It was truly a miracle for me to walk on the trash dump in June and not see any children.  They were MIA and it’s the best news to hear from P61 … only a handful still need sponsorship at this time.  YOU made a difference in the lives of so many children in Korah who lived on the dump, and now go to school. If you are interested in sponsoring a child through the ministry, Project 61 read more …

SPONSOR FAMILIES- if you are currently sponsoring a child with P61 … please leave your testimony in the comments to inspire others to join the P61 family!!  We want to hear your story.

Project 61 currently has two options for sponsorship:

1. Boarding School: For $750 per year, you can send a child to boarding school, where they will receive a quality Christian education, 3 meals per day, and a dormitory to live. The payment can be broken up into 4 payments or paid all at once. There are 25 students approved for this program that still need sponsors. You can view some of their pictures . You can sign up for boarding school sponsorship online HERE.
2. Bright Hope Program: For $32 per month, you can sponsor a child within the local village, where they will live at home and receive schooling, after-school tutoring, a daily hot meal, and spiritual discipleship. There are 10 students approved for this program that still need sponsors. You can view some of their pictures . You can sign up for Bright Hope sponsorship online HERE.

With both sponsorships, there are opportunities for correspondence through letters, pictures, and Christmas gifts. Those going on a trip to Ethiopia will also have an opportunity to meet their sponsored child and his or her family, if they have one. The deadline for sponsorship this fall is September 30th. Please email Erin Allen with any questions:

**Read this brand new post from my friend, Wynne that features stunning photos she took on the trash dump at Korah. Read here.

I love these photos that show before and after Project 61 … your sponsorship changes lives!!

 

I love my two brothers, Greg and Mike Smalley- they have been a constant joy in my life.  I’m their older big sister and was very bossy growing up.  I’m sure they loved having two moms telling them what to do all day long.  It’s wonderful now that we’re all grown-up, to support and encourage each others passions, gifts, and talents in life!!  My brother, Greg is moving soon to CO to work with Focus on the Family and my brother, Michael lives in TX with a growing ministry in marriage and family counseling.

I had no idea God would open the door for three more brothers in my life, but He has allowed me to embrace sisterhood again!  I met all three men on my first mission trip to Ethiopia and feel so honored to have them adopt me as their sister.  It’s my duty as big sister, to make sure they are being taken care of, prayed for, supported, and encouraged as my brothers!  I’m equally as honored to embrace their band of brothers (all eleven) living in Korah and supporting the entire team!!  We are family.

If you would like to join me next year Visiting Orphans in Ethiopia, I can guarantee you will get a hug from each one of my brothers!

I met Bisrat (Bissy) in June 2010 with my Visiting Orphans team in Ethiopia.  He has an incredible big heart and biblical wisdom.  His testimony is both heartbreaking and inspirational.  Bissy told me once that he will never stop telling others about Jesus- he lives and breathes this commitment with all his heart!  I’m grateful that my brother has helped us locate missing pieces with our adoption.  He was the one who introduced us to the police officer who helped with the relinquishment of birthmother- Zoie’s Crossroad Miracle. If you would like to meet Bisrat and follow his adventures in Addis Ababa, please “friend” him on facebook. (click on his full name above)

I met Maste last year, but it was on my trip in February that we really bonded.  I watched this young man grow in wisdom and kindess for orphans… helping lead my big crazy team with joy. (just look at that smile)  I love that he became such close friends with my hubby, Roger and worked together to bless the community of Korah.  Here’s what Maste wrote to me when I came home- he has no idea how much I cherish his letter…

It was a blessing to know you. you are energetic and devoted GODly women.
James 1:27 GOD care for orphan
GOD use peoples to care others.
You have an amazing husband that he thought me about giving. Roger told me that the secret of life is giving to needy. it was practical lesson for me. he was feeding street kid at the post Office. Tell to Roger am glad to know him.
The gift that I gave to you is I never gave for anybody in my life. Flag shows one country. I gave to you my country Ethiopia for you. hopefully your support will be frutiful and change Ethiopia.
May peace of the lord be with you and your family always

Sammy is one of the dearest people I have ever known in my life.  The instant I met him, I fell in love with his spirit for the Lord, community, orphans and Korah.  In June, I will share his personal testimony and it will blow you away!  How can someone go through so much persecution and still worship the Lord and obey His will.  Sammy and I bonded last year, but our friendship bloomed this past February working again with Project 61.  I tell him he is the Brad Pitt of Korah!  Sammy understands the true meaning of Man Up. Protect and Love the fatherless.  I’m grateful everyday knowing he is there taking care of his neighbors.  God gave him the incredible gift of tenderness and strength.  One of the last things we talked about… his band of brothers working in Korah- that NO ONE is left behind.  I want to continue to make a difference in the life of children and the needy side by side with my brothers!

