From Rwanda to Ethiopia

The Team left Rwanda on the 4th of July, leaving behind the lush green shades of the land they had come to love and flying into Addis Ababa, the capitol of Ethiopia, where the weather is soggy from the rainy season.  Travel and checking into their new living quarters filled this day but tomorrow would once again change their lives forever.

July 5th brought the Team to Korah, Ethiopia where they were scheduled to work
with Project 61.  This ministry works with the kids who live in the city dump, scavenging for food to survive.  The community of Korah started as a place where lepers lived.  Lepers exiled from the rest of society much like in Biblical days.  Today Korah is an area for lepers, for people with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis but also an area for the poorest of the poor.  All are outcasts, living in tin paneled, hole-filled homes smaller than one of our outside storage buildings or smaller than a walk-in closet.  Without roads, mud was everywhere, deep, oozing mud 5 inches deep.

The Team was assigned jobs, women painting tin buildings to be used by Project 61 and the men pouring concrete. 









Other Team members worked with children who came from nowhere and everywhere clamoring for attention and food.  As in Rwanda, immediately the Team began to bond with the children who wanted to be touched and drawn close.  Open hearts looking to the Team for help and love.  Lindsay Allen writes "...I went from a nervous girl holding back when we first got there, to the girl with 8 children hanging all over me, kissing their little heads and wiping their snot. ...God showed me that these people might be outcasts from society, but they are still loved by a great God.  They are not gross or weird or evil.  They are beautiful and kind."

Later some of us visited a home in Korah where team leaders, Laura and Tymm Hoffman, sponsor one of the daughters providing her with boarding school education.  The home was tiny, divided into two sections with cooking outside. 

        

                                                        

As believers we are commanded to be hospitable and in this place were they have next to nothing, we were welcomed with open arms.  Out of their little, we were given seats while the family stood.  We were served Ethiopian coffee and sweetened popcorn.  They offered to wash our feet as we came inside covered with the mud from the pouring rain. 

They asked us to pray for them and we did.  Hands holding hands, heads bent in reverence to the Father seeking His blessing on these precious people. We will never forget the home visits, the loving hearts of the people of Korah and the generosity of the people.  In their poverty, they served us who have so much.  It shames the deepest part of our hearts.

July 6th was a day no Team member will ever forget.  So many children coming from every direction.  Children who had great need for food, for clothes, for shelter, for love.  Needs more than we had ever seen before.  They surged around us wanting candy or gum or someone to play with them or hold them.  Too many to help.  Too many to hold.  Too many.

Goats for sale

The Team put their money together and purchased 2 goats which were slaughtered and cooked.  The meal of goat meat and Ethiopian bread was to be served to the Project 61 kids in the Church made up of a tent.  The Team did not at first understand they were only feeding the sponsored kids of Project 61.  Soon it became apparent that there were hundreds and hundreds of starving people crying out and screaming for food.  Lindsey wrote "Have you ever seen a really really hungry person?  I know I'm always saying, 'I'm starving!' but before today, I didn't really know what starving looked like."   The crowd knew there was food.  They knew there was meat.  The mass of people pushed forward, shoving smaller ones out of their way as they grabbed for food.  Small children were knocked down, walked on and trampled in the mud in a desperate attempt to eat.  Again Lindsey wrote "I felt so helpless.  I felt horrified.  I felt scared.  I wanted to throw up....Now I know what starving looks like."

With only a short time left in Ethiopia, we had so much to do and so much to learn.  We met with Jerry Shannon and his family of Embracing Hope Ethiopia.  This ministry is also in Korah but they work hard, keeping children out of orphanages and off the streets.  Day care is provided for dozens of children while mothers seek some kind of employment, scavenge the dump or even beg to support their families.  The Team presented EHE with a gift from the ladies of First Christian Church.  This gift will be pictured in the next blog post. 

The Team visited the grave of little Brighton, the tiny son of Laura and Tymm Hoffman who passed away before they could travel to bring him home.  Broken hearted by their loss, "Brighton Their World" was established to send life sustaining baby formula to the poorest orphanages especially in Ethiopia.  Just barely 2 months old, Brighton's short life has influenced the lives of many, resulting in mission trips and tons of formula feeding the tiniest of orphans.

