Posts Tagged 'saving moses'

Need a Makeover?

Published May 21, 2012 living , missions , saving moses , travel 1 Comment
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Do you need a makeover?
I’m currently in Johannesburg South Africa doing something with Saving Moses that is beyond cool: daycare makeovers! We are doing 3 makeovers in a shanty town on the outskirts of J’burg. In this shanty town, the houses are made of corrugated metal sheets or former shopping containers. What is totally amazing is watching the daycare owners take nothing & make it into a functional daycare. They use old tires, shipping containers, metal scrape sheets, etc to create warm, inviting & safe environments for their kids to learn. They take the American concept of “modular education” into 3rd world living to provide education & care.
Today, our team is painting, “de-rusting”, cleaning, organizing & supplying these 3 daycares with upgrades that are essential for the future for these small people, 5 and younger. Saving Moses is about giving little people 5 & younger love, resources & survival essentials so they can have a bright future!

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Thoughts while traveling

Published May 14, 2012 Angola , Holy Spirit , living , missions , prayer , saving moses , travel 2 Comments
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Angola ’12

Well, I’m back on my way to Angola for my 3rd visit with Saving Moses. I have mixed thoughts & feelings about this visit. My first trip to Angola was extremely impacting because I didn’t have any clue what it would be like to look face to face with infant mortality. My 1st trip to Angola gave me this introduction. Last year, our visit to Angola didn’t have the same 2×4 shock of the 1st trip, but it was every bit as impacting. Maybe last year was more powerful than my 1st visit because we were able to make more friendships like Manushe & her daughter Celestina, Angelina with Desorae & a follow up visit to Belito from our 1st trip. It was nothing less than pure delight to get to be with my nun friends as well, so I’m very eager to catch up with them again, hopefully, on this trip.
I never want to get mechanical on these trips, which means that I always want to keep my heart soft, tending & feeling. I can trust that God will guide & direct not only our physical steps, but also the experiences for my heart as well. Be sure that any journey on which your heart travels always keeps God as your closest traveling companion. Stay tuned for more updates :)

An update on nightcare :)

Published April 19, 2012 Cambodia , Holy Spirit , living , prayer , saving moses 5 Comments
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Hey friends!! I’m super excited about w nightcare!! For more than a year, God has put the idea of nightcare (in a safe & loving environment, taking care of the infants & toddlers of prostitutes while they work) in my heart. This has been an incredible dream & adventure in my heart because of Jesus’ words that say, “when you do this to the least of these, you do it into Me.” These words ring in my ears when I think about the infants of prostitutes being “the least of these”.
So for more than a year, I’ve been working to launch our 1st nightcare w www.savingmoses.org.
Finally, we are now up & running in Cambodia since the beginning of this week & each night, we’ve had a few more babies than the preceding night. We are starting small, building trust w the moms & getting to genuinely love the “least of these”. It’s going SUPER WELL!!!!
I’m returning to Cambodia in July so I’ll be able to share about our progress with more depth then, but I couldn’t wait until then to share this exciting news!!!!!

what is nightcare?

Published April 11, 2012 Cambodia , Holy Spirit , living , missions , relationships , saving moses , travel 2 Comments
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You may have heard me mention this term, “nightcare” and perhaps you’re curious to know what this is and why is it important.  Because of my work with Saving Moses I came across a need for infants and toddlers that completely blew me away.  I’ve discovered that it is very common for prostitutes and sex workers to bring their infants and toddlers to work with them or leave them abandoned at home because they have no other options available to them.  I’ve even seen a toddler chained to his mom’s bed & heard that these toddlers and infants are even drugged or sedated during the time that mom is working so they won’t interrupt the income that their mom is earning.  When I heard of this, I was totally overwhelmed and began to think of possible ways that Saving Moses could help, specifically with these infants & toddlers because they are the sole focus for the mission and vision of Saving Moses.  I felt like God dropped a plan into my heart for the idea of “nightcare” – a safe place with nurture, love and support for infants and toddlers of sex workers to stay while their mom works (kind of like the US equivalent of “daycare”, but just at night).

So with this in mind, over the last year, we’ve been working diligently to implement “nightcare” and I’m elated to announce that we will be opening our first nightcare shelter next week!  To get a brief perspective on this need, please check out this video:  nightcare

how to enjoy the journey before you arrive

Published March 10, 2012 Uncategorized 2 Comments
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I recently made a fairly quick trip to Cambodia & had an absolutely wonderful time!!  The journey to and from Cambodia was interesting.  On the way there, I completely lost Fri, March 2nd because I left on March 1st and landed in Cambodia on March 3rd.  On the way home, I got to have a double portion of Wed, March 7th.  On this trip, I was traveling by myself and it was an interesting journey.  If I’m not careful, I can easily get caught up in the mechanics of travel:  where I’m sitting on the planes, what kind of food I’m eating, airline schedules, luggage challenges, etc.  But here’s my thought – the journey isn’t as important as Who is traveling with me.  