If you have a special message of encouragement for my three [adopted] brothers, please leave a comment today and spread some crazy love.

(thank you Cherrie Cornish for the beautiful photos!)

 

 

 

 

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)

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown Mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

Please leave Mercy a special blessing today in the comments.  I will print them out and send them with the next Visiting Orphans team, so she will know her story is being shared.

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)

I love going on lunch dates- don’t you?  My favorite lunch spot is Panera.  I always get the “you pick two” with tomato soup and chicken salad sandwich.  It’s so much fun to meet a friend or my hubby and spend an hour eating and talking.  I had no idea that God planned a special lunch date for me in Korah.  We spent three heavenly days working with the incredible Project 61 staff.  We planned a Man Up BBQ lunch every day for the children and community.  We slaughtered prepared 26 sheep and goat for a one of a kind roast.  We invited the entire community- men, women, children, and staff to join us for lunch.  Serving sheep and goat is truly a luxury for the families, so we knew this was an over the top missions opportunity.  On our last day, we even handed out live goats to needy families.

Roger killed the first goat to start off the celebration with a bang.  We were all a little *gulp* disgusted with the ala natural preparations, but it was part of the crazy adventure.  The killing field was in the middle of the P61 shelter we were painting, so if you can visualize bright blue paint mixed with bright red, I think you can get the full picture.  I kept reminding my squeamish team members that this was an incredible opportunity to feed the fatherless and eliminate anyone having to go to the dump that day to find food.  I want to personally thank everyone who donated money for our team to purchase sheep and goat for the BBQ.

On the first day, one of the P61 staff asked me if I would help feed the elderly men of the community their lunch.  I jumped in with both hands.  I’m so proud of Pastor and Sammy… the entire band of brothers for feeding their neighbors every single day.  It felt like I walked back in time straight into the Old Testament.  My special lunch date was a very old, happy man with leprosy.  I think my mommy instincts kicked in and started feeding my new friend by hand a delicious hot meal of sheep and injera. He was overjoyed and made everyone around laugh.  He had a mighty appetite and I just kept shoveling food in his mouth as carefully as I could.  I started praying for him and thanking God for this opportunity to simply love.  He kept thanking me in Amharic and kissing me and calling me Conjo-beautiful!  I was so honored to serve this precious wise man who had obviously had a horrific life living with leprosy in Korah.  I wanted him to feel on our lunch date valuable, respected, dignified.. living a life as an outcast can break a spirit.  But, the blessings I received in return was far greater than what I could have offered him.  Oh what a lunch date!

Our precious daughter, Zoie was born in Korah.  It was a community founded 75 years ago for the lepers and outcasts of the city.  If you live in Korah you are the poorest of the poor in Addis Ababa.  The people have been hopeless and forgotten, but with my brothers and sisters who work directly in the Korah community making a difference everyday- the community are no longer considered the trash of the city.  They are priceless treasures and worthy of praise!!

Please pray for Project 61 and the staff who work daily with Korah for strength, energy, resources, and miracles.

Crazy Bloggy readers… I’m so excited to share a real life testimony from my hero in Ethiopia, Sumer Yates.  The next 2 weeks, I will be sharing stories and miracles from the 7 days we spent in Addis Ababa with Visiting Orphans.  My team had the honor of meeting Super Woman Sumer and her brand new Project 61 live in action.  The experience changed my life is so many ways and I can’t wait to tell you the incredible miracle that happened to me in Korah.  My family received an adoption gift from God!!

Please open up your heart and listen to the story of an ordinary mom who jumped in crazy faith to do something extraordinary.  I pray that her story inspires all of us to listen carefully to the heart of Christ and go anywhere He calls us to go!!  You can leave her a “shout out” right here in the comments and commit to praying for Sumer and Project 61 at Korah Dump.

Sumer’s Story:

I stood on my balcony last night, and smelled the African air. Since moving to Ethiopia in June, life has been very busy. I had grown used to the smell and forgotten how very much I love it. The smell reminded of what brought me here in the first place.

Looking back, I realize that my journey really began over 20 years ago. In 1989 my parents were both killed in a plane crash, leaving my brother and I as orphans. Although we were never wanting for food and shelter like so many orphans in the world, I do understand the inner hurt that comes along with losing the two people in the world who love you best.

