My Christmas Gift

After Jesus' salvation, being able to be with these beautiful children is definitely one of the best gifts!

Yesterday night, we had a Christmas program. The children danced (many of my girls did dances), laughed, ate, fellowshipped. It was amazing! They all looked so nice and every single one of them was out at the program, including those who can't walk. They are such happy kids. . . despite being orphans, God has given them joy.

Thank you for all those who contributed to giving me this Christmas gift. :)

And also thank you to my church, Christ Community in Sioux Center that becuase of their offering, the Christmas program was possible. Thank you for those who sent gifts to the children. My girls loved the coloring pages and bubbles.

Everything else sent to these children is also a blessing. It is such a miracle to see how God provides for these children through people who don't even know them.

He works in amazing ways! In the same way, He provides for all His children. . .for you and I. Not only physically, but with strength, compassion, love, patience. He is the giver of all things.

So, Happy Christmas to you! Happy Birthday Jesus!

God of hope

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

We serve a God of hope! There is hope for all nations, all people, all children. . .for all! He has been teaching me that a lot! As I was laying on my bed with sister Betty (the volunteer  staying at the same home with me) last night, the girls next door were all taking turn praying. . .and my friends, their prayers were long. They are intercessors! How I wish I knew the language to understand, but I LOVE being reminded that our God knows all languages. 

Also, earlier that day, one of the little girls at the home where most of the children are (not where I am staying) is usually is running around. When I was with another of the child, she came and laid hands on him and prayed in telagu (or tongues; I could have not known). . .but that little one was praying.

Their prayers, their smiles, their giggles. . . the Holy Spirit gives me hope through them. It can be easy to lose hope at times. . when something is lacking or when I am weak or when there is sickness. .  . but our God of hope gives us hope and joy and peace every day! Thank you ABBA! 

More technical stuff: this is my weekday schedule: wake up early morning to hold, kiss, hug the girls and send them off to school, then walk to volunteers (talk about women passionate for God and the children) apartment for breakfast. In their apartment, they have all the young ones who are fragile. I get to play with them. . .oh I love it! Then, I go to the home where most of the children are. I have been given a list of children who don’t demand attention, but also need it. So, I go and hold them, pray for them, sing to them, kiss them, and tickle them. Honestly, I think I have the better end of it! I am SOOO blessed by them! Then, in the afternoon, I go to my house to my girls, and just hang out with them. By eight, I am exhausted! J

Thank you for your prayers, but please continue to pray for strength and His joy in me. I desire to have His heart and more of His leading. I want to be led to which child He wants me to pray for and show that child His love and in exchange God using that to bless and speak to me through that child.  Pray for the children and some of the volunteers as they are getting sick. Pray for healing for them as they serve the children. 

INDIA CULTURE FACT:

My girls were at the home today, so we needed to get back to our apartment. So, we looked for a rickshaw. We found one, and in that rickshaw, the eleven girls, the aya and myself, the driver, and another passenger she had were in the rickshaw. After getting off, I praise God none of the girls fell off. It is like this in Nicaragua, but it still makes my heart race! J

Jesus loves indeed. . .

As I was resting with one of the girls on our bed, I was singing to her. . .I started singing Jesus loves me, and she joined me. . . it was beautiful since she has autism and blind and somewhat nonverbal. If there is something that these children know is that Jesus loves them. They are A BLESSING!!!!!


I am currently staying at a home for eleven girls going to school. So I get to wake up and help them get ready for school, and then love on them in the afternoon (and BE LOVED by them ^_^). I have visited the home where most of the children are at, and man are the beautiful and happy. I  cannot wait to go there every day! I know it will be hard to leave India already. I am learning more about the power of prayer into the lives of these children. Many are praying for them. . .I had been praying for them from reading the blog (http://sarahscovenanthomes.blogspot.com/ ), but what a privilege God has given me to be able to physically hold them, kiss them, and pray for them. Thank you Jesus! He answers prayers, and will continue to do so. He is faithful that way. I posted some pictures on facebook if you want to see the beautiful children I get to work with!(http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150412619101179.354754.501856178&type=3)

thank you for your prayers! God is good, and I am so blessed in every way!  Continue praying for strength, to continue growing in my knowledge of His goodness and love, and for the children and ministries. 

"“And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'"

If I were Mary, and an angel! would appear to me telling I will have a baby that is the Son of God, I would pee on my pants I would be so afraid! But the Lord had found favor on her, and made things work for the good.

Although I do fly a lot, my flights hardly ever go as they are suppose to. I honestly fear flying. But for my trip to the other side of the world, things went smoothly!

I should ask more people to pray for my flights! ;) Over and over, the word "favor" came to my heart. And people around me were all so kind, including in the Indian airport. Through Christ, we have found favor with God.

I am so thankful for Brenda and Preston West! I am at their flat (apartment) right now, and it feels like coming to a different home. :) I am also thankful that I was able to sleep all night (usually because jetlag, your body is not used to it.)

Tonight, I will be getting on a bus and will be arriving to Ongole Saturday morning. I cannot wait to see the kids! Here is a map of where I am in India.

Thank you for your prayers!

Emmanuel

 Emmanuel. . our God is with us . . .that is the name God has given me for this journey He has graciously allowed me to take. Not only for this journey, but the transitioning to the next chapter of life.

These several past days have been a combination of emotions: excitement, anxiety, fear, love, joy. Despite how I feel, God is with us, and He has made that so evident through the prayers and love from the community in my church, school, and Sioux Center community. To think that Jesus, Emmanuel, came from His throne to live among us. . .to literally be with us. . .is a hard-to-believe-yet-I-believe beautiful truth.

Today, while trying to write my philosophy of education paper, the beautiful woman who told me about Sarah's Covenant Home sent me this (I shorten for respect to her):
"OK. So. When you get there. there is a child, age 9 or so. . . She was taken from darkness to light. She has a story of horrific abuse in her young life. Her eyes look angry and scared and dead on her pictures. I love her. I ache for Jesus to heal her and give her light and joy and hope. . . I need to just love her from here, through those who are going there. . . She has HIV, and Hepatitis, I think, and likely more. I love her. Please, Wendy, would you try to see her and if she will let you, please give her a hug from her auntie in Iowa. Please tell her that I love her and that Jesus loves her. Tell her not to give up on love.
The little guy who had heart surgery recently, his name is Max on the blog....He's about 1 1/2 years old. . . Please kiss his soft cheeks for me and remember how they feel so you can tell me later, ok? . . .(other beautiful description of children) Please kiss him, too, and pray that God would heal him so that he could get up and walk. OK. That's it for right now. I'm sure there will be more. . . "

I cannot believe I have the privilege to do this! Seeing Nikolyn's heart for these children; seeing picture of these happy, beautiful children; the hugs, love, tears, prayers from my roomies, youth group, sisters, and brothers have been a blessing and given me hope!

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel! I cannot wait to experience Emmanuel in the Home. Be encouraged by this Christmas (that I strongly believe should be sung all the time!) song:

 Please pray for:
- Safe travels (leave on Wednesday morning and arrive to Hyderabad on Thursday evening and then travel overnight to the home).
- Peace for myself and my parents as I travel
- For His boldness and His love through me

THANK YOU!