As we walk through life, there will be highs & lows along the journey because that’s the nature of life.  What’s important about our journey in life isn’t the highs & lows, but rather that we are walking with Jesus and our communion and fellowship with Jesus.  Truly, Jesus in our lives is more important than where we are going or how we get there.  Remember that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” :)

Please be encouraged :)

Published March 6, 2012 Cambodia , Holy Spirit , living , missions , prayer , relationships , saving moses , spiritual , travel 5 Comments
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Well, I’m just incredibly amazed by the wisdom & goodness of God. I came to Cambodia with the hope that we could finally get our 1st nightcare up and running & I’m leaving in less than 24 hours with seeing this hope turn into a reality. In a very short amount of time, I’ve see God’s hand working to secure a facility for nightcare, staffing needs, supplies and of supreme importance, the babies and toddlers who will be receiving care, protection, nurture and genuine love.
I’ve seen Gods hand move with such astounding confirmation in the last 24 hours that I’m almost speechless, almost ,)
Dear friends, please do not give up in the hopes and dreams that God has put in your heart. Please trust God for His timing, revel & relish the fellowship that we share w God. He is truly worthy of praise.

Nightcare progress!!!!

Published March 5, 2012 Cambodia , Holy Spirit , living , missions , prayer , relationships , saving moses , travel 2 Comments
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YAHOOOOO!!!!! I’m totally excited about the progress we’ve made today w nightcare – like I’m more than giddy!! More than a year ago, I felt like God dropped the idea of nightcare into my heart & I’ve had a few challenges to see this idea turn into a reality. But today has been nothing short of amazing!!! I’m presently in Cambodia & it looks like we can have our 1st nightcare program up & running in a little more than a month!! Today, I toured a few facilities, spoke w some very strategic people who are keen to see nightcare become operational & I’m experiencing tremendous favor!
Thank you again & again for praying for Saving Moses. God is doing some thoroughly amazing & miraculous things. I’m completely in awe of His wisdom & work

nightcare!

Published March 1, 2012 Cambodia , living , saving moses , spiritual 5 Comments
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So what’s nightcare?  Nightcare is similar to the American idea of daycare, but with a bit of a twist.  Nightcare is the next project that Saving Moses is working on & this weekend I get to be a part of making a dream into a reality.  Here’s the scoop:  Saving Moses is all about helping little people 5 and  under.  Last year, I became aware that the infants of prostitutes and sex trafficking victims are often in the same room (even under the bed) where their mom is working, or they get left in the hovel where they live with no care or supervision.  In some situations, their mom even drugs them & puts them under the bed or chains them to the bed on which she’s working.  So it’s been in my heart for more than a year to begin nightcare programs throughout Asia to provide a nurturing and safe place for these infants and toddlers.   And this weekend, I’m excited to explore and establish our first nightcare ever, starting in Cambodia!!

Please be sure to keep your eyes peeled on this blog as well as twitter & facebook for the latest updates & pictures.  If you’re inclined, I’d love some prayer on the following items:

  • wisdom for me to make prudent decisions,
  • favor with strategic leaders and organizations,
  • abundant finances for these tiny treasures :)

Muchos gracias!!

good things come to those who wait – really???

Published February 8, 2012 enemies to intimacy , Holy Spirit , living , prayer , relationships , saving moses , spiritual 4 Comments
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I’ve had an interesting few days and it’s been a bit challenging to keep a good attitude while waiting.  On Friday I had a few challenges – I was working on a really big project for Saving Moses and came to a place where I had to wait until Mon for the decision of another person.  Also on Friday, I was walking home in the snow from dinner at our neighbor’s house, slipped, fell & super messed up my ankle (nothing cool like I was snowboarding in a terrain park & messed up a jump or missed a rail).

So it was an interesting weekend – waiting and hoping for a good answer & an improved ankle and I’m thinking that Mon will be a great turning point for these brief, but important challenges.  When Mon rolled around, my ankle wasn’t better so  I decided to get it checked out.  The Dr said that if it was broken, that I probably wouldn’t be able to go to Cambodia for Saving Moses next month – grrrrrrrr.  Nevertheless, the xray results in the afternoon would let us know something more definite, which meant more waiting.  By 8pm Mon, I hadn’t heard anything from the Dr nor anything on the Saving Moses project.  Still waiting.  Grrrrrrr.

Tues morning rolls around & still no answers & now I’m getting jittery.  But when I would turn my heart to the Holy Spirit on these 2 topics, I felt peace.  Since this story has now been too long, here’s the short conclusion:  no broken ankle and the Saving Moses project has an affirmative answer!  And in all of this, I felt God tell me that if I will trust Him, He will meet the points of my needs with His provisions.  Luke 21:29 – in patience, possess your soul :)

I’m hungry

Published January 19, 2012 Albania , Angola , Cambodia , enemies to intimacy , Ethiopia , fasting , Holy Spirit , living , missions , prayer , relationships , saving moses , spiritual 1 Comment
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The guy at Starbucks just did a good job encouraging me to buy some food to go w my coffee, telling me that the latest research proves that we need to eat 5 small meals a day for optimum health – of course my mind immediately goes to Angola with saving Moses and the hunger that I often see there.
But I think that all of us are fundamentally hungry for God. I think if we strip away all of our achievements, relationships, wealth, looks, etc, when we are just ourselves, we are designed to crave our Creator. Yes, I’m hungry but I understand that the hunger of my heart isn’t to look better, to increase my popularity, nor expand my wealth of achievements. At ground zero, we are all hungry for God & His presence in our lives. Recognizing this hunger will increase our potential to live a very fulfilling life :)

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