This inner hurt is like a wound that never completely heals, and the major events of life rip away the scab. For me, having my own children made me miss my mother in a way that I never had before. I was so angry with God for taking her away from me, He knew that I would need her help, that I would have questions only she could answer. He is a Father to the fatherless, but I needed a mother. It was during this time that God began to speak plainly to me, not in the audible sense, but more in a straightforward manner. It was a time of maturing where He no longer coddled, but gently started to shove me along. “My Grace is sufficient for you, My power is made perfect in weakness.” That was the only answer I ever got, until one day He opened my eyes to His provision. I realized that not all churches are like mine, and not all new moms are literally surrounded by so many people in the same life phase. I did not have a mother to ask questions, but I had more friends with answers than I could ever need. God met my need, not in the way I wanted or expected, but He met it just the same and I am humbled and grateful for His provision.

Three healthy kids later, a great marriage, a large circle of great friends, a job I love, a nice house, and a husband with job security, I was content. I was enjoying my abundant life. Until one night at a Beth Moore Bible study, she began to talk about Esther and about the fact that Esther was an orphan. Beth was relentless on the gravity of her circumstances, saying repeatedly “can you imagine what it would be like to lose not one but both of your parents?” I was a mess by the end, and once again angry with God. “Why would You beat me over the head with that hurt in a room full of people, some who know my story and some who do not? What was that all about?” That was my reminder that God is more concerned with my character than my comfort, and He was about to call me from contentment to a Holy discontent with the plight of orphans around the world.

A few months later I was sitting in my quiet time chair feeling discontented and knowing that I was supposed to do something, but not sure what that something was supposed to be. I was frustrated, and said “God, I have put my yes on the table, I have told You that we are ready to do whatever You want us to do, but You have not given me any directions.” He replied, “Really? Because you are sitting in something really big and in the way.” We had always discounted the idea of selling our house, because we had such a great mortgage. We bought at a good time and had a low interest rate, we could not rent anything cheaper…at least not in this country. We began to make plans to put our house on the market, with really no idea why.

Around that same time, I began to read Katie Davis’s blog about her life in Uganda, and a friend found us a trip to Africa to visit Amazima Ministries. The trip was through Visiting Orphans and it was set for Uganda and Ethiopia. For me, I had absolutely no desire to go to Ethiopia, but it was the only trip offered that included meeting Katie. Corey and I both knew that I would come home with some direction for us about our next step, and I was sure it would be found in Uganda.

I loved Uganda. It is a beautiful country with beautiful children who have dark chocolate skin that fit with my idea of Africa. I wanted God to call us to Uganda, but while I was there I did not feel the way I expected to feel. I did not have any strong pulls or any overwhelming sense of purpose. I felt heartbroken, and sad for all of the children we visited. I was also worried that I had someone completely missed God’s leading in my life and the life of my family. I cried when I got on the plane to head to Ethiopia, I wanted to stay in Uganda, but really had no idea what type of ministry I would even do there.

Surprisingly though, on Christmas Day in Ethiopia I fell in love. I had not wanted to go to Ethiopia, and of all the stops on our itinerary, the trash dump was the one I dreaded most. And yet, standing in the trash dump, I knew I was right where God wanted me to be. I knew that I had found our place. I did not feel heartbroken or sad, I felt hopeful, and I knew that God was telling me “this is it.” Together, we can help them. Together, we can change their lives. In Ethiopia I saw God’s vision for this people so clearly, and I immediately thought of so many ways to minister to these people. I saw immeasurable needs while in Africa, but only one calling for my life.

In the trash dump, there are fires burning and ash covers everything including the children. After leaving, God reminded me that in Isaiah 61 he says that he will bring beauty from the ashes. Those verses go on to say “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, for the display of His splendor.” That is my vision for these children who spend most of their time in the trash dump, and for the 100,000 plus people living in the adjacent community, that their lives would glorify God. That they would be a testament to his promise that He will not leave us as orphans, and that this generation would be a planting of the Lord.

Since visiting the trash dump that day, my life has been a whirlwind of activity and preparation. It has been God relentlessly calling us to go all the way. When I try to pull back, He pushes harder. God has been very plain with me that this was our crossroads. This is where as a family we decide what our story will be. We can choose to lay it all down, put it all on the line, and follow where He has called; or we could stay and choose what is easier, and what seemed to make more sense. I knew that God would never stop loving me, no matter what I chose; but I also knew that my time on this earth is short and opportunities like this do not come around very often. I pray that it is all for the display of His splendor- Sumer Yates 9/10/10

Learn more about Project 61 at Korah Dump.  I want to know what you think about Sumer’s extraordinary vision and her radical adventure in Ethiopia.  Would YOU go all the way…  drop and leave everything behind to serve a community that has been thrown way, lost, and forgotten?

Join me and my hubby to Ethiopia for 10 days February 17-26, 2011 with Visiting Orphans working with Sumer Yates and Project 61.

Sign up today.