It Is Most Definitely Good

I watched them dance.

I laughed with them.

Watched them as they watched a puppet show.

I drank in every minute.  Wishing for more.  Loving them.  Loving them.  Oh so very much wishing for more.  27 of our Lost Boys in a room and my cup ran over.  How to paint with words all that I heard and saw.  Grady was there.  Sweet Samuel.  Porter?  I'm still trying to decide.  Boys from years ago who were in Aaron's group.  Boys we loved.  Loved.

I am at a loss.

The last three days have been overflowing.  I can't sort it all out in my mind.  The whirlwind of emotions has rendered me speechless. 

I need my sweet husband.  I need to pour out the stories and the images to him.  Rest my words on his shoulders.  Laugh with him.  Grieve out the sorrow.  I am missing his steady calm.  Three solid days of  so much.  So very much.  I wondered last week whether this trip was crazy.  I don't wonder any more.  The welcoming arms of the director - the tears in her eyes.  The leaning in as we took a picture.   It is good.  It is most definitely good.

 

 

 

God is on the move.  Baby steps to be sure.  But God is moving.

 

 

 

I have stories.  I will share.  For now - thank you.  Thank you. 

 

Your prayers cover me.  I know this.  It is good.

 

 

 

It is Good

 

I'M HERE I'M HERE....

 

For those who are paying attention to the news ...  I am NOT currently close to where the riot police are tear gassing protestors but will be there this next weekend. 

 

 

 

Oh yes.  We are most definitely praying that things settle down before we carry three children into that city.

 

It is so good to be here.

 

It is just so good!

 

ALL MY BAGS MADE IT SAFE AND SOUND!!

 

Getting through customs concerned me.  I had three big bags and a small one and I was just one person. I figured someone was going to wonder what I had in all of my bags.  I was behind two men who had nothing more than a couple of carry-ons and BOTH of them were pulled out of the line and questioned.  I was pretty sure I was going to be pulled too.  You could barely see me behind my cart of big bags filled with all kinds of stuff to giveaway.  But they just looked at me and waved me on!!  Seriously??  I walked fast and thanked the Lord I wasn't going to have to explain why I had 200 + packages of Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, oodles of new women's gloves, tons of hand soap and a pile of men's wool socks in my bags! 

 

 It is good I am here.

 

I'm spending a few days with a missionary who is kindly showing me around.

 

Lord willing, I will be visiting our Lost Boys either tomorrow or Wednesday.

 

On Thursday I will head over to Carla's region.

 

I'm learning so much.

 

Gaining knowledge.

 

Building relationships.

 

It is good.

 

It is so good.

 

 

 

 

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane

I lay in bed last night praying as fear and worry began to nip at my heels.

 

 

So many unknown on this trip and the unknowns were starting to wear me down.

 

But this morning... just a few minutes ago...

 

A HUGE door just opened.

 

God's moving ahead.

 

I cling to that reality.

 

I COVET YOUR PRAYERS!

 

I AM BEYOND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

 

I will blog as much as I am able when I have internet...

 

I'M OFF.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fatherless Friday

I know.

 

It is Black Friday and most people aren't paying attention to blogs and such.

 

But for those who are paying attention....

 

Last year at this time I was gearing up for a Giveaway to raise money for 6 Angel Tree babes.

 

That post is HERE.

 

Go look and see who was on that post and then come back and look at THIS PICTURE.

 

 

This picture was taken THIS MORNING!

 

This morning two boys walked into freedom.

 

Two boys who were on the impossible list a year ago.

 

Four of the six boys we raised money for last year have families.  The other two boys are locked away behind the curtains of a country that has closed its doors to adoption!

 

A year later I'm packing to cross the ocean but my heart is with a bunch of Angels on a tree who need voices raised on their behalf.

 

THERE ARE 77 CHILDREN ON THAT ANGEL TREE WHO ARE STILL UNDER $100.00!!

 

Oh that just makes me crazy!

 

There are two more days until December 1st and I think it would be sweet if all the kids made it over the $100.00 wall.

