Dear crazy reader,

I just wanted to personally thank you for your support, prayers, cheers and encouragement during the Missions Trip Project!  My dream to give away 2 trips to Ethiopia just became a reality.  I can’t believe I’m actually saying these three words, but YOU DID IT!!!!!  We did it together!

I was so scared to launch this project… I really had no idea if anyone would want to join my crazy team in Ethiopia!!  But, this was the start of something so big for missions!!  You have prayed and hoped and dreamed with me!  Two blessed people are going to join me serving and loving orphans in Ethiopia!  Every single tee has provided love for an orphan.

Here’s whats soooo exciting!!!  The Project ends October 28th at midnight.  ABOVE & BEYOND to raise a love gift for two of my favorite ministries- Project 61 working in Zoie’s Korah and Visiting Orphans!!  We have the opportunity to bless the ministries making a difference every day loving orphans!!

He is whispering to you…”trust me, I know what I am doing, I have it all worked out- I have plans to take care of you, plans not to abandon you, plans to give you the future you have hoped for… when you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I WILL LISTEN… I can do anything you know- far more than you could ever imagine, or guess, or request in your WILDEST DREAMS.” (Jer 29:11 & Eph 3:20)

Project ends 10/28 at midnight!!

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I’m so excited to share with you our Ethiopia Missions Trip Itinerary with Visiting Orphans.  1 special person will join our team and travel February 17-26, 2011 to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Your trip is already paid in full, so sit back and enjoy the ride.  [The trip blog here.]

(Visiting Orphans) In Ethiopia, our teams invest in impoverished children and orphan’s lives.  Our trips to Ethiopia are popular due to work we are doing in partnership with Project 61 at the city dump in Addis Ababa.  Many children who live and work in the dump are receiving sponsorships and those on the team are returning with their lives changed forever.  Our prayer at Visiting Orphans is that we will hear and answer the cry of the orphan.  We are doing this in Ethiopia through visiting orphanages that are rarely visited by others, letting the children know they are loved by each of us and their Abba Father, Jesus Christ. Each Visiting Orphans team returns with news of other unreached orphanages or children and so we build each itinerary based on the last trip.

You can also follow along on my Ethiopia trip blog for mission updates, incredible stories about the ministries we will serve and building relationships pre-trip with the team leaders.  The team will work with literally hundreds of orphans and  incredible projects during our time in Ethiopia.

I’m planning with Visiting Orphans ministry projects that are out of the box.  I want the time we spend in Ethiopia to be life changing for the children we work with.  You will have a chance to love with all your hearts.

Here’s a few things you will get to do:

The team will be working in Addis Ababa with Project 61 for extreme needy children living in the Korah city dump and a 2-day ministry for orphaned street children (feeding program). We will have a special outreach at an orphanage 1.5 hours outside the city, as well as an excursion to Negash Lodge to see the beauty of rural Ethiopia.  We will also visit Fistula Hospital for an exclusive tour of the center and the courageous women featured in the movie “A Walk To Beautiful.”  [itinerary subject to change]

If you have ever traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia please leave a comment and share your favorite things about your time there!!  Coming next week- I Simply Love Korah Dump post + another Mini Missions Project!!

Have a happy weekend!

I’m a big chicken.  I really am.  For years, I allowed fear to paralyze me from doing what God wanted me to do in my life.  I’m confessing this right off, so you know that my heart understands about being afraid.  I’m not here to preach at you, but to hold your hand and give you some helpful tools to do it afraid.

When I look back in my life, the traumatic events that happened to me effected how I lived my life.  My “fear buttons” are loss, rejection, injustice, and pain.  On a very personal note, I held our baby boy 15 years ago this month, as he died in my arms.  The loss was so great in my heart, that it paralyzed me from wanting to move forward with adoption.  My heart wanted more children, but fear held me firmly in its grasp.  Miracle. Eleven years after our son died, we brought home precious Zoie.  God worked deeply in my heart and helped me overcome many obstacles.  Our adoption was one of the scariest things we have ever done… but it was not easy due to my fear of the unknown, fear of loss, fear of rejection… all my fear buttons were being pushed every step of the adoption process!  We did it afraid.

