Connecting with Lesibovu - Part 3: A Sponsor's Story

I asked a friend and member of the Lesibovu Leadership Team to tell her sponsorship story. Thank you, guest blogger LaShea Wood!  As I sat and looked at all the profiles of children from Lesibovu who needed to be sponsored, I felt so overwhelmed. How could I pick just one child? There are so many in need there. Everywhere. My shoulders began to tense and my head began to ache as I looked through profile after profile. I began to pray for God's guidance and peace because the enormity of the situation hit me so hard. I didn't expect it. I've seen the ads and all the Facebook posts about orphans and HIV, but it never truly HIT me until now. I don't know why, but it didn't become real until NOW.... At first it didn't seem like much, "Ok. I'll sponsor a child. That's all I know to do!" Seems simple enough, but as I sat at the computer scrolling through page after page of children needing to be sponsored I couldn't pick one....just one. How is one suppose to make a difference?! The estimate is 143 to 210 million orphans in the world and I'm suppose to pick one!?  Well, I didn't. My son, Dylan, did. Children see in black and white. There is no gray area, no questioning. "Ok. We get to sponsor a child who may not survive and thrive otherwise!" He looks through a stack of Alli's photos from Lesibovu sitting on my kitchen counter and 5 minutes later says, "I want to sponsor that one." It's a photo of a small boy who looks 2 maybe 3 holding a bowl in nothing but a shirt. No shorts. No shoes. Just waiting for food. Holding his little bowl. He's beautiful. I told him to go ask his brother and sister if that's the one they wanted to sponsor (just knowing they are going to argue and fight over who they wanted to sponsor, but they didn't). They all agreed! If that's not a sign from God I don't know what is! All my kids agreed! That's huge! So we did it, I looked him up on the website and found his profile and there he was- "Lunga, male, 4". I thought to myself, "He's 4? He's so little." I entered all my info and it was done. He was our child! I looked through the rest of Alli's photos and found 2 more pictures of him. They are now plastered on my refrigerator and my kids talk about him as if he were a relative or friend.  A week later we got our full profile on Lunga in the mail. As I read his short profile, I was thankful to see his mother and father were still alive and she's his caregiver. I believe she's the one holding him in one of the photos on my fridge. He's got 2 siblings and walks 10-15 minutes to the Carepoint where he gets food. That doesn't seem to far away...or does it? I walk 10 steps to my kitchen for food: a near endless supply of goodies. He has to walk 10 minutes and that's so he can eat once a day if he's lucky. Some of these children walk 3 hours to the Carepoint. I also have a picture of Lunga standing in line for food, but it's a big cauldron of porridge and from what I'm told that's what they eat every. single. day. I don't know about you, but I don't call that "food". In our 1st world country, with our 1st world problems ("DirecTV isn't airing the game! Are you kidding me!") we can't even wrap our head around what that must be like. I know I sure can't. As soon as we got Lunga's profile, the kids immediately went to writing letters and drawing pictures for him. I sat at the computer twice to send a letter to him but couldn't. I didn't know what to say, then it hit me. He's only 4. He can't read it. Once I email it and it's translated, it's going to be his mom who reads it. The lady holding that sweet boy in the picture. Now all I can think about is being in her shoes and as I type the letter all I can picture is this mother who has no means of providing for her 3 children, who probably lives in a small hut of a home with a dirt floor reading my letter. Once again, my shoulders tense and my head begins to ache. What do you say to someone in such dire circumstances? I stared blankly at the screen. Please, God, give me the words to speak hope to this mother. That somehow I can encourage her. I want her to know that someone, somewhere cares for her and is praying for her and her family. That our God truly cares for them.  Sponsorship is not just about providing a child with food, education, shelter, etc. Sponsorship is about hope. It's about building a relationship with a child and their family. To be able to let Lunga and his family know that we are here, we care for them, love them, and are praying for them, gives them hope for a better tomorrow. At the end of my letter to Lunga (or his mother) I put this verse: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11  When you sponsor a child it is so much more than sending money to help a kid - imagine being that orphan or that parent or grandparent that receives that letter. When they find out someone, somewhere, cares enough to help them, you've given them hope and a relationship that can do so much more any amount of money can do.

