God's sovereignty. His plans. His call. our blessing. our responsibility.
i was talking with 16 year old david today about what america is like, jobs, homes, food, etc, and was explaining to him that for all america and the people there are blessed with, comes much responsibility--to God. the account of our deeds, where our money went: starbucks or feeding the hungry. a big screen t.v. or a chance at a quality education for an orphaned child, a flashy car, or shoes for the ones with scarred feet. i am blessed beyond measure to myself know very giving people. to have people in my life that see the needs of others and reach out to meet those needs.
visiting orphans is an incredible organization. they live out james 1:27, and through short term mission trips, a passion is ignited in the hearts of many people who return to serve ministries that captured their hearts: that's how i came to serve at return ministries here in kampala, uganda.
on september 13th, a church team from california is coming to paint and help beautify the home these children are staying in. i remember less than a month ago, my comfortable life in the states, not thinking twice about pretty walls and the nice floors of my home, and reflect on my surroundings then compared to where these children live now. one day, they will have a mansion on streets of gold. one day they will be clothed with fine linen of purple, but until then, there are those that are stepping in to make where they are now a little prettier. i am posting some "in progress" pictures, as the walls are being primed prior to this teams arrival who will paint and buy new sheets and bed blankets. i am so filled with joy to think of the new rooms being revealed to my favorites, all 15. :)
if you click on the link to return ministries' site, you'll notice that pastor samuel has an incredible plan for a self-sustaining ministry that will also serve the community. a large part of this plan is buying land to build and serve on (they are renting now, and need MUCH more space). i've borrowed my dear friend autumn kerr's fundraising idea (you can read her story here):
if you donate at least $10 (paypal donate button is on the right side of my blog screen and a bit down), then after the rooms are painted, an artist who works with return is going to paint a tree in the girl's and boy's rooms and you will have your very own leaf on those trees--we can put your name and a bible verse too if you'd like, or a word of life: beauty, redeemed, loved, heirs, etc :)
this money will go to help purchase the land so they can began to become self-sustaining with farming, an adequate sized building to serve the community, and later, the building of a guest house to accommodate visiting teams and other groups.
please consider giving up two starbucks, one chic-fil-a visit, etc and help change these children's lives and also the future of kampala as a whole.
now: ("after" pictures to come in a few weeks! :) )
the girls' room
***don't let the dirt fool you, this is Holy ground.
i was talking with 16 year old david today about what america is like, jobs, homes, food, etc, and was explaining to him that for all america and the people there are blessed with, comes much responsibility--to God. the account of our deeds, where our money went: starbucks or feeding the hungry. a big screen t.v. or a chance at a quality education for an orphaned child, a flashy car, or shoes for the ones with scarred feet. i am blessed beyond measure to myself know very giving people. to have people in my life that see the needs of others and reach out to meet those needs.
visiting orphans is an incredible organization. they live out james 1:27, and through short term mission trips, a passion is ignited in the hearts of many people who return to serve ministries that captured their hearts: that's how i came to serve at return ministries here in kampala, uganda.
on september 13th, a church team from california is coming to paint and help beautify the home these children are staying in. i remember less than a month ago, my comfortable life in the states, not thinking twice about pretty walls and the nice floors of my home, and reflect on my surroundings then compared to where these children live now. one day, they will have a mansion on streets of gold. one day they will be clothed with fine linen of purple, but until then, there are those that are stepping in to make where they are now a little prettier. i am posting some "in progress" pictures, as the walls are being primed prior to this teams arrival who will paint and buy new sheets and bed blankets. i am so filled with joy to think of the new rooms being revealed to my favorites, all 15. :)
if you click on the link to return ministries' site, you'll notice that pastor samuel has an incredible plan for a self-sustaining ministry that will also serve the community. a large part of this plan is buying land to build and serve on (they are renting now, and need MUCH more space). i've borrowed my dear friend autumn kerr's fundraising idea (you can read her story here):
if you donate at least $10 (paypal donate button is on the right side of my blog screen and a bit down), then after the rooms are painted, an artist who works with return is going to paint a tree in the girl's and boy's rooms and you will have your very own leaf on those trees--we can put your name and a bible verse too if you'd like, or a word of life: beauty, redeemed, loved, heirs, etc :)
this money will go to help purchase the land so they can began to become self-sustaining with farming, an adequate sized building to serve the community, and later, the building of a guest house to accommodate visiting teams and other groups.
please consider giving up two starbucks, one chic-fil-a visit, etc and help change these children's lives and also the future of kampala as a whole.
now: ("after" pictures to come in a few weeks! :) )
the girls' room
the boys' room
main living area/food serving area
food storage area:
change lives. sacrifice. love.
a glimpse into the lives you are changing:
and a bit more of what you are changing:
to quote c.s. lewis:
if you read history, you will find that the christians who did the most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. it is since christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.
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