I just got back from my Visiting Orphans mission trip “Simply Love Haiti” and can’t wait to share with you the incredible stories and photos from the 7 days in Haiti. I love that God turned this trip into a grand adventure … all 16 of my team were extraordinary and just like you …. want to make a difference to the unreached people groups who have never heard about Jesus! On a personal note, God used this trip to rock my heart and taught me that I have so much to learn about sharing the gospel and loving BIG with compassion – not judging the actions of others. I will kick off Haiti Week here starting next Monday through Friday!  God gave me the gift of cheerleading and I pray that the stories will encourage you to GO and DO something to live dead. John 12:24.

I also wanted to thank you for your unswerving support and prayers the past week we were in Haiti. We needed prayer warriors and the comments and Facebook messages you left me made such a difference. We spent 2 days in Port-au-Prince and 5 days up in the mountains of Pignon- living at an orphanage called Haiti Home of Hope with the Campbell family.

Don’t miss the start of my project with Tom Davis and Children’s HopeChest ministry on February 14th …. Valentine’s Day!!!! This project will bless children and YOU with an extreme giveaway you can be a part of!! I can’t wait to tell you all about it!! Love you all!

My Crazy Readers, I wanted to apologize for all the craziness the past three weeks on my blog. My server was hacked, then my blog was hacked and contracted a little nasty virus. The virus is long gone, but they are still working on getting my blog back to normal… notice the photos are missing, too. Please pray for me and the ministry work we do here together at My Crazy Adoption. I feel like we’ve been attacked and need your prayers for protection. We are ALL in this together!! It’s made me feel discouraged, because I have so many stories and photos to share with you from my mission trip to Haiti. It was a life-changing trip. If you can still keep reading my posts and leave your comments- I promise, things will go back to crazy normal. I’m hoping to get a new face-lift with an incredible graphic designer, Prodigy Pixel, to keep making things here on my blog fresh and growing strong, so we can continue to make a real difference loving big and sharing the gospel all around the world.

We have a big, crazy project coming up soon (really soon!) with Tom Davis and Children’s HopeChest ministry. We are partnering together [again] with a new project and giveaway combination … just for YOU!!!! It will kinda blow you away- it’s just THAT crazy!!

Thanks for your continued support, prayers, cheers, and commitment to live James 1:27 in a radical way!!

Guest Blogger- Caleb David

Machine Gun Camera: A Philosophy in Short-Term Missions

Let’s clear the air. The world of short-term missions has been rocked recently with many new thoughts, blogs, missionaries and scholars.  I’m not writing to defend the camp that seems to think that all short-term mission trips are destructive, nor am I siding with those who are stuck doing things “the way they have always been done” and are offended at the other viewpoint and prefer the distance of being behind the machine gun camera.  The point of this article is to help us discover that we need each other and that it can be done in a holistic and effective way. I do not consider myself a revolutionary and am aware that there is nothing new under the sun, but we can find new ways to engage and apply the resources and wisdom that is already available to us.

I grew up as a preacher’s kid and spent several years as a child in India and the course of my life led me to work for a great short-term missions organization called Big World Ventures (www.bigworld.org) for many years in which we facilitated thousands on trips. The next phase of life came after we adopted our daughter, Sakari, from Ethiopia and on a vision trip back to Africa with Children’s Hopechest (www.hopechest.org), the Lord spoke clearly for us to launch a unique hybrid of short and long term missions while engaging individuals, ministry partnerships and communities – One Child Campaign.

Our philosophy: We believe that the purpose of short-term trips are to create awareness, build Kingdom-minded relationships, successful partnerships, funnel resources with accountability, give voice and facilitate sustainable solutions while connecting communities long-term.  This is accomplished through many creative streams and strategic partnerships. The trip is not the end result – the real work begins once we get back home. The goal is to be as invisible as possible and empower the local churches, missionaries and communities to continue the work seamlessly even after the team leaves. This means working within the appropriate cultural and ministry structure and being willing to never be recognized for our efforts.

