A Hard Lesson in December Giving

Our December of Giving took an unexpected time out due to a family illness and a number of revised plans. We had been collecting items for a shelter for abused women and their children since December began and today seemed as good a time as any to get the items over to the shelter. E1 was down with a fever and when the other three quickly put on their coats at the thought of going out, I gladly agreed as it seems that any experiences that they can see first hand who they are giving to has a much greater impact that just sending something off in the mail. We all got out of the car and I pulled out the laundry basket with the donations. E2 carried a decoration, K carried the gingerbread house and I tried to get N to carry the oranges. She quickly decided against it and insisted she wanted to carry the barbie. I should have seen where this was headed as soon as she went for the barbie and given her something else, but alas, hindsight, we got in the door and I was a little taken aback by the tone of the lady behind the desk who barked "It's all NEW right?!!?", ah yah, I answered, she called another lady from the back to come up and get the items and E2 and K quickly give me the items to put in the basket, N, not so much...then began the drama, the tears were flowing and continued when we got back in the car. It was again a hard lesson for N about the meaning of Christmas and wasn't the first as we embarked on the December of Giving. Lots of explanations in Spanish about what Christmas is and why Christmas is about giving and not receiving. The thing I always find interesting about these talks with her is that she always tells me she doesn't have any toys. I part wonder if this is a kid thing, or if she really doesn't think anything in our house is hers, even though things have specifically been given to her and we have told her many times that clothes, shoes and toys are hers, but she is not yet at the point of believing it. Either way, this is a marathon, not a sprint and as she grows and owns us more as her forever family, this perception will change as will her understanding that giving is more important as receiving.

Luke 15:11-32

As we approach Christmas, remembering the lesson of Luke 15:

"You are always with me and everything I have is yours, but we celebrate and are glad because this brother of yours was dead and is now alive again, he was lost and now found"

Ask for forgiveness and you will be forgiven and will be welcomed home into God's kingdom with open arms.

How do you spell Christmas?

In our house we spell it C H R I S T.

Joshua 24:15
"If it is displeasing to you to serve the LORD, choose today whom you will serve, ... As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

3110 down.. thousands more to go.

Day by Day.
Step by Step.
Stride by Stride
Stroke by Stroke
Mile by Mile

3110 miles completed on my mileage journey to Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Lately I have been reasonably disciplined on getting on my trainer in the basement. Supplement that with an occasional run, and some treadmill miles at the fitness center.  I am about 100 miles per week.  Even at that pace.  I will still be 39 weeks until I reach the DRC.  Oi!!

Follow that up with the 2704 to Bogota Columbia (that might be adjusted for Bucaramanga).  I've got a solid year minimum of effort.  Of Sacrifice.  Trials.  Challenges.

But that's what this is all about.  I'm not looking for a cakewalk through life.  Yes a break now and then, sure.  That said, the Lord gave me legs, endurance, fortitude, and if offering up some effort or soreness or aches-n-pains via  some miles results in aid to even one person... It will be an effort most worthwhile for me.  And so I ...

Tri for Hope, Sacrifice with purpose

Peace

World Vision Sponsor Kids Holiday Cards

A little behind due to an unexpected flu bug that reared it's ugly head on Saturday, but the kids were able to put together their holiday gifts to send to their World Vision sponsor friends. Having children from four different countries and cultures it has always been on our minds the importance of doing something concrete to support another family from our children's birth countries in hopes that that family may not have to make the same difficult decision some of our children's birthparents did in order to feed themselves or other children already in their home, so with each adoption, we have also "adopted" a sponsor kid from the country they came from. Through World Vision, as we saw when we met our sponsor child in Ethiopia, the families are not given handouts, but opportunities for schooling, businesses and clean and safe drinking water that they themselves run and maintain. In the area our sponsor child from Ethiopia is from, their main staple is false banana, which is a terrible tasting starch with little nutritional value, many of the children are malnourished. World Vision's work in the area has brought in a multitude of vegetable crops and fruit trees that are being grafted and sold for profit by residents in the area such as our sponsor child's grandfather who he lives with. In addition, he is also able to go to school and even showed us some of his school work when we met him after getting over the initial shock of all the ferenges! So the kids spent some time making Christmas cards and a care package for their sponsor child from their birth country and really took the task to heart knowing their friend will enjoy the package they packed for Christmas.

