THEY NEED US

I am writing to thank everyone who prayed and who sent financial support while I was in Ghana and to share what God is doing in my life right now.  While I was in Ghana God taught me so much and before I left to come back to the States, I knew He had  birthed a desire in my heart to be involved in missions full-time.  He used the challenges I faced to break my heart for the children of Africa.  At the end of my nine months I knew that I wanted to pursue the call He has placed on my life to minister to the people of Ghana and Togo West Africa.

 

Since I have been home, I have been blessed to be part of what God is doing right here in America.  I know that most people think giving to a missionary means giving to someone who will be traveling to a foreign land to minister.  I will admit that is exactly what I thought I would be doing, but since I have been home God has shown me a great need that directly impacts the orphans and single mothers that Feeding the Orphans touches.  Without people who are willing to do the behind the scenes work (advocate for children right here) many of the needs that are being met would not be.  I have seen the hustle and bustle that goes on in the day to day life of a family that has and is giving their all to His call.  There are e-mails, phone calls, running to the post office, bookwork, seminars, conventions to sell products that give single mothers the ability to care for their children, picking up products, meeting people to sell products, meeting people to pick up donations, delivering donations, writing thank you letters, meetings for special projects and fund raisers, overseeing schedules for volunteers, overseeing schedules for mission teams, international phone calls and emails, listening to the hearts of people who are oversees and homesick, giving advice, running out at all hours of the day and night to send money for medical needs for orphans and volunteers and so much more. Because Feeding the Orphans has grown so fast God has called me to step in and help them with all the daily duties that are required to run this organization so they can continue to meet the need of those they are caring for.  I will also travel to Ghana and Togo and minister there at different times throughout the year as needs and projects arise.

The beauty of this organization is that it was started in the heart of an 10 year old and has grown into an entire family and hundreds of people who are following and giving as God directs.  It is beautiful the way it is changing the lives of hundreds of orphans and single mothers and is continuing to grow as God reveals the work He has for all of us to do.  Feeding the Orphans is now serving orphanages in the villages of Teshie, Bolga, and Central Region in the country of Ghana, the country of Togo and their latest partnership in India.  They also partner with City of Refuge in the village of Doryumu, Ghana which rescues children from slavery and provides them with a home, food and education.  Feeding the Orphans has built one of the two homes that are now completed and beaming with lives full of hope.  They are committed to the single mothers who have been trained to make jewelry, handbags and quilts and spend many hours advertising and attending conventions so that they can sell their products.

FTO is a non-profit organization that gives 100% of donations to their designated projects.  It is FTO’s heart that if money is designated to children, then all of that money needs to go to the children.  Therefore, I will need to raise my own support.  I have been so humbled at the way you have given your support in the past whether financial, phone calls, prayers, etc.  You are a very important part of what God is doing and I want to thank you in advance for enabling me to obey His call.  I will post on my blog so that you see where I am in the fundraising process and be encouraged as we all work together to see the work of the Kingdom of God get done.

I feel very blessed to be called by God to help meet the needs of this organization so we can continue to care for God’s children.  To become a monthly partner in my calling, you can mail a tax deductible check to:

Feeding the Orphans

505 Cave Creek Road
Loudon, TN 37774

Or alternatively you can donate securely online at www.feedingtheorphans.org

Please Designate Lola Crain Support in the notes section.

 

 

SAFE VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdmvtVnzBWQ

A Full Heart

My heart is so full right now.  I have been thinking about children. Children here, Africa, all over the world really.  My heart is full as I think about them and how much God loves them.  I am enjoying every minute of my time with my grandchildren and they are so precious to me.  The children at the orphanage I lived at are also very precious to me.  And as much as I love them He loves them more. 

As I read God's Word this passage took on new meaning:
Romans 8:15-17 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

I can't physically see God but I know that He is there.  I know that He cares for me and He will meet my needs. I don't have to fear,  I only have to trust Him.  He is faithful.  His word says I can cry out Abba, Father... Daddy.  That I am His child and not only that but He has made me a joint heir with Jesus Christ!  ARE YOU GETTING THAT?  A joint heir with Jesus Christ! 

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.