Connecting with Lesibovu - Part 2: Local vs. International Missions

I love how as Jesus is preparing to leave the disciples at the Transfiguration, and prepares them for the Holy Spirit's coming, that they ask a question of Him. They're anxious to know when His kingdom will be established and  Jesus tells the disciples that only His Father knows the time. Then, He tells them - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

An issue I wanted to address after hearing it mentioned a few times lately regards concern for local giving versus supporting foreign missions. The questions haven't been asked critically, but honestly, and I certainly do appreciate folks wanting to know how we can invest time and heart into a community across the ocean, when there are so many needs here in our own town. Our team is fully aware of local ministry opportunities, and thankfully, everyone who is serving on the Lesibovu Leadership Team already ministers within their respective churches or community.

Here are a few of the ministries in which our team already serves:
monthly feeding and visiting with homeless men at The Firehouse Shelter in Birmingham, working with a Chilton County based Ukrainian orphan-hosting ministry, pastoring a youth group, leading a college group Bible study, involvement in adoptive family ministry, leading adult small group Bible studies, and many more. The folks who are encouraging sponsorship of these children at Lesibovu already have shown their heart for giving to others here in our own Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.

We do not intend to place the lives of African children above the needs of homeless men in Birmingham, or children in our own church's preschool ministry. They are all equally as needy for the love of Jesus, the power of hope, forgiveness, and the Truth of the Gospel.


However, there IS a difference. Here in Alabama, (especially the county in which we live) we have a pretty safe, easy-access to food/shelter/clothing world, even for those in need. There is public assistance for those who need food, shelter, and medical care. Even in rural areas, we are not far from churches with food pantries, social services that offer help with any area of need, and government programs designed to help those who are hurting or vulnerable. For children without parents or a stable home life, there is the Department of Human Resources, and they handle finding foster homes for orphaned or abandoned children temporarily, or even permanently. I know, because my son came into my family through this system. It works. He was never without care, and I am so grateful! I have a dear friend ("T") who grew up as an adolescent and teen in the foster system in another state. T's story is hard, and filled with pain. God beautifully redeemed those years and gave her a foster family that she says changed her life forever.

When we first discussed sponsorship, T was passionately concerned, hearing stories of neglect, abuse, and abandonment facing orphans in Swaziland. She was appalled at the dire circumstances many, many children face there, and was determined that her family would sponsor a child. A few days after we talked at length about Swaziland, she texted me late at night: 

"I just had a big revelation. BIG. I've always wondered why people go outside the US to adopt and for orphan care. Because I was a foster kid, my heart has always been here. It never EVER occurred to me that these kids have no advocate or no systems in place to care for them. Had I been somewhere like Swaziland, I may not be alive."

That is what drives us. We know there are instances where our system does fail, here in the U.S., but when is there no hope for an American baby to have care or a family? In Swaziland, it is the norm for children to go without. Their situation is dire. The UN Development Program says that this country will very likely be extinct by 2050 without dramatic intervention, due to the prevalence of HIV, poverty, and malnutrition.

The good news is that we know of the situation, God has given us much that we can share and so there IS hope. People with resources and education can make a difference. One very simple way to do that is through sponsorship. It doesn't cost much, and it multiplies greatly when your contribution is combined with the others from our Lesibovu community. Please consider how you can minister "the to end of the earth" by giving monthly to one of these beautiful children.

Ncobile, F12

Snakekelo, M2

Banele, M8

Connecting with Lesibovu - Part 1: Sponsorship

For $34/month, you can impact the life of a child at the Lesibovu CarePoint in Swaziland. I have been asked several times already what that money goes toward. Here is a breakdown of that money, so that you can see how much directly affects your sponsored child.

80% ($27.2 per child) goes to directly support the care of children at Lesibovu

 

-   50% of the 80% is material benefit (i.e. food, shots, educational support). This amount is where we can physically see the money directly at work.

 

-   30% pays for cooks, discipleship team members, social workers, letter writing translation, gas to get the food to the CarePoint, etc. The benefits are important, but not as visible since they involved others aiding the children and ministry.

20% of the $34 ($6.80) stays in the US to pay for employees and administration of Children's HopeChest. Their work here, spreading awareness of the needs throughout the world, and sharing with us at events like this three day launch weekend, are invaluable help to educate more people and involve more communities. 

That 50% going right back to the CarePoint is a great proportion of money invested in the lives of these children. That alone will make a difference as they receive daily balanced nourishment, when they previously hoped for one meal per day . However, they also will receive medical care, vaccines needed to fight common illnesses like tuberculosis, and help with school fees. In Swaziland, public school is not free, and uniforms are also required, which both are very challenging to families who are already overwhelmed with poverty. Education is a precious luxury that can change the course of many lives, but is not something to be taken for granted. I'm grateful CHC makes that a priority as well as feeding these children. 