 

After vising the cemetery, the Team visited the largest of the state orphanages in Addis Ababa where tons of formula has been donated by Brighton Their World.  Donations from First Christian Church along with many others provided the means for the Team to be present when a huge gift of formula and diapers was delivered by the Hoffmans.  No pictures were allowed in this orphanage but I have been there and it is filled to overflowing with kids of every age from the newborn to the teen.  When I left there I wanted to put every single child on the plane with me.  I wanted to group them on the stage of First Christian Church and say "These children need parents.  Who will accept the call to be their mother and to be their father?"  In my heart I knew the stage would soon be empty of children, all of them on their way to their new home with their forever families.

At the end of a mission trip, when the Lord has pierced your heart with the reality of how much we have and how little others have, it is time to take responsibility. Time to make a change.  I went to Ethiopia feeling like a lower middle class American and came home understanding that I am wealthy beyond measure.  Why are we so blessed when others are starving, hardly living, needing medical care?  Why?  Because the Lord is telling US to be His hands, His feet, His love on this earth.  At the end of our days, each of us will stand before Him, look Him in the eye when He asks "What did you do with what I gave you?"  

I have seen and I am responsible.  Through this blog I hope you, too, have seen and you, too, will serve according to His Will.

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring

for widows and orphans in their distress and refusing to let

the world corrupt you."  James 1:27

Mission Trip to Rwanda

James 1:27 says "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."

About a year and a half ago I returned from Ethiopia pleading with the Lord to show me what to do with all I saw.  After a short time, I could not ignore the urging in my spirit that the Lord wanted others to go, to see and to do.  The Orphan Care Ministry of First Christian Church was born and it was not long until Laura and Tymm Hoffman became team leaders for a trip to Rwanda and to Ethiopia.  I ached for people from FCCM to go and I was able to almost sit back and watch the Lord as He chose who He wanted to care for orphans on this trip.  Personally I have rarely seen such interest and cooperation from any congregation as people stepped up to help send those who wanted to go.  Brothers and sisters in Christ and family members, friends and co-workers offered donations to help pay for the trip.  Then came the Single Sisters who made hundreds of bracelets and donated every penny to the travelers.  People donated sheet sets, handmade dresses, sports equipment, craft items by the ton and too many other things to list. (There will be a separate post about the baby dolls sent with the team to Embracing Hope Ethiopia.) 

I thank each and every person who helped make this trip possible and I especially thank those who went to love on orphans.  Their lives have been turned upside down with newly learned Truths from the Heavenly Father.  This is part one sharing the tiniest bit of their story.

Our Team

This is the team who represented First Christian Church and the Orphan Care Ministry.  Front row: Carla Decoskey, Jenny Guyer and Kelly Brock who is a friend of Carla Decoskey.  Back row:  Gretchen Bennett, Terry (T.J.) Ford, Judy Chance and April and Joe Fjeld.

On Friday, June 29 the team flew first to Washington, D.C. to meet up with the rest of the Visiting Orphans team led by Laura and Tymm Hoffman.  They then flew to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia before flying on to Rwanda.  Their first stop was Kigali, Rwanda where they met the Best Family who survived the genocide and now minister to others who survived the same horrific event.  The team then visited the Genocide Memorial Museum which is an amazing memorial to the thousands who were killed.  Rwanda is a fine example of how a people can come together in forgiveness even after something as dreadful as genocide.

Peace in a place set aside to honor the dead.

Soon it was time to settle into the work the team had set out to do.  First stop was Noel Orphanage which is home to over 600 kids.  Let me quote Lindsay Allen, a team member from Alabama, as she describes their arrival at Noel.  "We drove up to the orphanage in our bus, and there are children standing at the gate.  I don't know how many.  Lots.  And then some more.  They were all jumping and screaming and pointing and waving...and smiling.  Oh man were they smiling.  We drove into the gate and they rushed the van.....Children immediately grabbed your hand as you stepped off the bus....we began saying "my kid".  My kid's name is Nirere (age 12).  He took my hand as I got off the bus.  I hugged him and he said "I love you.  I have been waiting for you".  I mean talk about a way to start the day."

