The Adventure Continues

Short update

2012-02-16T22:50:00.000+13:00

Just a short update about my upcoming Uganda-trip!

I am deeply humbled and completely in awe of God - once again - how HE orchestrated the provision for this trip! Nothing short of A-MAZING!!!!

Besides the JOY of the provision
(in two weeks from ZERO to everything covered, with gifts from 5 nations!),
this week has been challenging -
with sickness once more attacking pretty much the whole family - and some other time-stealers.

But we'll get there - by HIS grace and hopefully not completely exhausted before the 36hour trip - hehe!

2 more days...

Just something cute I just have to share:

Yesterday as we were having dinner, Jeremie joined us
(he doesn't live at home any more but comes every so often).

I don't know why, but at some point, Jeremie gave his wallet to Shayden.

As Shayden was looking through it, he came across Jeremie's drivers license.

He was very interested in it and asked Jeremie:

"Did you get married last week?"

After we all had a good laugh at this random question, we asked him:

"What's "married" mean?

After thinking about it for a little while, he declared:

"It's being happy!"

What a little entertainer this boy is - sure getting us our dose of laughter!

And he's pretty smart, too - knows his stuff!

Every day, he repeats after me:

"I am loved.

I am clever (NZ version of smart).

I am handsome."

Sometimes he interjects:

"I am a singing bridge" (from Dora the explorer - a bridge singing silly songs)

Silly boy, that's for sure!

2012-02-08T22:40:00.000+13:00

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world."

Mother Teresa

I was struck by this quote this morning...

Saw this yesterday...

2012-02-07T05:55:00.000+13:00

... and thought I'd share.

Kinda expresses what I'm feeling/thinking...

My "flesh" would prefer just staying home instead of embarking on another long trip to Uganda - alone (sadly, my friend is not going to be able to come).

It would be SO MUCH easier just to

stay put at home and take good care of my family,

have my house in order

spend lots of time with my precious grand-son,

not need to take another 9 weeks of antibiotics (malaria meds) -

and all kinds of risks... (not to mention the finances or lack thereof)

Avoid looooooong travel, cold showers,

long days, short nights - like right now... :)

YET, it's not about me, my comfort nor my security.

I WILL follow the call I'm hearing in my heart - and I'm going.

Here am I, Lord - send me!

Have I mentioned...

2012-02-05T21:56:00.000+13:00

... that I LOVE being a Grandma?!!!

I don't get to spend as much quality time with Gideon as I would like to,

but this morning I got a special treat:

I was signed up to take care of the babies at our church nursery.

And for most of the service, I only had Gideon.

Oh, how enjoyed that little one-on-one time with this precious, cute lil boy!!!

I LOVE YOU, GIDEON!!

Hope In Villages+

2012-02-03T21:29:00.001+13:00

Have a look at the video that we showed at our church to introduce the ministry

Hope In Villages+

Just 3 minutes ~ ~ ~

The response was very encouraging and more than 30 people signed up in early December to sponsor a child.

Commitments were also made for income generating businesses.

As money is starting to flow - and has already caused tears of joy in Uganda - it is necessary to build a solid foundation to make sure this partnership is on solid ground with all the details figured out!

I will also need to take more photos of children and get some basic information for the sponsors.

When I presented the project I had only received 16 profiles from Uganda. The person who was able to email me the photos and info had to leave the country (because of a family death).

Soooo ~ ~ ~ somebody else will need to be trained up.

A digital camera has already been donated that I can then leave there.

Anyways, enough of the rambling...

Here it is:

(put together by our church's graphic artist with photos I brought back)

By the way, I just found out today that the children in the last photo of the video clip

(the ones taken care of by their grandmother) are now in an orphanage.

Not sure how I feel about that.

Orphanages are better than no help at all, for sure - but how much better if children can stay with family members in their community

... so sad...

Mission (im)POSSIBLE!

2012-02-02T11:27:00.001+13:00

Ready to read about an incredible testimony of God's provision?

Rewind to August 2011

Our family was in a campground in Connecticut at the end of our USA-trip.

By the way, we bought this caravan/tent (with a friend's help) and shipped it to New Zealand to sell here. The sale was meant to cover some of our travel costs (as they sell for more in NZ). Our challenge right now: We need to sell it!!!

It was the day before my scheduled departure from New York for Uganda.

We had payed my ticket with a credit card and were still missing 1/3 to pay it off.

Then, Rich told me that he was very sorry but he was not going to be able to give me even one dollar for my 3-week-trip (by myself) - just cuz our accounts were at zero, nada, nooch...

Great!

Talk about a ~~freaky~~ fascinating faith-challenge!

Shortly before leaving the campground for the airport, I thought I'd check my emails quickly.

And - suprise of surprises: There was an email from somebody in Germany who had put a large gift onto an account that we hardly use (and didn't check during our whole trip).

The money had been sitting in that account for 2 months!!!!

And it was a good thing we didn't know it, because we would have spent it on our trip.

So, our mountain-moving, awe-inspiring , super-caring and loving God had provided all along!

The provision was just "hidden" from us - for good reason!

You can't imagine HOW ECSTATIC I was when I read that email!!!

Not only were all my travel expenses covered, but I was able to invest more than half of the gift in Uganda! YAY!! God had once again come through – so faithfully!

As much as I don't like this last-minute provision, it seems to be a pattern in our family's adventures with God...

My time in Uganda was absolutely AMAZING and surpassed all my expectations!

On February 19th - just a little over 2 weeks away

I will be traveling to Uganda once again.

God has led me to partner with local people making a difference for orphans and widows.

And it is necessary for these projects that we sit down face to face, talk and pray together and do all the things that you just can't do with email or phone calls.

One of them is the upcoming trip to Europe with the ex-orphans of the "Orphans Know More" network.

The main one is the project our church Changepoint has taken on:

Hope In Villages+

(go to the very bottom of the post - video coming soon)

and a couple more

So, once again, I am in that ~~freaky~~ fascinating place of praying and trusting God to bring the provision out of "hiding" - SOON!

Watch this space!

And if you want to invest to redeem the lives of Ugandan orphans and widows,

here's YOUR CHANCE!

You can help me get there (and back)

Airfare and visa: just under NZ$3,000, plus ground-costs which I keep at a minimum

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO JOIN THE TEAM THROUGH YOUR PRAYERS AND/OR GIFTS!

By the way, I am hoping to go with a friend (not sure yet)

and - feel free to email me at bettsfamily@hotmail.com

It's time again - youppieeeee

2012-01-29T21:34:00.000+13:00

You may have guessed it already...

It's time to take off - once again -

To the country that Winston Churchill once called "The Pearl of Africa"

Still waiting for some emails from Uganda to make sure all the people I need to meet with will be there during the dates WE are planning on being there.

YUP

I will be going with my friend Amy - originally from the USA - but now in Tauranga - from our church.

This is EXCITING - more details in another post.

Main challenge for both of us:

somehow getting on ~~that airplane~~ the 8 airplanes total to get us there and back

(still waiting for the ~~free~~ miraculous transportation method we can read about in the Bible)

C'mon, Lord, you can do it - again!

Where God guides, HE provides!

Can't wait to see how he will do it this time {chuckle chuckle}

The God of the impossible

2012-01-23T21:55:00.000+13:00

“God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity when we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.” -- A.W. Tozer

Our whole adult lives, Rich and I have lived on the "edge".

Never an ounce of security

No plan B

Giving up everything to follow in Jesus' footsteps,

living out the Gospel

Radically.

Seemingly foolishly.

We've laid EVERYTHING down for JESUS

Not held back ANYTHING.

Given him our lives like an empty check that HE can fill in whatever he likes.

Go where he wants us to go,

Do what he wants us to do,

Give what he wants us to give,.

In a way, it's been an exhilarating way to live

it feels so FREE!

And oh - the experiences we made along the way! WOW!!!!

In another way, it's kept us on our ~~toes~~ knees.

and - not gonna lie -

it's been plain HARD, too.

It seems like we've been walking on water with the vision/projects God's laid on our hearts.

Beyond ourselves

our capacities, possibilities, resources

Nothing's changed, really, even now.

I don't know if you've noticed, but I changed the quote on the right-hand side bar of my blog (see quote above).

Little did I know that once again, a situation was going to creep up on us that would require - once again - a huge step of faith.

Definitely in the "planning what we cannot do by ourselves"- category

YAY GOD!

Time for YOU to do the IMPOSSIBLE!

Summer fun

2012-01-20T20:57:00.001+13:00

The continual struggle of my heart is to reconcile our life here in New Zealand with what I know reality is for so many people around the world - particularly in Africa.

YET

I feel God is allowing me to enjoy the blessings we so UNDESERVEDLY have in this beautiful and blessed country!

Since it's summer here and the kids are on vacation, we went away for a week to relax as a family.

Through generous Christmas gifts from a family member last year and this year,

we were able to get camping gear - and off we went to explore a part of NZ we hadn't seen before.

It also happened to be the only place in the NZ that had no rain during those exact days!

What a wonderful blessing this was!

Have a peak at this delicious slideshow to enjoy God's creation with us

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By the way, just for the record, there were no coconut trees :)

Absolutely OVERWHELMED...

2012-01-09T22:49:00.001+13:00

... by HIS GOODNESS!

JESUS - you're AWESOME and there's NO place I'd rather be than IN YOUR ARMS OF LOVE!!!

For lack of words, just a few - totally - random photos

Kylie and Shayden at a recent trip to the beach with playground (before the rain started)

Oh, I wish you could hear the beautiful sounds of the tahitian ukuleles flooding our house! By the way, Jeremie's T-shirt says, "I love Papeari" (the place where we spent the last years in Tahiti)

What a joy to have Gideon around so much - and how grateful we are for his LIFE!!!

lil musician

Just HAVE TO share!

2012-01-01T22:24:00.000+13:00

I am praising the Lord tonight and doing the happy dance!

This surely IS a VERY. HAPPY. NEW. YEARS. DAY after all!!!

My friend Praise and her 17 children will have a roof over their head for the next 3 months!

YAY GOD!!!!

And THANK YOU, you know who you are - for your generosity!!!

Can't wait to call her with the good news

(after she gets out from church)

I KNOW that these children will have been praying -

I can just imagine them doing the happy dance, too!!!

Our GOD is GOOD and FAITHFUL - ALWAYS!!!

HE is the LOVER of the ORPHANS - and I LOVE HIM!!!

in front of the house they were supposed to vacate yesterday - Praise is in the back (middle) with the red top

HAPPY (or not so happy?) NEW YEAR!!!

2012-01-01T09:40:00.000+13:00

WOW!!!

2011 is DONE!

2012 is HERE (at least in New Zealand!)

There's much to say, but for now, my heart is preoccupied with this situation.

The latest news - as from this morning - are:

This precious young lady, caring for 17 orphans, was supposed to move out of the rental yesterday.

The house in the village is not ready to move into.

She's got no money to do anything.

She was going to ask the landlord to allow her one more week in the present house with the rent paid at the end of the week.

Not sure if this was okeyed (it's still Sat in Uganda now).

Together with the Orphans Know More leadership, we think it might be best for her to rent another place for 3 months while hopefully finishing the house in that time.

Could you please PRAY for Praise and her children?

For GOD to open up a solution for her and the children?

If you want to help with money for rent (or towards finishing the house) -

we need US$600 (3 months rent) - NOW!

Just send me a short email and I will let you know how you can give.

If you're in New Zealand, you can give online here (mark: OKM - Praise) and the money will be sent off as soon as it shows up.

THANK YOU FOR CARING!!!

Talk later - gotta get ready for church.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2011-12-25T08:32:00.000+13:00

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An Ideal Christmas?

2011-12-24T10:32:00.001+13:00

A clean house, tasteful decorations (mostly made with the children), lots of special German Christmas-baking, food bought and prepared in advance, thoughtful gifts for family near and far, a Christmas-card/-newsletter, a lil creative program with the family to reflect on the meaning of Christmas, visiting and sharing of Christmas cookies with all of the neighbors, everybody relaxed, singing and enjoying ourselves together - including one or several people who don't have family.

That's what MY idea of a ideal Christmas would look like!

YEAH RIGHT!

This year, like most it seems, is a FAR CRY from my "IDEAL" - and it bothers me.

And then, I think of MARY and try to imagine how she felt when she was giving birth to Jesus.

Talk about an IDEAL birth-day?

YEAH RIGHT!

Traveling a FAR way by foot/donkey in the last days of pregnancy is definitely not IDEAL!
Giving birth in a town you've JUST arrived in
Where you don't know anybody
No family nearby to help out and give comfort - share the joy with
Getting turned down in place after place when you're sooooo tired
Having to resign yourself to staying in a dirty (may I add - undecorated) stable
Smelly (forget about the clean house)
NOTHING prepared for this MOST special baby EVER born - not even a bed to lay him in.

IDEAL?

YEAH RIGHT!

YET - the less than ideal circumstances surrounding JESUS' birth didn't take a bit away from the awe-inspiring significance of his birth and what it was to mean for all of humanity - for eternity.

WOW!!!!

What a comfort for me today to keep perspective and don't allow my JOY to be damped!

I've got a little (almost 5-year-old) boy sitting next to me who is talking all the time (even now) about Jesus and how and why he came and died for us, sharing about Jesus with social workers, doctors and everybody we come across, singing Christmas songs all the time!


Shayden in between singing Christmas carols at our church's Christmas outreach - he was soooo adorable singing with great enthusiasm!	!

I've got an 8-year-old who happily gives up most of her Christmas gifts so that orphans in Uganda can have a Christmas.

Miss Kylie

I've got a 16-year-old who's been serving tirelessly at "Christmas-Lights", an outreach from our church where thousands get to find out about the true meaning of Christmas, ministering every night for the last 11 days from 7:30pm-11pm+.

Leilani (with Kylie) in New York earlier this year

I've got a 20-year-old who just graduated from a "Leadership Training Course" with YWAM here in Tauranga, having grown in leaps and bounds, showing an exemplary servants-heart.

Jeremie with his girl-friend Austen (who's in Hawaii right now)

I've got an almost 21-year-old in Uganda who's just graduated from mechanic school. (sorry, no new photo of Richard)

I've got a 22-year-old, who with her husband just graduated from an internship in Christian Ministry with our church, both highly commended.