As children of God, who have been grafted into
His family by the spirit of adoption we must see the
heart of God.  Pure and undefiled religion is meeting
the needs of orphans and widows.  That means it is
our responsibility to take care of them.  He has done for
 us what He wants us to do for them. 





My heart is crying out that as children of the Most High God we will understand His heart, touch His heart and see His Kingdom touch earth through our obedience and willingness.  I don't want to do something out of a feeling of responsiblity.  I want to understand how awesome it is to know that someone loves me like that and to love others like that.  I want to walk in the shadow of the Almighty God and do what He has commanded me to do, LOVE.


Jesus, help us to feel what you feel when you see a child covered in dust, wearing clothing that is tattered and torn, who is hungry and thirsty.  Give us eyes to see and heart to feel what you see and feel.  Forgive us if we are apathetic and are more concerned with other things.  Turn our hearts to you and to these children and help us Lord to be faithful in the things of God and not the things of this world.  The enemy has set snares for us and is using them to keep us from being used by you.  God set your word a blaze in our hearts!  Help us to long for you more than anything else, to desire to please you more than anything else.   Lord give us a higher standard of living than the worlds standard.  Let us see our value when we are yeilded to you and nothing else.  Help us to be generous with our money, with our time, with our love.







If you are not stirred for the things of God it is not His fault.  It is because you are not making a choice to pursue Him.  There is no other reason. I use to tell myself I just don't like to read. That was an excuse to make myself feel better.  I don't like to eat off of dirty plates so I wash the dishes which I don't like to do either.  I can give you a million examples like that, the point is, IT IS A CHOICE.  I just read something that struck a nerve in me.  A local doctor wrote in his book, if you only hear the spoken word of God from preachers and others you are getting leftovers and they are dining at His table.   ARE YOU GETTING THAT?  You can hear from God directly, you can pursue Him and He will be availble to you and He will use you because you are valuable to Him.

I Timothy 6:11  But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 

What are the things that are consuming your time, your mind, your money, etc.  When I think about that I feel such pain in my heart because I have wasted so much time, money and thought on things that are now nothing to me.  He will never be nothing so investing in Him will always mean something. 

Called

One of the most touching experiences I had in Ghana was in a remote village where the children had never seen a white person (Obruni). To watch their little hands tremble as they mustered up the courage to come closer is something I will never forget.  I knew that day, looking at the affects of poverty on these children,

I could never say no to Gods call. I watched with  tears as this little girl kept her distance. I wanted so badly to pick her up, to bandage her bleeding knee and tell her that Jesus loves her.  She would not allow it that day but as I shared with Righ and Kristie O’leary the burden God placed on my heart for these kids they immediately responded that we would provide sponsors for food and water for these children.

God planted a seed in my heart and birthed a desire to continue mission work while I was in Ghana.  I have been praying since I left there for Him to show me what I would be doing.  He has placed an opportunity for me to continue my mission work in Ghana.  Feeding the Orphans desperately needs our help. This family has given more and more of their time to running FTO as God has placed more orphans in their care.  They are also providing jobs for single mothers ensuring that they will be able to keep and care for their children. They are determined to give 100% of donations to feeding children and providing income for single mothers. In order to do this the O’Leary family is raising the funds to support their family here in the U.S. They are the backbone of Feeding the Orphans and without FTO hundreds of children and many single  mothers would not have food, water and education. The stats are staggering of how God is blessing through this family.

Matthew 9:37  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

I know that God is calling me to full time work with FTO and that in order for this ministry to continue to function with 100% of donations going to the kids, I will be raising support for myself.  I will travel to Ghana to oversee operations, work here and there training and scheduling volunteers and mission teams and assist in the daily tasks associated with running an international orphan care ministry.  I am asking you to come along side me and financially enable me to do the work that God has called me to do.

We all are called to be workers. For some of us that means supporting with our finances and for others it means going. I am willing to answer the call God has placed in my heart. I am only ½ of the solution.  Please consider being the other half. 

To begin partnering with me in this mission:

1.       Make your pledge payable to Feeding the Orphans with Lola Crain on the memo line

2.      Mail your donations to Feeding the Orphans, 505 Cave Creek Rd., Loudon, TN 37774 or, you can pay electronically on their website: www.feedingtheorphans.com (All donations are tax deductable).

In Christ,

Lola Crain

He is faithful

My beautiful momma.

