Orphan Sunday

STATISTICS …
Did you know there are 147 million children worldwide who have lost one or both parents?
Every 14 seconds an AIDS death leaves another child orphaned.
Approximately 88 million orphans live in Asia.
Approximately 45 million orphans live in Africa.
Approximately 14 million orphans live in Latin America & the Caribbean.
Approximately 1 million children live in public care in Central and Eastern Europe
More than 800,000 children pass through America’s foster care system each year.
These statistics do not even include the UNKNOWN children living orphaned both here and abroad that go uncounted, unnoticed and unloved.

James 1:27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for the orphans and widows in their troubles and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”

Go HERE for 10 way you can help orphans!

Finally.....WHY???

I have a 147 million little reasons....



People look at my life and think that I have it pretty good. You know what? I do. I have so much abundance.. So much it almost makes me sick. The apostle Paul addresses the issue of giving in light of inequality:





"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there may be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need."
2 Corinthians 8:13-14

Does it hurt? You bet......



but THEIR PLENTY WILL SUPPLY YOUR NEED...




You see...I need Africa more than Africa needs me...

I had hoped to never forget.. to never become complacent..too comfortable..

"If you say, "Behold, we did not know this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?" Proverbs 24:12

But I Do know this...I DID see it...and I became lukewarm..

"It is not scientific doubt, not athesism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quelch the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity"

and that, dear ones is WHY I'm going back.

When???

Soon...!!! Wow, this happened pretty quickly! I need to get packing!

My itinerary:

Sat Nov 14th depart Chicago 16:35 via KLM airways
land in Amsterdam 0705am

depart Amsterdam 1040am
land Entebbe 20:40

total travel time: 19 hrs :)

Returning to the US on 12/22
-more layovers and more airports increase travel time to 26hrs :).

An Amani Baby Cottage driver will transport me to and from the airport.

I will be staying here while in Jinja, Uganda.


What?? UPDATED!! :)

My job while at Amani will be the medical care of the children, staff and volunteers. Many of the children have chronic health problems. The premie room has teeny tiny babies and the home receives babies and children everyday. Some are found abandoned- thrown out like trash...others are brought by authorities.

The medical director has made out picture ID med sheets for the entire stay to help out! She has been working alot of overtime to prepare for her leave and has also been making diet changes to slowly improve their nutrition status. I'm so grateful for all her extra hard work, as I may have my hands full! I don't know about sub-Saharan parasitic disease, infections, etc. I pray that I may handle any problems as they arise and just be the hands and feet of Jesus... Additionally, I will go to HIV and TB clinics. Please pray that the children will all remain relatively healthy and that I will do a diligent job with their care.

I am also helping by transporting water filters and some special baby formula to the baby home. I found out that malnourished or starving children cannot digest regular formula, so they need a special one that is expensive. This particular one costs double that of regular formula. I contacted the regional rep for this formula and was told that they cannot provide help for overseas missions. My church is also helping by providing more formula for these delicate children. I'll take as much as I can carry and ship the rest!! Who knows? Maybe at some point, we will do a "formula drive" here?? I bet I know at least a few people that would donate a can of powdered formula :).

I will have a schedule..they will provide that for me when I arrive. Typically volunteers work at least 8 hr days and have a day off at some point..I will help out whenever needed, and of course will be on call, but am excited to get to meet up with Catharine Coon at some point!! It will be an adventure as I will get to poke around town a bit..Dinner is "on your own" so I will either go to the grocery store or a local restaurant. It is a beautiful, peaceful place that overlooks Lake Victoria.

Seriously...I feel like the LUCKIEST girl alive!!

What??

What I'll be doing in Uganda.....


Amani Baby Cottage was established in 2003 to provide care for orphaned and abandoned children. ABC is located in Jinja, Uganda near the shores of Lake Victoria.

We can house up to 60 children ages birth to 5 years. Children are referred to us through the local authorities and the social welfare system. Many are orphaned when their parents die due to AIDS, birth complications or other factors. Some are abandoned in the hospital after birth. Others are found abandoned at taxi stops, in latrines, or on the street.

Our goal is that each one of them will find a place with a loving Christian family. To date, a total of 203 children have been cared for in our home. 37 of these have been reunited with extended family members, 83 have been fostered into new families, and 16 have been transferred to other ministry placements. We do not refuse children in fragile health, thus 20 children have died while in our care (stats of December 2008).

Amani Baby Cottage employs about thirty Ugandan workers to care for our children, and also enjoys the assistance of a number of volunteers from around the world.

We operate under the covering of Total Family Outreach, a non-profit US corporation. Amani Baby Cottage operates by faith in a loving, heavenly Father who has promised to take up the cause of the orphan.
Copyright © 2009 Total Family Outreach.

WHERE?

The Lord has called me back to Africa.....Uganda to be exact.



So, where exactly is Uganda?



Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa, bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, and Tanzania.

Some of you may remember that the last time I was in Africa, I spent time in Kampala, Gulu and Masaka.

This trip, I will stay in Jinja. Jinja is Uganda’s second largest urban centre, and is 80km to the east of Kampala on the shores of Lake Victoria. Approaching the town from Kampala involves travelling across the Owens Falls Dam and over the world’s longest river, the Nile, which starts its 6,500 km journey to the Mediterranean Sea on the west side of Jinja. A golf course and gardens are laid out along the banks and the river’s starting point is marked. On the west bank is a monument marking where the English explorer, James Hanning Speke became the first European to see the much speculated Source of the River Nile.

Over the next week, I will share WHAT? WHEN? HOW?....and most importantly- WHY??

Stay tuned :)

Mother Theresa

"Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work"

We are not ALL called to ADOPT. Some are...

We are not ALL called to give up security, family and earthly treasure to move to foreign lands and serve the poorest of the poor. Some are...

We are not ALL called to inner city street missions in our own towns. Some are...

I read the other day that the Bible states 60 times to care for the widows and the orphans. "If this were the reading eye chart, it would be the large E at the top". How much clearer could that be?

What can YOU do?

PRAY....Mentor...LOVE...Serve...Encourage...GIVE TIME...DONATE...MAKE A DIFFERENCE

I encourage you today, as orphan Sunday approaches, to examine where He would have you serving...for those who are given much....much is expected...