Nathalie, Lewis and our grandson Gideon

There are 33 orphans in Uganda who have just gotten sponsors from our church through a project I've been working on with our church in collaboration with YWAM in Uganda.
They will now be able to go to school, have some food for the family (widowed mother or other family), have minor medical needs covered and get to know JESUS!

Part of the display table for the presentation of the project

There are 16 orphans in a orphanage in Uganda who have just gotten "adopted" by little ones in our church (and their parents) for daily PRAYER - until they find a forever family.

An IDEAL CHRISTMAS? Not according to what my culture has taught me.

But according to the true meaning of Christmas - IDEAL all right!

MAY THE JOY AND WONDER ABOUT JESUS' ~~less than~~ IDEAL BIRTH SATURATE ALL OF OUR HEARTS THIS CHRISTMAS!

MERRY CHRIST-MAS!!!

Shayden's musings on poverty

2011-12-05T09:19:00.001+13:00

This morning, Shayden started talking about "Baby Elizabeth in Uganda", who's got no parents.

He has been faithfully praying for her - and, by the way, she now does have a couple who are pursuing adopting her, but we are still praying until she's safely in their arms.

Adoption is a LOOOONG process!

After talking about her, Shayden proceeded to tell me a whole bunch of things. It was too precious!

"Children are poor in 'Ganda

pause

"have no mummy and daddy"

pause

"have no food"

pause

"have no money"

pause

"no mosquito net"

pause

"have no bed"

pause

"have no television"

pause

"no pyjamas"

pause

"no swimming togs" (NZ version of swim suits)

pause

"no swimming suits"(American version of togs)

pause

no television

pause

"have no barbecue"

pause

"no trampoline"

pause

"no movie for a week"

pause

"no bunk-bed"

pause

"no nose-ring"

This boy cracks me up!

I have no idea where he got all this from

Well - maybe some of the stuff I do have an idea where he heard it... :)

But some of the other stuff?

We do have most of the stuff he mentioned,

but no barbecue (would LOVE to get one, though!),

bunk beds

and the nose-ring???

Give me a break!

How does this kids' mind tick?

Not sure, but he sure keeps us laughing

and he was SO RIGHT about everything he said!

Just hit home again for me HOW BLESSED we are!

By the way, he got his cast off on Friday and all seems well.

He has 4 scars on his hand, some still look a bit "scary"

so - photos are gonna have to wait for a lil while.

Love this boy!

A Prayer for World AIDS Day 2011

2011-12-02T21:51:00.000+13:00

I am taking this prayer from Tom Davis' blog today and asking you to join me in prayer for World AIDS Day:

Magnificent Jesus…

In this season of advent, we ponder the great mystery of how you became flesh and lived among us.

You healed us with your hands.

You comforted us by your words.

You led us in your footsteps.

You shared our joys and sorrows with your tears.

You brought the fullness of God into our lives.

And you commanded us to do likewise.

Lord Jesus, send us to the hard places where HIV/AIDS destroys the lives of orphans and children.

Send us so that by the power of your name we would…

Bring the fullness of God into the lives of the hurting, the suffering, and the lost.

Share the joys and sorrows of our brothers and sisters.

Lead the world in radical obedience to your teachings.

Comfort the afflicted with the true Word of God.

Use our hands to heal the sick and brokenhearted.

In this season of advent we confess that we have not done these things sometimes because we are scared or distracted or busy or lazy or feeling insignificant and powerless.

And today, on World AIDS Day, we ask that in your mercy and grace you would forgive us for the times we have left your work undone.

Magnificent God, send us and use us to restore all that HIV/AIDS has taken from your children.

In the words of your servant, Isaiah, we pray, “Here am I. Send me!”

In the name of Jesus Christ,
AMEN

GRATEFUL - OH SO GRATEFUL

2011-11-25T22:12:00.000+13:00

Even though our family only occasionally celebrates the American THANKSGIVING,

Yes, I know - shame on us... (just being honest here)

and this year we are not (Rich is away at a training and we have too many other things happenin')

it is SO GOOD to reflect on all the many blessings I am grateful for this past year!

I am LOVED by my God -

unconditionally -

no matter what -

secure and resting in his loving embrace!

That's the ~~BETTS~~ BEST WAY TO LIVE!!!

2. My wonderful family - each and every one -

here in New Zealand

in Uganda

in Germany

in the USA

in Australia

For the love we share, for health, protection and provision for all our needs!

We are abundantly blessed!

3. Friends all over the world, supporters, prayer warriors, churches without who we could NEVER do what we're doing!!!

SOOO GRATEFUL for YOUUUU!

4. The amazing GOD-connections in Uganda this past year -

precious, affectionate relationships with WONDERFUL people there

who have become friends and family

that I feel tremendously honoured to partner with!!!

The emails that we exchange when we're not together move me DEEPLY on a regular basis!

5. That GOD has released close to US$30,000 through individuals and churches from several countries for the orphans and widows in Uganda in the past year!

Even though it feels like a drop in a bucket of needs, it is a start and

HOPE and JOY

have been released through every dollar invested into

food

water

housing

land

education

clothing

health-care

and even some fun - see here and here!

And that's without me doing anything structured - yet.

I feel unorganized, incapable and weak,

but offering the little bit of "oil" (time) I have

and my voice

to knock on all my neighbours' doors

and ask for containers (donations)

that would hold GOD's miracle of provision

so that the fatherless won't get taken away into slavery (literal and figurative)

and can have HOPE for a FUTURE!

Have a read through 2.Kings 4 if you don't understand my analogy - :)

GRATEFUL GRATEFUL GRATEFUL to a GOD full of GREATNESS!

And to the GREAT PEOPLE he's placed in my life!

I am SOOO blessed!!

I LOVE the heart of GOD!

2011-11-24T12:18:00.001+13:00

"He will rescue the poor when they cry to him;

he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.

He feels pity for the weak and the needy,

and HE WILL RESCUE THEM.

He will redeem them from oppression and violence,

for their lives are precious to Him."

Psalm 72, 12-14

one of the children in the home I wrote about in the last 2 posts

And He, the ALMIGHTY creator of the universe,

has CHOSEN to work through YOU and ME to accomplish this!

What a privilege!

What a responsibility!

2011-11-20T08:15:00.000+13:00

These are the children in the home that I wrote about in the last post.
The words they are just singing here are - in English:

"If it weren't for the blood of Jesus, we'd be lost forever."

I'm still in tears about what's happening... especially knowing that this kind of thing is happening all over to the vulnerable children...

ENRAGED!

2011-11-19T23:03:00.000+13:00

If there is one thing that gets my blood boiling,

it is when I hear about the devil going after people -

especially innocent children/orphans.

I have just heard about a situation in one of the children's homes that I visited in Uganda that curdles my insides with horror.

Satanists, disguised as ministers, offering to help pay the rent

- for months already -

then asking information about the children to share with a group who want to come to Uganda

(from abroad)

to help with the ministry,

reassuring the leader that "they are all good people, they just worship S*tan".

Offering to build a house and give them whatever they need,

wanting to be their friends.

Thank God that the leader was led to discover this.

She has taken a very bold step, as she does not want to be found by these people.

who are now harassing her on the phone.

She is going to take the children and move to a village where she has some land.

With money that she had saved up for a "Discipleship Training School"

and the upkeep of the home for while she was going to be gone,

she has started to build a simple 2-bedroom house in the village.

Now she's run out of money.

There is no roof yet,

Plus, she can barely feed the children, as she spent all she had to get the house built.

Ok, you (secret) readers of my blog,

if there has EVER been a time to PRAY, it is NOW!

This beautiful, courageous woman of God needs us Christians,

worshippers of God

to come alongside her in her intense time of need

right now!

Things are very challenging for her.

(I'm not sure yet how much more I should share,

I could tell you her name and show you a photo, just not sure right now)

She is an INCREDIBLE woman, I can assure you!

Her love, faith and sacrifice for the children humble me deeply!!!

I would also like to boldly ask you

to consider giving some money

so that the children can get fed

and the house finished!

C'mon people!

Let's do this and come alongside this most courageous young woman

full of faith

and ease her burden!

Please email me (email at right side bar) and I can tell you how you can give.

100% (minus bank transfer costs) of what will be given will go straight to her

THANK YOU!!!

Surgery-Update

2011-11-05T21:50:00.000+13:00

THANK YOU for your prayers for Shayden's surgery!

It went as well as it could have possibly gone!

playing the waiting-game isn't hard when you've got the TV to distract you

the inside of the hand before surgery

in the play-room of the hospital

in the hospital-gown now - - - getting closer

Everything was very peaceful and smooth.

happy as can be

getting rolled down to the operating theater - "Where are they taking me?"

just minutes to go - Dad looking funny (ready to go in with him until he's "out", which was only 10 seconds, as he was very relaxed and didn't fight the gas)

Shayden was happy and not at all anxious during the whole time!

No tears - even after he woke up!

just waking up

barely conscious and right away blowing to get the wheel moving

lots of books and his favourite DVD "Chip and Dale" kept him distracted during recovery

AMAZING!

What a champ our little guy is - so brave!

And he hasn't even complained about his cast yet

Even though he can barely do anything by himself anymore now.

We even have to feed him

and give him drinks.

So far - so good!

Now he'll be in the cast for 4 weeks...

THANKS AGAIN, if you've prayed!

We DEFINITELY felt "carried" by God's wonderful PEACE and GRACE!!!

Shayden's operation

2011-11-03T21:18:00.000+13:00

Tomorrow morning, Rich, Kylie, Shayden and I will travel to Auckland to Starship Hospital.

Shayden is scheduled to have surgery at 12:30pm.

The goal of the surgery is to give him one functional thumb, as at the moment he has none.
His thumb is like another finger and he can't use it to grasp things.

They will take a tendon out of his ring-finger and put in on his thumb.
They will also give him the "web"-type skin next to the thumb.

It will be on his right hand - his better one (which is a slight club hand) and after that he is going to have a cast for his whole right arm for a month.

Could be interesting.

We'd LOVE you to pray for him!

He's already been showing signs of anxiety, even though we haven't been making a big deal about it.

For him, just saying that we're going to Auckland obviously causes some sort of "stress".

This morning he said to Rich: "We gonna stay in trailer (caravan)?
He's possibly thinking that we're going to repeat our USA trip...

The other night, when Rich and I went out for a date, he was inconsolable (until I proposed a DVD for bedtime story). He thought I was going to leave again for a long time...

Poor thing!

I can only imagine what's going on in his little mind, but one thing is for sure:
He needs our prayers!

He's not been sleeping much - going to sleep at 10pm, waking up at 5-5:30am, and hardly a nap.
Except tonight - he did go sooner.

This is not typical for him.

We will only stay at the hospital one night and should be back in Tauranga on Saturday afternoon/evening.

I'll be updating you then.

Uganda-trip slide show

2011-10-31T21:10:00.000+13:00

Here's another slide-show for ya - this time about my recent Uganda-trip.
It's shorter than the USA one :)

The daily needs - just for SURVIVAL - of the precious people you'll see on the photos - are HUGE!

As you watch, would you allow God to touch your heart - and cause you into doing SOMETHING to HELP?

Every PRAYER and every DOLLAR MAKES A DIFFERENCE!!!

This digital slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Shayden-JOY

2011-10-19T12:42:00.001+13:00

Rich and I are not the kind of people that are overly funny or laughing a lot.

As a matter of fact, we've oftentimes talked about how we are just both too serious

and how we need more laughter in the family.

I've been hearing laughter in the house now for over an hour

It's SHAYDEN

playing with Rich

{after he got back from being gone for almost a week}

It's so refreshing!

This boy has got the GIFT of LAUGHTER!

He laughs about anything and everything and has got the most wonderful sense of humor.

That's the ONE THING that stands out to everyone who gets to know our little treasure.

When we got that phone call from the social worker

over 4 years ago now

about a 6-month-old special needs baby needing care for 2-3 months

and we refused because it was the absolute worst timing

and later accepted, cuz God kept tugging at our heart

And when the first 6 months were so incredibly challenging

(yet enjoyable)

NEVER EVER in our wildest dreams could we have GUESSED that as we were "rescuing" this little one

that HE was going rescue US!

Not only in the laughter-department, but many more...

... like the little-brother-department

(yup, he's perfect for Kylie, plays with her and she with him, teaches her to forgive over and over etc etc)

God sure has ways that are WAY different than we could ever cook up ourselves.

But - oh, so much better!!!!!!

This little boy is SUCH a BLESSING to our family!!!

He will soon have surgery on his right hand (the better one) to give him the function of at least one thumb. Could be as early as next Thursday, but for now, we don't know. Watch this space!

Announcing a VERY SPECIAL PROJECT

2011-10-15T10:30:00.001+13:00

I don't hardly get any comments ever on my blog,

but I KNOW that there are many of you reading it - haha!

So - this is my call to all of you lurkers from

GERMANY, SWITZERLAND and FRANCE!

Next year, from the middle of August until the middle of September, there will be a

VERY SPECIAL HAPPENIN' on the streets of Europe!

Drumroll, please.....

Inspired by a God-given DREAM to the Kings Kids leader (the wife, Mabel) in Uganda

Combined with a God-given IDEA to me in New Zealand

both about 2 years ago

sealed by mutual amazement about God's leading

and a time of prayer in their home in Uganda

almost 1 year ago,

This project IS gonna happen - YEAH!!

ONLY with God's help

and YOURS!

This is the idea:

Taking some of the ex-orphans in the "Orphans kNOw More"-families

who have been trained and well-prepared

to minister on the streets of Europe

(there will also be a week in the UK)

sharing the Gospel

and their stories

with their traditional African costumes

songs

dances

instruments.

They have SO MUCH to give and will be a tremendous blessing to people on the streets who don't know the GOODNESS of God!

The JOY they exude will be like a breath of fresh air for all who'll hear/see them!

Dickson and Mabel already spend 6 months ministering in Europe with a similar team

- before they got married -

and they said that people LOVED SO MUCH what they were doing that they would ask where they'd be going next to follow them around.

We experienced the same thing when we had a team of Tahitians in Germany many moons ago.

Europeans RESPOND so well to what THEY have to give!!!

