Happy Birthday Mom....

It's a bit fuzzy, but it's one of my favorites pics of the 3 of us.  Mom looks so pretty... and I look so happy tucked in the middle of them.   It's still hard to believe she's gone.  

She would have been 87 today.  

This has been a hard month.  First Mother's Day, and now her birthday.

Everyone says the first "firsts" are the hardest...... 

Is it getting a bit easier?  Yes, it is.  But the waves of grief still hit, and on special occasions such as today, the tears still flow easily.   Thankfully I have some dear friends who are going to keep me busy today.  We will celebrate Mom's birthday together.....   with lunch and a foot massage!  :-)   

Of course I can hear her voice now.. "A foot massage? Now, WHY on EARTH would you waste money on something like that?  Just make Mike rub your feet!!"   lol    

She was always the sensible one.  And very, very frugal.  

Happy Birthday sweet Mama.  

Love you.  

Blankets for everyone!!! YAY!

It made my heart swell when I got this update from Melissa yesterday!  Thank you to everyone who so generously contributed to make sure the kiddos and those caring for them are warm on the coming winter nights in Zimbabwe!

The response to yesterday's blanket fundraiser was overwhelming. Every child and every staff member of our orphanages in Zimbabwe will be receiving a heavy, warm, winter blanket next week. In fact, a little excess came in at the end of the day which will be used to pay school fees.  The orphanage director has been notified and the children in Zimbabwe are already rejoicing! There is only one reason for this great success. It was God Himself moving in the hearts of His precious children. Thank you for so much for hearing and taking action. Next month I will update you with photos of the warm, happy kids with their blankets. God bless you all! Psalm 10:17-18 (NIV) "You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more."

Winter is here.....

... in Zimbabwe that is.  And the orphans are freezing.  Literally. They are in desperate need of some blankets in the orphanage.  

Can you help us??

We need to raise $1500.00 by Friday!   (*** Update: We now need $1060.00)

Here is the latest info from our director Melissa:

"She gave up a comfortable life to rescue them and give them a home. Her story still blows my mind. She left her job. Her husband left her. She is the one on the ground doing it every single day - serving orphans with her fibers. She gives it all she's got. A remarkable and brave woman. She lives her life at the foot of the cross giving everything she has to the One who gave her life. Daily she worships. Daily she petitions. Daily she sacrifices. Daily she gives.

The kids need SO much! To run these orphanages she needs so much more money that she is currently earning and receiving. Top priorities are always food and school fees - meanwhile some of the structures are falling apart. Rents go unpaid. The truck breaks down and sits for a time unrepaired. There is no "credit". There are no food-stamps. I honestly don't understand, emotionally or literally, how she decides what to do and what to ignore. I cannot fathom that struggle.

But right now - truly right now......  winter is setting in and they NEED blankets. The blankets have not been prioritized over the past couple of years and as a result they deal with a lot of winter sickness. Without heat the children are so cold at night and most of them develop colds and flus. They have blankets now but they are lightweight. What they really need are heavy winter blankets. The orphanage director, Fatima, has made this a priority.

Winter in Zimbabwe is starting right now. Nights are cold and within the next 2 weeks it is going to get much worse. We cannot purchase blankets here and ship them because the cost is outrageous. Even though blankets are expensive in Zimbabwe - it is still far more cost effective to purchase them there. They have been priced at $30 each and we would love to purchase at least 50 blankets. When? Right now!  We need to raise $1,500 by Friday 5/18 so that we can wire the funds on Tuesday 5/22 and they will have the blankets by the end of next week and then can use them year after year during the winter seasons.

Please tweet this post, share it on Facebook, point to it on your blog! Do you know a business owner who might willing to be a great blessing to these kiddos? 

We are offering BFGO t-shirts to anyone who can donate at least $30 for a blanket between now and Friday 5/18. Just go to our website, www.beautifulfeetgo.org  and click on the Donate tab and follow instructions."

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.  If you can't help, can you please help spread the word by sharing on any social media you have access to?   That would mean SOOO much!   

Also...below is a recent News Story on Melissa Irwin and her work with BFGO;  I'm so proud of this awesome woman!!  

WSMV Channel 4

3 months.....

Sunday was Mother's Day.  It was also the 3 month anniversary of Mother's passing.  Needless to say, the day didn't pass without tears.  

I love the big tree that overlooks Mom's resting place.   I went by to visit her before leaving for Gatlinburg... and I took her some pretty pink flowers. Pink was her favorite color.  

