To you I give my life...

...not just the parts I want to

TO YOU I sacrifice....

.... these dreams that I hold on to

To you I give my future...

to you I give my past

Your thoughts are higher than mine
Your words are deeper than mine
Your love is stronger than mine...

This is no sacrifice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

HERE'S MY LIFE...

I am my Beloveds and He is mine!!!

Sitting in Ps. Ron's class going through the Journey of Israel. Ps. Ron is pretty intense, hardcore, serious business, and the book we're doing now is really thick and really deep...basically there's a lot to take in,a lot of do this and that and don't do this and that, etc, yeah, a lot! The funny thing is I'm still sitting here not overwhelmed by it all, but rather taking note so quickly my hand hurts because my heart is hungry for this. This brings me to a question, 'Why, why is my heart hungry for this?' The answer, 'Because I love Him!' Simple, right there, that's it! I love Him, I love Him( only and only because He first loved me and continues to draw me!) I am hopelessly in love with this King, yes so hopeless I will choose a 270 page book( wit not even one pic) over a night out with friends because it draws me closer to Him and THAT'S ALL I WANT, HIM, HIM HIM!!!

Ps. Ron said something during class, basically he said that the difference between the Old Testament and the New is this:

OT: the law was written on tablets of stone
NT: the law is written on our hearts

HE HAS WON MY HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Random Tears part 2

Saturday...

The past couple days 3 different things have 'broken my heart'. Yesterday it was a random picture of someone I barely know and the sound of some songs that both brought me to the point of tears. These two things reminded my heart of a particular place and as I thought of this place it broke my heart, my eyes cried and I had to look away from the picture and walk away from the sound of the songs...I guess the best way I can explain it is, well actually, I have no explanation (for once in my life :-))...

The third thing happened today...this man came up to the gate (at Natalie's where I spent the night). He rang the bell thing and I answered; He asked if he could provide us with 'the service of grass-cutting during this rainy season' I said, 'No thank you, we're fine.' He walked down the driveway; I watched him from the window, then it happened again, my heart broke, so I prayed for him, I prayed a lot for him, then the tears came and came and I prayed for myself. I prayed for grace and provision so I could be a b lessing; I prayed that He would teach me to be content in a ll situations...my heart is till broken for that man, for many like him, for myself...

Today's a holiday here in Swaziland, but I'm at the office getting stuff done, no I'm not a workaholic who has no life! :-), but I am driven and determined to meet our goal of 600 new Child Profiles by the end of Sept...plus it'll make a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of children...

so anyway, I'm here, KB and Nomty are here too, but its pretty quiet, I like it...I've been uploading profiles onto the beloved ftp site! :-), labeling pics, etc...and of course browsing through blogs...I was looking at someone's blog and came across a picture of someone I know, but barely and it brought tears to my eyes, I'm talking serious tears here...I was like what the heck! Why am I crying?? The pic wasn't even sad or anything, and yes I am a girl, and girls cry about everything, but come on, a random pic of someone I barely know!!...well, the pic represented something, a place, and when I saw it these feelings in me were stirred pretty deeply...I don't know, don't even know what I'm trying to say really...I guess I'm wondering what exactly it is He is stirring in me...and why...

a couple random pics :-)...

I thought this was a gorgeous sky!


Just being myself! :-)

Home Visits part 1

We are in the middle of training with our MoM field reps, which is just a fancy name for the amazing people who daily love and care for the children at Mercy Centers. Today we went out to Zombodze Mercy Center in a community which, much like most of the communities we work in, is plagued by poverty. Our purpose was to do home-visits, another fancy name for the time MoM field reps spend getting to know the children we work with as more than just a number or a face. For our first home visit, we went to the home of woman named Xolile. I think it was the combination of the humble home into which we were welcomed as well as the sight of Xolile sitting on a mat on the floor with the children she cares for that caused each one of us to pause, take it all in, and remember once again what a privilege it is to serve communities, gogos(grandmothers), and children!

Xolile has no children of her own, but cares for the children and grandchildren of her deceased brothers and sisters. One of the girls she cares for, Nokwanda, is sick and requires much care in terms of time as well as finances. Xolile told us how she could not believe it when she was told that Nokwanda’s medical needs would be taken care of completely by the people at the Mercy Center, and not just financially. The teachers and MoM field rep at the Mercy Center all work together to make sure Nokwanda takes her medicine at the right time with the right amount of food. If it wasn’t for the help she is receiving, Xolile doesn’t think Nokwanda would still be alive. She could not stop talking about how she can now ‘rest’ because she knows her children will receive a meal, and more!

She had the children smile so we could see how white their teeth were as she said, “Before the Mercy Center was here, we never brushed our teeth, and now look at our beautiful smiles!” Zethu, another of the children Xolile looks after could not stop smiling as I took pictures of her. Her parents are both alive, but unemployed and unable to provide for Zethu’s basic needs. Xolile took Zethu in when she was just a baby, and has cared for her as her own child since. We prayed with Xolile and the children before we left, once again thankful for the privilege of serving, of being His hands and feet, of being a part of something that is a matter of life and death, something that will last through eternity!