Our desire is to do this project in collaboration with churches

who would be willing to house the team (about 20 total, including us)

feed us (just for 1 day)

and also give an opportunity for us to share with the Christians about the orphan crisis in Africa.

Besides ministering to non-believers on the streets

~ together with the Christians from the church (if they want) ~

we would want to bring awareness and hopefully raise support amongst the churches,

so that MORE ORPHANS can find loving forever families (in their own country)!!!

So ~ ~ ~ this is YOUR CHANCE to make a difference!

Email me at bettsfamily@hotmail.com

and let me know if you think YOUR CHURCH MIGHT want to host our team!

No obligations yet - let's just talk and see

We will have only 1 week in each country

So - you've gotta move QUICKLY if you want us to come to your city!

Watch this space...

I'm very excited about this project

as well as UTTERLY aware of our dependence on GOD for this to come together,

plane tickets and all...

WHERE GOD GUIDES - HE PROVIDES!

YAY!!!

Start Something that Matters

2011-10-13T20:34:00.000+13:00

When I was on my way back home from Uganda, I picked up this book in one of the airport book-shops I was passing through.

I felt that I should read it, as it resonated with something that Rich and I had already felt to do concerning the fundraising for African orphans.

It is a fantastic, compelling, inspiring book!

It's the story of the "TOMS" shoes - not sure if you've heard about them...

And NO, we won't start selling shoes... hehe

The book has since become the #1 New York Bestseller!

Have a look at this poem about it and the ideas in it - striking!

Definitely worth a read!

ENJOY this song!

2011-10-10T08:03:00.000+13:00

I just LOVE the WORD of GOD!!!

And this song, too!

And to think that I heard orphans in Uganda sing this song

Teenagers who used to be child-soldiers and have known unspeakable abuse and suffering...

Richard - our Ugandan son

2011-10-09T22:15:00.000+13:00

While the Rugby-World-Cup-Fever is raging

with the New Zealand "All Blacks" playing tonight -

yup, even at this German/American-family - house

my thoughts drift to our big son in Uganda:

Richard

Seeing him again on this past trip was bitter-sweet.

Of course, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE him!!!

at a local African Restaurant, sharing lunch

He's a wonderful young man!

But I felt some - or rather lots - of pain and loss in him this time.

Last time, he was just so thrilled just to see us,

his parents.

(as he's been calling us for years now, even though we've just been sponsoring him)

This time he was more vulnerable.

He shared with me how hard it was growing up without parents.

He's had a very hard year,

been sick lots - even at the hospital several times -

his grandmother being very sick

and a LOT of pressure on him

to provide for the extended family.

To somehow come up with money for this and that need.

Imagine this:

Here you are just barely 20

still at (mechanic) school

and you are expected to provide for a whole extended family.

Why???

Because you're the most educated.

Hmmmm...

Really?

isn't he a handsome young man?!!

What struck me the hardest was after he said good-bye and walked off to his dormitory

I watched him walking away

and he just looked so - how can I say??? - beaten up.

Not literally, but in his spirit.

An orphan

with an orphan-spirit.

Empty inside.

So sad!

And yes, he does know God - somewhat - but

What a contrast to the young men I saw at the "Orphans Know More" families.

WHAT A CONTRAST!!!

They all started out as orphans.

But our Richard JUST got an education through our sponsorship.

Yes, an occasional spiritual input.

But what he REALLY NEEDED was a FAMILY!

Parents that care for him,

provide for him

walk through all life's ups and downs with him

and help bring him to a place of HEALING

and SONSHIP -

not just literally, but spiritually!

My heart is aching for you tonight, Richard!

I am sorry that we cannot be the kind of parents to you that you need.

We are not there for you.

We don't even hardly know you.

We are so sorry.

All we can do is PRAY that - somehow - God would give you a revelation of himself as your father and mother - and you as his son!

We love you so much!!!

You did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear,

but you received the Spirit of SONSHIP.

And by him we cry: "Daddy".

Romans 8,15

P.S.: I think he also really missed his Dad Rich this time!!!

Have I told you...???

2011-10-06T22:46:00.000+13:00

I've written so many long, wordy, sometimes heavy posts lately...

Just gotta shout it out tonight:

I am addicted to JESUS

So in love with HIM!!!

HE's THE BEST!!!!

And I LOVE Africa,

just LOVE it -

or rather - the African people!!!

It's funny,

A few days after I got home from my last trip

I told Leilani:

"If I don't EVER take another plane in my life, I'll be just fine!"

Fast-forward 2 weeks -

I told Rich:

"If I had the chance to go back to Africa NOW

I'd hop on a plane in a heart-beat!"

My kids call me crazy sometimes

I guess they're right!

'nuf said.

Challenging YOU today

2011-10-05T11:44:00.000+13:00

As much as the best kind of help for the poor has to do with empowering them and helping them get on their own feet so that they can make a living for themselves (see video in post below)

there ARE many situations that require

ON-GOING HELP

like the many homes that take in abandoned babies off the streets

and toddlers

and older children as well.

There's a HUGE NEED of SUPPORT for these ministries!!!

I've had the privilege of meeting a number of wonderful local, Ugandan people

who have stepped out and taken in these precious little ones.

I've LISTENED TO THEM

asked them questions

and looked behind the scenes of these children's lives who have been

CHANGED SO MUCH

just by THEM reaching out and

DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE HUGE NEED!!!

You should read some of the children's stories - WOW!

They will not say it right away

but it is CLEAR

that the single most BIGGEST STRESS FACTOR for them

has to do with the FINANCES - or lack thereof -

to meet the needs of caring for these little ones.

As a matter of fact, I am in contact with one of them

who has been diagnosed with a major health challenge since I got back home.

The reason?

STRESS.

When I asked her about the main stress-factor, she said it is the

FINANCIAL PROVISION.

And YES, she DOES trust GOD

But I know from my own experience,

that this area of constant concern can take a toll on you.

I WOULD LIKE TO THROW OUT A CHALLENGE TO YOU TODAY:

Would you allow God to break YOUR HEART with the things that break HIS?

Would you be willing to do SOMETHING???

You can maybe "fast" some of your every day pleasures, or extras

and give the money you save to help run some of these homes?

We CAN spare SOMETHING - ALL OF US!

You can also PRAY!

Or do a fund-raiser

or something else creative.

I have made up prayer cards for about 20 children,

most of whom are in the need of a forever-family,

and I will be making more

as the 20 get snatched up.

There's a photo and some information to help in the praying.

PLEASE!!!

All you have to do is send me an email - address on the right side of the blog

and I will send you a prayer sponsor card that you can print out.

I can also tell you how you can give.

It doesn't matter which country you're reading this blog from

I will be able to find a way for you to channel your finances

with the utmost integrity

straight to where they are needed.

Promise!

Let's do it!!!

"For I was hungry and you fed me

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink

I was a stranger and you invited me into your home.

I was naked and you gave me clothing

I was sick and you cared for me.

...

I tell you the truth:

when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters

YOU WERE DOING IT FOR ME."

Matthew 25, 35, 40

There IS good aid and bad aid

2011-10-03T20:27:00.000+13:00

I'm SO VERY GRATEFUL for the amazing people that God has placed in my life who have been teaching me on my journey to want to help the orphans and widows.

I was completely IGNORANT just a couple of years ago.

Had a good heart -

compassion -

but there's DEFINITELY a good way to help and a bad way to help!

Roughly, the bad way makes people dependent on continual help.

The good way is to EMPOWER people to help themselves.

On this last trip I felt I got a crash course in holistic, effective GOOD community development and aid. It was amazing! I just soaked everything up!!!

Especially this wonderful couple

who embraced me as part of their family

taught me so much!!!

I even saw a coal-operated iron for the first time!

I had brought my Sunday clothes to their house so I could iron them,

but since there was no electricity, Fred prepared this iron -

WOW!!!

In the end, we didn't need to use it as electricity decided to grace us once again.

And - as a matter of fact - a young man named Gideon, a family friend who was over at the house, offered to do the ironing for me!

Impressive!

It seems that Ugandan young men all know how to iron!

I guess it's kinda important for them to learn it, if they don't want to get eaten up by the mango-flies (through non-ironed clothes)

Here's an excellent clip that sums up so well what good aid really is!

From Hopelessness to HOPE and a FUTURE

2011-10-02T22:55:00.000+13:00

Before you read on, please re-visit this blog post from last December!

Now look at this picture (and the others further down):

Lydia with Judith, the YWAMer who is heading up the "Women of Hope" ministry - Lydia called her "my best friend"

When I met Lydia on my recent visit,

she was beaming,

happy!

I first met her at Judith's house.

Judith and Fred are the ones who have taken her on,

led her to know Jesus and

are encouraging her.

They've also been feeding her and her children most days

even though they themselves have hardly anything.

She right away showed me some shorts she'd sewn for Judith's little boy.

When I visited Lydia's humble place

still the same place as last year,

this is what I saw:

showing me a skirt she'd sewn

There's a (single) mattress now that the 3 children share

I know, we should've gotten a bigger size mattress...

but hey, it's better than sleeping on concrete.

Lydia is sleeping next to them in a sleeping bag that somebody donated for her.

There's also a mosquito-net now.

Lydia was so proud to show me the different pieces of clothing she'd been sewing.

It was priceless - and one of the most encouraging encounters of my trip!

2 more pieces of new clothing she'd made

To see the difference it made

for somebody to step up and take the risk of

committing to pay the tailoring training for Lydia

as well as her children's school fees.

Yes, I felt that I needed to step out. (with Rich's permission).

I DO like to keep my promises

but had NO way of knowing HOW I would come up with the money it would take month after month.

And yet

I felt compelled to DO SOMETHING.

And, boy, am I ever glad I did!

God has been faithfully providing so far

(through other people)!

Lydia will finish her training in December.

Then the plan is to get her a sewing machine and set her up to start her own little business.

She will need to pay back the sewing machine as she will be making money,

little by little.

I expect that in another 2 years, she will be on her own feet financially,

able to provide for the children's school fees, food, etc

Hopefully for the rest of her life.

with the 4-year-old twin boys Kato and Waswa and her 7-year-old daughter Amina

Just to see what a little bit of help can accomplish was SUCH an encouragement!

Judith told me how before Lydia would always cry and be completely hopeless.

NOT - ANY - MORE!!!!

THANK YOU, JESUS!!!

May there be MANY MANY more like her!!!

We're just starting, folks!

Let me know if you want to help others -

or help with the sewing machine for Lydia (US$130) -

or the children's ongoing school fees for another 2 years.

Folks - this is SOOOO WORTH every penny!

happy children!

Going out on a limb

2011-09-25T18:43:00.000+13:00

The one thing that seems to characterize all the "Orphans Know More" families is that they are continually going beyond their means to help the orphans.

Last year, Rich and I visited this family.

Missing 1 child, plus 2 who passed away in the last couple of years (one at a fire at school and one at an accident of the school bus)

They have been building their home for almost 10 years,

little by little.

this is the living room

The floors are of dirt,

there is no kitchen - yet

this is where the kitchen will be one day

there is 1 bedroom for the parents,

1 for the boys

and 1 for the girls.

one of the kids' bedrooms holds the dishes/kitchen supplies as well.

When a rather large donation was given for OKM a few months back,

we felt to pass it on to this family

towards the completion of their house.

We had found out that the dirt floors were causing some health problems in the family.

I was curious to see the progress they had made on the house

when I visited them recently.

This is what I found:

Instead of proper floors,

a kitchen

or walls plastered,

this family is using the money to add 2 more bedrooms to the house.

Why?

Because they want to make room for more orphans in their family!

They have 10 kids in 2 bedrooms.

They recently had 4 more kids for some weeks

as their widowed mother needed some respite care.

The teenage girls stayed in a tent in the living room

in order to have some privacy.

They are also looking after several children in the community that are not in good situations and need to be brought "home".

So - building was going on during our visit.

NOW - THIS IS THE HEART of all the OKM families I have met.

Always out on a limb to help more orphaned children!

The parents Mabel and Dickson need our prayers at the moment.
Mabel's brother just passed away a week ago

and her father needs to be looked after.

It's unbelievable HOW MUCH DEATH people in Africa have to deal with...

There's also a very exciting project I am working on together with this couple for next year.

Just giving some hints:

Streets of Europe

Dances, Songs, Testimonies

Ex-orphans ministering.

More on that another day...

more W.A.T.E.R.!!! YAY!!!

2011-09-24T12:12:00.000+12:00

This widow with children that Rich and I visited last November

had to walk a long way to get their daily water supply every day.

Carrying the heavy water

not without danger

especially when the young girls go out to get water before school...

NOT.ANY.MORE!

(as long as it keeps raining every so often, that is)


one of the kids taking her "bath" just as I came around the house

Thanks to the generous gift of more amazing, kind, compassionate friends

this family now has the luxury of getting water from their 5.000l water tank

that collects rain water from the roof of their modest home.

washing hands

What a pleasure to visit with them on this last trip!

Had a great time of fellowship and encouraging the mom!

The best part:

The children get to drink the REAL LIVING WATERS!!!

"Anyone who is thirsty may come to me (Jesus said)!

Anyone who believes in me may

COME AND DRINK!!

For the Scriptures declare:

"Rivers of LIVING WATER will flow from his heart.""

John 7:37

Family picture

About grass-huts

2011-09-22T09:51:00.000+12:00

Have YOU ever associated Africa with people living in grass-huts?

I have.

While there may very well still be grass-huts - I have yet to see them.

And I don't claim - by any means - to have seen a lot of Africa -

or even Uganda.

I have yet to see LOTS MORE!!!

And I can't wait - as heart-wrenching as it is...

By the way, I am gutted - I lost the photos I took of some HIV+ widows I visited in TERRIBLE conditions (worse than this family)...


A visit with widow Florence, her mother, aunt, and 7 children - 3 of the children are being sponsored for going to school

The poorest that I have seen,

and I mean POOR -

live in small places

some made out of mud

others built with cement.

But they all have tin roofs

Many of them leaking in the rain...


The inside of the hut with all the family's belongings - and this is where they sleep - all 10 of them

We could live in a grass hut!