Beyond the very important monetary investment, something even greater happens when the CarePoint is sponsored. Relationships are formed with missionaries who are involved with the CarePoint, and there is weekly, important contact with native Swazi adults who disciple the children and are consistently in their lives.  These discipleship team members are wonderful examples of the hope that sponsorship gives - some of them now have grown up seeing CarePoint support impacting their own lives, and have chosen to commit to education and ministry, giving back to their communities. We have seen firsthand how American missionaries are welcome and accepted. However, Swazis on the Discipleship Team are especially respected and make such a difference, as they truly realize the obstacles these children have ahead of them, and have shared similar circumstances. 

As much as I may passionately care for the children of Swaziland, I cannot relate to going hungry and walking hours to receive one bowl of food per day. I have never feared for a place to sleep, nor gone without clothing or clean water. Unfortunately, these issues are normal problems for Swazi children, and Swazi adults can truly relate to their struggles and are so vital to the ministry. We had the pleasure of spending time with several D Team members. Their joy was contagious, and their devotion to serving God by pouring their lives into the children at the carepoints was a beautiful thing to behold. 

$34 per month is a small investment if we can comprehend the eternal value it can have. It is worth inconveniencing ourselves out of a family meal eating out, or a few coffee treats each month. That money has measurable impact on children, and quickly, and Alli and I have witnessed it firsthand. Please pray that God will guide you in deciding if this is a commitment you can make, and join with us. I believe that you'll also be challenged and encouraged by the relationship that is built with your sponsored child. Correspondence between you will allow you to hear ways to pray for the child, how your investment is impacting his/her life, and may lead you to a visit to meet your child in person one day. 

The Moment We've Been Waiting For

This quote was posted on Facebook last week by one of the Lesibovu leadership. I love it and agree with it so much:

"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.” David Platt


Five months ago, Alli and I returned from Swaziland. Emotions we felt included:

elation, exhaustion, frustration, concern, joy, love, pain,

and above all, HOPE. 

We knew that our eyes were opened to something we could not forget. When a friend recently was researching the situation in Swaziland more on her own, I got hours of texts from her. Sobbing, angry, amazed that this kind of poverty, illness, and abuse is going on, seemingly unnoticed by the majority of the world. Her question was, "So now what? What do we do?!"

That's exactly how Alli and I felt. I described to my friend the incredible sense of being pulled toward a challenge and commitment we could not ignore. I told her there was only one thing we knew to do, so we were doing it. That one thing is to help find sponsors for a group of children at a carepoint that we visited. And today, we get to show you the profiles and the precious faces of 82 children who need support from us. 

...deep breath, tears of joy and amazement....

Please look at this link. Pray for these sweet kiddos, aged 2-15. 

So, what can you do?

• Please consider if you can sponsor one or more of them. 
• Share the link with people you know. 
• Join us this coming weekend, as we celebrate our friends' return to the US, and come visit with them, and see these profiles in person.

We will be hosting three events over three days. We tried very hard to make opportunities easy for you all to choose how you can be involved even during a busy weekend. We would love to see you, introduce you to our Swazi missionaries, the McAdams and Clyburns, and also Wil Crooks, from Children's HopeChest, and share a meal or dessert with you.

Details about the events: These are family friendly, easy events. You can drop in, visit, hear about the work HopeChest is doing, and have dessert on Friday. Same with breakfast Saturday. Sunday is a lunch just after our worship service, and since the time changes the night before, we will all be hungry and will eat immediately. Wil is going to share during the meal, so no one has to linger too long with tired little people.

11/2 Friday night: 7-9 pm Dessert and coffee bar (no charge) at The Church at Shelby Crossings, 532 George Roy Pkwy, Calera AL 35040

11/3 Saturday brunch: 9-11:30 am Breakfast buffet (no charge) at the Weatherly Clubhouse, 100 Wembley Way, Alabaster  AL 35007

11/4 Sunday lunch: 11:45 am -1 pm Lunch ($5 adults, $3 kids) at Shelby Crossings, 532 George Roy Pkwy, Calera AL 35040

You can also follow us on Facebook and keep up with the events here.

We are praying for God to prepare those willing to sponsor children, and that His goodness will be evident through the testimonies given. Thank you for your encouragement as we have anticipated this day for so long!

Why I'm SO Excited about November 2nd - 4th!

This post is my attempt at sharing the burden on my heart about Swaziland. I feel like I have talked with anyone who will listen, and posted on Facebook and blogged, and on and on, but that it's not enough. This is not about a humanitarian action, though it is that too. It's not about a bandwagon I've jumped on, though I sure am passionate. The reason is that children's lives are at stake.