                                                 Gretchen Bennett and her buddies.

All 28 members of the team including the NC 8, were divided into smaller teams with planned activities.  There was the Sports Team, the VBS Team, the Music Team and the Craft Team which was headed up by April Fjeld.  Our congregations in Kernersville and in High Point donated tons of items from sheets for Noel, clothes and underwear and socks, paddle balls, jump ropes and lots of other things.  The Orphan Care Ministry and the Single Sisters packed 600 cross necklace kits for the children in Noel to make and keep.  Here are some pictures of the team and their necklace making.                              

                                                                              Jenny Guyer and friend making a necklace.

                                            Joe Fjeld helping little people make necklaces.

T.J. Ford making necklaces with one of his new buddies.

It was by no means all necklace making that first day at Noel.  They toured the facility, ached at the smells especially in the infant rooms due to lack of diapers, played soccer, played basketball, blew up balloons, face painted, did more crafts, blew bubbles and so much more.  They sang and were sung to and even asked if they knew Justin Bieber!  Here are some pictures of the team loving on kids in the name of Jesus and in our place.

April Fjeld smiling at the efforts of this little one.

                                                                         Carla Decoskey enjoying her time with the kids.

Judy Chance playing with a little boy with stickers.

April Fjeld already with two new friends as soon as she arrived at Noel.
Husband, Joe, is right behind.  What an incredible blessing for
a married couple to share.

The team had lunch and time to shop at No. 41 ministry where women make bags to sell.  Each sold bag feeds one child, one meal for one year.  The team, overwhelmed by the enormous good that comes from this ministry, bought every single bag they had and Tymm had to go back the next day for more.

To be honest, I am not exactly sure when the following event took place but this seems to be a great time to tell you about it.  The team had a meal made by a lady named Florence who was trying to make a living cooking meals.  She was really struggling financially.  The team went to Africa knowing there would be many times the Lord would speak to their hearts about helping special individuals and ministries.  They took spending money, Joe and April took t-shirt money, and our NC 8 had some Orphan Care Ministry funds donated to use as they saw fit and as led by the Lord.  The team put their heads and hearts together and decided to help Florence.  When told of her financial gift from the team, she fell to her knees praising the Father who had provided the blessing.  Immediately Laura Hoffman fell to her knees with Florence in praise and worship.

                                                                Laura and Florence

One of the most exciting projects of this trip was their plan to share the Word of God.   Tymm and Laura worked with Visiting Orphans and thanks to a generous donation from a FCCM family, Bibles were given to each team member.  Bibles written in the native language.  The team members were to find a person to witness to, one on one, and share Scripture with them.  Each team member was then to give that Bible to the person they were witnessing to.  Bibles were marked with favorite passages and prayers were said asking for seeds of faith to be sown in Rwanda.

Jenny Guyer sharing the Word of God.

The team spent 2 days at Noel and before they left, once again they felt led to bless the orphanage.  Laura said the team responded often and generously when someone felt led to assist.  This time they bought food for Noel.  Bags and bags of food that are seen in the lower right of this picture.

Once again I want to quote Lindsay Allen's  words as they left Noel for the last time...at least the last time on this mission trip.  "...I had to say goodbye to all my new little friends.  One said "I will nevah fohget you Linsee" and hugged me.  Seriously?  Seriously?  I mean, this is the same child who grabbed me when I got off the bus the first day and said "I love you.  I have been waiting for you."  It's like she knows exactly what to say to just break my heart.  I hugged lots of necks and gave high fives and then we had a very emotional send off.  All the team members were crying and the kids were running after the bus waving.  It was such an emotional day.  So much joy, so much sadness about leaving, so much love.  And even though I left there with baby urine on my jeans and bird poop on my arms and cow poop on my shoes, I have never felt more blessed."

The Lord knows when we have reached our emotional limits and Visiting Orphans is extremely good at inserting a time that is sweet fellowship and spiritually refreshing.  The last night in Rwanda was an incredible dinner together at Lake Kivu.

