Saturday, January 30, 2010
Today was the second day of our HUGE snow. We rode our sleds down our very steep driveway today until the walk back got to be too much (after 4 times, maybe). Yesterday, Buddy, Austin and I walked around our neighborhood on Friday as it was snowing and beginning to sleet. We were outside around two hours and it was so pretty. This snow plus the biggest full moon for all of 2010 has made two very, very pretty nights. It is impossible to capture that beauty with our regular cameras. Tonight Buddy and I ventured out in the car to go to Green Hills which is only a few miles away and the roads were still bad. We just got word that we won't have Sunday School in the morning which is good because we would have to slip and slide down to the bottom of our driveway in our "Sunday Clothes" anyway.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A voice from Haiti
The following is a message from a young woman who graduated from CPA (the school my kids attend and where I work)in 1998. The orphanage where she has worked for 7 years is just outside Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Please link to the orphanage at www.danitaschildren.org
from: Karris Hudson
Date: Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 1:36 PM
Subject: Quick update
Hello everyone,
Things have been incredibly busy here, so I wanted to send this to you all and you can forward it to as many people as you can. I am sure I have several more CPA faculty and connections on my email list, but I am short on time now...off to buy mosquito nets and prepare for the 20 + kids that will arrive tonight by bus from Port-Au-Prince! This is just the beginning!
I am not sure what to even say, except Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. My eyes well up with tears when I think of the blessing CPA has been in my life. Looking back to when I first arrived there and to where God has led me makes me so much more in love with Him. Words cannot describe the appreciation I have for those that have helped raise money and awareness for Danita's Children, from kindergarten to 12th grade. I get touched by a lot of things in life, but one of the things that blesses my heart more than anything is seeing young people care for the poor and suffering. I know all of you do this, but I encourage you, the teachers, the staff, the parents, to continue to open the eyes of the children, from elementary to high school, to the suffering of others and the INCREDIBLE privilege of playing a part in relieving the suffering...whether in Haiti or in Nashville. I had parents who taught me this. I had teachers that taught me this. I had a high school that taught me this. I had a headmaster that taught me this. I am forever grateful.
Most of you know that I loved my life before the earthquake hit and I love it even more now. I am heartbroken by the stories, but am overjoyed that I get to play a part in being the extended hands of God. If there was one thing I could beg the students to do would be to stay close to God, obey Him when it hurts and when it is not the popular thing to do, and He will reward you in ways that money could never ever buy.
I have been living in Haiti and been with Danita's Children for almost 8 years and have seen the hand of God when it comes to providing for His children, especially the orphans. I have seen it continuously. Last year, we needed more bunk beds and mattresses and CPA raised money to help us buy most of them! Right after the earthquake hit, the favor of God has been incredible. He has put Haiti on the hearts of people, especially our ministry. A country that was forgotten by many. A country that most people thought was near Africa. Now, the world is watching and I hope and pray they continue to do so.
Some people follow me through Facebook and my blog (which I will update one of these days!), but I wanted to give you an update to pass on to everyone if possible. I will try to make this story short! Yesterday, Danita asked me to call a missionary flight service to see if they could help us transport 2 children and 1 teenager from Port-Au-Prince to Ouanaminthe. We have an airstrip in our town and the flight service usually flies there. We have worked with them in the past. To make a long story short, a few hours later, myself along with some of our team members and missionaries were at the airstrip, clearing the property of kids and goats and horses, so that the plane could land. It is a pretty big deal in our town when a plane flies in, considering that there is no running water, sewage system, or electricity. There were hundreds of people there...watching. The plane landed and three of our newest children came out. One girl is 13 years old. She just had her arm amputated and she has a broken leg. Both of her parents died in the earthquake. Yet, she was carried off of the plane smiling. She radiated the presence of God...simply beautiful. The other boy is a teenager and he has no one as of right now. He had his leg amputated and eventually wants to return to Port-Au-Prince, but needed someone to take care of him for a while. The other boy is about 5 years old and his femur snapped in half and he just had surgery to correct it. He was sitting alone in a hospital for 10 days before our team found him. To say the least, yesterday was a memorable day. Thanks to all of you for bringing them "home."
We are preparing to receive more children tonight. They were living in an orphanage that completely collapsed.
Thank you once again and please give everyone my love and my thanks.
