Ethiopia Ministry Update

Hello Friends,

I just wanted to let you know it looks like the Lord is sending me back to Ethiopia. We have been praying about me going to ET this April 15-26, 2009 as part of the leadership team with Children's HopeChest Ministry.We would prefer that Jerry also go but he can not get time off of work. Since he is the only provider,we can not jeopardize his job. So,he is in total support of me going to love on our son and to be about the Lord's business. Tom Davis, went to ET last November and decided to adopt the Kolfe Orphanage as well as several others into his Ministry. We have been praying for the Lord to make it clear if I am to go because I really don't want to leave my family, especially Ellie w/all the 5 littles during the day for 10 days.

On this trip, we'll be visiting various orphanages and evaluating their needs, and will see how CHC's orphanage/church sponsorship program model fits into the country of Ethiopia. There may be some side projects at various places, but we don't have final details yet. The purpose of a Vision Trip is for pastors and others to catch the mission/vision of Children's HopeChest and see how the church community can get involved with CHC upon returning. We'll be praying over people, and of course will have some cultural activities as well. Based on our initial itinerary, the plan is to visit the following orphanages: Kolfe, Abenezer’s, Kebebtseyhay, Hanna’s, as well as Moses Children’s Home and Ethiopia’s Children’s Home.

Well in the last two days, I have recieved $900.00 from several very special saints who felt led by the LORD to support us, which translates to me, YES the Lord wants me to go. I will be holding our son Solomon in my arms again! I am guessing the Lord also has more in store for us with our speaking ministry to be able to visit churches and share how they can get involved in orphan care ministry. You know when we got home from Ethiopia in November 07, I honestly thought I would come home, shut my door and raise my 5 littles to know and love the Lord. I never expected to be going back to ET so quickly and to SEE GOD at work at the KOLFE orphanage and in so many other ways.

Do you remember my testimony of how the Lord told me to take the phone from Melissa while we were driving to Asheville to see Steven Curtis Chapman at the Biltmore? He told me; "The man on the phone can help us with Kolfe". Well, that man was a client of Melissa's named Justin Hime who introduced us to Lyston Peebles who introduced us to Tom Davis. Tom's ministry has adopted the Kolfe orphanage and now I am on my way back to EThiopia with them!!! DO YOU SEE GOD??? I am honestly so humbled and in such awe of what the LORD is doing. Remember, I never even wanted to go to Kolfe, I was so upset that Ryan Brown insisted that we go there!! LOOK WHAT I WOULD HAVE MISSED!!! Praise the Lord HE has a plan so much greater than we could ever imagine!! Our son Solomon is absolutely ecstatic that I am coming back to see him and give him another MAMA"S HUG & KISS!

Also, to date we have been personally notified that as a result of our testimony and journey of faith, there are currently 21 more children being adopted!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! There are also several others who are praying about the decision and hopefully some we don't even know about???

The money that was raised for the Kolfe orphanage has paid to replace the broken sewer pipes, repaired broken windows, remodeled the kitchen, paid for school tuitions for some of the boys, bought clothes and shoes, and replaced the mattresses, blankets and floors in the bedroom dorms and painted as well!! PRAISE THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD!!! Also, the young man in our video whom we called David, who wants to be a pediatrician; is being adopted by a family in Florida who started their journey as a result of seeing him on our blog!! He will soon be living in Florida with his younger sister as well!!

All this to say, DO YOU SEE GOD??? So many of you have been a personal member of our journey to Ethiopia and our precious babies and I just wanted to give you an update on what has been happening in the past year. Yes, it has only been a year last November and so much has been accomplished!

So now I just ask you to keep us in your prayers as we embark on another journey of faith. We need a total of $2600.00 by March 25 to make this journey. Please keep our family in your prayers and ME while I am in Ethiopia doing the Lord's work, serving as a disciple of JESUS to the orphans, poor, and sick. Pray for everyone I come in contact with to SEE JESUS, in spite of the sinner that I am!!!

Thank you!!!