2011-09-20T14:17:00.001+12:00

While I'm ~~procrastinating~~ scrambling to START getting the house back in order

and everything caught up on ~ ~ ~

here are some more photos from my trip to Uganda:

This is one of the "Orphans Know More" families that some very generous friends decided to bless with a 10.000l water tank a few months back!

those who were there - in front of their new water tank

What a HUGE BLESSING for them - they are SOOOOO GRATEFUL!!!

I went to visit with them for the birthday of their 12-year-old biological son

(only found out later that he was their bio son).

Was tickled that I got to put to use the balloons I brought and also get some other ~~goodies~~ food for the family. (they have been living without electricity for a while)

It was SOOOO sweet!!!

Everybody was dressed up (it was school vacation), we had a yummy lunch, a cake, a small gift and the Ugandan version of the "Happy birthday song".

Every member of the family said something nice about Dan - some quality they see in him - to encourage him!

WOW!!!

He must be ONE AMAZING KID!!!

What touched me especially was when the mother of the family shared:

He asked her a while ago if they couldn't sell their house and give the money to the abandoned children who live on the streets.

When she asked him where they should live then - if they did that - his response was:

"We could live in a grass hut!"

What a precious heart!!!

And that's one of 4 bio children who shares his parents with over 20 orphaned children and young people!

Go, Daniel - cut that cake!

The Dad shared with me on the way to the house how he and his wife NEVER thought of having such a large family.

All they wanted was their own few kids.

That's it!

But GOD changed their plans!

And they are INCREDIBLE parents and role models to these children,

besides also pastoring a church!!!

Just to witness the incredible LOVE, AFFECTION and RESPECT these children have for each other and their parents - blessed me "off my socks" - WOW!!!!

"GOD places the solitary in families and gives the desolate a home in which to dwell."

Psalm 68:6

Thanking God that we're still alive

2011-09-16T21:07:00.000+12:00

This little boy is SOOO special! I love him!!!

He's part of the wonderful family that I stayed with in Uganda -

have a look at the family (just the ones that were home on the morning that I left).

Brian is the youngest - 6.

He wouldn't remember his birth parents.

His mother passed away while giving birth to another sibling, when he was 2.

The baby also died shortly thereafter.

The father was alcoholic and abandoned Brian and his 4-year-old sister.

Belinda was trying her best to care for her little brother, finding food for him here and there.

Eventually, some neighbours got concerned and took the pair to a near-by church,

hoping that somebody would have mercy and take them in.

Nobody did.

Praise ended up taking them

just for 1 night

until she could find somebody else.

She was already caring for 8.

The 1 night turned into 2 nights

and then many more,

as nobody else could be found.

I was so touched on the first evening I was with Brian and Belinda's "forever"- family.

During their family devotions, every child had an opportunity to stand up and give thanks to God for something.

Everything was in Lugandan and I didn't understand anything.

Somebody translated for me what little Brian said:

"I thank God that we are still alive."

Coming from a 6-year-old, this shot like an arrow into my heart.

WOW!!!

He knew what he was talking about...

and it was REAL!

some pics

2011-09-12T13:21:00.000+12:00

Here are the promised photos from my visit at Praise's house in Kampala - although photos REALLY don't reflect well what I experienced there - you just HAVE TO go sometime and experience for yourself!

TOOOOO PRECIOUS!!!

Joseph, about 4 (we guess) - the one who stole my heart - and seemed to like me, too :)

doing some dances for auntie Isabel

Praising God with all their hearts

Praise (n red top), her helpers and the kids in front of the rented 2-bedroom house

HOME!!

2011-09-12T10:59:00.000+12:00

So good to be back home - the land of Rugby, stubbies, God-zone, sheep, cows - and a wonderful family!

Note to self: DO.NOT.EVER.AGAIN do such a long trip without staying a night somewhere on the way.

57 hours = insanity! I'm at my end, but so grateful to AMAZING GOD!!!

And, by the way, for the first time in 28 years of traveling did my luggage (just one small duffle-bag) get lost - so added more time and hassle when I arrived...

I'll definitely need a few days to really arrive...

"Whoever receives a child in my name, receives me."

2011-09-09T03:23:00.000+12:00

Went to a Babies Home today, full of adorable, adoptable babies and toddlers, plus a few older ones (up to 7).

Another very touching time!

This home also was started by a young Ugandan single girl - a couple of years ago.

It's full to capacity with 23 babies/children and she cannot take on any more until at least 4 get adopted out.

There's only 1 that has parents pursuing adoption... :(

If I could, I would have picked 3 to take home with me - if not all of them.

Got to hold and care for a sick 4 month old baby girl called Elizabeth - soooo beautiful!! (photos coming sometime)

You can still see the traces of the malnourishment she experienced in her first 2/3 months.

She was found in a gutter...

Today, she had been vomiting and refusing to eat/take liquids all day.

Poor little darling!

I held her for most the time I was there, trying to get some liquid into her every few minutes,

Loving on her,

Praying for her.

To top off my AMAZING trip, I was blessed with a dose of diarrheoa on the clothes that I will be traveling with shortly - just before it was time to leave there - yeeehaa!

That was the first time - usually, the babies are "just" wet and smell like urine (chipped away just a tidbit of the romantic picture I had of African babies... haha)

The Baby Home's founder's biggest desire is for these lil ones to find forever families!

Mine too!!!

Visiting there today made me more convinced than ever of the vision of the "Orphans Know More" leadership:

To motivate Ugandan Christians to adopt!

If every church in the nation could just identify one or 2 families in the church that have the calling to adopt - even just 1 or 2 children - and then come alongside them to help support them as a church -

IF ONLY

They could do this ~ ~ ~

Most, if not all of Ugandan orphans could be growing up in a loving Christian home

And there would be ORPHANS NO MORE!!!

The OKM leadership is just now in the process of preparing what is needed for this adoption-awareness-campaign in Ugandan churches.

A documentary is in the making.

There is the need to put some type of training together for prospective foster/adoptive families, proper preparation and support to ensure the quality of care of the children etc.

No small thing.

But I am SOLD OUT to this idea!

Especially after seeing the fruits of adoption into Ugandan families firsthand!!!!

Gotta go, have dinner and off to the airport!

Shattered - once again

2011-09-08T05:35:00.000+12:00

Nearing the end of an AMAZING trip, I'm so glad God has arranged some "alone-time" for me - which would have been the last few hours and tonight.

Just to have the freedom to process some of what I've experienced - material that you'll read about for the next little while, for sure...

I am soooo devastated - and touched, both at the same time.

Have been crying my eyes out for most of the afternoon.

Didn't help that today I had my last (short) visit with our son Richard - saying good-bye to him is never easy.

But what REALLY got me today, was what I witnessed in a small 2-bedroom house in Kampala...

Before you read on, go back to this post, cuz I'm talking about his same single 24-year old beautiful Ugandan called Praise.

After entrusting her 10 children into the wonderful permanent care of the OKM family, she's been going back and forth from that family to Kampala, where she grew up and also has lots of ministry opportunities (doing music and youth ministry, speaking in schools etc about abstinence etc).

As we sat around the pool the other day (she came specifically just to watch her kids have fun in the water, it was such a treat for her to see them having so much fun - you can see her photo in the post about the pool - surrounded by some of her kids), she shared some more of her story with me - and today I visited her and the 17 children that God has brought into her small rented home since January .

Yes, you did read right - no typo - 17 children - since January!!!! (well, truth be told, some of the kids had been with her before but she was planning on taking them to some other families after taking the other 10 to Jinja)

She didn't want to care for children any more but pursue her music and other ministry.

But God had other plans.

He asked her to be available to take in more.

And they started coming

one by one.

Actually, there was a pair of twin girls that came together

She found them on the street after they had been raped

And took them home.

They are Kylie's age...

One little boy in particular immediately stole my heart and I picked him up and held him for the whole time I was there (photos coming after I get home).

Little Joseph (we are guessing he's around 4, nobody knows his exact age) was cuddling with me - just resting on me - it was so wonderful!

I loved every minute of it and would've loved to take him with me! He was the cutest little "thing"!

Joseph - that's what Praise named him, after he was found in a public transport mini-van, left alone, very sick.

She explained why she named him Joseph:

She believes that one day, he will be a great man, even though he was abandoned, just like the Joseph of the Bible.
His middle name is the Lugandan name for hope.

Hearing some of the children's stories while they sang and danced for me - I had to use all the self-control I could muster not to cry the whole time...

As I talked with them in between songs, I was mentioning the verse that says,

Even though my mother and my father forsake me, the Lord will receive me as his own.

I wasn't even quite done saying this when one of the kids quoted the exact Scripture, including the reference, Psalm 27,10 - - - (I didn't even know the reference)

I was - ahem - shocked/surprised - wow, these children know their stuff!
They proceeded to quote all kinds of other truths from the Bible...

So here's this single girl who - out of her meager earnings - rents this house and cares for these children. She has 3 people helping her. When I asked her if she pays them or they volunteer, she said, "They need money".

They live by faith, trusting God to provide for their needs.

She says, sometimes people bring by some food.

Irresponsible???

After all, she had come to her end with the first lot of 10 orphans!

And by law, she doesn't even qualify to have guardianship of these children...

Well, if I hadn't seen and gotten to know her other 10, I might have thought of irresponsibility to take on 17 more.

BUT - she has done a awfully incredible job raising those ones for the time she had them.

They are amazing!!!

Sooo - all I can do is take my invisible hat off to her

And somehow know that these ones, too, will be ok longterm.

They will be loved, cared for, know Jesus' love and healing power in their lives.

I guess what struck me particularly hard today was the fact that Praise is living out what I have been dreaming about doing most of my life.

She's ACTUALLY taking in all these abandoned children, off the streets!

Oh how I would love to come alongside her and help ease her burden!

That's the least I can try to do...

She's able to do this job SO MUCH BETTER than I could ever do, even if I tried hard!

They are in their country, culture, language, songs, dances... and LOVED!!!

One of the last things Praise told me (without the children hearing),

"Next time you come, you can take THESE children to the pool!"

Yup - sure!

If God allows!

But my hope and prayer is for much more support than just a trip to the pool.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got photos and video-clips of today, but am writing from a public computer.

Off to sleep now

Then one more full day tomorrow

Looking forward to it!

And then I'll fly out in the evening.

50+ hours of traveling, longest trip I have EVER had in my life - 4 different planes.

Thanks for prayers!

Convicted

2011-09-02T16:40:00.000+12:00

Before going on from here and not being sure about the internet connection in the next place (I was given a stick to use here), I can't resist to upload this short video clip of the first night I was here.

One of the things the father of this beautiful African family told me, and I have thought of this, too, many times, in raising our children:

"We look at the end result of how we want our children to turn out - and then we invest what is needed."

I can see it in their older children - they are all lovers of God and strong yet gentle leaders, hard working and serving joyfully.

Rich and I have kind-of been raising our children with the end-result in mind, too.

But when it comes to developing our children's relationship with God, I admit it's been a struggle over the years to really invest what is right, good and necessary (and our kids love the Lord now, don't get me wrong).

Yet - why have I/we given in and gotten discouraged when feeling the resistance of the kids to spending time in God's Word, prayer and worship as a family - and it's felt more like a drudgery than the highlight of the day?

Yes, we've done some, but doesn't the Word of God tell us to

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Col.3,16

Can't say we've done that.

It's been barely, just enough not to "bore" them and get them all fidgety, even with different devotional books for kids.

YET - how many hours do we spend as a family doing things like reading wordly books to them or letting them listen to whatever songs, watch movies (nothing wrong with them, but if they memorize THOSE and NOT the TRUE, LIFE-GIVING spiritual FOOD that ALONE can make them strong and whole INSIDE - something is wrong.)

It's been stirring in me for a while now, but I think there are going to be some changes in Betts-house when I come back home.

Yes, again.

Get yourselves prepared, family!

It's really SOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!

Our Western families have so many distractions - we diligently run our kids around to all kinds of sport, music and church activities, and at home they're doing Wii, playstation, video and other games, TV, movies, ipads and iphones, facebook and other internet stuff - and once again, in and of themselves, these are not bad.

But seeing the contrast from our lives to theirs here - I am convinced now that as Christian parents we are actually ROBBING our kids from the GREATER TREASURE! The RICHNESS of GOD and HIS WORD becoming deeply ingraned in their hearts and spirits, FILLING them to overflowing with REAL LIFE!

May I suggest that we have fallen into a trap???

All these exciting and FUN things are STEALING the real treasure from our kids!

Do we want our kids to be entertainment addicts when they've grown up,

yet empty in their hearts?

Having a form of godliness, but no power? (and once again, I am not saying my kids are like that - just talking generally)

Or do we want them to be so FULL OF GOD that HE IS THEIR TRUE SOURCE OF LIFE - and no matter what comes along for them in life, they will stand strong, because their "house will be built upon the rock" - in a VERY REAL WAY!!!

I was so humbled last night, as the kids kept quoting many different Scriptures by heart, including their references - spontaneously.

And it was no rigid, religious exercice.

They were enjoying themselves, having a different sort of FUN!

I would have been hard pressed myself to come up with half of them...

I'm glad they didn't ask me to quote a Scripture, although they did invite me to share - and the Lord had put something on my heart that I was able to give them - although I had to get my reading glasses out and read it from the Bible rather than quoting it - but that was alright :)

One of the things I told them is that they many times think that the white people are rich (in Uganda, if you are white, you are automatically rich in their eyes). I told them that the REAL RICH people are THEY, not us! You get what I meant...

What an IMPACT these words of truth, exhortation and comfort that they memorize will have when they go back to school and face all kinds of challenges, issues from their past creeping up, lies from the enemy attacking their minds etc.

The Word of God is POWERFUL and VERY EFFECTVE!!!!

And we have neglected it - I admit it and feel DEEPLY sorry for it.

Kids, if you read this - I'm sorry for robbing you of the BEST!

We have many times treated it as an accessory ~

Not a necessity!

Here, dinner is eaten only AFTER the spiritual food is eaten -

and yes, it's been 9pn (I'm not sure - the kids may have had their porridge or beans before family devotions at 7pm - but definitely not the older ones, or the parents)

And no, I'm not saying we'll wait til 9pm til we eat dinner from now on :)

There so much more to say, but I've got to go now. Here's the short clip, taken without them realizing I was filming.

HUMBLED - and SOOO BLESSED!!!