On behalf of Danita's Children and Haiti,
Karris Hudson
CPA graduate 1998
from: Karris Hudson
Date: Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 1:36 PM
Subject: Quick update
Hello everyone,
Things have been incredibly busy here, so I wanted to send this to you all and you can forward it to as many people as you can. I am sure I have several more CPA faculty and connections on my email list, but I am short on time now...off to buy mosquito nets and prepare for the 20 + kids that will arrive tonight by bus from Port-Au-Prince! This is just the beginning!
I am not sure what to even say, except Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. My eyes well up with tears when I think of the blessing CPA has been in my life. Looking back to when I first arrived there and to where God has led me makes me so much more in love with Him. Words cannot describe the appreciation I have for those that have helped raise money and awareness for Danita's Children, from kindergarten to 12th grade. I get touched by a lot of things in life, but one of the things that blesses my heart more than anything is seeing young people care for the poor and suffering. I know all of you do this, but I encourage you, the teachers, the staff, the parents, to continue to open the eyes of the children, from elementary to high school, to the suffering of others and the INCREDIBLE privilege of playing a part in relieving the suffering...whether in Haiti or in Nashville. I had parents who taught me this. I had teachers that taught me this. I had a high school that taught me this. I had a headmaster that taught me this. I am forever grateful.
Most of you know that I loved my life before the earthquake hit and I love it even more now. I am heartbroken by the stories, but am overjoyed that I get to play a part in being the extended hands of God. If there was one thing I could beg the students to do would be to stay close to God, obey Him when it hurts and when it is not the popular thing to do, and He will reward you in ways that money could never ever buy.
I have been living in Haiti and been with Danita's Children for almost 8 years and have seen the hand of God when it comes to providing for His children, especially the orphans. I have seen it continuously. Last year, we needed more bunk beds and mattresses and CPA raised money to help us buy most of them! Right after the earthquake hit, the favor of God has been incredible. He has put Haiti on the hearts of people, especially our ministry. A country that was forgotten by many. A country that most people thought was near Africa. Now, the world is watching and I hope and pray they continue to do so.
Some people follow me through Facebook and my blog (which I will update one of these days!), but I wanted to give you an update to pass on to everyone if possible. I will try to make this story short! Yesterday, Danita asked me to call a missionary flight service to see if they could help us transport 2 children and 1 teenager from Port-Au-Prince to Ouanaminthe. We have an airstrip in our town and the flight service usually flies there. We have worked with them in the past. To make a long story short, a few hours later, myself along with some of our team members and missionaries were at the airstrip, clearing the property of kids and goats and horses, so that the plane could land. It is a pretty big deal in our town when a plane flies in, considering that there is no running water, sewage system, or electricity. There were hundreds of people there...watching. The plane landed and three of our newest children came out. One girl is 13 years old. She just had her arm amputated and she has a broken leg. Both of her parents died in the earthquake. Yet, she was carried off of the plane smiling. She radiated the presence of God...simply beautiful. The other boy is a teenager and he has no one as of right now. He had his leg amputated and eventually wants to return to Port-Au-Prince, but needed someone to take care of him for a while. The other boy is about 5 years old and his femur snapped in half and he just had surgery to correct it. He was sitting alone in a hospital for 10 days before our team found him. To say the least, yesterday was a memorable day. Thanks to all of you for bringing them "home."
We are preparing to receive more children tonight. They were living in an orphanage that completely collapsed.
Thank you once again and please give everyone my love and my thanks.
On behalf of Danita's Children and Haiti,
Karris Hudson
CPA graduate 1998
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
to protect the safety
To protect the privacy and the safety of the children at the Amani Baby Cottage, we were asked to make some changes in the privacy settings of our blogs so that they are not accessible to the public. I will be "inviting" viewers to this blog which might take a little while because I have to look up all the email addresses. Thanks!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Read today in My Utmost for His Highest this: "In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God's ministry to others."
Today on facebook, Katie Davis wrote:
my mind is racing today. i do not understand how so many people can proclaim Jesus with their lips and not serve him with their lives. i do not understand how someone can look into the eyes and bandage the wounds of the poorest of the poor, God's heart, and then live their lives unchanged. We wait and wait for God to m......ove, but what if He is waiting on us to take the first step.
