South Africa

Wish I had a lot of time to spend on this. South Africa has gotten under my skin. I figured it would, but not so fast. Yesterday was our first Discipleship Training session. I taught on True Leadership. Usually I'm a bundle of nerves before I speak. I really don't like doing it. My stomach is churning before, during, and after. The team started praying for me Monday night and continued all day on Tuesday. The peace God poured out on me was so pure. Today I'm going with 5 other women to help cook for the orphan feeding station. Pray for me. I'm hoping not to be a blubbering idiot.

Giving when it hurts

I've been reading up on Ten Thousand Homes over the last couple of days and let's just say that I've been extremely impressed and extremely moved.

For a few years now I've known about Ten Thousand Homes because I know a family on the ground with them in South Africa. Their faith family in the States strongly supports the ministry with funds and volunteers.

Over the last couple of days there has been a tug in my soul to visit there, so that's when I started doing more intense research about TTH.

I came across this in their blog.

10K Tuesday: A Sacrificial Gift

Last week, a local volunteer at our Kabokweni Care Center was seen counting her money. When asked why, the volunteer replied that she had seen that one of the orphaned children needed new school clothes and she wanted to help. This volunteer is a single mother with several children of her own and she struggles everyday to put food on her table, but despite all of her own trials she gave from her heart even though it must have hurt.

Creative Action:

This is a challenge for all of us this week. Find a way to give even when it hurts. Whether that means sacrificing your money, time, or emotions, find your own way to give sacrificially, which means ESPECIALLY when it hurts.

WOW!

TTH 2 from Ten Thousand Homes on Vimeo.

Love Mercy - a book, a shop and a journey

While in Nashville this past weekend I paid a visit to McKay's (thank you Sarah Freeman) and found the book Love Mercy - A mother & Daughter's Journey from the American Dream to the Kingdom of God. It's a brand new book, just published in this here 2010.

The title caught my eye, because that's the name of my Etsy shop and then the author's name caught my eye, because she is one of my favorite authors. And since my daughter and I were in Nashville on a social justice trip it was a buy, buy, buy situation.

Lisa Samson and her daughter, Ty, wrote the book together about their trip to Swaziland and how it rocked their world.

Lisa and I have a lot in common.

She writes great fiction.
I like to read great fiction.

She and her husband wrote a great book, Justice in the Burbs.
I read Justice in the Burbs and recommend it to people all the time.

She was born in '64.
I was born in '63.

She has a child born in '89.
I have a child born in '89.

She and her daughter have been to Africa.
I've been to Africa with one of my daughters.

See! We're almost twins!

I'm only on Chapter 3, but I'm greatly appreciating this book. The writing styles are welcoming and honest. Can't wait to finish it.