2011-09-02T08:06:00.000+12:00

What is EVEN MORE PRICELESS than seeing the kids enjoy the pool and playground is seeing and hearing the children every night when they have a long time of singing and worshipping God, praying, testifying, reciting memorized Scripture, getting discipled by their parents and/or older siblings.
It is sooooooooo precious!!!

Totally spontaneous,

yet led gently

Everybody feeling free to participate - or not -

a feeling of freedom

and at the same time order and respect

There's dancing

Rejoicing

Celebrating

Thankfulness

Hands raised

Eyes closed

No show put on for a ~~muzungu~~ white lady.

Just simple, sincere, deep, yet childlike faith and love expressed to God!

BEAUITFUL!!!

I have a hunch it is the highlight of their days!

It's the school holidays so they are all home (the younger ones at least)

There's no distractions, no toys, no computer, no sports activities or other things they leave the house for - (there IS a TV, but it's not on much)

I also KNOW (cuz the parents told me) that drawing near to God as a family - daily - is the ONLY WAY to do this kind of life - and THRIVE!!!

As JESUS becomes REAL to the children, they find healing and restoration!

HIS love, acceptance and comfort heals the broken-hearted and restores the wounded spirit!

ONLY HIM!!!!!!!

There is an incredible RICHNESS in these children and this family that I have never seen anywhere before!

They have so much pain, loss, trauma and grief in their lives - they should be really messed up.

And YET - they are so free, loving, happy,

getting along with each other so well and caring for each other - 'course still children that sometimes squabble (though rarely)

And can you imagine a house full of teenagers?

Besides the 10+ that haven't reached that glorious age yet...

I have pretty much only heard peaceful or happy noises.

Everybody plays their part, has their job and quietly does it.

It was a PLEASURE and HUGE HONOUR and PRIVILEGE to spend these few days here!

I am MAJORLY INSPIRED - but gotta go to bed now.

Had excellent meetings with the leadership of OKM - some exciting plans in the making - inspired by GOD! WOW!!!

Rich and the kids should be landing in NZ in a few minutes - whoop whoop!

Tomorrow, I'm off to the YWAM base for further ministry/planning...
Speaking to a group of HIV+ widows tomorrow ~ ~ ~ doing some visits as well...

AND - I'm sorry, but I just COULDN'T make myself take photos of the children worshipping and praying (though I quietly filmed their worship - just didn't want the flash to disturb their intimate time with God)

O.MY.GOODNESS!!!

2011-09-01T08:03:00.001+12:00

The title is the short version,

describing my time here

sharing in the life of an African family that has adopted around 30 children!

WOW ~ WOW ~ WOW ~ WOW ~ WOW !!!!

There would be SOOO much to say, but just today ~

Seeing the smiles on the children's faces

hearing their laughter

as I was able to treat them to an afternoon at the pool in a local hotel

including a playground

was AMAZING!!

Many of the children had never experienced either

IT WAS PRICELESS!!!

And worth E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G!!!

Knowing the story of many of them and their horrific former ~~existence~~ life

made it even more special!

From the streets - into a loving family!

What a JOY and PRIVILEGE to bond with them while having fun!

And I could just feel the FATHER smiling and laughing with us!

I couldn't have had more fun!!!!

on the way, a few piled in the car, the others walking ( a long way)

in the pool for the second time - after getting all sweaty again on the playground -
first time around I went swimming with them

warming up after the first swim - it was overcast and not very hot, so most of the little ones were shivering - and they had only brought 1 towel - for 20+ swimming...
Guess what happened to the small towel that I brought along? My one an only one?!

So wonderful to love on these ex-orphans - and especially because I know that they DO have incredible parents looking after them - I just get to be "auntie" for a few precious days...

these smiles are completely sincere - on just for the camera - I saw them all afternoon :)

waiting for some food and drinks - what a treat!

don't ya just want to scoop 'em up and hug 'em?!!
They all asked me to take a photo of them (there are more...)

such beautiful, tender-hearted children - - - and there are SOOOOO MANY MORE roaming the streets.... breaks your heart!

good thing this slide was SOLID! With 10+ on there - for a loooong time, sometimes all at once, it'd better be!

priceless

this little boy Brian was collected from the streets when he was 2 - with his sister who was 4 and caring for him -
he's the youngest member of the family - now 6 - SUCH a sweet-heart

At the end of the day:
some falling asleep, while others are preparing paper for paper beads -
after only getting back from the pool at 8pm!
About 20 all working together
And that's after (very lively) family devotions

'Night!

A different baptism

2011-08-29T18:59:00.000+12:00

Saturday was wonderful! Spending time with friends, and Richard, our son!

When I arrived at the place of the baptism, I thought, "Wow, this is nice! Looks like a great beach." And yes, it WAS beautiful! But then I was told that swimming in Lake Victoria is NOT an option - unless you want to risk getting REALLY SICK!

I couldn't help but remember the clear, sparkling stream that we baptized Leilani in many years ago in Tahiti - or the swimming pool in our church in NZ that Nathalie and Jeremie got baptized in.

Getting baptized here is a whole different ball-game, when you have to take medication to try and prevent getting sick from being dunk... and then are still not sure that you won't get sick.

Well done, Josiah! Go hard after God!

just missed the actual baptism of Josiah (15) - oldest son of the Gordons - friends from Tauranga, now serving the orphans and disadvantaged children and widows in Uganda - just been here 6 months

some of the family watching

celebrating with a nice dinner afterwards - also with Nicky, another missonary from Tauranga, and Richard!!! More about my time with him later

Today, I'm going to Jinja, where I'll stay with one of the core families of the "Orphans Know More" network! YAY!
Should be an interesting time ~ ~ ~
Probably no internet for a while...

Safely arrived in Uganda!

2011-08-27T21:47:00.000+12:00

Just a quick update, as I am waiting for my ride and it's already late...
Had a good flight and was thrilled to set foot again of African soil!

I just LOVE Africa - particularly Uganda - 'course!!!

Sooooo good to be back!!!

Had a very good time in Germany - and YES, I love Germany, too!
Wrote a blog post about my time there but it disappeared strangely just as I was pushing the "publish" button... - oh, well, what's new?

We've had so many communication challenges during this whole trip away - USA - Germany - and here I am in Uganda - and at least for a few minutes, I've got time and internet...

I boarded the wrong train yesterday on my way to Frankfurt airport. Was chatting away with my sister and didn't pay attention that there were 2 trains scheduled in the same direction - just 4 MINUTES APART! I was scheduled to go on the second one, but went on the first one instead.
German precision - imagine that!
Just 4 minutes difference - ya gotta pay attention to the minutes in Germany!

And here I am in Uganda and my ride is already more than 30 minutes late - haha!

Anyways, thank God, the controller came straight as the train left and told me I was in the wrong train and that it wouldn't take me to the airport - oups!!
No problemo, though, was able to hop off at next stop and wait the extra 4 minutes until the right train came chugging along. OUFF! That was close!

When I arrived in Uganda at 2am this morning, there was nobody from the guest-house to pick me up - as arranged.

No problemo again - just took a taxi - and then asked the guest-house to deduct the cost from my room, since airport pick-up is normally included.

Anyways, after a few hours sleep I am off now to spend the day with our beloved son Richard at a baptism service somewhere not too far from here - where I'm also meeting up with the wonderful Gordon-family who moved to Uganda 6 months ago, with their 6 children! Will spend the week-end with them - and Richard! Am so excited!

Traveling alone gives a whole new dimension to my relationship with the Lord.

And as scary it can be at times, it's absolutely, incredibly wonderful!

Cuz JESUS is the best companion, helper, counselor, provider, protector - and HE knows best!

To be so vulnerable, incapable and weak - and - to walk hand in hand with the one who is capable, powerful, all-knowing, wise, loving, caring, protecting, helping - it's "da bomb"!

He's the absolutely best to be walking this journey with!!!

And - by the way, God also came through financially! Not only are my expenses and airfare covered, but I've got blessings to give out to the poor! I"m so grateful and happy! And it came in the most unlikely way - as usual - in the 11th hour (not literally, but almost).

Would appreciate your on-going prayers! Love to all

Oh, the FAITH of a child!

2011-08-17T14:29:00.001+12:00

The other day, while doing laundry at a laundromat, I needed to use the bathroom.

Nothing unusual.

But as I was going in, I couldn't figure out how to turn on the light.

Hmmmm....

I fiddled and pushed and pulled and did whatever else I could come up with to make the light switch turn on (it was pitch dark in that hallway and bathroom).

No success.

I ended up finding one of the employees to help me.

When we got back to the bathroom, there was another lady trying to figure out the light switch

Also no success.

All of a sudden, no idea why, the light went on and I let her go first.

When I came back later for my turn,

same thing.

I couldn't figure out how to turn on the light switch.

STRANGE!

THEN - Kylie, who was with me, came along and just RAN into the dark bathroom -

AND VOILA -

THE LIGHT WENT ON!!

BINGO!

The light-switch was a SENSOR and turned on when there was movement in the room.

Oh boy!

It took a child to just RUN IN THERE to get it to work.

No complicated - "Figuring-it-out-before-you-step-in" - kind of stuff.

And then it hit me:

THAT's what FAITH is all about!

God speaks to your heart,

You obey and "Run" -

No need to figure out the light before-hand

And AS YOU RUN

The light comes on!

God's provision flows

Be it strength

health

finances

whatever the "light" is that we need.

We've got to take the first steps into the dark sometimes

and TRUST God to take care of us!

Another lesson one of my children reminded me of.

Thank you, Kylie (who's been sick in bed today)!

"Now faith is confidence that what we hope for will actually happen;

it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Hebrews 11:1

Kylie showing off one of her gifts my mom sent for her 8th birthday
that we celebrated with aunts/uncles and cousins a few days ago

In 4 days, I will take a plane to Germany to see my mother

(who's in hospital at the moment with a broken femur - please pray for her!) and

5 days later

2 more planes

to my beloved Uganda!

I will be traveling for 3 weeks

~ all by myself ~

As exciting as it is,

not gonna lie

it's also a bit daunting.

Traveling to Uganda with Rich last year was SOOO good!!!

I wasn't supposed to go by myself on this trip, but it has just worked out that way.

And I feel I DO need to go and have peace about it!

I will be meeting up with different people all along to further plan and strategize about partnering to

"help, visit and care for the orphans and widows"

(definition of true religion according to James 1,27)

It does feel a bit like running into a dark room, though.

There are a lot of un-knowns,

lots of "stuff" could happen.

My health hasn't been the greatest.

Our USA-trip has been very taxing/tiring and I'm not exactly at the height of my energy levels.

Finances for the trip are only covered partially

I will need God's help MAJORLY in every.single.area !!!

But here I come

RUNNING!

Extravagently LOVED by God

Who is the FATHER of the fatherless - the DEFENDER of widows!

Fully EXPECTANT for HIM to turn on every.single,light.that.I.will.need!

Youppieee!!!

AND - if you think of me - and Rich and the kids, too - please PRAY for all of us!

Rich will be driving from New York to Los Angeles with the kiddos and then fly home to NZ.

An Afternoon in New York City

2011-08-12T15:22:00.000+12:00

First things first: the highlight of the afternoon - especially if you ask Kylie - was this - on Broadway:

Kylie was mesmerized by the LIVE snakes that this guy was showing off to everybody - inviting people to take photos while holding one of them - for pay ('course!)

Kylie kept sticking around, petting the snake again and again - until the guy just decided to put it on her (without pay) and telling everybody what a very brave girl she was (he didn't even ask our permission - oh well, too late - she loved it!!!)

Even Spongebob was there!!!

Here are some more photos from this afternoon - - -

WOW!

What a city!!!

It's INTENSE

INTERESTING

BUSY

CROWDED

NOISY

CRAZY

TOURISTY

MULTI-CULTURAL

GOOD TO VISIT -

but are we ever glad we don't live here :)

No offense - we're just not city-people...

Taking the Metro - first time ever for our little ones

VERY EXCITING - especially for this lil guy!!!

Coming out of the Subway

Lots and lots of interesting things to see today - looking at the re-building of the World Trade Centre

All the cranes and work being done is fascinating to watch - in the background you can see one of the towers built more than half-way already

New York was definitely way too noisy for Shayden!! He was plugging his ears most the afternoon...

Hmmmmm...

What can I say???

Seen from a distance on a (free!!!) ferry-ride - trying to imaagine what early settlers might have felt coming into the city by boat -

Crazy sisters - enjoying the afternoon

No comment needed :)

Empire State Building in background

Musings while traveling

2011-08-12T04:03:00.000+12:00

"Gonna see the White House!"

Those were the first words coming out of Shayden when he woke up yesterday.

Yup, we'd been to Washington, DC the day before - for the afternoon. Went to a couple of amazing Museums, saw the Capitol from a distance and as we were leaving, we hoped to see the White House.

Unfortunately there are a FEW things in the USA that can't be done by "drive-through" or "drive-by" - one of them being the White House. Oh well - we preferred to get back to Rich's brother and family to spend a little more time with them instead :)

We had such a wonderful time with them and also Rich's sister and family - camping together and celebrating Kylie's birthday!!!

Yesterday, while visiting friends in Pennsylvania, Shayden commented on the spread of raw veggies on the table with a sing-songy voice:

"We're having VEGGIE TALES! - Broccoli, Celery..."

Writing in the car - coming close to New York City now - can see the sky-line in the distance... gonna park at a campground and then planning on going in for a few hours to see the "Statue Liverty" - as Shayden calls it, after we taught him that it's NOT Superman - and a few other sites!

Hysterical laughter and doughnuts

2011-08-06T03:56:00.000+12:00

Sorry, but somehow my blog won't keep all the spaces/paragraphs I am writing when I publish. Trying to fix the problem... In the meantime, here's a lil update:

As we're nearing the end of our trip throughout the USA (just family from here), and I finally have some quiet moments in the car while Rich is driving - with a new laptop (yup, the other one gave up) and a fixed internet stick (was defective), let me share about the amazing few hours we've just had:

Last night, while visiting a friend and his family in Virginia (from a YWAM school 27 ago!!! - thanks so much, Tim and Lisa for a fabulous evening!!) , sharing about Orphans Know More, Shayden had an uncontrollable, hysterical laughing fit for about 10+minutes nonstop - not kidding!

It was the most refreshing thing that has happened in a while!