I have experienced the faithfulness of God so much and just want to always share His goodness. My mother is an alsheimer victom and it is such a cruel disease.  While I was in Africa I prayed over and over that God would restore her mind and that she would use her final days as an intercessor.  My mom loves God and I know that she would be happy interceding for others.  When I talked to my sister yesterday she told me the doctors findings.  His report is that she is not progressing as quickly into the next stages as a normal alsheimer patient would, rather she has not gotten worse at all.  I am believing and thanking my God that he is sustaining and healing her mind. 

God is so good to all of us if we will just ask Him believing.  He is a powerful God who is a restorer, refresher, reviver, and loves to give good gifts to His children.  All He wants is for us to love Him more than anything else and how easy is that.  To love a God who loves you first, who created you in His image and is calling you to walk hand in hand with him loving others as He loves you.  Walk in the fullness of being a child of the most High God.  Believe Him! Don't just believe in Him.  He is able to do far more than you can even think to ask and if you will think about your life and the things He has done you will testify to the truthfullness of that.  Oh how wonderful it is to know Him.

HOME

I have been home for exactly two weeks.  It is almost overwhelming to try and  process everything right now.  My heart is in two places now and they are so opposite of each other in many ways.  The abundance of water here is such a blessing to me now after have two buckets of water for bathing (outside under the trees), brushing teeth, etc. and now, just turning on the tap anytime I want.  Restaraunts galore, air conditioned grocery stores with nice little buggies (everything is carried on your head in a huge metal bowl in Africa) and vehicles to jump in anytime you want to go somewhere (VERY FEW people have cars in Ghana)  are something I just don't take for granted anymore.  I went without television for the past nine months and honestly when I turn it on now I don't like it at all!  When I think about sitting in front of a box and watching other people (literally with "reality" tv) I feel like it is such a waste of time. After living with a people who have nothing watching people who are flaunting the fact that they have an abundace of money being rude, crude and totally unapreciative of what they have is just not how I want to spend my time. I don't have a tv and sometimes I wish I could just sit down and watch a good movie once but there is always my pc which was my television in Ghana. I like to watch people, always have.  I have really noticed that  color is missing in our wardrobes.  In Ghana when everyone wears their traditional African outfits they are arrayed in color and the styles are out of this world awesome. African's love color and so do I after being around it.  Their fabrics are so different than anything you can find here.  I don't know why we are so reserved when it comes to color, and I still am, but it just makes you feel good looking at all of it on the streets on Sundays.  They still get so decked out to go to church and consider anything less not acceptable for God's house. I like it that they consider going to meet with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is reason for putting on your best. I know it is cool and hip to go to church in anything you want and we don't want anyone to feel bad about whey they wear but I still think it is nice to make effort when going before Him, He is worth it.  MUSIC, SINGING and DANCING, oh my! Everywhere you go in Ghana, the market place, the streets, someones home there is music.  It is loud, the kind of loud where we would call the police and complain.  There is no complaining in Ghana and many nights I went to sleep hearing the neighbors music playing. As you walk the music and the voices change but everone is singing, uninhibitedly!  It is so refresing.  I would dance with them and sing and we would all laugh and smile and it was so nice to just be free with what I was feeling.  I pray that the families who have brought Ghanaian children home will make an effort to just be goofballs and dance and sing with their children.  It is a huge part of their heritage and I just want to say a beautiful part of their heritage.

Being torn is tough but I would not give up this experience for anything.  I am blessed to know the people of Ghana and my heart is with 36 orphans that call me Grandma and who I love with all my heart.  I also would never give up the privledge and honor of loving and raising my three girls and having their children be such a huge part of my life or the wonderful friends that I have here in America.

GOD BLESS AMERICA! GOD BLESS GHANA! GOD BLESS TOGO! GOD BLESS US ALL!

Raging Rivers

I was just thinking about the storms of life this morning.  How the raging river is so hard to cross but on the waters edge there is green grass and because of the water there is life making the trees and flowers and everything near it healthy and beautiful. Much like the trials of life, hard to go through but on the otherside is the refreshing of Him who gives the trials.  He makes all things beautiful. He carries us when we are weak and when we are on the waters edge we need not forget, like the roots of the living things on the waters edge strive for the water, so we should strive to be closer to Him.