Ayi For a Day

 Recently, I hooked up with the Sparrow Fund to support their "Ayi For a Day" project by ordering a kit.  Ayi is the Mandarin word for nanny.  The box arrived and I started to plan our day in regards to how/when to use the box.  The kit was full of hands on goodies that made this day real for the girls.  There were Chinese snacks, green tea, a newspaper, sleeve covers, shoe covers, a small toy, and a typical schedule for a ayi included in the kit.  Because my girls are so young, the hard spiritual truths in this kit were beyond them, but it was very real to this momma's heart as I read about the daily schedule of these women, whom cared for my precious Chinese babes while they waited for me.  I can only imagine what it is like to care for so many babes at one time with so few resources in a land that doesn't value these little, abandoned lives, knowing that you must say goodbye day after day never to see their faces again.  This kit gave me a small glimpse into what a day might look like for them, and it prompted us to pray for them.  Honestly, this kit changed me as I watched my darling babes interact with it.  I have spent little time dwelling on the hands/hearts who have loved my babes before I did.  It certainly led me to pray for these women who do so much to care for the least of these in a place that is so beyond hard to be.

For my babes, this day was pure fun.  They acted out Ayi For a Day in pure preschool fashion.  When I introduced the kit, I presented dress up uniform pieces, gathered toys to play out nanny, and introduced the sacrifices, as well as my daughters personal stories and experiences, as they could handle it.  Anna LOVED this day.  She loves all things baby so this was right up her alley.

She gathered all her supplies, and cared for her dolls all day long.  She did open the door for me to share some photos of her with her ayis in China, and, as always with my very verbally princess, she had lots of thoughts and questions.

For our littlest babe, home only four months now, this role playing is so fresh in her mind.  She, like Anna Mei, did love playing with the babies, and caring for them because she does EVERYTHING her sister does.

I must say that it is so sweet to see her loving her dolls exactly as I love her.  She babbles words that sound similar to those I speak over her while I rock her.  She strokes their head, and kisses them just as I do her.  If you doubted the impact of a momma's love, you couldn't deny that it is so very crucial when you see my littlest babe act it out with her dolls.  God made babies to be loved in families for sure, but I am so thankful for the many who have loved and cared for each of my girls before I could.

The kit included a recipe for a typical congee.  It is stew-soup with rice.  It is likely that my babes ate this stuff every single day.

For Molly, this life is so fresh and new that it was very comforting to her to be eating it.

She ate her weight in the stuff asking for more and more.

The typical schedule included in the kit had feeding times, and I imagined feeding so many babies at once with such limited resources would be heart breaking.  As I watched my littlest gobble up her lunch, I am so very thankful that we access to so much here.  I can't imagine having to choose who is fed, and watching some go hungry as I am sure Ayis must have this scenario play out before them daily.

Anna Mei was full of ideas about how to care for her babies.  She changed diapers, fed them, changed their clothes, and gave them baths.  This passionate, loving, little one of mine is going to change the world for the least if she is willing to give her life to the Lord as she grows.  She is very, very special.  I am so thankful for this day, and our experience with it.  It is wonderful to take time to reflect on the girls past, and those still living in it.  I pray this day impacts them as they grow, and they will be moved by my prayers for these women who care for orphans everyday in their homeland.

When All Is Right in the World

There are days, when I look at this face sitting at our tea party table and it feels that all is right with the world now that this darling baby is home with us.

 I hear her laughter, see her playing, and I simply can't believe that only three short months ago I was on a plane bound for China to get her.  Now here she is fully our daughter as if she has always been here wearing an apron and playing in our toy kitchen.

 All too quickly though, I remember the millions more who don't have a tea party table to sit around with their adoring big sister, and I remember that all is not right with the world.

The truth is millions more beauties wait for a home to welcome them.  Who will welcome those who wait?  Who will invite them in?

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Mathew 25:40

How Do I Even Begin to Explain?