We were all cracking up with him, as he was obviously a bit on the tired side - and re-playing a "Goofy"-DVD in his mind, having pushed the "repeat" button of one particularly funny scene.

This little guy has humour like no-one in our family and laughs like no-one! What a gift he is!!!

This photo was taken this morning at the doughnut place - read on...

Later, shortly after arriving at the church parking lot, where we were parked for the night, a fuse blew and that meant no airconditioning for the hot night... Oh well, what's new?

Yesterday morning, we had detected a water leak in the campervan/travel trailer which led us to a leaky pipe - that we need to get fixed today - on our way to Washington DC.

So, no water, no toilet-use, no shower, and a hot, sticky night after a hot sticky day - (although most the day was spent in the airconditioned car, I've got to admit :)

This morning, as we were out of food/water for breakfast and couldn't possibly go to a supermarket the way we'd climbed out of our "beds" - sticky, icky, smelly - we decided that a stop at a near-by doughnut restaurant was in place - of course ONLY to use the bathroom and get a bit cleaned up... hehe

With less than $10 to our name (yup, we are in need of some BIG provision!), Rich made an order for doughnuts and drinks for the family ('xcept me, I can't handle the sugar and fat in those critters).

When it was time to pay, this gentleman who'd been sitting in the doughnut place when we walked in, intervened and insisted to pay the bill! WOW!!!!

Rich started telling him what we were doing and before this generous, kind-hearted man left the place, he gifted us with another whole tray of freshly baked, still hot - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - doughnuts, you guessed it!

Not only breakfast, but lunch today - YAY!!! Not the healthiest, I know, but at least Rich and the kids are happy!

We were all having to hold ourselves together not to start laughing out (too) loud!

How bad must we have looked - walking into that place????

Or was it just God's smile on us and a lil encouragement and treat - just at the right time?!!

Off now to get the trailer fixed and Kylie to the doctor (not the first doctor visit for our family) - - - before heading to the campground -

WHATA TRIP!

Kylie's blog

2011-07-02T17:27:00.002+12:00

Kylie, with Leilani's help, is writing a blog during our USA trip. Here's the link.

We've been very busy - since arriving almost 3 weeks ago, we've only had 2 evenings that we've not been with people. It's full-on, intense, but we feel blessed by so many wonderful friends!

God is good!

We were in Redding yesterday, are in Eugene, Oregon, today and off to Portland tomorrow until Monday, when we continue on to Washington.

What a special treat today to drive through beautiful scenery!

What would YOU do???

2011-06-26T04:09:00.006+12:00

You were the 7th child to your 22-year-old mother

Your father was killed by an unknown assailant when you were in your mother's womb

You had to be taken to be raised by your grandmother, because your mother just couldn't take care of you/feed you

You were raised in the slums by your grandmother, along with about 20 cousins who had all lost their parents to HIV/AIDS - in a tiny 2-bed-room "house"

Your grandmother died when you were 7

You and your cousins were left to fend for yourselves, trying to find food at the garbage dump where the "rich people" dump their trash.

You came to know JESUS at the age of 13 and became part of a good church.

You were 18 and started seeing little children all around you that had NOBODY to care for them, feed them, love them???

What would YOU do???

Praise did what she felt Jesus would do:

Take them and love them and trust God to provide for all of them.

Needless to say, 10 needy children later,

left on the streets and struggling to survive,

she PRAYED - PRAYED HARD!

After a long time of prayer, these words came to her mind:

youth having mission

Going to an internet cafe, she typed in the words "youth mission" and guess who she ended up finding???

The Youth With A Mission leader for Uganda,

Who is the man who started

Orphans kNOw More

Need I say more???

This precious 24-year-old single girl with her 10 children have been living with his family (with already 21 children - 16 adopted) since January of this year.

This is what she says:

"At the moment, I am praying for my own land so that we may build a home there and have sufficient space to grow food to feed all the children, and even help more children. I have a vision of building a school for abandoned, orphaned and disadvantaged children and spreading the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ."

We may not be able to do what Praise is doing.

But we can do something

That's why we're doing what we're doing at the moment.

Fundraising is neither fun nor easy,
but we will continue to travel and share

and PRAY

for GOD to open hearts

so that Praise can continue loving and caring for her children

and many more people like her, too!

They do what they can do,

let US do what WE can do!!!

Every dollar given (go to the website above) goes straight to Uganda to help this beautiful ministry.

Sorry, got no photo of her family at the moment.

Volcanic ash - just for us??!

2011-06-15T06:21:00.006+12:00

What a MIGHTY GOD we love and serve!

On the 2 1/2 hour drive to Auckland airport, both Rich and I felt shattered. Besides both being exhausted from a very intense 2 months without hardly a day off, and a huge push to get out of the house, I was feeling sick and the thought of flying for 13 hours made me feel even weaker.

We both honestly didn't know how we were going to make it ~ ~ ~

I told Rich that all I was longing for was lying in my bed (with fresh sheets) in my clean home.

On arrival at the airport, when I saw the sign on the departure display that our Qantas flight was cancelled ~ due to volcanic ash coming over from Chile ~ I felt relieved ~ probably the only one at the airport ~ hehe!

It was early Monday morning and as we were amongst the first travelers with cancelled flights, we were able to re-book a flight that same night with Air New Zealand. The VERY friendly staff also immediately booked us into one of the finest hotels in Auckland, paid our taxi there and back and 2 meals - or better: FEASTS!

Just those extra few hours of rest - in a nice, clean, luxurious bed - were gonna make all the difference, I knew - to both Kylie's ears and mine, as well as to Rich!

By the way, when Kylie woke up that morning, the first thing she said, very excitedly was: "I know my ears are gonna be ok".

The buffet at the hotel made our family almost think we'd made it to heaven for the wedding-feast! AMAZING!!!!! Never seen/tasted anything like it!!!

While lying on the bed, we watched the news and heard about the earthquakes in Christchurch. It was surreal. Here we were in complete luxury (for a few hours), and there were the traumatized people of Christchurch - once again - including our son Jeremie with his DTS-team. We were able to call him within minutes of the big 6.0 shake - and they all seemed quite shaken - not just literally - but safe (they left Christchurch, as planned, on Tuesday).

We also watched the news about thousands of travelers stranded at airports in Aussie and NZ, and here we were - SO SPOILED by our FATHER!!!!

The plane trip was very easy, as the kids got to have their own entertainment - oh, what a difference to days go past, when we would travel with little ones and had to entertain them ourselves...! SPOILED again!!

Kylie's ears had absolutely NO problems!!!

I had quite strong pain on our way down, in spite of medicine, but as I was engrossed in a most encouraging talk with the lady next to me about Uganda, I was distracted enough to handle it... ;)

There's so much more to say, but just wanted to GIVE GLORY TO GOD for HIS KINDNESS, GOODNESS and MERCY on me and us, for miraculously healing Kylie's ears and giving our family an unexpected blessing when we most needed it.

We KNOW that this was also the result of YOUR PRAYERS!

So - THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We would appreciate your ongoing prayers, as I'm still not 100% and there have been a few unexpected "hick-ups" with our fundraising materials. Never a dull moment!

Please pray for us

2011-06-11T13:43:00.002+12:00

Took Kylie to the doctor this morning as she's had a bad night - with an earache.

We are flying out in less than 2 days.

Doctor said she's "unfit to travel", but he will allow her to travel - "at our risk".
She's on antibiotics but that's no guarantee that it'll get better.

Hmmm, I think we need some prayers here for quick healing in Kylie's ears.

I have also have blocked ears for over a week now (no pain, though).
According to doctor, there's a secondary infection...

Our mighty, mountain-moving, awe-inspiring God is ABLE to bring HEALING to both of us!

Thanks for praying! Appreciate it!!

I like it!

2011-06-07T20:20:00.003+12:00

"Many small people

who in small places

do many small things

can alter the face of the world."

Inscription on the last remaining section of the Berlin Wall

What an encouragement

and how TRUE!!!

None of the small things we do every day gets wasted!

5 more days until our trip...

RescueNet training finished!!!

2011-06-01T13:00:00.006+12:00

Rich is on the way to Auckland to take a van-load of people to the airport.

The ResuceNet training - first ever in New Zealand - is FINISHED!!!

YEEEHAAAA!!!

It went REALLY well - and I am so proud of Rich and the high caliber staff who pulled it off!

The staff came all the way from South Africa, China, Australia and the UK!

From what I heard it was VERY WELL DONE - professionally - and hopefully the 8 first level students and 3 2nd level students were well equipped for bringing God's love in practical ways to people hurting as a result of tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes and the like...

Here are some photos:

Since they needed a whole bunch of 'actors' for the different scenarios,

Leilani volunteered - amazing drama-queen that she is!

She apparently did incredibly well ~ and enjoyed it lots!

Here she was pulled from the rubble of a pretend earthquake during the final scenario which lastet 3+ hours.

GOD LOVES ME!

2011-05-30T09:12:00.007+12:00

I've had "one of those" mornings ~ ~ ~

waking up completely overwhelmed by the myriad of things that still have to get done before we start our big 3-month-trip -

exactly 2 weeks from today!

And when one of my sweet kiddos starting acting up about not having the right clothes to wear and having yet another "morning scene" ...

(I have ZERO tolerance for fussing about clothes ~ or food ~ since coming back from Africa!!!)

I lost my temper with her - ouch!

- and on the way to school had to apologize -

(just like she did, too)

I was feeling really crappy as I drove on to take Shayden to preschool

and I could hardly believe it, when out of the blue, I hear his sweet voice from the backseat:

"God loves you, Mummy!"

This truth spoken by our little boy who is just barely starting to speak in whole sentences ~

~ it moved me DEEPLY! ~

Just before driving off to school with the kids I had checked the emails

and what did I see???

An email from our beloved son Richard in Uganda!!!

We hadn't heard from him for over a month

Hadn't been able to get a hold of him

Were concerned for him, as there've been violent riots in Kampala where he lives

And still last night when we tried calling, we couldn't get through.

So it was extremely special to receive an email from him!!

He'd been in hospital - again (this is the second time since we saw him in December!)

but is fine now.

What touched me so much about his email was when he wrote:

"... I love you every single day of my life...

God loves you but I love you more"

Definitely brought a chuckle to my stressed state-of-being

So when I realized - in the car - on the way to preschool -

that God had used my 2 adopted boys to reassure me of HIS LOVE today,

It took all the self-control I could muster to hold it together until I had dropped Shayden off and was on my way back home...

THANK YOU LORD FOR LOVING ME!!!

THANK YOU for each one of my children -

Thank you for Shayden and Richard who YOU have placed in our hearts and family

and who you used today to remind me of what I needed to hear most:

That YOU LOVE ME!!!

Longing for HIM

2011-05-21T20:22:00.003+12:00

My heart YEARNS for HIM - the lover of my soul

the reason I LIVE

and LOVE!

HE has captured my heart

and I am addicted to HIM!

When I don't get to spend much time with him

I miss him so much!!!

This song just brought me to tears

I'm soooooooooo hungry and thirsty for HIM!

SO LONGING for FAMILY!!!

2011-05-19T09:44:00.007+12:00

Over and over, my heart is broken for the orphans - those SO longing to BELONG to a FAMILY!!!

And I'm stirred up when I read this or this blog-post about children in Uganda!

EVERY CHILD needs to be in a FAMILY!!!

Our family is getting ready to go to the USA/Canada - from June 13th to the middle of August -

from West to East

{and back again - at least Rich, Kylie and Shayden -
Leilani and I are hoping to be able to fly on to Uganda from the East Coast}

to share with whoever would want to hear and see -

about the Orphans Know More ministry in Uganda.
The one I've shared about before... several times :) (and you won't be able to shut me up, either)

... hoping and praying to raise awareness

prayer and

support

for this wonderful ministry that wants to multiply all over Uganda and Africa!

This is a huge undertaking for us - organizationally and financially -

and we have quite a few mountains that still need to be moved.

But in times of weakness, like today, where I haven't slept much, am not feeling great and will need to lean on God for strength to make it through this day (what in the world am I doing blogging?!!)

I get energized by watching this video - and off I go -

Kylie's day

2011-05-16T19:13:00.004+12:00

I'm not feeling very well tonight (battling a cold that's going 'round), so I thought you'd enjoy Kylie blogging for ya - hehe.

Here is what she wrote up about her day:

My little brather is seck he has A tarbl cof . I stad howm because

I dednt feel varee wall I plaed with my brither I had a

BORING day after dinr I rot thes story.

Makes me so happy!

2011-05-14T12:57:00.004+12:00

I know, I know, call me weird, but I wonder if I'm the only one who feels this way...

Thursday is THE DAY

every week

that our garbage gets taken away

ya know

nothing spectacular

just one of those necessary things in life.

Well, last Thursday we didn't only have our regular garbage bin full,

but also an extra bag.

Somebody in the family had a big clean-out -

and I'm not telling who
but hey, we all need to do this from time to time!

Anyways, as I dropped off the extra-bag next to the garbage bin on the side of the road,

IT FELT SO WONDERFUL!!!

To get rid of a bunch of garbage - or rubbish, as they call it here in NZ -

leaves you - or at least me -

feeling GREAT!!!

Just imagine the way our home/garden would look -

let's not talk about the smell - eeek (with all the smelly diapers in there, yes, still!)

if nobody came to pick up and "take care of" our garbage every week!

I dare not activate my imagination too vividly,

but I'm sure you get the point!

Such a freeing feeling, isn't it?!!

I don't have to hassle with our family's garbage

GONE!!!!

Never to be seen - or smelled - again!!!

Made me think of my heart!

I'm SOOOO grateful that the garbage that happens in my heart

can also get "disposed of"

Don't even have to wait for the weekly dump-truck!

How awesome is that?!!

How freeing?!!!

If it's worry, bad and unloving attitudes or words, resentment, doubt, gluttony, you name it

PROVISION HAS BEEN MADE

for getting rid of that ugly stuff!

The price?

Far more expensive than our garbage truck

The blood of JESUS!!!

Feels so good to be CLEAN

FREE

and off to a fresh start

every day!

If we are living and walking in the light
as he is in the light
we have unbroken fellowship with one another
and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us
from all sin and guilt.

