose was. She knew in that moment that she was right where she was supposed to be. Six months later, her entire family moved to the dump and began a ministry for the kids there.As she said this, I just started crying. It took me totally off guard. She was describing what I feel when I stand in the middle of orphanages in Africa. It’s what I felt when I stood on the island in Ghana where child trafficking was happening. It’s what I feel when I hold a tiny baby who was abandoned at the door. It feels like what I was made to do. And, somehow, God shows me His light in these dark places. As I see children smile and laugh and love, I can feel His joy radiating from within. I can’t explain it any other way. And, it seems strange to even say that, when there is such pain in these places. I look around and can definitely acknowledge the despair and the loss, but I also think He shows me the great potential in these kids…and the ways He is already there moving in these places. He’s been whispering to me this week for sure.

Mark and I are praying about what that means for our family. I have no doubt in my mind that we have found our life’s work…we just don’t know what it will look like from here. Even as I type this on my way home to Dallas, I am already daydreaming about our next trip in a few months (Lord willing!).

But, I have to admit that for a few hours, as we entered the Noel Orphanage and toured through room after room of this place, the hope I usually find was squelched almost completely in my heart. Words can’t describe what we experienced there.

It was shocking to see bedrooms that should hold 15-20 kids, holding 75.

It was very hard to see baby after baby lying in wet and dirty clothes and blankets.

It was beyond description to visit the rooms of special needs children and adults, some of whom were orphaned in the genocide as small babies, and lived in the forest, eating grass like animals. They can’t walk or talk.

Almost 650 kids live on this campus, and there is room for half that many. The caretakers are doing their best, but there is just so much need here. The smells and sights are something I’ve never experienced before. And, even though there are great organizations helping here, there is still so much to be done.

Look at the precious faces of Noel...

After a morning of touring and getting introduced to the orphanage, many of us were trying to choke back our tears, because the children were noticing our reactions, and that’s the last thing they needed. As I told the other girls that morning, I hated what I felt inside. It was too much brokenness to handle, and for the first time, I just wanted to run away from it. I didn’t want to see anymore. I couldn’t see anymore. I didn’t even want to see how we could help. It was an awful feeling and took me by surprise.

But, as we stopped in a side room and prayed for strength to carry on, and for HOPE to be shown in that place, God showed up as He always does. We began to meet beautiful children like Sara's little Maria, and we all began to smile.

We had received the awful news early the first morning that a 15 year old had passed away at the orphanage the night before. We knew right away that we were sent here on this day for this time, for a reason. And, I do believe we were able to help the children through this sad time.

They had the funeral and burial there at the orphanage and we were able to attend both. What breaks my heart is that a 15 year old should not be dying here. It was preventable and treatable. But, not when he is one of over 600. They get lost in the shuffle, no matter how dedicated the caretakers may be.

But, right before the funeral, I got to sit and talk with someone who changed my perspective on life. In a moment, I was changed. This is one of the most amazing people I have ever met.

Jean is blind, struck by lightning when he was a small child. But, the blindness has brought him to a place of absolute joy in the Lord. His spirit was contagious and his gifts were so obvious. I told Sara after having one conversation with him that John was most certainly anointed by God for big things.

He loves to sing. And, he has a voice of an angel (which I told him many times). As I asked him what songs he knew, he said, “I only sing of the gospel. I like to sing about the ways of God.” Wow.

Then, in making conversation with the other boys sitting near us, I asked each of them who their favorite football club was. They all answered and then Jean said, “I like to spend my time on the things of God only.” He said this with the biggest smile, and in such a gentle, humble way.

As the funeral began, he sat by me, and explained each song’s lyrics to me in English. (He is one of the best English speakers I heard all week!) It was a Catholic mass since the orphanage is Catholic, but Jean is not. So, as he would explain what they were doing, he would politely tell me why he believes something different. And, at times he would giggle about a tradition or ritual they would perform. As he talked about his theology and his God, it amazed me. He knows God in a way most 16 year olds don’t.