I visited a new doctor to get my physical papers completed for the China side of things and it actually happened.  She said, "Why do you adopt these children when you are fully able to have children of your own?"  "Why do you take this child who has a defect without knowing their genes ?" (after seeing Molly's picture)  How do I even begin to explain the incredible love of a Savior who loved me so very much that he willingly gave up his own life so that mine might be saved?  How do I even begin to help someone understand the reasons why we go to China to willingly embrace a child as our own when they don't yet know of this incredible love that, by God's mercy and grace, I have experienced as I have accepted his son as my Savior? The truth is I love because he first loved me. 1 John 4:19  I have been given this incredible opportunity to share this love with those least who desperately need to know it because he has lavished his love on me though I don't deserve it.  I have been called, as have all who believe in him, to be his hands and feet.  This is a deep honor and privilege that I don't begin to deserve. 

It also deeply blesses me to be able to watch this................ 

Anna Mei

Jillian

turn to this...

 as the love of my Savior is shared with our precious daughters because these two, this life God has called us to, is one of the greatest blessings of my life!  I can't wait to see Molly Kate smile, like these two beauties, as she learns the love and security of belonging to a family sharing Christ's love with her.

How far will God go to redeem "one"?

Go here.
Read. 
Cry. 
This post is a must and while you are there follow them so you can be with them as they travel to China to bring home their sweet Abigail.

Adoption Changed My Life

Without a doubt, adoption has changed my life and the lives of everyone in my entire family.  This video was written and produced by a teen about how adoption has changed her life.  It is beautifully written and her words are so articulated.  I pray that God continues to raise up this generation to live so boldly for him.

It Made Me Think of Him..

I passed by him just now.  There was a group of adults, who were probably residents of a group home, doing there shopping at a store this afternoon.  There he stood at the end of the aisle with a funny crumpled face, because the aisle was so crowded, just shaking his head at the squeeze he was about to experience.  I spoke to him and he smiled the broadest smile.  It was the kind of smile that just lights up my insides.  He showed me his hat.  I asked if he was buying pencils like his friends.  He said yes and then he said "see you later" as I carried on with my shopping and left the aisle.  Then, I started to tear up because that joyful, wonderful, amazing, friendly man made me think of this one..

This little man just passed away in an orphanage never knowing the love of a family.  He passed away at 7 months old never having the value, experiencing the community, or joy that this man in the grocery store, whom I just passed, got to experience.  These two individuals share similar genetic make-up and were both created by the same God in His own image and yet tragically this little man, at only 7 months old, left the earth all too soon.  He was never given the care or value that he deserved on this Earth.  I cried for him and the millions of other children around the world who wait.  As I cried, I thanked God for allowing me to see these children with His eyes and I prayed that He would allow me to be a part of doing something more. Could God be calling you to do something?  Listen.  We are His hands and feet to the least.  If we don't act, who will?


James 1:27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Extraordinary

I wish that I could put into words how it feels to hold my sweet Jillian down for a medical procedure for the third time in three weeks.  I wish that I could express how I feel seeing her so afraid, how I feel watching her overcome, or what it means to me to have her strongly attached to me communicating to go home or signing bye-bye as we are in the office.  Extraordinary is this baby girl and it is a privilege to be her mother.  A privilege to live out the adoption of her as mine each day in my life.  She is one of the greatest blessings of my life and I love her fiercely.  I never want to get over the miracle that she is.  I never want to forget that though she was born a half a world away, God made her mine just like that because He wanted her to know the love of a momma.  And I hope I never get over the fact that He chose me to be that for her.  This wonderful amazing little girl is my daughter.  It is a true, true miracle that it is my arms holding her down while her teeth are cleaned.  It is truly a miracle that I am the one wrestling her when her ear wax is being dug out.  It is truly a miracle when she smiles at me and signs "momma i love you".  A miracle for so many reasons.  I thank God today and always that I didn't miss this.  I thank God that He has allowed me to experience so many miracles in the last two years as I have watched Jillian's life story unfold.  I only wish that I could communicate more clearly the impact that she has had on my life.  Oh that God has allowed this child to be mine is so much more than I ever imagined for myself.  I am deeply, deeply saddened by the thought that millions more children are living without a momma right now.  How is it that we can stand by and let that be?  We have more room in our vans, empty chairs at our dinner tables, and a God who is abundantly more than we could ever imagine!  He continues to fill my heart to overflowing as I love my treasures.  As I bawled my eyes out on all the way home because Jillian actually was able to go to the dentist, I praised Him and prayed that He might see fit to give me more to care for.