Next weekend will be the culmination of what God has led us toward since Alli and I returned from our trip in May.  We will host three events over three days, to reach as many people as possible with the need of the Swazi people, and how we specifically can help the children there. This is an effort to reach out to our community, with a feasible way that folks here in Alabama can hear in person the impact of sponsoring children. We have the amazing privilege of hearing from Wil Crooks, who works with Children's Hope Chest, and his job is his passion. Speaking with him for a few minutes makes that clear. He helps churches and communities like ours connect with a care point to facilitate sponsorship.

Wil and his family

Steven and Amy

On hand at different times throughout the weekend will also be the precious friends who first really educated us on Swaziland and shared their hearts for the place they were going to make their home.

Allison and 2 carepoint children

I'm so grateful for the fact that God worked out details so they could be here for the weekend!

Here are the details on each event. We would love it if you could join us for at least one of them, and consider sponsoring a child at Lesibovu. $34/month is a life-changing investment. If you realize the great good that HopeChest does, and the way those funds truly go to support their community, $34 is such a small amount.

Feel free to invite anyone who is interested in orphan care, vulnerable children, Africa, or reaching those who need to be loved on with Christ's love!

Friday night free dessert/coffee bar -  https://www.facebook.com/events/340913202672303/

Saturday morning free come-and-go brunch - https://www.facebook.com/events/425091370887720/

Sunday lunch details - https://www.facebook.com/events/423276887721992/

Another view

I recently read an article by a new Facebook friend who is living in Manzini, Swaziland right now. I asked for her permission to share it because it touched me deeply. Kimberly shared her thoughts after working on the profile information for these children mentioned below, some of who walk three hours daily to get food. These are children from Lesibovu, children we met and hugged on in May, little ones who were scared of us, and big ones who held our hands and asked for photos to be taken with us.
These are the kids whom we are seeking sponsors for, beginning November 2!

I cannot imagine walking three miles for one meal. I surely cannot picture my 4 year old doing this every day. Yet, there are kids around the world so desperate for food that they really have no choice. We know of these children, and of this community, and we can help them. They have a pastor, a church building, and a few adults already willing to invest of their time and cook for them. However, they need more.

They need: 

- hope and the knowledge that they're loved and valuable.

- to know that there is a Sustainer who sees their hardship and their tenacity.

- to hear of the Savior who provides so much more than physical nourishment.

They are worthy of time, prayers, emotion, resources, and the efforts here, by some folks in Alabama, to try to make a difference, to give them opportunities to hear the wonderful news 

that He loves them, and we do too. 

Please read this beautiful perspective and pray for these children, and for the Lord to provide partners for their futures.

It’s Just a Three Hour Walk

by kimberly woolridge

I’ve been helping Adventures in Missions with some administration here in Swaziland. Doing admin can start to feel tedious and it’s easy to lose focus on the purpose behind it. However, I am realizing that I kind of enjoy doing admin, especially when God helps me see the impact it really has in a ministry.

One of the things I was able to help with was entering children’s sponsor profiles into the system for the new Lesibovu care point. A care point is a type of community center where often hundreds of kids come for a safe place to be during the day or after school. It’s also a place for them to get a meal and in some cases, get education if a school is attached to the care point. Lots of children and young adults from surrounding areas walk to the closest care point every week day. The children at each care point have papers filled out with all kinds of information about their families, schools, and homes. The profiled children are then put up for sponsorship by people all over. One of the questions asked during profiling is how long it takes them to walk to the care point. Many children walk only 10-30 minutes to get to their care point. As I was entering this information for the Lesibovu care point, I saw that most children don’t have too far to walk. But every now and then, I discovered that some children have to walk for three hours to reach their care point.

Did you hear me? A three hour walk. To a place where their basic needs can be partially met. A walk to a place where they can be a little safer. Each care point offers something, but even so, not all needs are met. My point is that many children walk barefoot, for three hours, to reach a care point that offers a little bit more than their families can. The Lord is using AIM to come along side care points and help support them. People here with AIM are getting to know the Swazi people in order that they can meet basic needs and also spiritual needs. It’s so important to meet physical and spiritual needs, and God is equipping his people here to do so.

When I saw that three hours, it really gave me some perspective. I’m still not sure how to connect how seeing that children walk for three hours fits with the importance of administration, but I know it does, and I’m trying to process it. But I do know that it hit me like a ton of bricks. There is purpose in the tedious.