To be honest, I totally get what the seemingly jaded long-term missionary is saying because of their encounters and the overall structure of “traditional” short-term team trips.  They have to deal with the effects of those who drop in but exit as quickly as they come. The other side is that short-term teams have the potential to raise awareness, bring resources and encourage those who are putting it all on the line daily. I’d like to establish what a short-term trip should NOT be: a poverty tour, a yearly penance to feel good about ourselves, a quick fix for our elusions of heroism, or a way to fill a hole in our identity. Are we secure enough in our calling and identity to never get an ounce of credit? Each of us must use our areas of influence with purpose and dignity, with a sense of awareness of each other.

We have to think beyond the 10-14 days of our time in a nation – beyond handing out candy, evangelical tracts and putting on drama performances and crusades. Now, before I’m called a heretic, I’m not saying those things are wrong, but I’m asking us to re-evaluate our initial integration into a foreign culture. I humbly ask you to think deeper than the surface of someone repeating a prayer after you. We must make disciples (the concept of multiplication) and that takes time, trust and truth. We must model consistency in our love. We go because we love Him and His people. Any other motivation is wrong.  

Everything in our lives ultimately goes back to our identity. In order to be effective we must first know who we are and know that we can hear and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd. He has called us to love and perfect love casts out all fear. He came to seek and save that which was lost. What was lost?? Communion and relationship with God – we are to be ministers of reconciliation, not heroes with good PR. The Gospels make it very clear that we are to go, but I think that many times we focus on the action of going and not on the attitude or the aftermath of our actions while we are there. We must constantly check the motivation of our hearts and look past the marketing, the budgets and conferences.

I believe that the church is finally waking up to its responsibility for social justice. I believe the next revival that we will see will be one of compassion and justice. Both of those words require the awareness of a need and an action to bring reconciliation or peace. Tim Keller shares in his book, Generous Justice, “In general, to “do justice” means to lives in a way that generates a strong community where human beings can flourish. Specifically, however, to “do justice” means to go to places where the fabric of shalom has broken down, where the weaker members of societies are falling through the fabric, and to repair it. This happens when we concentrate and meet the needs of the poor. How can we do that? The only way to reweave and strengthen the fabric is by weaving yourself into it.”

It can be intimidating, so do we just sit home in fear that we will do the wrong thing? I submit to you a resounding “no!” Where does our heart, mind and spirit need to be when we are about to step foot onto a plane when God calls us to go? We will start more discussion on this subject in our next post and offer some practical tips that will help you to prepare for your next trip. The Father clearly lets us know the harvest is ready in Matthew 9:35-38. We need to keep short-term trips going but lay down our own agendas, take the time to engage those who are there on the front lines fighting every day and use their wisdom and experience to forge an effective strategy together.

Yes, the trip will change you but remember it’s really not about you. Before you book your plane ticket and embark on a life changing adventure, commit to putting on the cloak of humility, walking in wisdom and lifting up the name of Jesus, so that all men would be drawn unto Him not just through your words, but primarily through your selfless love in action. 

One Child Campaign

www.onechildcampaign.com

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I wanted to make a statement (to myself) that turning 45 years old was just the beginning of a new era. I wanted to prove, that 45 was the new 35, but then I realized that I wanted 45 to be the new 45. I don’t want to be the person I was at 35, because God has done so much for me since that time. So, as my birthday present to me, I decided to spend it doing what I love the most …. a mission trip! I’m getting on an airplane [today] and flying with 16 crazy people to celebrate what life is really all about … simply loving one another.

My hubby challenged me to write about what I’ve learned the most over the past decade. I think the heart of the challenge, what has God changed the most in my life. I recently told one of my good friends … “I don’t think you would have liked me much 10 years ago!” They looked at me with a surprised look and responded, “Why?” It’s humbling to look back at how selfish I was with the blessings God gave me. I really lived a life that was all about me. I can’t believe that God has so much planned for me, but my stubbornness and immaturity held me back from the true blessings. I had no clue what it meant to live-dead or absolutely no interest in sacrificing my comfort, ambition, and purpose. The single most life-changing moment in my life was when we adopted Zoie. Adoption radically changed my life. I’m grateful today that He never gave up on me … patiently directing me as I tumbled all over the place until I fixed my eyes on His plan.