Katie is the young woman (20) from Nashville who now lives and serves a group of people who are considered to be of the lowest status in Uganda. She is the foster mom to 13 of the most beautiful girls. Link to kissesfromkatie here
I'm re-reading some sermon notes from Genesis 18, the story where the Lord (manifested as three men) visits Abraham and Sarah at Abraham's tent in the heat of the day. Abraham, who is at least 99 years old, immediately hops up and begs the men to stay so that he can serve them. He calls himself their servant and brings them water, gets Sarah to make "company" bread and runs to his herd and finds a choice, tender calf to prepare for them. He lays out a feast. Not an easy task at that time in the history of the world. Abraham served God immediately and generously and it costs him something. King David said "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God that which costs me nothing." 2 Samuel24:24
David knew God, God called him a "man after my own heart." Both Abraham and David had experienced God's forgiveness and His love and He changed them from the inside out. So much so that they poured out themselves for others. Willingly and gladly. Countless examples abound of this in the Bible and in our lives here right now in 2010. I want to approach God with open hands and a heart that can willingly sacrifice myself for others. Help me Lord.
Today on facebook, Katie Davis wrote:
my mind is racing today. i do not understand how so many people can proclaim Jesus with their lips and not serve him with their lives. i do not understand how someone can look into the eyes and bandage the wounds of the poorest of the poor, God's heart, and then live their lives unchanged. We wait and wait for God to m......ove, but what if He is waiting on us to take the first step.
Katie is the young woman (20) from Nashville who now lives and serves a group of people who are considered to be of the lowest status in Uganda. She is the foster mom to 13 of the most beautiful girls. Link to kissesfromkatie here
I'm re-reading some sermon notes from Genesis 18, the story where the Lord (manifested as three men) visits Abraham and Sarah at Abraham's tent in the heat of the day. Abraham, who is at least 99 years old, immediately hops up and begs the men to stay so that he can serve them. He calls himself their servant and brings them water, gets Sarah to make "company" bread and runs to his herd and finds a choice, tender calf to prepare for them. He lays out a feast. Not an easy task at that time in the history of the world. Abraham served God immediately and generously and it costs him something. King David said "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God that which costs me nothing." 2 Samuel24:24
David knew God, God called him a "man after my own heart." Both Abraham and David had experienced God's forgiveness and His love and He changed them from the inside out. So much so that they poured out themselves for others. Willingly and gladly. Countless examples abound of this in the Bible and in our lives here right now in 2010. I want to approach God with open hands and a heart that can willingly sacrifice myself for others. Help me Lord.
Friday, January 8, 2010
In the post I wrote a few days ago about worrying and my relationship with Christ I mentioned that if I'm not careful and prayerful, my mind makes a huge leap from a little worry to the worst possible senario. The cost of our adoption is low especially compared to adoption from most other countries and even the US. I know the Amani orphanage has worked hard to make sure the total adoption expenses stay as low as possible and I am very, very appreciative. I also know this isn't the case in most countries and it is such a shame. However, many organizations offer financial help and God will provide you with resources if that is the desire of your heart. I want to be honest about my relationship with Christ and how it is a real living thing and how God keeps telling me to stop listening to myself and to listen to Him. He has entrusted us with this precious child and He is up to the task of equipping and providing us with what we need. He is El Shaddai (All Sufficient). But know you can rest assured if you are in the process of stepping out in faith in some area of your life, fear and doubt are bound to come your way and I want to be an encouragement to you by being honest in my journey.
I read this today:
I read this today:
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong, (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NKJV).
The words of 19th century author Hannah Whitall Smith sum it up well: “If God is what He would seem to be from his revealings; if He is indeed the “God of all comfort” (2 Cor.1:3); if He is our Shepherd; If He is really and truly our Father; if, in short, all the many aspects He has told us of His character and His ways are actually true, then we must come to the positive conviction that He is, in himself alone, enough for all our needs and that we may safely rest in Him absolutely and forever.”