 {originally posted at http://kimberlywoolridge.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/its-just-a-three-hour-walk}

First "Support for Swaziland" Night

I'm still on that mountaintop right now, after last night's event. We invited everyone we knew via this blog, facebook, and email, to join us to hear about Swaziland - what we learned while visiting, how God is working, and what we can do to help. We were hopeful folks would want to hear about our trip and the way we have been challenged since our experiences there. But, asking folks to come out on a Sunday evening is risky. We knew that. We just had prayed and that was the best and only date in the near future that would work.

Folks showed up! Over 70, plus a whole passel of children. It was such an exciting thing, to watch loved ones walk through the door. I squealed and hugged so many people from all periods of my life....Alli and I were very touched and feel very loved.

Sunday morning we were both super nervous and uneasy. We felt unprepared and incapable of truly communicating how important the topic was, and the weight of that responsibility was a burden. I had numerous very tearful moments. Thankfully James was able to talk sense into me, and friends loved on and encouraged us both, reminding us that God would equip and direct us. And, thankfully, He did and we were able to let Him strengthen us. Worship that morning in church was powerful and precious, as always. We sang this:

Water You turned into wine
Open the eyes of the blind
There's no one like You
None like You
Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There's no one like You
None like You

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God, You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God...
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsty.com/chris-tomlin-our-god-is-greater-lyrics.html]
And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?

I cried more, realizing my own weakness, His great goodness and felt so silly, worrying over talking about something I think is important. If the children in Swaziland matter to me, how much more do they matter to Him? Then, I got home and checked Facebook. Guess what Alli had created and posted?

 

And with it, do you know what she wrote? 

"<3 Our God is greater. <3" 

Tell me God isn't aware of our fears and struggles, and doesn't work in beautiful ways sometimes, to just smack us in the head and say, "I KNOW. I get it. It's ok. Just relax...." Go ahead, and I'll call you a liar. :-) While I was singing and crying through this song in church, Alli was at home, posting this and typing the same words. God was reminding us and working on us both, and wow. He sure is awesome that way. 

Anyway, last night was so great because we did not want it to be about us. We wanted to share our passion for Swaziland and the beautiful, painful lessons we learned (and obviously are still learning) about trust and God's faithfulness. We just wanted to be useful vessels and do it in a clear, effective way, without sounding overly dramatic with some pretty hard material and facts. 

Thankfully, our sweet audience gave us wonderful reviews and apparently God did use us to explain the beauty and pain in the country of Swaziland. We had very exciting news to share also, and that got some folks FIRED UP!!

So, the news is not a shock to any of you who guessed what our prayer was as soon as we got home from our trip, but until we sought more counsel and support, we could not proceed. However, now we are ready to announce:

We are partnering with Children's Hope Chest to become a Connect Community with the Lesibovu care point in Swaziland.

What does this mean?

What will we do?

Can you be involved?

Great questions! Stay tuned, but you can check out the link above and pray in the meantime. Thank you for caring and loving us. Please pray for Lesibovu and that we are able to be used to impact lives there in long-term, practical, cycle-breaking, future-changing ways.

Support for Swaziland Night

Dear friends and family,

THANK YOU to all of you who have been so supportive these past few months. Through your financial gifts, items you sent to the children we visited, or words of encouragement and prayer, you blessed Alli and me as we traveled to Swaziland, Africa. Our trip was an amazing time of stretching, and our eyes were opened to how God is working in a lovely country, despite so many differences and hardships compared to our own world. It truly was a life-changing experience.

We would love to invite you to come hear about our trip, and what God is doing in Swaziland, plus some ways you can potentially be involved in the great ministry happening - here or there! We are going to have an evening devoted to stories, photos, video clips, and questions and answers next Sunday, August 26 at 6:00 pm, at The Church at Shelby Crossings. Childcare is provided and this is a casual event, with our taking turns sharing perspective stories and highlights from the time we spent there, and what we are still learning today, as a result of our trip.

Who should come?
We would love for you to come if:
- you have a heart for orphans
- an interest in missions
- a desire to help the ministry in Swaziland
- or if you just love us and want to hear how God used you in our lives as we went to Africa!

It is sure to be a night of laughs, maybe some tears, and hopefully, a time that will help demonstrate the light of Jesus despite dark times many in our world face every day.

We will also have more Timbali crafts like a number of you have purchased already, as well as other African art for sale, and all funds raised will go back to the ministry in Swaziland. There is a rumor we may even give a doorprize or two away! We would love to fellowship with you, and hug your neck for being a special part of our lives.

Please let us know if you have any questions. Hope to see you soon!  Alli and Jennifer