I’m definitely a work in progress, but God has changed the way I want to spend my time, how I spend my money, and my focus on what’s really important to Him. The past 10 years, I’ve grown up as a mom, and a wife, and a friend, but most importantly, I feel like I finally tapped into what God created me to do. I’ve stopped asking God to give me the desires of my heart, but ask Him to give me the desires of HIS heart. I make mistakes every day, but I’m learning how to have the freedom to learn from my mistakes and stop beating myself up for making them. I want to allow myself permission to have the freedom to be different, to make mistakes, to be vulnerable, and to keep my candor about the craziness of life.

My biggest challenge I’m tackling right now in my life, is not taking the time to self care. I have a tendency to take care of everyone around me with intense compassion, but I often forget to take care of me. I hate to admit this on my blog, but let’s keep it real … I’ve gained 23 pounds and stopped exercising. I joke about being a little “fluffy” but, I know I need to really take care of my physical body, too. I’ve committed this year, to get in shape and learn how to eat to live, instead of living to eat. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis last year and have kinda been in denial about the disease in my colon. I need to be gluten-free, but haven’t taken the time to make this life change in my eating. I’ve made a lot of mistakes the past year and I want to have the courage to self care. I want to continue to have an abundance of energy for my 3 kids and hubby to enjoy all the amazing adventures to come in my life.

Tomorrow, I turn 45 years old. I can’t wait to wake up in Port-au-Prince and head to the orphanage we’re serving for two days and hold a child in my arms – simply loving. My #1 birthday wish I to have the opportunity to love big on children who may have never heard about Jesus or the words … I love you! I want the day to be absolutely nothing about me, but about what God has planned for the day. I’m asking Him to pour His love and spirit through our team, so that every single person we come into contact feels His love through us. What a gift to give fully our time, energy, and love. I’m asking God to send a special child in my path that I can give the gift of the blessing.

Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. 1 Cor. 13:13

Would you please pray for the “Simply Love Haiti” Visiting Orphans team for the next 7 days as we serve in PAP and Pignon. We’ll have the opportunity to work for 2 days with a tent-orphanage and then up in the mountains in a tiny village. We’ll get to live in an orphanage and spend the day working at a clinic and loving the community. The people are deeply affected by their Haitian religion practices, Voodoo. It is the dominant religion of Haiti. Please pray for our protection and the salvation of the people we minister to.

Next week, please stop by here every day and read the amazing guest posts from a variety of readers …. moms, adoption stories, and mission-hearted stories!! Please, please, please leave your comments after you read their stories!!! It’s the best way to encourage more people to open up and share their life, too. I want to especially thank YOU for being a part of my life. I love you- readers who have made a difference in my life every day right here on my blog.

If you have enjoyed or learned something from this post … please share.

Abenezer had no idea I was coming.  When we arrived at around 10am, all the kids were in class.  We had to wait until noon to find the kids.  Even then, this is a HUGE school, so as I was waiting in the cafeteria, wave after wave of kids came in, but no Abenezer.  Finally, one of the Korah kids came running in to me and said “Abenezer is coming!”.  I saw him out the window and ran to him and caught him up in a big Mama Bear hug.  He was shocked to see me, and there were tears in his eyes when he looked at me.  I had wondered if he would remember me, since so many Americans tour Project 61.  Then he showed me something that rocked me to the core.  He told me he wanted to show me his belt buckle.  He lifted his shirt, and on his belt, made into a buckle, was the photo of my family I had given him back in July.  He was wearing my family around his waist!!  Wow.

Abenezer gave me a tour of Shashemene school, I saw his dorm room, the restrooms, the cafeteria, and the beautiful campus.  I asked him to remind me to give him the gifts I brought for him.  He told me he had a gift for me, too.  We stopped back in his room and he pulled his backpack out of his closet.  In this backpack was a package, wrapped in shiny red paper, just for me.  In it was three necklaces that he made     for me ( I am still wearing one of those as a bracelet, I never take it off) and a comp notebook.  In it were drawings for each of my family members, and at the end, his entire life story.  What an incredible gift…that he had been keeping in his backpack for the day he would see me again.  Again, wow.  Remember the picture album he looked at over and over again at the sleepover?  I brought that album back with me and gave it to him to keep.  I also gave him an Amheric bible and reminded him that God had big plans for His life.  I told him I loved him, but God loved him even more.  I told him to keep seeking God’s will, even when it is hard.