I was surrounded by family and friends in the Great Smokey Mountains, which helped keep my spirits up.   How can you not feel God's presence up there??  I mean... really.  It's just stunning.  

It was a beautiful weekend, full of songs, good food, go-karts, mini-golf, laughter, love ..... and even some Ol' Smoky Mountain Moonshine tastin'.   :-)    

I mean, when you are in East TN, you gotta try the Moonshine...  :-)  

I hope all the Mom's had a lovely Mother's Day.......

So.... NOW what do I do?? Help!

So... long story short.... I decided I wanted to sponsor a little girl in Zimbabwe through "Beautiful Feet Global Outreach".   BFGO encourages people to jointly sponsor a child.  So I asked my friends Kim and Britt if they wanted to go in with me as co-sponsors for a little girl at the Rose of Sharon Orphanage in Zim.  They said "YES"!!  Awesome!

So.... I asked the director of BFGO to pick out a "special" one for us!  I said ONE.  Sigh.... but NO... my dear friend Melissa Irwin did NOT pick out ONE... she sent me TWO to pick from. (Melissa obviously doesn't obey instructions well...)   Now HOW am I supposed to pick one of these precious little girls and NOT help the other one????

So... I told Kim and Britt to let me know which one they felt they were leaning toward.  Of course Kim picked one and Britt picked the other. They told me I was now the deciding vote.  Darn it!  Now I'm back to square one.   So... NOW what do I do?  Help!  Look at these faces and you'll see my dilemma!

First off we have "Pretty", she is 12 yrs. old:  

A few years ago, Pretty was taken by a female relative into the city for a shopping errand. Pretty was placed at a waiting spot by the relative and told to stay there, that she would be right back. She never came back. It is unclear how long Pretty was left to fend for herself, but eventually she was discovered and delivered to social welfare where she was then placed into the orphanage. Pretty is a brave and strong young girl with an eagerness to learn. She has formed an amazing sisterhood with some of the other girls in the orphanage and it is a joy to see them live and love. Pretty is very happy and hopeful about the sponsorship program and she is eager to have someone to communicate with and is very thankful for the assistance it will bring her.

And we also have "Akinia", who just turned 11 yrs. old:

Akinia and her sisters were rescued in 2006. Their mother has had at least 4 children by 4 different men and has abandoned each child although she keeps in touch periodically by phone. The children had been left alone and were discovered picking food out of garbage cans behind a school. Akinia giggles uncontrollably when she is nervous. She is very close to her other 3 sisters in the orphanages, has a great personality and enjoys school.

So....here is what HAS to happen.  I need 3 people to sponsor one of these girls!!   It'll be fun, rewarding and beautiful!!  C'mon now... who's in?    It's the ONLY WAY I'll be able to sleep again at night!!  :-)    Kim, Britt and I will take one and YOU take the other!  

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.... or go to the BFGO website for more details here:  http://www.beautifulfeetgo.org/

..... and I may even be traveling to Zim to meet my new "daughter" next April!!    ME? Travel to Zimbabwe?   WHO AM I???   :-)

Ryman Ali Little...

It's Monday morning and I'm up early with a heavy heart, praying for many friends who are hurting right now.  I have been asked to pray for several friends in very specific ways.  They are all equally important and I love being entrusted to pray for my friends.  I take them all very seriously.  Some are going through difficult divorces. Some are caring for aging or sick parents.  Some are grieving a big loss.  Some need jobs....desperately.

And then there is little Ryman..... who is 12 days old and needs a new liver.

Please keep our friends, Jeremy, Brandy and Ryman Ali Little in your prayers this week.  Their story can be found on their blog:  www.rymanalilittle.wordpress.com

Mom and Dad.... Jeremy and Brandy.  God picked out the perfect parents for sweet baby Ryman.

Jeremy and Brandy left Nashville, TN last night - heading for Washington DC, where precious Ryman will be flown today in hopes of getting a new liver soon.  This sweet family has been through SO much in the last couple of weeks.  It would mean SO much if you would add them to your prayer lists for me!  We all know that God is in the middle of this... and Jeremy and Brandy's faith is incredibly inspiring as they fight to save their precious baby girl.  But they need to be COVERED in prayer right now.  I want them to feel the strength that comes from that, because I know that their human strength is being tested greatly.  So would you help me lift them up?   Follow their journey and I guarantee, as you lift them in prayer, you will be lifted up too.  

Our precious little girl..... what a sweet face!!!

Thank you friends....  Love you all...... M