Toy Drive

December 10, 2011

The kids spent Friday night gathering up toys they don't play with to give to children in need. They really did well parting with the toys and made a lot of the decisions themselves without much prompting. E2 jumped right in and helped papa sort through items. E1 was clearly more attached to some of the items even if they hadn't been used in quite some time. Most of the girls things are pretty new as we really have only had girls toys for about a year, whereas the boys toys have been accumulating since they were babies, but all in all, we had a trunk full of toys that will hopefully be loved and cherished for years to come by new families. E1, E2 and K helped papa drop them off Saturday morning before soccer at the fire station. Great job guys!

Refugee Family Daycare

December 8, 2011

E2 and I volunteered today at a refugee daycare for kids learning English. They were pretty much adorable and we had a great time playing around. Having a daughter from the DRC, I could see some real fear and trauma in their faces and could feel the isolation as some of them look at the toys as foreign objects, unsure and unable to socialize with their peers and engage in play. E2, was pretty much a non participant. I had talked it up ahead of time as him being my helper, but once in the room, he made a bee line for the matchbox cars and never looked back. He did help clean the tables after snack time, so that technically qualified as "helper", but beyond that, he was pretty checked out and I think he was thinking and wondering when I might bolt for the door leaving him in the room full of kids that spoke little English. We are on the schedule again for next week but perhaps in a different class room, we will see. They will be doing a Christmas concert the following day which I imagine will be interesting with a class of trauma and fearful children trying to sing in English. A pray is going to be needed before that one. The strangest part of the day happened when we were coming back from the gym and a little girl passed us in the hall, she is like the identical twin of K, same age same built, same face, same hair, it was unnerving, she had a good 10 lbs on K, but still, a bit freaky. Unfortunately, as we left, a killer migraine was coming on and with no excedrin in hand, the 40 min. drive home was a nightmare as the migraine was raging by the time we got home, causing me to collapse on the couch and beg E2 to come cuddle with me which he would for 30 seconds until he decided he forgot something and would get up elbowing me in the stomach.....relaxing time to rest my head....ehh, not so much. Managed to hit the dollar store and stock up for our care packages for our World Vision sponsor kiddos which should be a fun activity for the weekend along with the toy drive.

A December of Giving

This December, we are doing something a little different. As the kids are getting older, it becomes more and more important that we live by example. So this December, we are seeking out opportunities where the kids can be directly involved in showing love, care, compassion and giving of themselves to serve others instead of just sending money. This journey started out as 12 days of giving, but with school schedules, that looked to be pretty difficult, so instead of setting a number, we are going to call it our December of Giving which kicked off tonight. I hope you will follow along with us as we learn by trail and error what work best and what lights the fire of 4 kids under the age of 6!

December 5, 2011 - Animal Shelter Volunteer Night

N helped on the Saturday before to pick out items to donate off the animal shelter's wish list. T packed up the gang after school Monday and we headed out to the shelter. The boys went with papa first to walk a few of the dogs while the girls and I settled in in the kitten room playing, cuddling and socializing the new kittens. The staff brought K and N an older kitten that one of the team thought was too far along to becoming feral and would be difficult to adopt. The girls both took turns petting the kitten. The vet was very happy at how the kitten responded to them and their touch. The boys stayed a bit in the kitten room after walking the dogs then headed into the adult cat room as that room was more active and the boys enjoyed playing more with the cats. One of the cats hopped on Teds lap and refused to leave, I said I think he thought, if I don't move, maybe this sucker won't realize I have permanently affixed myself to his leg. The girls and I headed over after a bit and loved on the older cats, one missing an eye and others clearly abused before they came to the shelter. One was an unbelievable look alike of my cat zoiee it was almost creepy. I think at one point the kids thought I had actually taken her to the shelter and that she hadn't died. After some poop scooping, it was time to hit the road as there was homework to be done. Overall, it worked well with the 4 kids and they listened to the instructions and followed what they needed to do for the most part, the only almost catastrophe was when E2 ran into the adult cat room and left the door wide open trying to get me to help with his jacket... luckily, no one escaped, at least I don't think so.......

World AIDS Day - Spread the TRUTH!

Turn off music before playing