Here is where things get crazy.  I have only told this story to 3 or 4 people.  Even now, almost 3 months later, I’m not sure how to explain it.  Abenezer told me there was a prophet in the village, and that the prophet had told him some amazing things.  She told him that he would be a man who shared the Gospel of Jesus around the world.  He wanted me to meet this prophet.  When he found her I almost fell to my knees right there.  The prophet was Mulu, Mercy’s mother!!!  When she realized I was “Abenezer’s Mother”, she was so excited to talk to me.  Abenezer, Mulu, Henok (our translator) and I all went into a small room away from everyone else.  She told me that she dreamed about Abenezer before she had ever met him.  She knew this boy would be traveling to another country to talk about Jesus.  In fact, three days before this, she had told Abenezer a Forenge (foreign) woman would be coming with a group of other Forenge to visit him.  She had had a vision about that very moment in that room with the four of us talking about Abenezer.  Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

Sooooo….now, we are in the process of getting his visa.  I know God will provide, but I feel like I need to share this story, and give you the opportunity to help us bring Abenezer home.  He has his passport, but now is the hard part.  Visas are not given easily.  Lawyer fees and visa fees and airline tickets are expensive.  But it seems God has a plan, who am I to question it??  Please be praying fervantly for this precious boy and for our family and for this situation.  I do belive God has a BIG plan, which means the enemy will be working hard against it.  I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds!!

Don’t forget to leave a comment to cheer on my guest blogger …. thank you so much for sharing.

I’m traveling to Haiti with 16 mission-hearted people to simply LOVE big for 7 days this month with Visiting Orphans. Do you want to be a guest here on my blog? I’d really like to collect your crazy stories about mommyhood, adoption, and missions. I want to continue to use your stories to inspire readers to make a difference. There IS a place for short term missions with a purpose to go and share Him to all who are lost. I want to hear about your God-Adventure. Moms and Dads, you are making a difference every day in the life of your children. I want to hear the heartbeat of your daily craziness. If you have adopted or are in the process of adopting domestically or internationally, I want to know your adoption story at a deeper level – how did you open your heart to allow God to expand your family in a radical way. I’d also love your family crafts or favorite recipes to share.

It’s easy to be a guest blogger:

1. Email me your story ready to post- you are the writer & editor.
2. Share 1-3 photos of your family or subject clip art.
3. Include your blog link to share with readers (if you want)

Please send me your guest posts before Jan. 20th. Thank you so much!!!

Happy 4th Birthday Zoie!!!! We thank God every day for you!!

Update: we are starting the campaign OPERATION: MERCY to bring Mercy here for medical treatment. Please join us praying for Mercy and that the process of getting her passport and medical visa will be expedited. I will update here on My Crazy Adoption as we move forward. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown Mercy. (Matthew 5:70

I want today’s post to testify God’s mercy in Ethiopia.  I want every word to honor and respect and give all glory to the great Healer.  The first thing that seared through my heart was a mother’s pain.  What great lengths would I go through to seek help for my daughters?  I love Hannah and Zoie with all my heart and I would give my life for them.  I looked into the eyes of this desperate mother asking me to come to her home and pray for her sick daughter.  I saw faith, fear, and hope in her eyes.  I quickly grabbed a few girls on my team and told them to come with me to pray for this mother’s daughter.  She held my hand and told me her daughter, Mercy was very sick and needed healing.  Mercy was waiting for a miracle.

We entered the tiny house, only room for a bed.  Mercy was on her side and completely still.  I had no idea why she was sick or if she was even conscience.  I put my hand on her back and there was not a single movement.  She was dead still.  I felt fear prickling on my skin, but God immediately filled the space with His mighty power.  We laid hands on sweet Mercy and prayed for her healing.  I don’t remember any of the words we prayed, but I can only describe the moment as supernatural.  I could feel His presence.  I could feel His power.  God was pouring His love through us straight into Mercy.

God stirred our hearts to sing.  My precious friend, Katie had our song “Healer” from the previous day at Fistula Hospital and we played the song over Mercy.  I will never forget our five voices filling up the tiny space with words of Healing.  There is truly no words to express what happened that day in Korah.  In obedience, we followed a mother to her home with great faith, but in return witnessed an act of Mercy.