                     Watch for the next blog post.....Mission Trip to Ethiopia....coming soon.

Prayer Request

I have not posted to this blog in quite some time and even though there is much I could write about today, my heart is writing this entry.  If you know me at all, you know my heart aches for the orphans of this world and my spirit yearns to serve them but also to find a way to connect these precious children with loving parents. 

As I folded clothes this morning, warm from my dryer, I turned on the television and watched a young family at the birth of the newest son.  I can never watch these shows without tears running down my face and today was no exception.  I thought about just a few years ago when the courts of Ethiopia decreed that Meron was the first daughter to my own daughter, Laura, and her husband, Tymm.  What joy we shared in our family as we looked at this early picture of our sweet Meron. 

                                                                      Meron

                      Our joy was doubled when Mebrate joined our family less than one year ago.

                                                                      Mebrate

Joy on the television at the birth of a baby and joy in our family as each of our little ones were to be added to our family.   There is a huge exception in this entry...147 million exceptions.  There are millions and millions of children from tiny ones to teens, healthy and with special needs, far away and nearby.  They need families.   Readers of this blog...do you hear me?  They need families.

The Orphan Care Ministry of First Christian Church in Kernersville and High Point, NC has dedicated ourselves to assisting parentless children.  Previous entries to this blog have shown some of the ways we have worked to provide a better life for fatherless children.  We have yet to tackle the giant steps of finding foster families and families willing to adopt.   In July our mission team will return from Rwanda and also Ethiopia, the home of my granddaughters.  When the dust settles and hearts have absorbed all that was seen, experienced and learned, we need to move on to finding families for some of the millions of children who need mothers and fathers.

There are so many children who will never have a family to love them enough to shed tears of joy at their birth.  Never love them enough to snuggle them close to feed them while they are tiny.  Never love them enough to teach them about the love of a family.  Never love them enough to teach them that our heavenly Father sent His own Son to provide salvation for them.  Never love them.  Unless we do something.

Will you start to pray today?  Pray that the Orphan Care Ministry will know how to encourage and lead families toward foster care and adoption.  Pray that we will find families who will answer the Lord's call to care for orphans.  Pray for yourself - yes, you who are reading this blog.  Is the Lord preparing your own heart and your own family to bring a child home?  Pray that we, as a ministry, will connect with local agencies who will lead us to matching forever families.  Pray that we, as a ministry, will find ways to assist families financially as they move through the adoption maze.

I am asking you to pray.  I am pleading with you to pray.   Fall on your knees, calling out to our Father, asking Him to lead us.  If you will join me in prayer between now and the end of July, please let me hear from you.  We have had few comments to this blog but I am hoping for hundreds of responses in this call to pray.  If you do not want to comment on the blog (or cannot figure out how to comment) please email your promise to pray to    orphancarefccm@earthlink.net      

Will you pray?
sandra ward, Orphan Care Ministry

The Road to Meron

This story is written by Laura Hoffman who along with her husband, Tymm, will be leading our team and others on the Visiting Orphans trip this summer to serve orphans in Ethiopia and Rwanda.

Laura writes their story:

Tymm and I married in November 2002 and spent the next three years enjoying married life. In early 2005, we decided to start trying to have a baby. The months passed, and we really did not think much of it as nothing happened. But as more and more time passed on, we started to wonder if something was wrong.

So after a year of trying, we went for some routine fertility tests. After several rounds of tests, the doctors found that I had only one kidney and half of my uterus. They did tell me that I was able to get pregnant, but would not carry to full term. During this process of testing and moving forward on having a biological child, God was preparing our hearts for adoption.  We had the opportunity to welcome some good friends home from China with their new son. Seeing them bring that sweet boy home was a life changing experience. I felt the Lord tugging at my heart as we huddled around this family and rejoiced with them.

That night, my Aunt Connie said something to me that would change the course of our lives forever, “Laura, I can see you and Tymm adopting.” What? She could? Sure it had crossed my mind, but it seemed so hard and the little bit I had read about it had me scared to the core. I mean, the paperwork alone was enough to make you run the other way and never look back! But I listened to her and the Holy Spirit used her to speak truth into our lives that night.