It took me 42 years to go on my first missions trip to Haiti.  I was afraid of leaving my kids home, leaving my hubby home alone with my kids, fear of loss (what if I crashed!!) fear of getting sick, fear of being in a foreign country… I had a lot of fearful excuses of why it was just best for me to stay home and minister.  In the end, I went to Haiti and did it afraid.  The miracle was that God worked through my fears and helped me step by step gain confidence, courage and strength to minister to the people in Haiti.  I finally understood what it meant- not about me!!  Yes, I could have lost my luggage, got sick from the food or water, heard from my hubby that the kids were going to bed too late, or hit a few speed bumps, but I learned quickly on a missions trip how to be flexible, and allow God to make the plans.  He never promises to keep us from pain, but He promises us to be there with us- He will never leave us alone!!

Ask yourself- What am I afraid of?

It is God Himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago He planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. (Eph. 2:8-10)

I’ve been hanging up photos of my July missions trip in my house and my van … my extraordinary team serving in Africa as I pray for you.  I want so much to give away 2 trips to Ethiopia, because I know that 2 lives will change forever.  The best part, my Ethiopia Mission team still has 10 spots open for you to join!!!  After the giveaway ends, please consider checking out www.visitingorphans.org and picking out a missions trip to join.  I promise you that God will help you do it afraid!!

I have received so many emails this week from readers who are really afraid to enter the missions giveaway contest!!  I asked my new bloggy friend, Valerie, if I could share her story with you.  This is the real email and her response to my question- will you do it afraid?  Can you relate?

Hi Kari,
I’m sorry, I know this may sound like a stupid question, but I’m new to this whole idea of missions (well, new to the idea of ME doing it) and am scared to death! Here’s my question: I know missions in general is God’s will, but how do you know if it’s YOUR time to go? Is it ever NOT God’s will for someone to go on a mission trip? Seems to me that surely it would sometimes not be His will???

Ever since I found your blog about the trip to Uganda next summer, I’ve been drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Seriously. Like, it sucks me in and I just can’t get away from it. Does that mean it’s God? Could it just be me? Yes, I am oh-so-scared about the thought of traveling to such a foreign country, but even more so, I am scared to death of making a decision on my own accord that is not what God wants from me! HELP!  Also, is there still “civil unrest” going on in Uganda? Meaning….how safe is it there?  I would so very much appreciate any wisdom or insight you could give me! Thanks so much! Valerie

Valerie’s story- DO IT AFRAID!!

My story begins seven years ago, when I joined a Bible study group that was digging through Rick Warren’s The Purpose Drive Life.  As we worked our way through the book, we would often nervously joke about how we hoped that finding our purpose in life didn’t mean God was going to send us to Africa!  It was almost like we were ducking our heads, staring at our shoes, hoping that if we avoided eye contact with Him, He would pass over us and pick someone else for that assignment.

On a side note, about two years before the study, my husband and I began sponsoring a little girl (in Africa!) through World Vision.  We would often receive fliers and pamphlets in the mail telling stories of the children World Vision ministers to….children who are hurting, hungry, maybe orphaned or abandoned, sick, lonely, desperate.  The pictures always made me sad, but I think I sort of felt like I was already doing my part since we were sponsoring a child.

Then one day about 3 or 4 weeks into the study, I opened a letter from World Vision and saw a photo of a little boy standing in a food distribution line.  I don’t remember where he lived, but I remember he was holding an empty red bowl.  He was dirty, and he was crying.  And when I saw his picture I felt something switch on in my heart, and all a sudden I was crying, too.  And suddenly the thought of going to Africa didn’t make me want to duck my head anymore, hoping God wouldn’t notice me.  Instead, somehow, an instant desire welled up on the inside of me, and all I could think was, “I want to go help that little boy.”

Over the next few years God began to grow that desire and mold it and shape it as He was weaving together His plan for me.  There were times when I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I would literally find myself sobbing and begging God to please let me go help these people who were so desperate and broken and hurting.  And then there were times – often months at a time – when the desire seemed to ebb away, and I would wonder what in the world had been the matter with me before.  I would wonder if I had made it all up, or if I was just being overly emotional about it all.  Or if I was just crazy. 

Then two years ago, not long before Christmas, I was watching a Joyce Meyer video about the work her ministry does in poor countries around the world.  In the video, Joyce said, “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Just do something. “  A couple of weeks after that I was reading a newsletter from Shaohannah’s Hope (now Show Hope), the adoption ministry of Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman.  In an article written by their son, Caleb, he said the same thing Joyce had said, “Everyone can do something.”   And thus began a theme that has haunted followed me for the past two years. Everywhere I turn, God is whispering those two words to me, over and over again.  Do something.  Do something. DO SOMETHING.  At times it has become almost comical.  Those words seem to be  everywhere I turn.  Sermons, songs, blogs, radio, TV, magazines, books….even an investing seminar I went to!  Do something. I began to cry out, “Ok, God!  I hear You!  But what do you want me to do?  Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it!”

