To Be a Mother: December 2010

Reminder that most of our posts are to be seen at MOTHER THE WORLD

My family has been committing to praying for the orphan in a very personal way. So we post pictures of these sweet children on our refrigerator or in a frame and pray for them. Often we have celebrated when we find out these children find homes. One of these children is a beautiful boy that my family loves even though we haven't met him. We have been praying for him for several months now. He is 4 years old, HIV positive and living in Eastern Europe. I have a friend who is a strong advocate for many orphans in this country and has connections in over 20 of these orphanages....Through an amazing act of God we had come to find out what

orphanage our virtually internet adopted son is living in.

This was an orphanage she had not visited yet but because of her advocacy we were able to find out orphanage needs etc of his current home....We just had this conversation recently and in this conversation she mentioned how her organization had already sent or were about to send most of their Christmas packages to the orphanages and this orphanage did not have anyone sending gifts....So of course I volunteered to send boxes to these orphans but also told her that we would not be able to get them there by Christmas...(they celebrate in January)....

A few weeks ago, I posted a note on my Facebook about needing toys for 40 boys and 40 girls ages (2-6) and then additional items (pacifiers, baby wipes for 150 infants).No one responded or volunteered to help...But in all honesty I dropped the ball not pursuing it further and then started to get concerned because I had promised....so even though finances are very tight i figured I would somehow be able to spend the money etc to get it done..or I was just going to tell my friend we couldn't get our act together....In all honesty, I had no idea what Iwas going to do because I haven't even shopped for my own kids..don't have discretionary income...and had to cancel two fundraisers due to lack of response or contributions. Things are tight very very tight now not only for myself but for many so I totally understand people needing to prioritize and spend for their holidays etc..But still..I said "yes' I will help...and no matter what my family 'needs' for the Holidays...they pale in comparison to the 300 children at this orphanage...My intense passion for these particular children is spilling over into most of my extra time...I can't stop feeling anxious about the HIV children especially at this orphanage and the fact that when it snows in winter..there are windows that are broken so it snows inside (winter is coming fast in Eastern Europe)....I had decided I was going to find a way to help via MOTHER THE WORLD NFP by offering to videotape the orphanage/raise awareness etc...Somehow I am determined to visit there but not sure how or when...

Being the mother of 4 adopted children I have noticed that God does allow the orphan to get to the front of the line of His priorities...It sometimes seems like every other seemingly important thing in the world can take a backseat when His orphaned children are clamoring to sit in the Father's lap....If God were Santa...there would be a VIP line at the mall for these children. The sea parts for them...but sometimes requires someone to lead them to the opening...We oftentimes are called to help to deliver the goodness of God to them...and it is serious business...

So, this morning I experienced an intense Jesus encounter. I woke up with my heart broken for these children...and I prayed and prayed for God to move mountains for these children...while not thinking much about the ball I had dropped regarding Christmas or at least February gifts for this orphanage...I prayed for families and that God would not forget them...I then went out to open the garage door because i had an errand to run and found this blocking the entrance to my garage...(I could have backed into something)....

On the way to see what was outside of my garage (in the way of my leaving), I received a call from a mother of my daughter's friend saying "Hi this is Linda, I just decided to drop by some extra items our store had and i thought you would be able to figure out what to do with them!" This woman had not seen my email requesting help for this orphanage...I had not called her to ask for anything and she is not on facebook and doesn't know hardly any of my friends...as I walked up to the boxes and looked inside I saw that there were 5 boxes filled with age appropriate items for all of the children in this orphanage for the holidays...dropped at my house in NC to be delivered from God to these children in Eastern Europe that I had forgotten but He hadn't...

There were about 200 little cars, dolls, action figures, yo yo's, books, mittens, stuffed toys, crayons, playdough, jumpropes...on and on..brand new...

I walked into the door of my house deciding the errands will have to wait....I fell to my knees and cried like I was a little child myself....I couldn't get over the relentlessness and extravagance of God. My Ethiopian daughter Ella asked me the other day if Santa and God are the same....my older Ethiopian daughter very wisely looked at her sister and said "God is like MANAGER to Santa!" In this case this is very true...sometimes Santa may forget but God doesn't...I am humbled at how God can deliver stocking stuffers to a busy mom in NC (right behind her minivan in case she would miss it)..so that she will NOT FORGET what GOD'S priorities are....and it is very clearly the orphan....I pray this season we remember how insignificant our needs and desires are to the needs of the least of these who have made it to the top of the list of the MANAGER AND SUPERVISOR of Santa....

If you would like to donate to MOTHER THE WORLD to help with shipping or help me to get there to video tape the orphanages and Mothers and help these children find homes please consider donating to my non-for profit...Mother the World..