So off I went to research Chinese adoption. Tymm and I talked, prayed and decided to move forward on adoption while still trying to have a biological child. We said we would move forward “until the Lord stops us.”  So the adoption process began and we were thrilled at the thought of two little ones joining our family!

A couple of months later, Tymm went on a mission trip to South Africa right after our first IUI procedure. While gone, his heart was broken for the fatherless and his eyes opened to the orphan crisis our world faces. While he was on his trip, I was waiting to find out if I was pregnant or not. This was our one shot; everything had been perfect! From follicles to sperm count, in our minds this was IT!

But one morning, while Tymm was thousands of miles away, my period started and my dreams were shattered. I remember sitting at my kitchen table, lights dim, head down and I was angry at the Lord for having this IUI fail. I asked Him specifically why it did not work when everything was “perfect.” I did not hear Him audibly, but felt Him say to me, “So you can stop. This is over.”

In that moment, our journey to a biological child ended and God was starting us on a journey that would lead us into our deepest valleys and to our highest mountaintops. All the while He never let us go.

When Tymm returned from South Africa, we grieved over the loss of a biological child but rested in the comfort of knowing the Lord was writing our story and paving the way to our child. We got more and more excited about our Chinese daughter coming home.

Then another roadblock came - Chinese adoptions came to a slow crawl. By summer 2007, things were barely moving forward in China and we were looking at least a five year wait. Our friends, the ones we saw come home from China in 2006, called and said, “Have you considered Ethiopia?”

Ethiopia? Africa? I had to get out our map to even see where it was! Once again, I was moved into research mode. I read blogs, I researched agencies, I watched videos. I was hooked. I looked at those beautiful Ethiopian children and could not say no. Tymm could not either. So again, we said, “Lord, we will move forward until you tell us to stop.”

We found an agency, redid paperwork and submitted it to the Ethiopian government.  We were once again waiting to be matched with a baby!

Brighton Asher came into our lives on Monday November 26, 2007 at 11:31 AM. He came in through an email inbox. It was our referral email - in the adoption world a "referral" is when you first receive information on your son or daughter. 
We were on a mountaintop!


It was the week of Thanksgiving and we had plenty to be thankful for. We spent the next few weeks of the holiday season celebrating with family, getting our house ready and just generally being excited. Clothes were bought. Toys were organized. Gifts were received. And a lot of prayers were prayed. 

Shortly after the New Year, we received the news from our agency that Brighton had been very sick and had been rushed to the hospital. He was fighting pneumonia and diarrhea and  many other symptoms. But he was doing better and had been released from the hospital and was back at the orphanage. Everyone we knew was praying. It was all we could do. 

A few days later - on January 9th, 2008 - around 1:15 PM, Tymm got the call that changed everything for us. Brighton had gone home to be with his heavenly father. Tymm had to call me at work and tell me that our son had passed away. We were in our darkest deepest valley yet.

In that valley, we clung to each other, we clung to the Lord, we cried out in pain, anger, hurt – but in that dark place we made a conscious decision to not stay in the valley. We decided to start the climb back up the mountain. We knew Brighton’s death had deep meaning and purpose. We pressed into the Lord and came to the realization that God had just permanently broken our hearts for what breaks His. 

We went straight to our agency’s office the next day and said we wanted to move forward with another adoption. There were no baby boys, but one baby girl in the orphanage. Three days later we received her pictures and we were in love.  Another mountaintop!

While dealing with the grief over the loss of our son, we were celebrating this precious baby girl waiting for us in Ethiopia. Six months later Meron Asher Hoffman was placed in our arms at last and we became a forever family.

In that moment, as we held our daughter, and just one hour before we stood before our son’s grave in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we felt an overwhelming sense of being obedient. From infertility, to China, to Brighton to Meron…and to our children to come – we will be obedient to the Lord.

This has been just part of the Hoffman Family story.  You read about Brighton and you read about Meron.  Coming soon you will hear the story of Mebrate, our newest Ethiopian princess who has joined our family.