 

I have a dear friend who is doing an amazing Giveaway for ALL the babes.  All you have to do is donate to ONE child and then enter to win a bunch of prizes. 

 

Seriously??? One Angel Tree child??

PLEASE!!

 

 

Won't you help on this Black Friday get ONE child over the $100.00 wall?

 

Pick one.

 

 

 

A few only need $10.00 to get over.  Some need $20.00.  Some need $60.00.

 

Will you pick one babe?  Help them over?

 

  

 

Or pick several.

 

Or pick them all...

 

   

 

77 children could really use a boost to get over that first wall....

 

I'd love to get on a plane tomorrow night with a spring in my step!

 

   

 

CLICK HERE TO GET TO THE ANGEL TREE

 

CLICK HERE TO GET TO THE ALL ANGELS GIVEAWAY

 

  

 

Be a difference for a child this Christmas.

 

Be their voice.

 

 

 

Lift them up in prayer.

 

Raise their grant accounts so that money will be less of a factor for a family choosing to step out in faith!!

 

PLEASE!!!

 

 

They need you!

 

 

Totes. Hats. Shirts. OH MY!

 

Totes. 

 

 

Shirts.

 

 

 

 

Hats. 

 

OH MY!!!

 

 

PAPER CLOUDS APPAREL

 

Think Christmas presents....

 

 

 

All those who said you wanted one.... only 12 days left!!

 

Get them now because  they will soon be gone!!

 

 

 

 

 

He Walks Before Me

Yes I am.

 

Leaving in Four Days.

 

My bedroom looks like a bomb went off in there. 

 

Matchbox cars and Hotwheels are everywhere - donated by my precious church family and Elizabeth's friend for me to give to our Lost Boys.  Plus tons of gloves and warm socks and presents and framed pictures and other whatnots for the director and EVERY SINGLE CARETAKER spilling out of bags surrounding the two suitcases that I am using.  It is a really really cool problem to have!  I am overcome with gratitude.  The outpouring of love and kindness shown to our boys causes rain to pour from my eyes. 

 

People ask if I am nervous.

 

I am not.

 

There are still many unknowns in this trip.

 

Yet I have such a wild sense of peace and calm.

 

I'm walking a path that has been laid out before me.  That doesn't mean the path is clear and easy.  But I'm not walking alone.  The Lord of the Universe walks before me.  Our love and concern for these boys pales compared to His. 

 

A year ago.

 

Black Friday.

 

I wrote a post titled For This Child.

 

It was the worst day of the year to beg for a child.

 

I feared that my post would be lost and no one would hear my cry.

 

A year later.

 

On Black Friday.

 

On Black Friday.

 

Three days from now.

 

A year later a family will walk into the lives of those two precious babes.

 

Exactly 365 days after writing a blogpost with tears streaming I will be crying again.

 

This time my tears will be tears of shouting and joy.

 

I am crossing the ocean in four days to give testimony to some weary and worn down workers at an institute out in the middle of nowhere that the little boy we carried out of their gates three years ago is doing fine. 

 

He's doing fine.

 

I am crossing the ocean to give them gifts and to let them know how much we care.

 

And just days ahead of me walking through those gates, ON BLACK FRIDAY, will be a family wanting to call another Lost Boy into their family.

Is that not just a brilliant display of God at work?

The God of the Universe, the Creator of the World, the one who loves us with an abiding and eternal love, the one who came crashing into our lives to redeem us from our sin and rebellion - that God - He is walking before me!

I rest in that.


-------------------------------------------------------

P.S.

AARON'S TANKER IS NOW ON SALE...

 

Click HERE!!

 

Lost Men

What transfer looks like for Barton.

 

From Lost Boys to Lost Men

 

Will you cry with me?

 

His time runs out this week.

 

 

Please.  Someone choose LIFE for Barton.

 

Please.

 

 

 

Continuing to pray for the impossible.

 

 

 

E-mail inquires about Barton to Debbie@reecesrainbow.com

USCIS needs to be filed by December 1st (mailed out no later than November 26th overnight delivery). 