If we freely admit that we have sinned
and confess our sins,
HE is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1.John1, 7 and 9

MAKES ME SO HAPPY!!!

My man...

2011-05-11T20:25:00.004+12:00

Since yesterday - and until the 3rd of June - Rich will only be home just to sleep and have breakfast...

He's running the first ever "Re scue-Net" training in NZ!

YIPPPEEEEE!!!

It's been a lot of work getting to this place and yesterday, 5 people arrived at Auckland airport from different places (mostly Australia) to help him run the training! They are now doing all the last minute preparations until Sunday, when the students will arrive.

The training is being held at YWAM's training center at Gideo n's Heights here in Tauranga ~ and I'm not complainin' ~ that way I at least get to see my man a tiny lil bit every night/mornin'

I'm so proud Rich and so happy to see him thrive in one of his greatest passions

{the other one would be to see revival - still a comin'}

Here he is with Gideon ~ how precious!

Another beautiful family

2011-05-10T21:58:00.006+12:00

At the moment, our Ugandan son Richard is doing a camp with one of the couples in the "Orphans Know More" network.
I so wish I could be a little mouse at that camp and see/hear what's happenin'... hehe

The leaders of the camp are Dickson and Mabel. They are trained children and youth workers with Youth With A Mission. Dickson and Mabel host camps for hundreds of Ugandan children each year. They do this voluntarily without pay.

They also have adopted four orphaned children in addition to their biological children, and look after a widow, Hilda, and her four children.

Their family has faced serious tragedies, like so many others in Uganda.
Unfortunately, tragedy and death are very common companion to everybody there.

A couple of years ago, their daughter Melissa was killed in an arson fire at her school along with 19 other children, and then last year their daughter Jackie died when the bus taking her to school was hit by a drunk driver.

Dickson and Mabel and their 8 children have been living in an unfinished house with windows missing, a very rough dirt floor, and no electricity. These conditions make it very difficult and their health has suffered.

Although Dickson and Mabel have been trying to complete the house for several years, they are constantly generous to others.

Even in its current condition, their home is a center of life and is full of children from the village.

We were very touched by their warm, loving and cheerful hearts when we visited them last year! And we are planning on seeing them again this year when Leilani and I will be in Uganda.

We have a very exciting project that we'll be planning for together.
Something that God placed on their hearts - and mine - about the same time (about 1 1/2 years ago, a long time before we ever met) - more about that another time.

We would be so THRILLED to bring funds with us towards the completion of their home!

This is the family:

You see Dickson all dressed up - well this is the way that all Ugandans dress when they go to work in an office - we had just come from the YWAM office with him.

As a matter of fact, Rich and I were embarrassed on more than one occasion about our casual dress code. We never expected it to be this way, but the Ugandan men almost always wear dress shirts - poor as they may be. And the ladies also dress nicely in public.

This is the boys' bedroom

This is where the kitchen should/will be

the hallway of the home

the living room

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T20:06:00.009+12:00

Well, it sure WAS a HAPPY MOTHER's DAY for me!

The sweetest gift was Shayden walking into our bedroom this morning - after Rich had gotten up to help Leilani prepare breakfast - (and I got to lounge in bed for a while) - whata treat!

He opened the door and exclaimed:

"Happy Mother's Day, Mummy! - pause -

I love you to pieces!"

Leilani went over the top and worked all day cooking and cleaning etc to give me a day off,

made a beautiful card,

gave me 3 pairs of new earrings

helped Kylie and Shayden make cards -

WOW, girl!

You outdid yourself - once again!!!

THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH for all your love and giving me a day off!!!!

Nathalie and Gideon joined us for breakfast (Lewis was working at the bakery) so all I got to do in the morning before church was enjoy holding Gideon - no dishes, no getting kids ready -

Just enjoying my lil grand-baby!

I must be the most blessed Momma in the world!

In the afternoon, we went to a park -

And GOD was spoiling us with FALL BEAUTY!!!

THANK YOU, GOD!!!!

What an awe-inspiring God you are!!!

Look at what artwork you can create with fallen leaves - gotta love autumn!!
no, we were NOT the artists - somebody else was!

About Orphan Care

2011-05-07T22:59:00.001+12:00

"The great challenge of adoption and orphan care ministry is to cultivate a death-defying passion for God above all things.

A faith that rests in HIM

whether living or dying,

whether comfortable or miserable,

whether successful in our orphan care or not.

The aim is to cultivate and spread the unshakable confidence that God is better than what life can give and what death can take from us."

Piper

2011-05-04T21:50:00.000+12:00

“No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr

Such contrasts!

2011-05-03T21:22:00.004+12:00

Mummy, Tia Lani (how Leilani wants to be called by Gideon) and Gideon-cuddle

As I was having some wonderful Nana-Gideon-bonding time yesterday

(yes, I did end up changing to "Nana" instead of "Ma" - just like it better and won't get me confused with being "Mom") -

holding the precious little treasure for the first extended time - almost 1 1/2hrs! - whooohooo! -

and love and prayers spilling out over his life,

I couldn't help but think of all the babies that are abandoned and have absolutely

NO ONE to hold them

NO ONE to comfort them

NO ONE to love on them

NO ONE to whisper tenderly into their ears

NO ONE to cuddle them

NO ONE to clothe them

NO ONE to feed them

NO ONE to keep them warm

NO ONE to protect them

NO ONE to rock them to sleep

NO ONE to sing over them

NO ONE to pray over them

NO ONE AT ALL!!!
It tears me up inside

IT IS NOT RIGHT!!! IT IS JUST NOT RIGHT!!!

They are so incredibly precious and deserve just as much love as our little Gideon!!!

My thoughts went to the 200 babies that are reported dead in the mortuary of one particular suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa,

EVERY

SINGLE

MONTH!!!!

The 90+ babies that are found abandoned in the same city

EVERY

SINGLE

MONTH!!!

Lord, have mercy on these little ones!

Rescue them!

Place them into loving families!!!

And all the other ones, too

around the world!

And please bless and provide for ministries like this one, caring for these treasures, so that they can keep taking them in, loving on them and placing them into families.

It's just not right that they should have such a struggle to survive

Just because of lack of finances.

SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE!!!

My heart also goes out to the parents of a 11-year-old in Uganda

who died suddenly a few days ago

from a high fever (I suspect malaria)

I got that news just after I had been to the travel doctor with Leilani.

She got a whole bunch of immunizations for our trip to Uganda.

And a big talk on how she needs to make sure that the daytime mosquitoes don't get her, cuz they cause typhoid and yellow-fever (I think),

and the night-time mosquitoes, cuz they cause malaria

and a bunch of other precautions.

That's all good and right and I'm so grateful she gets to have these immunizations and preventive medicines (the brave girl paid for them with her own hard-earned money),

on top of the mosquito repellent she'll be putting on morning and night,

and the mosquito nets she'll be sleeping under.

But how unjust!!!

The Ugandans don't get any of that protection

and they die

so many of them.

Much of it is because of lack of money

even to buy a mosquito net!

Death is so common over there

And the parents love the children JUST AS MUCH as I love mine.

It's just burning inside of me

The injustice of it all!

All I can do for now is to CRY OUT TO GOD!!!

And that I will!!!

Please pray for Uganda!

2011-04-30T13:33:00.004+12:00

I just came home from a garage sale to help Leilani and me get to Uganda in August.

And I found out about rioting happening in our beloved Uganda.

The children and staff of one of the ministries we visited have had to hide under their beds to stay safe from bullets flying over their heads.

Please read more about it here and join me in prayer!

Our son Richard also lives in Kampala, where the riots are, and we are concerned for his safety...

THANKS!!

By popular demand...

2011-04-27T19:08:00.004+12:00

... and no, it's not through comments, but emails - hehe -

here's a lil update on our precious grandson Gideon:

He's been home now for almost a week, and doing GREAT!

Nathalie, new mommy, is also doing well.

His health is perfect,

his spirit is probably still recuperating from his traumatic entrance into the world,

but otherwise just a normal newb0rn baby

- keeping his parents on their toes -

- and keeping them up at night -

just the normal stuff, ya know.

What a blessing he is and we're so very grateful for God's protection and healing power

and the prayers of YOU -

so many of YOU!!!

As we've found out now, it seems that the placenta ruptured partially just before Gideon was born and that's how he lost so much of his blood.

Something amazing:

During this part of the birth, there was a particular song playing on Nathalie's ipod.

What I heard (and it's even on video, as Nathalie wanted Leilani to film)

was somebody singing

- again and again -

"It's a miracle - it's a miracle"

Nathalie told me later that these words are NOT part of the song - at all!

Makes you wonder who was in that room at this sacred moment

singing over this critical situation!

WOW!!!

AWESOME GOD!!!

And later, when a room full of doctors and nurses were working on him, while he was in a critical condition, our pastor came to visit - and saw a big angel hovering right over Gideon, making sure that no harm came to him!

These photos were taken last night during the first meal we had with Nathalie, Lewis and Gideon at our house -

Happy campers!!

Proud 'Pa" and uncle Shayden

Need I say more?

2011-04-20T21:28:00.006+12:00

With Dad - first photo at home

Can you tell I'm a proud "Ma" (Rich is "Pa")?!
Wanted to be called "Jaja" (Grandma in Ugandan, but it didn't sit very well with the rest of the family)

scrumptious!

Delicious!

He looks like he's got my red hair, but he actually doesn't -
for some reason the lighting from the flash makes it look that way
his real color is light brown

Nathalie, Lewis and Gideon did have to stay an extra night at Hamilton hospital and were transferred back to Tauranga hospital today.

Even though they were supposed to stay for at least another night/day there, they REALLY wanted to go home tonight - so the doctor obliged.

They'll have to spend most of tomorrow at the hospital again (blood-tests etc), but when it comes to the night, there's no place like home, and the little guy is doing really well, eating like a champ and sleeping in between.

It's so wonderful to see him snuggling with his parents!!!

All of our hearts are OVERJOYED at what the Lord has done!
HUMONGOUS THANKS to YOU for your prayers!!!

Gideon update

2011-04-19T07:32:00.002+12:00

Nathalie just called, asking for prayer, as today is a very special day for them:

Little Gideon has had his body temperature slowly raised to normal overnight and gets to come off his "cold-bed" this morning.

He is also coming off morphine, which helped him "endure" the cold-bed.

Poor little boy - imagine being on morphine for the first 4 days of your life...

Nathalie and Lewis will FiNALLY get to hold him

cuddle him

comfort him

and - FEED him!!!

How exciting!!!

Please pray that Gideon would latch on well, feed well and just BE WELL.

They want to come home badly and will be able to tomorrow, if all goes well today.

THANKS FOR PRAYING!

Yippeeeee!

2011-04-18T22:57:00.006+12:00

I could jump up and down for joy right now -

just found out about a large donation given to Orphans kNOw More in Uganda

YAY GOD!!!!

Even more blessed, as this gift is from a non-believer.

Guys, we can do it, too!

Every

single

one

of

us

CAN

make

a

difference

in

the

life

of

an

orphan!!!!

Look at beautiful Christine:

While in Uganda, we gave her a pair of school shoes we'd found in our garage that one of our kids had outgrown.

We almost didn't get the shoes to Uganda and had to kind of smuggle them in our hand luggage (along with 2 more pairs), cuz our suitcases were overweight.

BUT - amazingly - we DID get them there and into this precious 15-year-old's hands.

I felt that the 3 pairs of school shoes salvaged from our garage were to be symbolic of the first 3 children finding sponsors so that they could go to school.

Well, so far this hasn't happened - yet.

They've got the shoes but still no opportunity to wear them to school.

Here is Christine last week working a large field to earn money to pay school fees
(the photo was sent by my friend and co-worker Judith).

The amount she earns for the work will never be enough for school fees and YET, she does what she can.

That's just how I found the people of Uganda:

They are very hard-w0rking and resourceful with the little they have available.

AMAZING PEOPLE!

Christine doesn't have a father anymore.

We met both her mother and grandmother.

Both have AIDS.

Christine has 7 siblings.

I met one of them, also a teenage girl - who also doesn't have the privilege to go to school.

I visited their home in the evening.

They were sitting in front of their humble hut with a Bible

at dinner-time

Feeding on the Word of God

But no food to be seen anywhere near

So humbling

I would SOOO love for her to find a sponsor that would pay her school fees.

It's not much

Just US$20/month

or NZ$27/month

or 15 Euros/month

Not much, is it?!!!

But, oh, what HOPE this would inspire for Christine!

God has plans for a hope and a future for her!!!

Beautiful Boy!

2011-04-17T22:41:00.005+12:00

We just came home from the hospital in Hamilton and though it is late, I can't help but share some fresh photos of Gideon.

He is doing so well and looks SOOOOOOO much better than 2 days ago!!!

His breathing is calm and regular and he's got some nice colors!

He's SOOOOOOO beautiful and precious and we declare the continued healing power of Jesus over his little life that has been so traumatized already.

May JESUS make up for everything he has been missing since leaving the safety of Nathalie's womb.
It is so hard not to be able to pick him up and cuddle him!
He belongs into loving arms, not a cold bed!

For now, we will just hold on to the fact that GOD'S HANDS are holding him and pray that he would feel it, too!

Nathalie and Lewis are both also doing amazing and I'm sure it has to do with the outpouring of love and prayers of so many!
We can't thank you enough for that!!!

In the photos, you can see him holding on to Lewis' finger - so cute!

Since I couldn't use a flash, the photos aren't very clear and what you see on his head are the leftovers of blood from the birth - as he hasn't had a bath yet.

More news

2011-04-16T21:50:00.004+12:00

Just talked to Nathalie again and Gideon is doing SO well! The doctors are very happy with him!

Hardest thing is the complication of Nathalie and Lewis not staying at the hospital (though close) and needing to go back and forth, while Nathalie is still in some pain, trying to rest and pump her milk every 3 hours.

Please pray for patience, grace, strength and perseverance to make it through until about the middle of next week when Gideon will most likely be discharged.

They will slowly put his temperature back up to normal starting Monday night (he's naked and on ice-packs now to keep his temperature down) and then want to monitor him for another 1-2 days to make sure all is well, which I'm sure it will be!

We serve a mighty God!!!

While I am GREATLY REJOICING about these great news, I am pained by news from Uganda.

