First of all we want to wish each and every one of you a
very Happy New Year!! As I write this I
am reminded a something I read in one of my devotionals called “Climbing the
Heights” on January 1st. It
might be a good reminder for each of us as we tackle this New Year. I am making this my aim!!!
“It is the
“beginning” of a new adventure with God. No matter what may greet us as we
journey this untrodden way, God’s grace will prove sufficient. Before the year is well on its way, problems
will have to be faced, decisions made, and plans affecting every phase of our
lives will need to be considered. All of
these things will require wisdom above our own.
If we place our responsibilities before the Lord and sincerely seek His
will and guidance, we can rely on Him to direct our steps. May we therefore dedicate ourselves fully to
Him and all that we are and leave all to Him!!!”
Mercy House
Children’s Home Update
As many of you know, we opened Mercy House Children’s Home
at the end of October 2012 with a girl by the name of Denavensi. Her life had been spared last summer when she
was brought to a free medical clinic Dr. Gilbert held thru WBAMM (World Born
Again Medical Ministries) in a remote village a long distance from his home in
Kampala, Uganda. She had needed surgery
for an open wound that left part of her intestines protruding from the front of
her abdomen. We put the article on the
blog asking if anyone would be willing to donate $400 for her much needed
surgery. Because of a caring family in the USA, she had the necessary surgery
that saved her life and has recovered very nicely. I met her when I was back in Uganda in
September 2012. She was a very solemn
girl who NEVER had a smile on her face. Again,
because of one family’s willingness to sponsor her schooling and another
family’ s financial donation toward s food for the children’s home, in October
we were able to open Mercy House Children’s Home and she was the first child we
took in. Over the past 2 months, I have
been SO VERY PRIVILEGED to have been able to Skype with Dr. Gilbert and
Denavensi and have been working on building a relationship with her. She is a very sweet girl who now grins from
ear to ear, enjoys life, has adjusted well, is doing very well in school, and
is learning to speak English (for which I am so thankful for since I am still learning
the African languages). Below is a
picture of us when I was there in September and below it is a recent picture that Dr.
Gilbert took of her. Look at the drastic change that has taken
place in only a couple of months!!!!! As
you can see, GOD IS BLESSING US WITH (AND IN) THE FRUIT OF OUR LABOR AND
BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY, IT IS WORTH IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary & Denavensi,
September 2012
Recent picture Dr.
Gilbert sent me of Denavensi!!
With that being said, we want to announce that we have added
another little girl to our children’s home at the end of December 2012.
Her name is Doreen and she is 6 years old. Like Denavensi, she came to us with no smile
on her face, only the clothes on her back, and did not even own a pair of
shoes. I have met her a couple of times on
Skype and like Denavensi, I have already fallen in love with her. I am amazed at how fast she is warming up to
Dr. Gilbert and Denavensi, how well she is interacting with them, and have even
seen her playing with Denavensi and another little girl in the
neighborhood. She has big beautiful
eyes and I have even seen her smiling a few times. She tells Dr. Gilbert that “she wants
to stay” and has only been there a few weeks.
Below is a picture of her that Dr. Gilbert took a about a week or so ago!!!!!
Doreen, the newest
member of Mercy House Children’s Home!!
Giving these children
a home, love, and knowing that Dr.
Gilbert is taking such great care of them has blessed my heart and life so very
much, as I can actually see the love
radiate out of all of them and even towards each other!!! The interaction and smiles says it all!!!
I think God is asking each and every one of us to do as Max
Lucado says in his book “Outlive Your Life.” Some of us were born in a different “latitude”. A “latitude” void of unemployment insurance,
disability payments, college grants,
Social Security, and government supplements.
A “latitude” largely vacant of libraries, vaccinations, clean water,
paved roads, a good paying job, a college education, a nice house to live in,
and a nice car. I benefited from each of these. Most Africans have benefited
from none of these!!!!!!!!!!!!! In the game of life, many of us who cross home
plate do so because we were born on third base (in a different latitude). Others, like most Africans, aren’t even on
that same team. The "have a lots", should
not be so far from the "have nots", that they cannot see each other!!!!!!! (Quotes:
Max Lucado “Outlive Your Life” paraphrased).
THE QUESTIONS ARE: WHAT ARE YOU
DOING TO BRIDGE THAT GAP???
WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE???
With a heart for Africa,
Mary
