Hope for the Orphan

I put this video together from my trip to Ethiopia. Some of the children have sponsors and some don't. Our prayer is that one day we will say "they all have sponsors!"
We are in the process of placing pictures on our website of children still waiting. We are concerned about the older ones. Time is running out for them.
Visit: http://www.hugaway.org/

Cari

What would you do if you were told you have stage 4 terminal liver cancer and it's in your blood stream? Your in your early 40's, have a great husband, family, friends, career. You have so much to live for and then a doctor says...cancer...terminal. Would you cry? faint? get mad? sit in disbelief? Would you scream at God and ask, why me? What would you do?
I'm not sure what I would do. But if I did have to answer that question and I pray I never do, I would hope I would react the way my friend Cari has.
This past week Cari heard these words and her response was "That's what the doctors say, that's not what my God says." And today during church as Cari and her husband Stephen stood in front of the congregation her faith showed. We went down to pray for her and when we were through and we stood around her she asked if she could speak. She said "I have no fear. I can't explain it all I know is that this is God." And as I stood inches from her and looked at her there was no fear. None. What I saw was hope, faith, courage and strength!  She looked so confident,determined and strong. If I was cancer I would be very afraid of Cari!
In my heart I believe Cari will beat this and when she does what a testimony she will have! She is putting her trust in God and in turn He has given her a peace that is beyond all understanding.
The bible says "have the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains." Cari's faith is much bigger than a mustard seed!
Please pray for Cari, her husband and family. Cari knows the battle will not be an easy one but she has put on the Armor of God and He will stand with her through this battle.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

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Asking until it hurts!

Well, my last post of 100 friends helping Hug Away didn't happen. One person, my sister Jamie, was the only one who responded and what is so cool about that is she doesn't have the money to help but she was willing. Thank you Jamie for having a willing heart! No worries, God is always faithful and good!
I know people get tired of me asking for money for Hug Away, heck I get tired of asking! It's not my favorite thing to do. But the reality is we can't do what we do without money. It is what it is. But God has called me to help these kids who have nothing so I will continue to ask until either God returns to earth or I leave earth! Just saying.

I have shown pictures of our kids in Ethiopia but I haven't showed any pictures of life in Ethiopia.

Asleep, dead? Who knows. We saw a man we think was dead because people were poking him with a stick and he didn't move. That is reality in Ethiopia.



Hoping to find food.

  

I met this momma at the school. She was crying because her children were hungry and she didn't know how she would feed them.



This is after we told her that we would make sure they had food every month.

 

A single mom who works when she can but they don't have enough to eat. Project Hunger no More was born and they were our first family we sponsored.



They came up to our van begging for food. I gave them some "take away" I had saved from eating out and a little bit of money.  The little one kissed my hand, hugged me and thanked me. He was about 3 years old.

 

These ladies are Christians and are participating in a amazing "cow" program. They buy a cow wit money from money borrowed through a co-op, they fatten up, sell it, save part of the money and pay back their loan. It has been very successful!

 

A family we met on the side of the road in the middle of no where coming back from a village.

This is a little guy who followed us around at a church where my friends were teaching for a couple of days. The only thing he had to play with was a old plastic lid and we never could figure out where he lived.

And when I feel like giving up all I have to do is think of the kids I met in Ethiopia. If you could look into the face of a child starving and begging for food it would change you...in ways you could never imagine.

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
— Mother Teresa

100

I am asking 100 of my friends (or more!) to commit $10 a month (or more!) to Hug Away so 33 kids can go to school, eat every day, have minor medical needs met, and attend Saturday Sunday School! Times are tough but we still need to help these children. They don't want anything fancy. All they want is to go to school and know they have will have a meal each day. Maybe you could get your Sunday School, work place, book club, friends anyone you can think of and put your money together and sponsor a child. Give a voice to these precious ones who have no voice.

You can email Elaine at hugawayfoundation@cox.net if you would like more information.

If you would like to commit $10 a month visit our website at:  http://www.hugaway.org/ 

Please help us spread the word

Your donation is tax deductible.

From our kids in Ethiopia, Mike and Elaine, thank you!