Besides concern over the safety of our son Richard there - there are violent riots in Kampala (where he lives) at the moment - we heard more sad news from our African YWAM-friends:

Today, another child from the village next to the base became an orphan, as his father died of AIDS (his mother had already died of AIDS earlier).

The father was the last of several siblings who have ALL died of AIDS.

Unfortunately, this is normal reality in Uganda.

So very sad!

Lord, have mercy, my heart cries out!!!

Update on Gideon Temana

2011-04-16T15:21:00.003+12:00

What a MIGHTY GOD we serve!

HE hears our cries and answers our prayers!!!

And what wonderful friends we have - all over the world!

As emails and fb messages were pouring in this morning, reassuring us of many many prayers, I felt totally overcome with gratitude and so loved!

THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!!!

Gideon is doing VERY WELL!

He is off the breathing machine and only has one IV left.
He still cannot be held nor fed, as his body temperature needs to be kept at a very specific lower temperature than normal, in case there has been damage to the brain -
which has a greater possibility to get repaired with this specific body temperature.

It seems that what happened was that during the end of labor, somehow half of Gideon's blood "emptied out" back into Nathalie's womb because of stress.
I don't understand the medical stuff very well???

So when he came out, his breathing problems were related to the fact that he only had half the blood that he should've had circulating through his body.

He should have really had his blood transfusion straight after birth (and not 5 hours later), but the medical personnel were suspecting a heart problem.

We totally acknowledge and recognize GOD's intervention in preserving Gideon's life and are EXTREMELY GRATEFUL!!!

This photo was taken before they realized there was a problem

see how very pale he was?

For now, there have been no signs of brain damage, so hopefully that IS THE CASE!

Nathalie and Lewis would appreciate our ongoing prayers for:

complete healing and restoration of Gideon's body

grace, comfort and strength for them as they are not allowed to hold or feed him yet and are far from home

finances, as Lewis has not been working and will not be able to for a few more days until they're back home.

I can't wait to show you more photos of him - SOON!!!

He's such a precious little darling!!!

Welcome Grandson Gideon!!!

2011-04-15T21:10:00.006+12:00

I am THRILLED to present to you our precious little grandson

Gideon Temana

meaning Mighty Warrior

Temana is tahitian (and Maori? not sure) and means powerful/mighty

He was born this morning at 11:43, weighing in at 6lb7oz - or 2910g

Active labor only lasted 4 hours and Nathalie was a champion!

Besides Daddy Lewis, Leilani, myself and Lewis' mother all had the privilege of being part of this amazing experience!

NEW LIFE coming forth from the womb!!!! WOW!!!!!

What a miracle!!!

We did get a scare though a few minutes after the birth when it became apparent that he had difficulty breathing.

He was taken to the special care unit for newborns and was given oxygen, which didn't help much,

poked,

pricked,

sedated,

put on meds and a breathing machine,

with tubes going in and coming out from everywhere

His little body went into shock.

He also got a blood transfusion as his blood count was really low -

half of what it was supposed to be.

~ AND ~

After being put into this

He was flown by helicopter to Waikato Hospital - about 1hour 15 minutes from Tauranga - for further tests to determine what was wrong with him.

They were suspecting trouble with his heart and were talking about the possibility of him being flown to Starship Childrens Hospital in Auckland, should they detect a serious problem with his heart which would necessitate surgery.

Nathalie was taken to Waikato by ambulance and Lewis drove there with a family member, since there was no room for him in either the helicopter or the ambulance.

What a day - full of so many emotions!

And definitely NOT the way we imagined it to be!

We just heard from Nathalie that Gideon - true to his name, this mighty fighter -
is doing much better.

They have excluded a heart problem. That is just FANTASTIC!!!

THANK YOU LORD!!!

It seems that the main cause of the problem was that he'd lost a lot of blood during late labor.
Don't ask me where the blood was lost, because it sure wasn't apparent.

There are still a few things not the way they should be and they will continue to monitor him, but it sure is a HUGE relief that it is nothing too serious!

While we all felt the grace of God so tangibly during this difficult time,

I couldn't help but feel incredible gratefulness for our doctors, nurses and other medical personnel and equipment.

If this had happened to a baby in Africa, the outcome may not have been so good...

All I can say tonight,

is

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

GOD!!!!!!!!!!

YOU're the BEST!!!!!!!!

The other "Me"

2011-04-08T22:05:00.004+12:00

I don't know if this ever happens to you, but occasionally, I find myself dreaming about what I could see myself doing if I wasn't doing what I AM doing ~ ~ ~

Well, the last couple of days, I went to 2 trainings by the Foster Care Federation.
As a foster carer, I have the possibility to attend these kinds of trainings and I try to do them whenever they are in Tauranga and I've got time.

Firstly, because I LOVE LEARNING new things and sharpening my people and foster-mom skills.

Secondly, because it gets me out of the house and into a different world for a few hours ~ NICE! It actually feels like a day off, I get to dress up a bit and have adult time, sit down and just listen, talk and interact with like-minded people!

With babysitting getting paid, Leilani took the "job" and she did AMAZINGLY!!! When I came home in the evening, the house was peaceful and clean, the kids happy, the table was set, a beautiful meal made, the kitchen cleaned up and even music playing! WOW!!!! Am I blessed or what?!!!

Anyways, if I wasn't doing what I am doing ~ and don't get me wrong ~ I love what I AM doing I could so see myself as a social worker (or counselor)! The last couple of days, I was surrounded by them and I felt right at home.
Somebody even asked me if I was the trainer when she first met me - which of course was before the 1rst session. I did feel a bit flattered by that comment, I've got to admit... as I was probably one of the least "professionally qualified" people in the room.
Must have looked smart or something - hehehe!

The topics of the trainings were "Team-work" and "Identity and Belonging".
Besides learning good stuff, I really enjoyed myself, had fun and came home refreshed after a full day (plus weekly grocery shopping, plus seeing our lawyer for Shayden's permanency).

I realize that in some ways, working outside the home is more relaxing than being a stay-at-home mom. Of course, it depends on a lot of factors ... but I can see why so many moms want to work outside the home - read between the lines here...

And ~ this also never fails to happen ~ I always come away from these trainings with such a strong desire to take on more foster children. Not that this gets talked about, I just realize HOW MUCH I LOVE KIDS. PERIOD. Especially the hurting ones. I see SO much beauty and potential in them.

So, for the curious ones among you - the other jobs I could see myself doing are:

Running an orphanage in Africa - surprise, surprise

working in an office, like a post office or similar - where everything is orderly, predictable and non-stressful, you know where everything is and everything has it's place.

Being an artist - painting with water-color - or just being very crafty/creative - not that I have done any of this, I just have a feeling it's inside of me and would come out if I fostered it.

Back to fostering, I LOVE it, I LOVE Shayden, I LOVE my kids, I LOVE being a mom, I LOVE being a missionary. I LOVE my life!

But the break was GRRRREAT!!!

This is IT!

2011-04-05T09:07:00.007+12:00

If you've ever wondered what my heart is breaking for - beating for - (you must be new to this blog)

have a look at this! You may want to keep the tissues handy...

I WILL GO - again!

I CAN NOT stay put in comfortable New Zealand while so many of God's children are suffering in silence!

Rich and I are taking our family on an awareness- and fund-raising trip throughout the USA - for 10 weeks - from June to August.

Planning on traveling West to East - and sharing where-ever we find open hearts.

It is a HUGE faith project!

We don't have the means to do this!

But - we have heard the cries, seen the pain and suffering - and we HAVE to do something about it!

My DREAM is VERY BIG - but starting small is ok with me:

2000 Ugandan orphans finding loving Christian families in their own country in collaboration with "Orphans kNOw More" -

starting with 10 new orphans (whose photos and stories I can send you if you're interested) who recently got taken in by this family - (the one on the bottom) and need sponsors so that their family can provide for them.

How about that for starters???

It is planned that after we get to the East Coast, Leilani and I will fly on to Uganda (and possibly South Africa) - while Rich will drive back West with Kylie and Shayden (anybody up to driving back with him???) and then fly home to NZ with them.

Some YWAMers from the UK are in Uganda right now filming a brand-new promo and documentary that we are hoping to use to communicate.

"Religion that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself uncontaminated from the world."

James 1, 27

LET's DO IT!!!

A "new" van!!!

2011-04-03T14:22:00.004+12:00

Cars and the Betts-family

Let me tell ya

It's been a fascinating journey

From not having one many times

Including when we first arrived in Tahiti

(Me pregnant with Nathalie)

To giving one away

To lending one out

only to find it "ruined" on our return

To not having one

Again

and again

even with 3 kids in tow

depending on a friend to take us grocery shopping once a week

cuz we lived in the "boonies" and there was no other way

To having one that leaked heavily every time it rained

Having one stolen while on a date
(that was actually funny and we both laughed when we noticed it was gone, because it was so random...
This was in Tahiti and the car was unlock-able)

and everything in between

Maybe one day, I'll tell you some amazing stories about

the Betts-clan car history

and how God ALWAYS intervened

~ eventually ~

oftentimes in the most unexpected ways.

Actually, if at least 2 of you let me know via a comment that you wanna hear those stories, I'll write about some - actually quite amazing stories!

But today, let me introduce you to our new van

It was just given to us

YES, you read right!

Given to us!!!!

What amazing timing, too!

Our van is at it's end and has only 2 weeks left on it!

And there is NO WAY that we could've bought anything to replace it right now.

This van is actually REALLY special

It went through the earthquake in Christchurch

Without as much as a scratch

It was in a parking garage downtown Christchurch

and came out a week ago to it's owners - our friends.

(Remember, the ones who scarcely escaped the earthquake?)

WE ARE OVER THE MOON HAPPY AND GRATEFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH,
RUSCHI AND PHILIPPE!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR YOUR PROVISION!!!!!!!!!!!

What's funny is that it's the same exact model as our last one

It's just newer (1997) and with only 135 000km

WOOT WOOT!!!!!!

"God made shopping!"

2011-03-31T14:02:00.006+13:00

Shayden this morning: "Go to kindi (preschool), Mummy?"

Me: Not today, Shayden. Today, we're going shopping and then horse-back riding.
(he gets wonderful riding therapy every Thursday!)

Shayden: I LOVE shopping! God made shopping!

Now you know who came up with the idea!
Out of the mouth of babes... hehehe!!!

Actually, Shayden really DOES LOVE SHOPPING! Since he's joined our family - over 3 1/2 years ago - he has never fussed in the supermarket!

No crying, whining, begging

Ever!

Nada!

WOW!!!!

This little boy is amazing and oh, how I love him!!!!

Went to the Children's Hospital in Auckland with him this week for an appointment with the Orthopedic Surgeon.
He's scheduled for surgery on his right hand (the better one) in October...
This will then give him at least one really good, strong hand! Yippeeee!!!

Can't resist posting these photos from this morning's horseback-riding.
This little boy has got such a winsome personality and joyful disposition that he conquers hearts everywhere he goes -

even to the point of people wondering if he ever stops smiling...

{He does!}

I WAS having a really good day...

2011-03-26T20:25:00.004+13:00

Today has been a good day - Saturday. Had 9 people around the dinner table tonight, enjoying fellowship and some good food - roast chicken and veggies with mashed potatoes - a feast - and plenty, too!

Saturday nights we usually have family night - and tonight, we were watching a movie with Kylie and Shayden -
Leilani is out babysitting and Jeremie was having a worship time with some friends.

I checked my emails just before watching the movie - and my whole mood changed - as I read a message from my dear friend in Uganda, Judith.

She was telling me about several of the HIV+ widows that we met when we were there.

Ruth's special needs grandchild is very sick and in hospital

Joyce has been very sick - and not enough food ~ ~ ~ makes me wonder who's caring for her 5 grandchildren...

And this beautiful lady has also been very very sick.

When we were there, we prayed for her little HIV+ daughter

since her mom said that she hadn't had a good night.

We found out when we went back a few days later

that she ended up getting admitted to hospital.

She had malaria ~ poor thing ~ and I was so bummed that she didn't get healed ~

The problem on the day we came back was that the little girl was ready to get discharged from the hospital with her mother, but the mother didn't have the money she needed to pay before being able to leave the hospital.
It wasn't very much - for us - and we paid it.
The hospitals in Uganda are usually free, but you have to pay for the food that you and the patient consume while there.

For her - it was a fortune that she didn't have.

She just came to Judith this week,

crying

because she has no food

and no money for transport to get her ARV (Anti retro viral) medicine.

This medicine will prolong the life of AIDS victims

and it's free in Uganda

but you need money to get to where they give it out

AND - since this medication is VERY strong

you HAVE to eat when you take it

or it will make you sick.

Please pray with me for Judith as she ministers to these ladies, day in, day out!
As I am writing, she is getting ready to go to the hospital to visit Ruth and her grandchild.

This is a quote from what she just wrote me:

"Its a big challenge but God will give me the grace. every morning I have at least 1-2 women sitting outside telling me all their needs,and its ok.
some of them don't have whom to tell. keep praying for me."

It literally makes me sick to my stomach to imagine what these precious women and children have to suffer! It is SO real to me!

This IS happening, right NOW!

While I am in my home

protected from the rain

eating, drinking, healthy

enjoying family

LORD, HAVE MERCY and show YOUR LOVE to these ladies PRACTICALLY!!!!

I have a project I'm working on ... but it's going way too slowly for my liking...

2011-03-24T20:31:00.006+13:00

The other day, Kylie came back in the evening from a birthday party at a friend's house.

As she wanted a little time to wind down before going to bed, I let her have it.

After a few minutes, she showed me this:

Here's the "translation":

You're safe Africa, because...

and on the other side:

Dear Africa, you are my only friends.

I know you really well

Because my Mom always talks about you

Because she is so caring for you.

I thought it was hilarious!

I have NO idea where she gets this from...
Even talking about "Africa being her only friends"...
She's got lots of friends ~ ~ ~ go figure...

Besides the spelling, I guess we'll have to work a little on her theology

Africa is NOT safe because I care for "it"

~ I wish ~

~ and I pray ~

that GOD would keep people there safe!

haha!

And to add to the fun, look at our lil boy

Deeply in prayer

So grateful for his German dinner of "Käsespätzle".

Yeah right - this happens to little boys who don't wanna take naps

'night!