So Africa It Is...

Hello Blog. It's been awhile. There's been a lot going on lately. Let me fill you in. I could simplify...but where's the fun in that?!

So the story begins with the stopping of our second adoption last fall. It was painful, I mean really painful. The hopes, the planning, the dreaming...was all gone. It sounds strange, but the only thing that may be close to it is a miscarriage. The loss of a child - before you've even met. I was in mourning for a while, and I still mourn from time to time -- but, as in all situations that you can't control, we must move forward and have faith that God's timing is perfect and that He has a plan. Although I cannot see...I can trust...and although I cannot have my desires, I can hold to my faith.

And my faith has brought me here...

I am a great believer in the thought that there are no coincidences with God - always have been, always will be. For several years now, I have felt a strong urge to promote adoption and help the most vulnerable of our society...the orphans. I did an adoption blog for Mia's adoption & an orphan awareness video, I made a few orphanage connections in India, but just wasn't sure what to do. I DID know that I should take the energy I would have directed towards our adoption and focus it on something else. For more direction, I decided to schedule a meeting with my pastor. When we met with him, I shared my desires and asked for his direction on where to go next. Jon, our amazing pastor (we love that man so much!) said that just 2 days before I asked to meet with him, he had asked the council to pray that someone would come forward to help promote a child sponsorship program in Zambia (our church is partnering with the country of Zambia for the next decade). I went to Pastor Jon thinking about how to start an orphan care ministry in our church and ended up being asked to help lay the groundwork for a child sponsorship program. I am beyond thrilled! I'll be working with a great group of people to aid the children of Zambia.

During that meeting, an opportunity came up for me to go with a team to Zambia this summer. We will be going to install water wells and help build a training facility. I will also be focusing on learning more about the children that will be sponsored and will be trying to gain a more complete understanding of their needs. Zambia Fact: The country of Zambia has approx. 1.4 million orphans - the second highest number of any country in the world. 57% of Zambian orphans have been orphaned by AIDS. Our sponsorship program will focus on the most vulnerable at this particular school...the children who have lost one or both parents...the orphaned. Being able to visit the school and get to know the kids will be such a blessing...I wish I could go tomorrow! Hopefully this will be just the first school of many more to come! The Luka Foundation is doing wonderful things...I'm so excited to be part of it!

Seeing what I saw in India broke my heart for children in need. How much more will my heart break by visiting Zambia? What will life look like when I return? I'm trusting God, the One who gave me this desire in the first place, to take what I experience, to take my heart that's been broken for the children I'll meet and be able to use it for their benefit and for His glory.

I'm still working out the details on HOW to get to Zambia. I've joined a little late in the game...the other team members have had quite a bit more time to raise the funds to go. I'm praying that all will work out if it's meant to.

This video was brought to my attention by Joy...a great gal with a heart for children in need -- we've both decided that we would be the best of friends if we lived close! Joy will be going to Uganda in November. Thanks for making me aware of this video, Joy...I'm passing it on.

So now is the scary part...moving from IDEATION to ACTION. I told God of my desires. He listened. He guided. So Africa it is.

If you feel led to contribute to my trip, you can find more info on how to do that here.

The photographs above are by a talented photographer named Michael Mistretta.