Henry's Birthday

Henry is THREE! Although, Henry insists that he is four...
Henry's birthday party was postponed because of the snow.
We had a small celebration at home after a fun filled day of playing in the snow.
Henry opened his presents from his grandparents.

We'll have another party when the snow and ice melt and Aunt Shawn arrives.

Snow!

We don't typically get snow where we live.
The weathermen were promising several inches of snow over night but we never believe them... most of the time we get rain or a few flakes of snow.
At bed time it was snowing.
The boys were so excited they woke up at 6:30 ready to play in the SNOW!!

Haiti

I have a secret.... I want to go to Haiti. Yesterday I saw a post on Facebook- people needed to go to Haiti next week to help 200 orphans. There were a couple requirements-
1. Current passport (check) 2. updated shots (check) 3. mission experience (check) 4. funds available to go immediately (hmmm..).
I mentioned it to Rob and he said, "Go." My husband is such a supporter.
There are a couple obstacles-
-I had oral surgery Monday and I'm still recovering. I'm taking antibiotics for another week and won't get my stitches out for another 3 weeks. I need to check with the doctor. I do not want to be a potential liability to the team.

-Child care for Henry. We pulled Henry out of nursery school two weeks ago. (more on that later) Who would watch Henry while I was gone?

-Funds to go. If I am suppose to go to Haiti, I know the funds to go will be revealed.

While I was trying to think through childcare and the funds, I saw another message- they had all the team spots filled. I thought, oh well, it wasn't meant to be. This afternoon I saw another message posted- another team will go in February......
I'm calling the doctor in the morning.

More pictures from Grace Baptist Church, Kombolcha Ethiopia

Great news! Several people have contacted me to sponsor a child in Kombolcha!
Are you interested in sponsorship or learning more about sponsorship? E-mail me at mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com
Here are some of the precious children we met at Grace Baptist Church.


I ask you to consider sponsoring a child at Grace Baptist Church, in Kombolocha, Ethiopia. I met these children when I traveled there with Children's Hope Chest in December, 2009. I saw the need first hand.

Many of the children in Komobolcha are double orphans- meaning they have lost both parents. They live with a relative but many of these families can only provide a roof over the child's head. These families are so impoverished that they cannot provide food for the child they take in.

Can you imagine living with a family but not being fed? These children's lives are as important as own child(ren) or grandchild. God calls us to care for the ‘least of these’ and in doing so, we care for Jesus himself. The orphans in Kombolocha have nothing. I witnessed the children eating grass simply because they did not know where their next meal would come from or when it would come.

What is SPONSORSHIP? It is the most precious gift you can give an orphan. A sponsor is a
person who commits to three things that we call Pray, Say, and Pay.

1. Pray: As a sponsor, we ask that you would pray for your child as often as possible. Your child’s packet will give you information about their circumstances, family of origin, orphanage, town, and country–all vital tools in helping you pray for your child.

2. Say: (AKA Write Letters) Using the “Write Your Child” link on the Children's Hope Chest Web site you may write your child as often as you’d like. We ask sponsors to try and send a message to their child about once a month. In your information packet, you’ll get more details about how
to send handwritten letters to our office for delivery. A simple letter from a sponsor is one of the most precious gifts to a child who literally has no one.

3. Pay: Each sponsor commits to a $34/month (per year) sponsorship relationship that provides a child with many benefits. Your funds will be providing meals, discipleship, access to clean water, basic medical care and education to your child.

4. Trip: Once a year Children's Hope Chest will plan a trip for the supporters of the Kombolcha orphans to visit with their sponsored kids. This is not mandatory, but if you are willing and able it is life changing to be in Africa and see things first hand, and especially to love on the little child you have had a relationship with all year!

If you do not feel that you are able to sponsor a child right now, please consider making a one time gift to help us meet their greatest need right now: Food!

If you want to be a part of our sponsorship team, please email me mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com with the number of children you are willing to sponsor as well as if you would like a boy/girl/or no preference. Once we get the pictures and profiles prepared we will contact you with your child's information!