In you the orphan finds mercy. Hosea 14:3

And the beat goes on

Last night I had the pleasure of taking my daughter to hear Hye-Jin Kim a extraordinary violinist from S. Korea. She was playing with the Signature Symphony at our local community college. As I listened to this talented young violinist and a fantastic symphony, my mind went back to the first time I was introduced to a symphony.
Growing up in my home wasn't always pleasant. School and playing outside and listening to music were escapes for me. When I was at school I would imagine that I had a life like the rest of my friends. There was no yelling or hitting. We knew we would eat. At the end of the day myself along with my sisters were tucked in bed by our parents as they wished us sweet dreams.
Outside all the stress would come out! My sisters and I would play all day outside and not think of what night time would bring behind the walls of our home. And the music? Well I would sing and dance to all of it! Country, Rock, Musicals. For a moment my spirit was free!
As I entered the 6th grade things were getting worse at home. But I would soon find a new escape. Every 6 weeks the school I attended in San Antonio would take the 6th graders downtown to hear the San Antonio Symphony. The girls wore their prettiest dresses and the boys wore a dress shirt and tie. The first time I walked in the beautiful coliseum where the orchestra played I knew I had was about to experience something wonderful. A new love for music was born.
Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. Red Auerbach
I love all kinds of music. Not a big fan of opera or rap. But like all music it is an expression of ones feelings, thoughts and beliefs. I don't like it when they feel the need to cuss, sing about sex or use violent terms against women. Or you have the bass so loud in your car that you shake everything around you and can't understand the words!  Don't see the point of that at all.
My three sons love music, not the symphonies but they love music. Two of my daughters play violin and I played the flute from 7th - 12th grade. Last night was the first time since the 6th grade that I was able to share my love for the symphony with someone! Cameron was invited to go but she chose not to. I found that a little odd. She is in the 6th grade and began playing the violin the beginning of the school year and she took to it like a duck to water. She  has a beautiful voice and she is Korean!  I thought she would love to go. But alas, it wasn't Justin Bieber! She will come around as soon as they find a cure for Bieber fever! Jordan loves different kinds of music also. Like me she appreciates the beauty that the sound of the orchestra brings. It speaks to your soul.
Music isn't just learning notes and playing them, You learn notes to play to the music of your soul. Katie Greenwood
I pray that Orchestra, Jazz bands, High School bands & choirs are never eliminated from schools. Those programs have helped thousands of kids throughout the years cope, dream and move on,

Jordan ready to play at the Broken Arrow PAC with the H.S. Orchestra

Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets."
1 Chronicles 13:8 (NKJV)

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Need a smile?

I needed a smile today. Kennedy makes me smile with the little matter of fact things see she says. The past couple of months she has come up with some good ones. I thought I would share some of them on my blog because I have several family members who don't have facebook and I know they would get a kick out of them.  I hope it brings a smile to your face too!

The other day we were sitting in the car waiting to meet up with my grand kids. Kennedy informed us that a little boy in her class was saying a bad word. She said "you know mom the A word."  I looked at her and said "you mean the other word for donkey?" Of course she had no clue what I meant and looked very confused and annoyed. She said "no momma the A word! You know the one daddy says all the time and you tell him not to say it and it he says "it's in the dictionary." It sounds like ant. Now I was confused! Finally my daughter Jordan said "you mean ain't?" Kennedy's eyes get big and she said "yes that bad word!"

Another good one. Me and Kennedy were sitting in the kitchen and she was eating her breakfast. I realized the date February 28th. I said " My moms birthday is today. Kennedy looked confused and said "you have a mom?" "Of course. She died when I was pregnant with Dustin." "You were pregnant with Dustin?!" " Yes. How do you think he got here?" I thought you picked him out from some country!"

Kennedys plan for her and Kooper, her boyfriend.

They will marry when she is 23 & He will be a dentist. She will write & illustrate books about ballerinas for 7 years. Then they will have 8 kids, she will be a stay at home mom & home school. Dayna asked Kooper if he wanted to be a dentist, he said no. Kennedy said " Hey I already signed you up!"

Not funny but sweet.
Mommy I don't know what faith is but I know I have it.

Thank you Kennedy for giving your mommy such great joy!