During this time I started reading books like Red Letters by Tom Davis, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and most recently, Radical by David Platt.  Let me tell you something, these books messed. me. up.  Especially Radical.  From the moment I picked up that book I started to feel a churning on the inside that only grew stronger the more I read.  A churning that I didn’t understand, couldn’t explain, and didn’t know what to do with, but it kept me awake at night and distracted me during the day.  I was restless.  Uneasy.  Confused.  Anxious.  And frustrated – because I didn’t know what to do with all the feelings building up on the inside of me.

I began to devour blogs about adoption and missions.  I couldn’t get enough of them.  And then one day I “accidentally” stumbled upon a blog called My Crazy Adoption.  That day I wrote this on my blog:

I ran across this post today over at My Crazy Adoption, and I felt like I’d fallen into a breach in the space-time continuum, where time stood still and I sat frozen to my chair, unable to breathe or move or speak. I sat there for what seemed like hours, reading all of her mission trip posts, following links to the blogs of people who’ve been on her teams in the past, looking at pictures, reading testimonials.

In her post Kari had said, “Be part of a God-Inspired Adventure – this means doing something RADICAL (emphasis mine), out of the normal, daily routine we get stuck in as moms. You get to see God work in others’ lives and in your own life on a mission trip.”  I was reading Radical at the time, and when Kari said that word, it grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go.  And when I found her Uganda blog, once again something on the inside of me just snapped into place.

Let me just say, that “snapping” in my spirit didn’t send me into joyous praise and giddy rejoicing over God’s call.  Really what it made me feel was afraid.  I was afraid that I wasn’t really hearing God.  Afraid that I was making it all up in my head.  Even more than the fear of going to Africa, I was afraid that I was trying to make something happen on my own that God wasn’t telling me to do.

I wish I had time (I’ve gone on waaay too long already!) to tell you about all the things God has done in the past couple of weeks to confirm to me over and over and over that this is my time – even though I’ve continuously questioned Him and questioned myself, doubting that I’ve really heard Him, afraid of missing His will, in some ways refusing to believe that He would really, finally be allowing me to do the thing I’ve been longing to do for seven years.  Once I finally said Yes, I have been able to look back and see that every one of those things that has been tugging at my heart was carefully orchestrated by God to move me closer and closer to the place of surrendering to Him.  I love how God works in every detail of our lives!

Last week , even though Kari doesn’t know me from Adam {or maybe Eve:)}, I emailed her, gushing out all of my fears.  And in her kindness and patience she replied to my email and said, “Just DO IT AFRAID!”

And so I am!

I don’t know if I’m going to Ethiopia or Uganda or somewhere else, but I know I’m going.  Because God tells us to – all of us – and I want to obey Him.  And I want to go for His glory.  He’s gone out of His way lately to show me that now is my time, and I’m going even if I have to DO IT AFRAID!

Kari, thank you so much for asking me to share my story – God’s story – and the journey He’s had me on over the past several years.   I’m so excited about what He is doing! [Valerie's Blog]

FYI- Valerie just signed up for the Uganda Missions Trip with Visiting Orphans in June 2011!!!!!!!!! Whoooohoooooo sister- do it afraid!! Bloggy readers- what advice can you give someone who has never been on a missions trip and really feels afraid to take the first step?

BIG CRAZY NEWS- We have limited spots left for my February trip to Ethiopia & June trip to Uganda... don’t miss out!!  Bloggy friends, if you are feeling a passion about joining me on a trip, please continue to pray and fill out the application when the time is right!!! Spots are filling up fast!!

Please share with me in the comments your personal journey that God is leading you on.

My personal journey to missions-

Family and friends embraced my project and I raised $2,200 for Haiti!  I was able to purchase donations with the overflow and hand deliver the items personally.  It was a lot of work organizing the fundraiser, but once things got rolling, it was so much fun!  Please don’t make the same excuses I made for so many years…. pray, move forward and allow God to do the rest.  If the door is slammed shut in your face, well that’s OK.  Stand in line again, and move forward in a different direction.  I challenge you to call or email Visiting Orphans today and request an application. If your heart is stirring, don’t wait – start the ball rolling, especially if you feel excitement and joy and yearning when you read our itinerary.

If you are on the fence, trying to make every mommy detail perfect before you make the decision to go, I challenge you to jump down and pray forward.  Most of my readers are crazy moms, life will never be perfect for us to go on a mission trip, but I promise you that this trip will change your life.  Your family will benefit from you doing something soooo radical… you’ll be a crazier mom!