Children's Hope Chest Sponsorship Site

Jeremy received the call from Children's Hope Chest (CHC) saying we are a "go" for Grace Baptist Church in Kombolcha, Ethiopia!! You may read more about our time in Kombolcha here.
The CHC staff in Ethiopia will go to Kombolcha in approximately 3 weeks to take pictures of all 180 children and the hear each child's story. We should have profile information on each of the kids by March!
Many of the children served by Grace are double orphans, meaning both of their parents have died. Most of these children have nothing but the clothes on their back and they come to school with empty stomachs.
When I think about trying to find 180 sponsors I get a little overwhelmed but we will do it one child at a time. Please talk with your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers about the kids at Grace Baptist Church. You may contact me through facebook or mblueberry.madamblueberry@gmail.com to let me know if you or anyone else may be interested in sponsorship. I would love to be able to say we have 180 people/families ready to sponsor a child when the profiles become available. For $34 per month each child sponsored will receive; food, access to basic health care, education, clothing and christian discipleship.
Here a few of the children we meet will at Grace. I will never forget the young girls who kissed my hands, my palms, my cheeks.. these girls wanted to be loved, hugged and cared for... we can make a difference in a child's life.

Our Anniversary

Today is our wedding anniversary!
We are looking forward to many more wonderful years together.

One life changed

We met this young lady at Grace Baptist Church in Kombolocha, Ethiopia. Please take a minute to watch her story and see how the church is making an impact.

Rabia Sayid Story from Children's HopeChest on Vimeo.

More Christmas pictures

Igor and his school bus driver dressed as Santa

Henry was not excited to meet Santa

Igor and Santa

Faithful servant?

Today I had an interesting but short conversation about being a Christian. The conversation was about serving the poor, orphans and widows. Both view points are by Christians.
My point is Christians cannot ignore the poor, orphans and widows. As Christians we are called to actively care for them. The other point of view is- as Christians helping the poor, orphans and widows is optional. Our primary responsibility is to share that Jesus died for our sins.

After I hung up the phone I thought about what was just said. How could we have such a different view? I know that not everyone is suppose to adopt a child. I know that each one of us is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. We aren't suppose to DO something just because it's a good thing to do... I know that I am suppose to step out in faith, even if it's not comfortable. I don't always get it right the first or second time. I wondered, could I be wrong? Am I making this all up because I WANT to believe we are suppose to care for the hurt, hungry, poor, orphaned and widowed? Is it optional?

I did not go to seminary and below is what I (Candy) believe is true.
I opened up my bible and looked up a few scriptures that came to mind. The first one is Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

I let these words sink in for a few minutes. "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
The way I read this, it does not it sound like caring for the least of these is optional.

The another Scripture that came to mind was the Good Samaritan, Luke 10-25-37.
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

When I read: Jesus said, "Go and do likewise." I hear that we are suppose to "go" and "do". I hear him saying. "love your neighbor as yourself." That doesn't sound optional to me.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

There are several other verses that stand out but I won't list them here for now.

I will be praying that there will be another conversation. Not a conversation where someone is right or wrong but one where the focus is what Jesus said.

Christmas vacation

snow!

winking!

more winking

decorating cookies

Christmas Eve (Henry insisted on making "CHEESE" faces)

Henry checking out the salmon before it goes in the oven

Ethiopia Next steps

It's hard to believe that one month ago I was in Ethiopia! The memories are still so fresh in my mind.

My next step is to pick a location in Ethiopia for sponsorship. The two options are a soccer ministry for street kids in Addis or the children at Grace Baptist Church in Kombolcha. There are several things I need to be finalized before I can post the information here.

Once a location has been picked, I will be looking for sponsors. I hope that some of my faithful readers will become sponsors!

I know some of you are asking what "sponsorship" means.

Here are the details:

The Hopechest staff in Ethiopia talks with each child as well as their guardian/parent and teacher to find out as much as possible about each child at the location chosen. That information will be included in the child's "profile" along with their picture. Once you are matched with your sponsor child, you will register with Hopechest through their website and you can immediately send a letter and pictures to your sponsored child to introduce yourself/your family.

Approximately $34 per month ensures that your sponsor child will have two nutritious meals every day, along with other basic needs; clothing, medical care, education, school supplies and Christian discipleship met.

I have met the children in the soccer ministry and at Kombolcha. The needs are great but we can make a difference one child at a time.