                                                                              

---

Cleaning out the Clothes Closet

Some time ago a few of us met with some incredible woman at the Forsyth County Department of Social Services.  We talked about the needs of the foster care program.  There are so many needs...clothes, toys, infant supplies, rest and relief for foster parents...and the list goes on. 

The most pressing item on their list had to do with the condition of their Clothes Closet which is used by foster families.  I sent out a call for volunteers to help organize the closet.  And you responded! 

Due to some recent maintenance work in the closet area, things were pretty much a jumble with toddler pajamas next to and between teen jeans and surrounded by jackets, sweet dresses and boys' bathing suits.   What confusion!




We worked several days and we were so busy that most days I forgot to take pictures but I want you to see some of our Orphan Care Ministry ladies hard at work.


We sorted, divided, discarded, hung on hangers and moved things from place to place. 

We huffed and puffed from time to time and had
to take a McDonald's break on a couple of days but the hearts of our workers just wanted to help foster families.  








The ladies worked so hard with  hardly a single complaint and never a whine or a gripe.  The Lord surely was pleased with His daughters who love children in need.

Thanks to each and every person who came to help.  You were a great blessing.





Keep your eye on this blog for up and coming events and projects as we do big things and little things answering the call of James 1:26.  The more who help, the more we can accomplish!

Bracelets and Mission Trips

In an effort to assist the team going with Visiting Orphans to Ethiopia and Rwanda,
the Single Sisters and Friends decided to get together and create hundreds of bracelets. 


Once completed the bracelets were to be offered to worshippers at First Christian Church as well as to friends and neighbors near and far.

Bracelets were to be"given away" as a thank you for a minimum donation of $10 which would help pay for the mission trip. 




The Sisters worked for 3 days, designing bracelets and enjoying some sweet fellowship...and lots of laughter.

Not only did they MAKE bracelets but they DONATED in order to keep some of the bracelets they made! 

They took bracelets with them everywhere they went, asking people to support the mission trip.

The Single Sisters and Friends truly have servants hearts and a love for the fatherless. 





A table was set up at FCCM Kernersville and oh, how we were blessed!  People instantly responded with donations in return for a bracelet of their choice but some people simply donated, understanding the need for believers to love on orphans not just here but also around the world.








Single Sisters and Friends worked at the table  encouraging the congregation to donate in exchange for a bracelet.  One of the Sisters, Judy Chance, is going on the trip and she also assisted at the table, enjoying an opportunity to tell people about her upcoming African adventure.

T.J. Ford and April Fjeld, two more of the mission trip team, were smiling from ear to ear at the response to the bracelets!

Bracelet requests are still coming in and at this time our total is over $2000 which will be divided equally between our FCCM trip participants. 






The Orphan Care Ministry sends out a huge "Thank you" to the Single Sisters and Friends for your expression of love for orphans through this project.  Thank you to each and every person who donated and by doing so, reached out to orphans with the love of Christ.  Thank you in advance to each of you who have not yet donated but are going to do so.   And especially, we thank the Lord for blessing this event. Please keep this mission trip in your prayers.

Is it too late to donate in exchange for a "thank you" bracelet?  NO!  NO! NO!

Let us hear from you either by commenting on this post or email
orphancarefccm@earthlink.net

The Gigantic Bracelet Giveaway

Bracelets Send Love to Orphans
answering the command of James 1:27

On Sunday, February 12, the Orphan Care Ministry

and the Single Sisters and Friends of First Christian Church

in Kernersville and High Point, NC will be giving away lovely handmade bracelets in return for a donation

to our upcoming African Mission trip. 

Bracelets come in many styles and many colors and are the

perfect gift for Valentine Day but more important than that,

every single penny donated will help our team pay for their

mission trip - every single penny! 

 .
               Minimum Suggested Donation is $10 per bracelet.

          If you cannot be present for the bracelet giveaway 
to be held at our Kernersville Campus but wish to participate ,
                                         please email
orphancarefccm@earthlink.net or sandra.ward@earthlink.net