A HURTING HEART

A HURTING HEART

What does a hurting heart look like?  I have learned that it might look nothing at all like you think.  It can wear a smile, it can be laughing, playing, singing a song, jumping rope, doing just about anything that would not give the slightest clue that it is aching.  It will however show itself from time to time.  It can be captured in a moment of silence and seen very clearly in the eyes that look like they are seeing something in the far distance.  They are not looking to the space in front of them but the empty space inside.  Perhaps seeing another child with their adoptive parents takes them back to a time when their mother or father was holding them and kissing their face.  A broken heart misses the touches of a mommy and daddy, the security felt in laying their small frame next to their mother’s bosoms or their father’s big strong arms. It  longs to hear I love you, you are so beautiful, you are special and all of the other emotions expressed  the way only a mommy and daddy can do. The most beautiful thing about a broken heart is that it can be mended.  It does not have to stay broken.  Our Heavenly Father knew that we would be broken and healing would need to take place when he created us.  He knew that painful moments in time could be replaced with new moments. Tender, caring and loving moments that can bring healing into the heart of each child that is longing for a mommy and daddy.  In Romans Chapter 8 God’s Word very clearly tells us that we have all been grafted into His family.  That we are in fact joint heirs with Jesus Christ His son.  We do not have a spirit of fear but a spirit of adoption.  I pray that the Spirit of God would move in the hearts of His children to know this spirit of adoption by which we were so graciously accepted into and hurting hearts all over the world would come to know the feeling of being grafted into love by His children.

After a good rainstorm and a leaky roof this appeared on my wall.  I thought it was pretty cool.

 The children are making pictures for the O'leary family.  They love to color and hearing them say Grandma look, Grandma look what I did is so precious. 

Thank you to everyone who donated to Feeding the Orphans so we could have these crayons and notebooks!

Village of Chorkor

We deliver food to families in the village of Chorkor once a month.  This month we were very blessed  to have the founders and  friends from Feeding the Orphans go with us.

He is helping to prepare the fish for the family to sell at the market.

Deep Frying the Fish

A DAY AT THE POOL

The 13 of us loaded up in the taxi and headed for a day at the Ramada swimming pool.  They also have a playground the children enjoyed very much.  This was a reward for obedience, not throwing rubbish down, staying at the table while eating and sticking with their new buddies.  Each child has an older child as a buddy who helps them brush their teeth, etc.  It cost $6.00 for each child under nine and $12.00 for each child over nine.  We also buy a bag of water for $2.00 and the Taxi is $15.00 if anyone would be interested in sponsoring a trip to the pool.  You can contact Feeding the Orphans if you would like to be part of the swimming rewards.  The children love going to the pool Only one had gone before.

Grocery Shopping Ghana

First a ride on the trotro and then off to the market.

I will appreciate Kroger and never complain about shopping again. 

COOKING GHANA STYLE

 

Breakfast

                                                                     Making Fufu

                                                          Eating Rice & Egg for lunch

                                    Shopping for Yams (takes 1 - 3 hours) Not my favorite thing to do.

A typical day at Assurance of Hope

The day starts pretty early, around 5 a.m.  Janet collects the laundry and begin washing by hand for all 46 children and adults.  While Adjua is cooking breakfast the older children who attend school get their baths and get dressed for school.  While they are eating their breakfast the younger children take  their baths and are next in line for breakfast.  After breakfast there is a break while everything is cleaned up and then school begins which last around two hours.  The rest of the day is spent playing and waiting for the older children to  arrive home around 3:30 in the afternoon.  Everyone plays until time for dinner and once we have eaten, cleanup and homework.  The day ends with singing and prayer and then it is off to bed. 

William

Today begins a journey for a little boy, William, who doesn’t even understand how this journey will change his life for the rest of his life. His handicap could potentially keep him from reaching his potential.  Only God knows what William will do with his life, how He will use him.  

We hired out taxi to take us to the hospital in Accra.  As I watched William, this tiny beautiful little boy, I was wondering what he must be thinking leaving his home full of children entering the busy streets of Teshie.  His little face was so serious.

We arrived at the hospital, the largest in Accra, and made our way to the eye clinic.  

The nurses tried but William was having nothing to do with the eye patch or flash light.  He did however take the vegetable pie I got him.   At the end of the day we had what we needed and William will have his eye surgery February 20, 2011.  My heart is so encouraged as I see God working out answers for these children.  Our God is a Great God and nothing is too difficult for Him.