Who Was With Her Then

My precious four year old had a major meltdown this morning.  It lasted nearly two and half hours and I had to call Daddy for reinforcement as my littlest was scared out of her wits watching her sis so sad.  I have to admit it was exhausting working through this one.  I often think about how in the world I will take care of this precious child as she ages and gets bigger.  I often contemplate just how inadequate I am for this job and just how crazy it is for me to think I can do more (though it doesn't discourage me from praying to do more).  This morning though I was just overcome with sadness as I was remembering the faces of those precious children from Annie's post yesterday.  Those faces in Annie's photos live in one of the very places that my daughters lived.  And so all I could think this morning was who was with my precious Jillian when I wasn't?  Who was it that held her flailing little body while the sensory craziness passed?  Who sang to her?  Who reassured her that she was safe and that she was loved?  The truth is there was probably no one to do those things while she waited for us and typing those words, with those fresh images of this morning still raw in my heart, brings tears to my eyes because God never intended for these babies to be alone.  Parenting my special treasure is the hardest thing I have ever been called to do and yet I would do it again and again if it meant I would receive the blessing of her.  She popped right up after the crazy passed and has gone about the day as if nothing happened.  For me, the thought..Who was with her then?..is seared in my heart after those two and half long hours this morning and leaves me praying that God would use me more because children are meant to have a family alongside them.

Bawling My Eyes Out

After a beautiful morning with my precious littles making scrambled eggs, experimenting with watercolor paints, and playing at yet another beautiful new park here in our new city, I was planning on sharing a post about our amazing and wonderful little life.  Then I opened my blogs and saw this .  (Just click over and look for yourself.)  These faces haunt me at night.  The faces of girls and boys as valuable to the Lord as my beautiful littles with no hope of ever having a morning with a momma cooking, painting, and playing.  How do I even begin to let go of the deep sorrow I have over the thought of just one child living this life of hopelessness?  I don't have all the answers.  In fact, I don't have many at all as I have been in the throws of doing hard with my newest little treasure as we continue to graft her in to our family, but I know that God has given me such a tremendous burden for these children.  I honestly feel shame that I sat for so long doing nothing about the orphan crisis.  I praise God today for breaking my heart for these children as I see Him in each of them.  I also praise God for His promises and rest in knowing that He has a plan for each and every valuable life He creates.  Trusting Him in that today!

5K for the Orphan

As a family, we were able to participate in the 5K for the orphan this morning sponsored by Eastview Christian Church in Bloomington.  It was a lot cooler than yesterday though still a balmy 80 degrees at 8:30 this morning, but it was awesome to be with so many other believers who were running (and walking) on behalf of the fatherless.  This year's proceeds are going to GOYA ministries in Kenya.

Our Daddy was running..

 while we girls opted for the mile walk with the littlest peanut in her wagon.

 They had a splash park there (but it didn't turn on until 10:00)

and our little lady found the remains of last nights rains

pooled in the low spots.  You know she loves water and couldn't help

splashing and eventually plopping right down in the puddles.

 It was hot so it provided her some relief. 

I wish the water was on..

it would have thrilled her.

 She found some climbing..

 and even got on this contraption for a minute with momma.

We had one blessed day as a Family.

Big sissy was a huge help while Daddy was running.

My word, she loves her little sister!

There were other Chinese princesses everywhere this momma looked.

I can't wait until there are two in my wagon.

Waiting for a Word..

Saturday was the Connecting Hearts to the Forgotten Conference. This is an amazing, free event to encourage the believer to care for the orphan through fostering, advocating, and adopting. I set out for this conference with our second adoption in mind. I was heading there to get a word..a direction from God about where to go next and how.

As I drove, Satan was on the attack hard and heavy in my head. Making me doubt, bringing fear, and causing me to question whether or not we could really do this adoption thing again. I will admit..he was beginning to get to me despite all that I know about God and all that He has done for me so far. I was beginning to doubt myself. If we had no way to pay for an adoption a year ago..we really have no way to pay for an adoption now. How in the world will this ever happen? How will I be able to leave Jillian to travel to our new child? How can I go through the wait again? When will I have time to get a dossier together with a toddler home?