I MET DANITA IN HAITI- WATCH THIS WITH A KLEENEX!!

Just nine short months ago, The Raining Season opened the doors of The Covering, a children’s home in Sierra Leone, West Africa.  Since that time we have experienced joy, fear, sorrow, and pleasure of the ups and downs to doing the “bigger” plans that God always has for us.  The Raining Season is an organization whose mission is to provide a hopeful future to orphaned children and impoverished families through meeting their basic needs such as housing, nourishment, education, and small business grants.  Our organization is made up of ordinary people doing extraordinary things who have allowed our eyes to be opened to the desperate needs in Sierra Leone.   When God began to stir in the hearts of the founders to open The Covering the path was unclear.  We did not even have a building secured the week before we went to open it, but it is true that God always provides.  Once we got there we had a beautiful building, lots of materials, staffed hired and trained but only 3 children there to enjoy their new beds, clothes and toys.  It didn’t take long to start filling the halls and rooms with the sweet voices of the children who were so grateful to be in a place where they are loved and provided with the essence of family.  Now here we are nine months later and we are housing 79 children and busting at our seams.  We are totally out of space and are frequently asked to bring more children into our home.  There is nothing we would rather do than to rescue even more children, but we need help.  God’s plans are always bigger than ours so we are believing for a new building to house those many more children in need of shelter, clothes, food and love.

Here are some of the beautiful girls from The Covering

The Raining Season has partnered with Warm Hearts Group out of Springfield, MO which is an organization designed to help raise awareness and funds for the orphans in Sierra Leone as well as in our local communities.  Warm Hearts Group is dedicated to host fundraisers for travel and the specific needs of The Raining Season  throughout the year.  So many people are always looking for ways to get involved and help.  We believe we are all called to Save the Orphan “For you know all about it, the contempt the abuse.  I dare to believe the luckless will get lucky someday in you.  You won’t let them down, Orphans won’t be orphans forever”  psalm 10:14, but so many people just don’t know how to help.  If you want to be involved, Warm Hearts Group is a local organization and we are ready to help get you plugged in.  If you can provided a donation, we have very specific needs for funds right now.  We are raising money for a building fund, we are sending a medical/educational team the first week of September, and we still have 27 kids in need of sponsorship.  Remember we are all just ordinary people who have said “yes” to that tug on our hearts.   If you want to say “yes” to donating to The Covering or sponsoring a child please visit the website www.therainingseason.org.  If you want to say “yes” to going on a medical mission trip, please contact Lori Pyle at .  If you want to say “yes” to joining Warm Hearts Group, please email Lori Pyle at or Tiffany Johnson at

There are so many needs in Sierra Leone and you can help!!!

This is a mother and precious child who was severely malnourished in the Children’s Hospital.

We provided bread/water/and a small gift bag for them.

(photo above) This is Malige and Emmanuel at The Covering. Malige was just diagnosed with Sickle Cell Anemia and is 8 years old. Emmanuel is 4 but very close in size to his favorite buddy.

If you…or someone you know would be willing to give up 10 days to bring health and healing to some of our most vulnerable children please contact us as soon as possible. Please spread the word and once again….

Thank you for helping SAVE the ORPHAN

My heart is almost as full as my suitcases.  I’m feeling excited and nervous and blessed like crazy for my 14 days in Africa.  I think the shock has finally worn off that I’m actually going to get on a plane and fly to my beloved Africa to serve orphans in Ethiopia and Uganda.  I’m honored that 31 crazy people are joining me from all over the country.  My family has supported my adventure wholeheartedly and have made me feel that what I’m going to do is important to them, too.  My community has also supported my trip and wrapped their hearts around helping me raise donations for the 14 projects and hundreds of orphans we will visit.  I was interviewed on radio and newspaper for orphan awareness and adoption support.  I’m packed and ready to go with a well-organized itinerary and plan, but I know that God can write His own itinerary and change every plan made for His glory.  In fact, I might be a little disappointed if our plans don’t change just a little due to some craziness and adventurous detour (remember Haiti).

Someone asked me recently why I’m going to Africa to visit orphans?  I wanted my answer to sound confident and wise, but all that came out was shaky and emotional.  I want to walk the walk. It’s very difficult to express what is deep in my heart and the passion that burns inside to simply love orphans.  God gave me 3 beautiful children and now I have the honor of visiting children who do not have a mom or dad or family.  They just need someone to hug them tight and love them unconditionally.

