Children of the World Choir & Living Water

We were blessed to have the Children of the World International choir come to sing at our church on Sunday.  

I was blessed tremendously by their sincere hearts and worship.  I seriously cried during the whole thing and when they asked us to stand and join in the Revelation Song…I had to fight to not do the ‘ugly cry’.
They shared the story of 2 of the children—which reminded me of my son’s story.  They shared the important need of clean water..and my mind went back to being in Zambia and seeing this well

Water that was filthy and was filled with parasites and bacteria.  But it was the ONLY water they had to use.

However—thanks to generous people who cared about a small village in Zambia---- I was blessed to be there when they drilled this well ! 

So now they have this play pump!  They ride it like a merry go round which pumps the water and stores it. I even have video of my husband riding it :)

The children also reminded me of being at the ghetto in Guatemala and seeing this river flowing behind the houses. Yes, that is trash flowing in it.

We just can’t even comprehend it.

Our concerns over water is what fancy bottle we are going to drink it out of or if we want flavored or tap---not whether it will make us or our children sick—sick enough to bring death.

I was also reminded of these verses:

John 4:10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?
12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”
13Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Imagine being told about that Living Water and thinking about  the dirty parasite-filled water that you are drinking each and every day.  The water that causes your family to be sick and maybe even die.
How better a way to show that Jesus is the Living Water with life and hope than by giving the gift of water?
I encourage you to look for ways that you can partner with people to help contribute to a well—giving the gift of life through water.  Here are some sites to get you started.
Cause Life
Charity: Water
Blood: Water Mission

miscellany monday

1) I have tennis pros for kids. I am so blessed that they inherited my athletic abilities. (snort)  Truthfully, I am blessed that they can enjoy it and have a good time and not care about being the best.  They were playing the other day and had me rolling while I watched  their antics. Especially when they ball would fly outside the cage—and Bekah would say “come here little fella” to the ball.


2) Steve’s crickets are keeping me up at night chirping.  We are going to have to do something about that. I am sympathetic that he needs to eat…but we need mute crickets.
3) There were some referrals last week that made us all smile :)
4) And…our new numbers are now:

Girl

Boy

It’s a Girl Thing Success!

We started bright and early Saturday morning to begin to make the pads, envelopes and bags.
 
I was so blessed by our teen friends that came and helped as well.

Busy sewing. (and growling..we all got pretty aggravated at our machines and one point or another…and it was never our fault. always the machines!)

still cutting……

our official  ‘thread our needle’ gal for us who can’t see anymore. 
 
Clyde was there to keep watch on things.

still sewing…..
 
still cutting…but never fear…reinforcements have arrived!


Steve was making sure everything was under control.

still sewing….

Our first kit complete!! A cause for much celebration!!
We are on a roll now!
 
These girls made cards to go in each bag. :)

Our sewing expertise gal arrives and fixes all of our machines (told you it was the machine’s fault!) and serged all our washclothes into pads for us!
Note to self…check out machines before we sew next time! :) 
more reinforcements for sewing
 
and for cutting……

End of the day….whew.
 

Thank you to everyone who donated underwear and fabric and time! I am so blessed by those who worked and donated for people they will likely never meet (until Heaven!) 
and a BIG thank you to my hubby who ran the kids everywhere and served us lunch and kept everything else under control—and has let the living room, dining room and kitchen counter be over taken by pad kits for several days (and still is as we continue to make them)  He’s a good man.
Again…Thank You!!
I am blessed to call you friends!

Destination Korah Dump!

I am so excited to learn that all of the pads that we will be making on Saturday will go in October to Korah Dump and the girls from there that are now attending school!  That’s a fast turn around!  Thanks to my friend Jody from http://www.talkissheep.blogspot.com/ 
Jody was on the trip in the video below and was greatly moved by the people of Korah Dump --a 'forbidden' leper colony/trash dump.
A few facts:

• Korah in Amharic means "cursed".
• 75 years ago the Ethiopian government moved everyone with leprosy to this area of Addis Ababa.
• Approximately 100,000 people live in the slums of Korah - the "outcasts" of society.
• The city dump is located in Korah.
• The people, both adults and children, spend their days digging through the dump searching for anything to eat or sell.

I am so excited that Jody is the one to deliver them for us.
Check out her beautiful jewelry at her Etsy shop. All proceeds go to orphan care ministries!

Ordinary Hero~ A day in the trash dump in Ethiopia from Kelly Putty on Vimeo.

If you would still like to get involved…send me an email and we will get you started! YOU can make a difference with some fabric, sewing machine, and a willing heart!

miscellany monday

1) The girls and I have a skin disorder called EB.  It makes our skin blister easily from friction or heat and we mostly deal with it on our hands and feet. We have the most mild form of it that you can have (which is a huge blessing) However, it can be frustrating at times and it’s easy to go into a pity party when you can’t do the activities you want to (especially in the summer.) 
Then I saw this post that put it all in perspective. Go meet Baby Robert.
http://servinghischildreninuganda.blogspot.com/
2) The kids and I went to the park this weekend while the the two big guys where at the Wildfire Weekend at Liberty.
We had a picnic and went to the dog ‘show’ at the park

Went and checked out the ducks

Don’t worry, we didn’t fish.
 
This poor guy was having a bad day.  I can empathize.  Have had those days lately myself.

The geese kept following Ab for his food.

He had a hard time walking away when they were honking for more food.
  
3) I came outside the other day and this is what awaited me on my car. I’m not sure what flew over…but boy did they leave a mess.

And I just thought it was neat that some insect was already feasting.

  My view as I drove away that morning. I am sure there is a spiritual lesson in this picture just waiting to be taught.