God must have been looking down with love thinking..you silly child of mine. Don't you remember? Don't you remember who I am? Don't you remember I am in control? I love the orphan and desire for your next daughter to be home in a family..your family. Don't you trust me to do it? It's not about you at all my dear one. (Insert my duh moment..here. I know this!! God has been faithful. Every. Single. Time. Every. Moment. Every. One. When will I stop clinging to the world and truly just remember? Fortunately, God is patient with me.)

Near the end of the conference..I was uplifted. I had listen to many amazing women (and a few men too) sharing their journeys, but still had not received the word or direction I was hoping for. The ministry fair was set up with many different agencies and was full of information about adoption programs that are in existence in lots of different countries... I searched and searched..prayed and prayed..even attended a session on fostering..No Word from God came about our next adoption.

Then near the end of the conference I was talking with a friend who asked if my heart was in China? Yes, my heart is definitely in China, but the mountains are stacked against us going there again. While we have ample funds to modestly meet the needs of raising another child, China's income minimum is absolutely beyond our reach now that I stay home. But isn't God able to move mountains? Can't He fulfill the desires of your heart somehow? Of Course, He can. So I have the name of an agency that goes to bat for waivers from China's "rules" for prospective couples and hope that just maybe God will see it fit to move the mountains that seem to be standing between us and another Chinese daughter. Praying..Hoping..that this is God's desire for our family as well as mine. I love the Chinese orphan. I love special needs adoption and I am willing to go again. We have room in our hearts and family for at least one more. Praying that the Lord will open all the doors and soon we will be on this crazy journey once again!

I Wish

I wish you were here in our living room so that you could really see the joy that this little treasure radiates. I wish you could hear her laugh, a deep belly kind of laugh, like she does when her daddy plays with her. I wish you could see how her sister loves on her every time that she walks by her.I wish you could see my JOY each time she gives me a hug! I wish I could describe to you by typing something the change that has happened in her little heart since coming home. I wish that you could see for yourself that this orphan, once left alone, is now alive and well in this family. I wish I could tell you with adequate words thank you for giving so this could happen for her.
I wish that I could express to you the amazing gift that you gave to us when you donated and prayed for us as we were bringing her home. If you are ever tempted to think that you can't make a difference...If you ever feel overwhelmed by the need around you..REMEMBER..you made a huge difference in the life of this amazing little girl when you gave what you had to help her home to us.

You have forever blessed us by giving so that she could be ours. I haven't thanked you in a while...those of you who supported our adoption and helped us pay the ransom for our precious treasure are forever in my heart though. THANK YOU!! Thank you for giving to the Lord on our behalf. We are blessed beyond measure by your love and friendship!!

Beware...Ugly Cry Ahead

I just came across this beautiful, young girl's story last night. Oh My Word..IT BLESSED ME!!! She was minutes from aging out of the system when her family brought her home..out of loneliness, pain, hopelessness, and into the arms of her family. She has severe scoliosis and her diagnosis was grim. In fact without a family, this little precious, made in His sight girl would have been left to die. She has never received treatment for her spine and so over the years it continued to curve reducing her lung capacity, ability to walk, and quality of life. Then, this family found her in the niche of time and now she is home with them..mama (mother in Chinese), babba (father in Chinese), and two sisters. She is at this very moment undergoing some heavy and painful surgeries to fix that booboo in her back so that she can "match" everybody else(her words). If you have four minutes and a box of kleenex, watch the video above of this beautiful girl who by God's grace is now home with a christian family teaching her of Him. Her words are powerful and leave me crying out to the Lord...SEND ME AGAIN!!! Let me bring home more!!

Check out her mama's blog here to follow her story. She has a long road ahead of her as far as her back repair goes. Please pray for her. If you feel led, you can also send her a card of encouragement.

Evelyn (Xiaoyun) Willoughby
c/o Kosairs Children’s Hospital
231 E. Chestnut St.Louisville, KY 40202

Sadness

I have been exceedingly happy in the last few weeks. I love, love, love to have my house filled with many (which happened much last week) people. I love the lights, the decoration, the cookie making, the music, the ultimate gift of a Savior that we celebrate this season. Having our Jillian home to experience it all with us has just provided this momma with a happiness so big that I find it hard to describe.