Please join me for the next 14 days and pray for me and my team.  We are moms and dads and sisters and brothers.  We are 31 different souls heading to Africa with different expectations and beliefs, but one special purpose- loving and serving orphans.

My Crazy Adoption blog will be featuring guest bloggers for the next 14+ days.  These are crazy readers that took the time out of their busy schedules to write posts that will inspire, encourage, challenge, teach, and make you laugh or cry!! Please take the time to come over and read the guest posts and pleaaasseee leave them your encouragement and cheers in the comments.

I love my bloggy friend Kristen for her craziness as a mom and her crazy passion for helping orphans.  Her blog {We are That Family} is wildly popular with moms and I’m also a big fan!  She has given me permission to post this incredible project on my blog to help spread the word.  I want to challenge all my crazy readers to join in the fun and help dress orphan girls in Africa.  I don’t sew, but I can definitely drive to Target and buy some adorable pillowcases… so can you!  Lets rock this party and help this amazing cause!

I love my crazy readers and want to invite you to blog for me when I’m on my mission trip to Africa in July?  I will be in Uganda and Ethiopia for 14 days and want you to entertain and support and encourage and inspire while I’m gone.  Yep- I’m asking early to start getting things organized.  Here’s a few things I think would be great… YOU PICK:

• Are you a crazy mom or dad or parent-to-be or happily single?
• mommyhood
• Do you like to write funny, crazy, inspiring stories?
• Do you advocate for adoption or orphans?
• Do you have parenting advice on subjects that help with day to day craziness?
• Do you love to cook and share recipes?
• Do you have any DIY Mommy activities for the summer?
• ANY thing fun & crazy you want to share… sky is the limit.

If any of of these subjects make you want to be my crazy bloggy guest for a day, please leave me a comment on this post and add your email… I will contact you.  All I need is your “completed post” and some pics or video to match your subject or clip art + your URL link + 1 horizontal pic I can crop for the thumbnail at the top of post.  Deadline for guest posts- June 30th, but you can send sooner!!!

CRAZY ADOPTION FAMILIES:

I also need a new June, July, and August Adoption Family… leave me a comment. I need a few things:  photos, gotcha video (if you have one- HTLM code), and a few paragraphs WHY adoption has made a difference in your life, family, etc.  Also the challenges you have faced

and joys and miracles.  The post is meant to inspire and encourage, but also show the real side of life.  You can make your “adoption post” as long or short as you want.  Add 2-3 sentence testimoney of what adoption means to you.  That’s all I need for you to be a crazy adoption family!!!

Lately, I’ve noticed I’ve become a crazy naggy mom with Hannah picking up her teen clutter.  I feel like the clutter police.  Anyone else feel like this?  I keep finding earrings, hair accessories, socks, books, left over food, magazines scattered all over the house.  I don’t like nagging and needed a solution fast.  Typically, I pick it up during the day and leave it on the stairs heading straight up to her room, but it usually goes unnoticed.  My 13 year old is very responsible… nearly perfect in every way, but struggles to pick up the little stuff.  Well, I found the best article in my Family Fun Magazine and it really has helped.

In my words- I have a mini grease board now hanging on the fridge and I write items down during the day that she leaves out.  It’s a clutter alert.  When she comes home from school and eats her snack… she takes a peek at the board and knows she has to pick up the clutter before she can move on and do her fun activities.  It has transformed our home from cluttered to calm.  It’s a work in progress, but I can really see the difference.  As soon as she picks up the clutter, she erases the slate clean.  The best part, I don’t have to nag about crazy clutter!  I love easy tools that help teach my kids personal responsibility.

I’d love to hear your creative ideas to help de-clutter.  What works for you?

My Crazy List (A few things I think are just great!)

1. Adorable children’s raincoats- Pluie Pluie. 

2. My friend, Becky Burk has “Around the World in 80 Days” Adopt Africa magnets available on her blog.  I want one for my car, too!

3. Africa Foundation’s Hippo Water Rollers program.  I pray every woman in Africa can own a Hippo!!  Take a peek-

Click button everyday 2 Vote- that’s it!

We have a brand new video LIVE from Tom Davis who is currently in Africa- just dropping by to say hi to us today!!  Our friend ROCKS like crazy!!  We are getting so close to our goal of 400… this morning we hit the 350th T shirt mark!!!  Please join me this week, spreading the news about HopeChest Project and pray that God allows us to fulfill our goal of 400 T’s to take care of 400 orphans (or more!!)  Lets make this Valentine’s Day all about Simply Love.