All-Sufficient God, truly You are all that I need for every need. Let me rest each day in that knowledge.
this from: ccesonline.com
The first snow of the year came yesterday. School (therefore work) was closed so we were all happy about having a day off and because the roads are so slick, we got today off as well! Grayson doesn't look too happy and Austin looks...well...but Lia looks really cute. I had to get out and run an errand and the roads were terrible but it was fun seeing the city after a snow.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
This is a picture from yesterday evening when we had two very sweet girls visit us. Grace Hartman and Emily Worrell who had both volunteered at Amani drove six hours just to visit us and the other families around Nashville who have adopted or are waiting on children from the Amani orphanage. Emily has volunteered for three straight summers and Grace was there this previous summer. Both knew Bobby very well and told me all about him. As an added bonus, they gave me a picture they made for his room and two discs, one with tons of great pictures and the other was the sweetest video with music and short video clips of Bobby laughing and talking. Priceless!! I am just overwhelmed at the unselfishness of these girls. Emily plans to return to Uganda in March to begin the planning for a home there for orphans with special needs. Their sweet spirit and genuine love for these kids is very humbling and unique and I and my family are blessed to know Emily and Grace. They will definitely have to return once Bobby is here! Sunday, January 3, 2010
Tomorrow morning I am back to my usual schedule after this Christmas break. I've loved having two weeks off, we traveled less this year than ever with Buddy trying to save his days off for our trip to Uganda. Because of that, we didn't make the usual trip after Christmas to Montgomery to visit the Hannah clan. We had seen everyone Thanksgiving and that made not going a little easier but we stilled missed visiting with all Buddy's brothers and their families.
You know, Christianity truly is a relationship. A relationship with God through Christ. I was reminded of this again this past week two different times. To be honest, sometimes I lie awake at night and worry. I don't worry about Bobby but often I worry about finances (adoption, two children in college in the fall, me not working) and other things. Anyway, instead of taking my thoughts captive, they take me captive, make a huge jump and doubts begin to pile up. Well, after one of those nights, the next morning I spent some time talking to Jesus about it and then left for the Y. After exercising and on my way out I picked up a scripture slip. You know what Jesus told me - "The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 Of course I know that! It still amazes me that God listens!
Later that week, again at the Y (the only two days I went this week), as Buddy and I were leaving, we ran into a friend who is adopting two little boys from the Amani orphanage. We discussed this and how we are trying to be patient with the wait and how we know God is in control of the timing. When I got to the car I read the scripture slip I picked up this time which read, " Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore." Isaiah 54:4 In scripture, God links widows and orphans very often. I feel like God is telling us, "I am in this, I chose this for you and gave you this desire, stop worrying and trust me and I will make this a great thing."
Thanks for reading this long post, pray for our family, we have a lot going on and as parents, Buddy and I need to only stay focused on desiring God. Desiring God alone and longing after Him. That is my prayer for now and this year. Everything else - worry, fear, insecurity, false gods - fall away when I do this. I know that even the desire to desire God is a gift from God and I am grateful. Again, thanks.
You know, Christianity truly is a relationship. A relationship with God through Christ. I was reminded of this again this past week two different times. To be honest, sometimes I lie awake at night and worry. I don't worry about Bobby but often I worry about finances (adoption, two children in college in the fall, me not working) and other things. Anyway, instead of taking my thoughts captive, they take me captive, make a huge jump and doubts begin to pile up. Well, after one of those nights, the next morning I spent some time talking to Jesus about it and then left for the Y. After exercising and on my way out I picked up a scripture slip. You know what Jesus told me - "The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 Of course I know that! It still amazes me that God listens!
Later that week, again at the Y (the only two days I went this week), as Buddy and I were leaving, we ran into a friend who is adopting two little boys from the Amani orphanage. We discussed this and how we are trying to be patient with the wait and how we know God is in control of the timing. When I got to the car I read the scripture slip I picked up this time which read, " Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore." Isaiah 54:4 In scripture, God links widows and orphans very often. I feel like God is telling us, "I am in this, I chose this for you and gave you this desire, stop worrying and trust me and I will make this a great thing."
Thanks for reading this long post, pray for our family, we have a lot going on and as parents, Buddy and I need to only stay focused on desiring God. Desiring God alone and longing after Him. That is my prayer for now and this year. Everything else - worry, fear, insecurity, false gods - fall away when I do this. I know that even the desire to desire God is a gift from God and I am grateful. Again, thanks.
Friday, January 1, 2010
On Christmas morning, we received the best present ever, we Skyped with Bobby through a volunteer at Amani Baby Cottage! We held off opening presents until we could talk with Bobby which happened around 9:30 a.m. Central time, 5:30 p.m. Ugandan time. I think Bobby was a little overwhelmed at the concept of talking with us in real time. We didn't care, we so enjoyed seeing him and introducing ourselves to him. I have tried two times to upload this video but I think the file is too large so I just put a few pictures of us waiting for the Skype session to begin.
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