Happiness has been so present in the last weeks...still there is a sadness that is ever present in my heart because this Christmas millions of children don't know this happiness. Millions of children still sit and wait for a family. It literally shatters my heart in a million pieces to think of. Children as valuable and precious as my girl..without a daddy's arms to hold them and without a momma's touch to tuck them in. Children without hope of ever having a family to call their own.

I am broken for these children. Broken and begging God to allow me to do more this year. God chose Jillian for us. He meant her to be ours out of the millions of children waiting..she belongs with us. Could you have a child God set apart for you? Could there be something you could do to welcome a boy or girl in His name?

I can't even begin to tell you the blessings God has bestowed upon us this year because of this little girl resting at my feet as I type. Giggling and batting her hands inside the large, green bowl she drug out of the kitchen cabinet. It all seems so surreal that she is here and she is ours..but this Christmas this is our miracle. It is our girl being home and growing so much, learning so much, and living joyfully with hope each and everyday..because God showed her to us and called us to be her family..What could God be showing you this Christmas? Is your miracle waiting there..just waiting for you to say yes?

The Answer to the Question

Since saying that we are very open to adopting again, so many people have asked me if I think I can care for another little one. The answer to that question is always on my heart..always. The words however are not always there to explain. The truth is I know it will be hard and I don't always know for sure that I will be able to do it. Last night, I lay in bed with a million thoughts mulling in my mind and the answer from my heart's perspective swirling there so clearly that I got up and prayed.

Prayed about the answer.

Prayed about my response to God's calling.

Prayed that I would hear His voice clearly and be able to answer to Him in a manner worthy of the one who made me.

So here is what is on my heart. It is mostly for me to read again and again and again when I am discouraged or unsure..but I am sharing it here in case God might speak to you through it...Here goes..

There are 147 million orphans around the world that go to bed at night without a momma to tuck them in, without a daddy to turn out the light, without sisters to snuggle next to. I have seen the orphan with my own eyes..malnourished, neglected, bed sore ridden, infected, dirty. AND I love the orphan because she is my daughter. I cannot stand before the Lord one day and pretend that I didn't see them. I can't stand before Him who made me and make excuses about why I saw them and didn't do more. I can't say to Him..it would have been too hard or stressful. I can't say to Him..it was just too much to care for the first one you gave me. I can't because I want to give Jesus all that I am. I want to be about making much of Him not about choosing what is easiest or even seemingly best for me.

He says in the word in Isaiah that we are to defend the cause of the fatherless and in James that pure religion is to visit the orphan and widow in their distress. My part of this is to adopt. Adoption is not every one's calling, but everyone is called to do something. Adoption just happens to be the way I feel God is calling me to fulfill these commands. It seems crazy. It seems unwise, but God willing I am waiting for Him to bring me more to care for in His name because I want these children, who are precious in His sight, to know the love of a family so that ultimately they can have a chance to know the love of their Heavenly Father, accept the gift of His Son, and spend an eternity in Heaven with Him.

I count it a privilege to be able to mother my little one and though at times it has been very hard..I have JOY! Joy because this is exactly where God has called me to be. So I continue to walk by faith and wait for His hand showing me the way to go. Maybe He will shut every door to adding children to our family right now or maybe He will ask us to do something even crazier that we never dreamed or imagined. I am open. Open to what He wants even if it seems a little crazier because I love Him and this love is just too wonderful not to share with more.

Jesus Redemptive Power

(I posted about these three, precious girls here. I remember back to last winter when they longed to still be living with my friends when we brought Jillian home because they wanted to play with her. Now she is home and they are here to play with her as they are being adopted by our wonderful friends. Praise the Lord for His goodness!!)

I had three extra littles yesterday afternoon while their momma was working. That made five girls at my house all afternoon including two two year olds. It was busy and wonderful!!

When DH came home, he said..Are you not the least bit stressed out after having all those kids here this afternoon? (Clearly he was-that's why he asked.)