We walked back to the Korah Shelter and joined the team with preparing lunch.  I had no idea if Mercy was going to make it today- her circumstances seemed so dire.  Now, thinking back I have no idea why we didn’t scoop Mercy up in our arms and drive her to the clinic.  We prayed for her, but was that enough?  Thank you God for loving me and working through me despite my lack of faith.

I love reading the passages in the Bible about God healing the sick.  In Matthew 8: 5-13 and Luke 17: 11-19, both stories celebrate healing and great faith.  Jesus healed the 10 lepers and today we were feeding lunch to 10 men with leprosy.  Ministering in Korah literally feels like  stepping back in the Bible… it brings all your senses alive.  You see, hear, taste, feel, and touch His miracles in every direction.

I will never forget hearing my name yelled across the shelter, “Kari, it’s Mercy!”  I ran out and standing in front of me was Mercy and her mother.  Mercy looked radiant.  Her hair was wrapped in the bright blue silk scarf I had left for her.  I ran around and told the team to come and worship- celebrate with us a true miracle.  I witnessed a healing in Korah.

We circled Mercy and her mother and prayed a special blessing over this precious 15 year old girl.  We prayed a future for her.  Mercy’s mother shared her remarkable story with our team and we testify that God healed her body on February 25th, 2011.  Mercy had been sick in bed for over five months, unable to go to school or sing at church.  We hugged, cried, and celebrated her day of victory.  God quietly spoke to my heart and I gave her the ring I had brought to give to Zoie’s birthmother, if we found her.  Instead, I gave it to Mercy as her healing marker… something special she will always have to remember that God healed her body.  The next two days, Mercy came to the shelter dressed in her school uniform and made sure we knew she was feeling strong.  I will never forget God’s merciful, miraculous day in Korah.  Sweet Mercy, you have changed my life.  Thank you for trusting us to come in your home and pray for you.  Thank you for holding my hand when we bought you your special celebration outfit at the market.  You looked so beautiful in your new clothes and shoes.  You are my hero and I love you.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. (Ephesians 3:20)

Please leave Mercy a special blessing prayer today in the comments.

I Saw What I Saw

{Dedicated to my friend Mercy}

I saw what I saw and I can’t forget it
I heard what I heard and I can’t go back
I know what I know and I can’t deny it
Something on the road
Cut me to the soul
Your pain has changed me
Your dream inspires
Your face a memory
Your hope a fire
Your courage asks me what I’m afraid of
And what I know of love.

(Sara Groves)

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER OF THE MISSION TRIP GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET READY FOR A LIFE CHANGING GOD-ADVENTURE!!!!! CLICK HERE TO VIEW …. IS IT YOU?

The Lord is going to bless someone in a real BIG way

He’s going to bless their socks off their feet TODAY!

He’s got a plan, and He will make it clear

Everyone, let’s stand up and cheer!

The winner will go to the other side of the planet

And be radically changed for good, can you stand it?

Faces gazing at them, young and old,

Looking for love, same as gold.

Joy, praise, and love of the Father above

Will fuel all the actions wrapped in love.

Two packed weeks in a faraway land

And an opportunity to reach out a hand

Love BIG for Jesus and draw people in

TODAY is the day!  Let the adventure begin!

(Thank you Sue Bee for writing this amazing jingle for my blog today!! Love you!)

Crazy bloggers, I will announce the GRAND PRIZE WINNER on Saturday morning on My Crazy Adoption! Visiting Orphans will video the drawing LIVE at the Give2Go Event! I can’t wait to see WHO God has chosen to win the mission trip!!

****************************************************************

ONLY 1/2 DAY LEFT TO ENTER THE MISSION TRIP GIVEAWAY HERE!!

Grand Prize Winner will be drawn on Friday, December 2, 2011 at our 2nd Annual Visiting Orphans Give2Go event in Nashville, TN. You do not need to be present to win. Winner will be notified by Monday, December 5th.

(Deadline for online purchases are Friday, Dec 2 at 12 noon CT!) Purchase one of these special tees designed just for this giveaway! You get your name in the drawing for every one of these tees that you purchase. So if you purchase 5 men’s and 5 women’s – you get 10 entries!!!! It’s that easy!

Anywhere

in the world

on a Visiting Orphans missions trip….

Open your hearts to Go, Be, and Love orphans!!

El Salvador, Costa Rica, Haiti, Ecuador, Honduras, China, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, India and Ukraine!

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