Today was the most stunning day ... the mountains on both the north and the east were RADIANT beyond words and the blue sky literally sparkled!
Bella, Faith and I went for a walk (they rode their bikes & I walked) and despite the BEAUTY that surrounded me, the contrast of God's creation and the heaviness of my heart had a difficult time reconciling!
The endless and undescribable suffering in Haiti won't escape my heart or mind ... even if I try ... even just for a moment! We had a few new kiddos at work this week as well, kiddos with heart break/ache stories ... so much trauma everywhere I've looked this week!
Friends are praying about going to Haiti ... part of Sam wants to go ... a local team of people thought they would be able to go ... although it seems the little bit that I am reading ... the most helpful things at this point would be sending money to reliable ministries/organizations ... here is our dear friend's ministry site that you can donate to if you are looking for a reliable group!
For families local our church and NGM has also set up a large container in the Fairway parking lot ... they are receiving donations (donations of non-perishable food, rice, beans, peanut butter, dry baby formula, dry pedialite, diapers, plastic plates, bowls, and silverware can be received at that location).
Sam & I have been talking a lot about how we can help! Although our finances are limited, as sooo many out there I'm sure ... we are still paying off adoption debt! It seems we go from paying off one adoption to next! But despite our debt we are also gravely and sometimes grossly aware of how MUCH we have been entrusted with/given ... oh my heart!!
So I am going to share our plan of how we are going to help tangibly with humble hearts ... the hope being that God would use our plan to stir your heart in the ways that God CAN tangibly use your family to right now make a difference in Haiti!
There are sooooooo many wonderful blogs/families out there doing soooooooo much and I was inspired a few months back by a family that started a "Pay it forward" fundraiser for another adoptive family in process ... them starting it off by their family going on a beans and rice diet for one month! This family then giving the money that they would normally spend on groceries to another adoptive family!
This is our plan, this other family inspiring us ... although we are going to throw in a few equally inexpensive meals/we are going to hugely simplify our grocery budget/budget for the next month ... our prayer being that God will DO MUCH with the little that we will be able to give financially to Haiti!!
Despite the financial support we are able to give ... the peanut butter that we send ... I am also very aware that the most powerful thing I can for Haiti right now is without ceasing pray ... Pray Isaiah 40:31 over the people involved in HELPING Haiti right now ... the relief workers, the medical workers, the soldiers, the pastors, the nannies and directors at the orphanages impacted, the missionaries there ... Isaiah 40:31, "Those who hope in the LORD, will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Here is a blog link from a family that is in Haiti ... http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/
And the website of another ministry in Haiti who we have partnered with before http://www.forhisgloryoutreach.org/
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She has been waiting for her daughter for more than a year and a half. She thought that she could fly to Haiti in November but then the the Haitian authorities changed the process which meant that she needed more certifications from Haitian ministries and it would have taken another six months.
And then there was this terrible eathquake. She did not hear ANY NEWS for 5 days and we all were praying and trusting and hoping in God. And then the good news, not only her daughter survived, ALL 25 CHILDREN of the orphanage and the people who care for them survived although the house doesn’t exist any more.
Today this precoius little girl was coming home (to Vienna, Europe) together with two other children, all of them much earlier than expected due to this earthquake, that caused soooo much pain. The time ahead ahead will be very difficult because they have experienced more than a child can bear but we are praying for them and their families and I hope that you will do too.
Sometimes I have the feeling that I will NEVER understand God's plans but what I have learned is that THERE IS GOOD IN EVERYTHING and just today I can’t stop thanking for this.
Thankful, Muxi from Vienna