I said..No. In fact I have so much joy because those three extra littles are a physical representation of the redemptive power of Jesus right before my eyes. I can't help but smile as the almost six year old sings worship songs at the top of her lungs throughout the house all afternoon. I can't help but tear up when the same six year old sits in my lap and recounts stories of her former life for me. I can't help but sing His praises when we sit down to eat and they intiate prayer all on their own. Watching that precious two year old fold her hands and say the prayer right along with her big sisters..that my friends is the power of Jesus to turn ashes into something beautiful. These littles have been the daughters of my friends for a bit under two years and the change that living in a loving, christian home has made for them..well it's indescribable. Watching them thrive, hearing them praise Jesus' name, seeing them praying to God after all that they have been through in their short, little lives..It's something beautiful.

AND..I have been honored to be able to watch it happen. God is so good to work so beautifully and to allow us to watch with our very eyes as He does it.

Having the littles here-It really makes me want to bring home more...to love more in His name..to extend myself for His purposes.

BUT DH said after having five girls here all afternoon maybe he would need another ten years to decide he could do it. (He was only kidding of course. At least I think he was just kidding..)

I Cried Just Now

I cried just now..

I am so excited to redo these rooms for the Project Sunshine makeovers. I think about it a lot. I spend nap time scouring the Internet for products and design ideas. It is consuming me because it is so much fun.

AND...

I just got some amazing news about funding for this project. That's right God did it again. He stirred the heart of one of His own and led them to make a generous declaration of support to this cause in honor of the forgotten in foster care. I was giddy when I got the news. Just like that we have abundance!! SO HAPPY. SO BLOWN AWAY. SO SURE OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD TO PROVIDE FOR HIS CAUSES.

Then suddenly I was filled with sadness and the tears came. They came because while I am having so much fun decorating these rooms via cyber-world, these children who will visit and use these rooms are hurting. They are hungry, sad, about to leave everything that they know with a social worker only to be swept to a new place because they are living in a dangerous situation. I cried about that. I really let myself feel these kiddos pain.

Sometimes I wish Jesus hadn't shown me these children. Sometimes I wish I could just pretend that I didn't feel such overwhelming sadness about all the children in the world who are in need, but God has shown me. He has broken my heart for what breaks His and I feel it. There is so much to do and I want to do it. Sadly though, most often I turn my face after feeling their pain and walk the other way.

Feeling isn't enough. I want to do something to be the hands and feet of Jesus for these children. I want living out my faith to be a verb not just a feeling. Crying out to God to show me what to do to help. Begging Him to be persistent in me and hold me accountable to represent Him to these children and the millions more who need believers to light the way.

Project Sunshine-Change of Date

The caseworker has had a change of plans and because she has to be there while we work..

Saturday, November 19

is our Pekin Project Sunshine Date

(So sorry about the change. She just emailed me yesterday.)

There is still lots to do and plenty of ways to help. If you can be there on the 19th, let me know and you can help with the painting and putting together of the rooms. If you can donate funds or new toys to our project or if you are willing to bring lunch to our volunteers on the 19th...Please let me know by emailing me slmaster16 at hotmail dot com or leaving a comment.

Praise the Lord..

• 
  
  we have $105 of the $2,000 we need donated!


• 
  
  we have a Ladies bible study group in Minier committed to helping!


• 
  
  we have a business who is donating all the paint!


• 
  
  we have a group of 10 of us to work that day!

Remember if you want more info, are interested in donating online, or are led to help the foster care community in other ways visit The Forgotten Initiative. If you want to get involved with this Pekin project sunshine email me at slmaster16 at hotmail dot com. You can also see this post for more information. I have been so blessed to have begun work on this..Remember prayer is key so if you can commit to praying for us..THANK YOU!!!

Serving the Forgotten in Foster Care

(I posted an introduction to my newest project serving the foster care community in a post here. If you missed it..please read the first post and then return to this one. There are also pictures and videos of other Project Sunshines just like this one we will be doing in Pekin at this site if you would like to see a project in action.)

I am so excited to announce that the date I have set for this Project Sunshine to redo the visit rooms at the DCFS agency in Pekin is

Saturday, November 19.

Now that the date is set ...

I NEED YOU!!!

(these foster kids need you!)