He goes to a school for the blind, and they have been teaching him guitar and piano. He also sings in the church choir and is hoping to compose his own music someday. We encouraged him to start now, because his gift is just amazing! He is learning to read braille, and has asked me to email him so he can type me letters using the Braille keyboard. I can't wait to receive those letters. :)

But, the part of Jean that was most precious was his huge heart. Every emotion he has is strong, and he does not hold back. His joy is sometimes so great, he just starts clapping. These pictures show his joy when he first heard himself sing on video. I can't even describe this moment. Billy and I both had tears streaming, just watching him discover his own gift and enjoy it so much.

He has very good hearing, so we would hear a little child talking near him and he would bend down to listen and help whoever needed help. Then, he would scoop them up in his arms, smiling the whole time. He held my hand all day, playing with the charms on my bracelet and patting my hand. Anytime I was nearby, and he heard my voice, he would come searching for my bracelet. And, when he found it, he would just clap on my arm and laugh.

But, his heartache also came easily. He cried all through the funeral because this was his special friend, Patrick. They were the same age and had grown up at this orphanage together. He just shook and cried while I rubbed his back and held his hand. Then, at the burial he cried out, and two of his friends came and carried him to the back, where they all cried together.

He was just precious. And, he totally stole my heart. But, even more than that, he gave me hope. Even in this place where the darkness was almost too much, God showed me special children who are being raised to be leaders for Him. And, He is in control, regardless of the circumstances.

On our last day, before we were leaving, Jean asked if he could pray for me. Jane interpreted and Jean prayed in the small chapel at Noel. His words were so powerful, and I of course cried through the whole thing. Why was this sweet orphaned blind boy praying for ME? Because He was Jesus to anyone he met. He prayed for God’s power to be shown in my life, and for the way He has planned for me to be clear. He prayed for healing, for strength, for blessings to be poured on my family. It was just beautiful. As I prayed for him next, I just kept thinking of the beauty God was bringing from the ashes here. Jean has been chosen by God for a special purpose. And, I’m thankful that I was able to experience Jesus through Jean on these hardest two days.

And, of course, I also found some joy in the baby room too, among the many, many beds full of little ones.

Many of us mommies just sat and sang and rocked and loved on these tiny ones, and we all had our own baby we fell in love with. This is Amy's little one, Grace.

Mine was named Vestine and she was almost four months old.

She smiled at me, cooed, and rode around on my back. I was in heaven, of course!

As we got to know the kids and the caretakers better, our hearts were turned toward helping this orphanage. We are praying about a second trip here to help with medical needs we discovered. We’re also hoping to provide mosquito nets for all the children, since none of them have them right now.

There are so many ways we could get involved here. And, I’m so glad God didn’t let me run away. Even through the brokenness, He strengthens us all to stand, to encourage, to love, and to dream of greater things that could come in this place.

I want to be used by Him to make a difference for these kids. I want His glory to be revealed and for His light to overcome the darkness. The thing is, He doesn’t need me to get that done. He is already doing it. I’m just honored that He’s letting me see it firsthand.

Our Days at Imbabazi

As we drove through these amazing hills and valleys, past small little villages, and groups of people harvesting their crops along the steep hillside farms, I was falling more and more in love with the beauty. (If you can’t tell by now, I REALLY love this country... Alot.)

As we were driving, I began reading scripture, looking through the psalms about God's creation. I ended up in Isaiah (it's always the place I end up!) and I stumbled on the perfect verses for Rwanda. Driving through these hills, listening to worship music, watching the people of Rwanda out the window, and reading the beautiful words of the Lord...it was awesome. Here is what I found:

"No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your GOD will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor. The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly." Isaiah 60:18-22

I love that the Lord's glory is being displayed so OBVIOUSLY in this country. :)

Halfway to Gisenyi, we stopped to have the “best juice in the country” according to Jane. And, it really was THAT good. Passion fruit juice, squeezed that day…oh my. So yummy. And, again, I couldn’t get past the scenery. This is what we saw from the parking lot.

As we arrived in Gisenyi, we went straight to the next orphanage we would be visiting, Imbabazi.

Our team had joked many times about how we were having to eat lunch AT the orphanages for the next four days, and to be honest, we were all a little fearful of what that meant.

But, once again, we had NO idea what we were walking into. First of all, we had the two best meals we had all week, including Shepherd's Pie and a cheesy pasta dish with every comfort food side dish you can imagine! It was a taste of home for sure!