 

 

Barton

 

I forgot about him.

 

 

The quiet boy who loves to watch the birds.  

 

 

The quiet one who enjoys being rather than doing. 

 

 

The boy who only comes alive when the music plays.

 

 

 

He moved to the back of my to do list because I'm busy busy busy and have so many important things to do and one quiet boy is so very easy to forget.

 

So easy to forget.

 

He ages out next week.  December 1st. 

 

He ages out.

 

His chance for a family ends on his birthday.

 

BARTON

 

 

 

I write this with tears streaming.

 

It seems so hopeless at this point.

 

 

We yelled for him in March.  A solid month of yelling.  We yelled again a few other times since then but nothing.  No one.  And now the end is here.  He has but a week to find a family.  He has nothing to offer but a tender spirit and a quiet presence.  He isn't going to be a rocket science. He isn't going to blow anyone away with grand accomplishments.  Does that disqualify him from a family?  Does it mean he has to spend the rest of his life bench sitting?

 

Oh Barton.

 

 

Isn't there anyone out there who has room at their table for a sweet young man who would love to be your personal assistant.  A kindhearted soul who will drink in every ounce of attention you give him and give it back one hundred fold??  Is there anyone out there willing to take a leap of faith and go get him?  Paperwork has to be mailed by MONDAY or TUESDAY (overnighted) at the latest.

 

Oh Barton.

 

Sweet Barton.

 

I'm covering you with prayers sweet boy.

 

Praying for the impossible.

 

Trying to believe.

 

 E-mail inquires about Barton to Debbie@reecesrainbow.com

USCIS needs to be filed by December 1st (mailed out no later than November 26th overnight delivery). 

 

 

 

Fatherless Friday - Do Something!

To the lovely person/persons who donated to Ruslan's Angel Tree Account....

 

THANK YOU!

 

I feel I have dropped the ball on my sweet babe but there is just nothing I can do about it right now.

I LEAVE IN 8 DAYS.

 

EIGHT DAYS!

 

 

 

 

But despite frantically cleaning (we are hosting Thanksgiving here) and shopping (I had a blast last night with Ben and Aaron picking out gifts for Carla's babes, the caretakers, directors and our sweet landlady who I plan on visiting) and packing (actually not packing at this point) and getting my classes covered while I am gone and figuring out what my men are going to eat while I am gone and getting schedules in order and doing all those crazy things that need to be done...

 

Despite all of that...

 

I've been watching the Angel Tree daily - praying over the babes - rooting for them - agonizing that the some of the ones at the bottom ARE THE SAME ONES AS LAST YEAR and wanting so much to do something about that!!

 

I LOVE the ANGEL TREE!

 

I love it because it is how we found Aaron.  He was never ON the tree but through the tree the Lord directed our eyes to him.

 

So I CARE about getting eyes turned towards that tree.

 

Every single babe needs a family.

 

There are over 200 babes on that tree.

 

   

 

That represents a whole lot of families that need to be found.

 

On this Fatherless Friday....

 

   

 

Will you go look at the babes on the tree?

 

 

   

 

 

LOOK AT THEM.

 

And then DO something....

 

   

 

   

 

 

You could pick a babe and print his/her picture off and take it to church and put it on the bulletin board. Maybe put two pictures.  How about three.  Okay - Fill the bulletin board.

 

   

 

You could host a bake sale and raise awareness.

 

You could share their pictures on Facebook.

 

   

 

Or on your blog.

 

Or send them around in an e-mail.

 

You could pick one or two or three and make a donation in their grant account. Especially those poor souls on the bottom of the tree.  Oh please help them get off the bottom of the tree!!  My poor Mark who HAD a family and who LOST his family is sitting at the bottom.  Oh Mark.  My heart bleeds for you babe!

 

 

You could pray.

 

     

 

Most definitely pray.

 

That is what is needed the most.

 

  

 

Just DO something.

 

All the babes pictured here have less than $30.00 in their grant accounts.

 

REECE'S RAINBOW ANGEL TREE

 

Do Something!