1. We need money to redo these rooms. I'm going to be honest and say that so far I am coming up short in this area, but am trusting the Lord to provide if it is in His will. Without funds donated, there is no way that this project can get completed. Each project, though sponsored through The Forgotten Initiative (TFI), has to fund itself. My heart so wants to be able to provide these children in the foster community with a clean, inviting, safe place to stay while they wait for placement in new foster homes, visit siblings, and see their bio parents during supervised visits. I want these kids to feel loved, special, important, and cared for. Please pray about contributing. My heart is broken when I see the conditions of their current rooms. They are so in need of revitalization.

If you feel led by the Lord to help financially, you can contribute online by going to The Forgotten Initiative website, clicking on donate in the main body of the page, entering an amount, and writing Pekin Project Sunshine Room in the comment section. If you donate online, please shoot me an email at slmaster16 at hotmail dot com to let me know the amount of your donation. You can also write a check made out to Lifesong and mail it in the old fashion way. All contributions are tax deductible.

2. We also need new toys and supplies donated. If you are interested in donating art supplies, books, toys, furniture..we need that too. Children of all ages use these rooms and we want to have something for everyone. If you have contacts in the furniture industry and can hook us up with some donations or carpet that would be amazing too. You can contact me at slmaster16 at hotmail dot com if you are interested in making that kind of donation.

3. We need volunteers the week of November 19. We won't be able to pull everything off on Saturday so I will be working there preparing, getting things ready, cleaning, and various other things throughout the entire week. If you have a free day or two, please email me and let me know. We also need lunch on Saturday, November 19 to feed our volunteers.

4. We need prayer. More importantly, the foster kiddos and those who love and serve them need prayer. This room is for them. They need us. They have been forgotten in my heart for far too long. One of my friends who is a foster momma just adopted her boys in the last few weeks. She told me that when she went to visit them in her agency office before accepting them- the social worker told her that she was there only hope. No one else wanted them. I cry as I type that seeing them now in this christian family-happy, healthy, and growing. The body of Christ is the only hope for most of these hurting kids. They need our hope. We have it to share. Will you join with me in this project and serve these kiddos as a way to show the hope of Christ to them?

So excited to be on this ride with Him. God is up to something BIG here as He is bringing many into my path that have been involved with fostering. I know that all who are a part of this will be blessed to see how God works. Will you join me?

Up to Something New

I wish I had the words to tell you what was in my heart this morning. Walking the halls, meeting the workers(investigators, placement workers, caseworkers), taking pictures of their spaces that desperately need revitalized..

Over the last few months, I have been praying about serving the foster care community. I know the children in this system need believers to stand up for them, serve them, and show them God's love. I know there are hundreds of children in our community who are hurting, broken, neglected...I know and I have been praying about what my part should be..This morning I was so excited as I walked the halls of the local state children's agency because it meant that my part of serving the foster system is beginning.

I am so excited to be coordinating a "project sunshine" right here in our community through The Forgotten Initiative (TFI). TFI is a ministry that was started by an adoptive momma whose journey led her to also be a foster mom. She discovered for herself just how forgotten some of these children are and God stirred her heart to help. So, she started TFI and God is moving the hearts of many to serve these kiddos right here where we live. She is working-with the help of many others-to make sure they are not forgotten. She is beginning mentoring programs, letter writing programs, foster family support, and so much more.

I am thrilled to be a part of this "project sunshine" which means that I get the chance to lead the redo of the visit rooms at our local agency. A visit room is an area where foster kiddos visit with their biological families weekly. It is also a room where the foster kiddos may wait during transitions between homes or while caseworkers visit with their families. It should be a kid friendly, inviting space that makes each kiddo that enters feel warm, welcome, and cared for. The rooms that I toured today were not that. They were forgotten. Forgotten no more because TFI is on the scene.

I am so excited to do this!!!!! We will be working to raise funds in the next several weeks, looking for toy donations, and volunteers to paint or clean. If it sounds like something you might want to do, let me know. If you have a Sunday School class, Bible Study, or church congregation that would like to contribute financially to the makeover..I'll be getting the account info up and running. Of course, it's tax deductible and for an amazing cause..those kiddos in the foster care system.

I'll be sharing more soon. I could burst I am so excited...