And, I have never seen a place like Imbabazi in my life. It was right out of Alice in Wonderland, with six beautiful flower gardens, little cottages, and white gates that looked like they were transplanted from the English countryside.

Ros Carr established this orphanage after the genocide, with big vision for what this land would become. It is now a flower farm, producing fresh bouquets that they sell all over the country.

And, besides the flowers and animals and business it produces, it is a beautiful place for these kids to live.

Even the clothesline looks prettier here!

Most of the children here are older, since they were all there as a result of the genocide, and they are almost all attending secondary schools across Rwanda. We had a GREAT visit with these kids, and we discovered so many talents and gifts among this group! They have definitely been raised to find what they are uniquely created for, and are encouraged to use their gifts in many ways around the orphanage and in their schools. Jeff, the director, described many of the child-led committees they have on campus, and some of the opportunities that they are given to lead their peers in different ways.

Once again, one of the concerns we heard from the kids again and again is where they will go from here. Many of them are in their last year of secondary school, and will be making decisions about college in the next few months. They were worried about what they will do and where they will go. And, many of the men on our trip spent their time encouraging these young adults as they make decisions about career fields, and how to use their talents and gifts to be successful after they leave the orphanage. I love this picture of Larry counseling these young men about their career choices. :)

Again, I feel like there is something stirring here. There is a need for teams to go and train these young adults, and to show them love by helping them through this transition time in their lives. They need stability, and to be equipped with the tools to make a life for themselves. They need to know how to interview, how to apply the knowledge they have learned, how to build a business, and how to manage their money. And, they ultimately need encouragement to trust that God is leading their every step as they step out in faith into a world that is scary and unknown to them.

So….as you might already know, I really love Africa. I especially love worshipping with African people. There is a Spirit there that I can’t begin to describe in words. It simply makes me cry every time. And, it happened again at Imbabazi.

One of the boys, Twagira, has taught himself to play guitar, and began playing some Rwandan worship songs. (I have great videos of them, but they're taking too long to upload. So, I'll try again later.)

I was sitting along the wall talking to some girls, and they immediately stood up and said, “We love to sing. Come with us to listen.” For the next hour or two, I sat and worshipped with these sweet kids. I couldn’t understand a word of it, but Jane would interpret the words for me after each song was finished. Which of course made the tears flow. These children praise God for His goodness and His provision…and it amazes me.

The first song they sang was immediately my favorite one. It has the most amazing tune and words...here is the English translation.

“I come into your presence. I have come because You are good to me. I come so that your will may be done in my life. There is a reason I come into your presence. I was to die but you became a sacrifice for me so I may be called your son or daughter. In You, I will find my rest.Oh God, I don’t want to go back to the way I was. I know that in You is where I will rest from the problems of this world.”

Good stuff.

I also loved watching as they listened to their own voices, since Billy was able to do a high quality recording of their singing with all of his cool equipment!. He made them a CD of their songs, and we’re HOPING to actually have that available for others soon too! It is beautiful…and I know we look forward to having it, especially for our little Rwandan baby someday!

It was a great couple of days with these kids, and we, once again, were encouraged to see how God was making a way for these kids.

The sad thing is that they all still expressed their deep desire to belong to a family…to have a mom and a dad. That continues to be so hard for me. It’s the true reality that the void does not go away, just because they get older, or because they’ve dealt with it a while. God is reaching them where they are, and developing leaders for His name. But, this is simply NOT the way God designed us to live. So, it just never feels right.

I continue to pray about what to do with that heartbreaking truth…

But, we did our best to do some simple things that hopefully made memories for them and began relationships that will continue over time. We sang, we danced, we painted nails (Amy did some mean french manicures!), made crafty creations, and sat around and talked about life.

We learned to peel potatoes the rusty-knife way (they asked us if we had ever peeled potatoes before. :), we learned to crochet, and we learned a new version of checkers.

We exchanged email addresses with these new friends of ours, and would love to continue to help at Imbabazi as well. It is certainly a place I hope to visit again someday! And, if you're interested in training older teens for entering the world of business, begin praying about how you can help too!!