The past few weeks have been FULL for 147 Million Orphans.  We had our VERY FIRST FUNDRAISER!  After visiting Megan in Haiti last spring we realized that she needs a medical facility. The closest one is an hour away.  She has 600 children in her school and feeds 700 a day..imagine all of the coughs, runny noses, HIV/AIDS, and not to mention women having babies!! SOOO, we came home and our wheels started turning!  She had her builder draw up plans and told us it was going to cost $250,000! (eeeeek!!!) There will be a pharmacy on the top floor, and dental and medical on the bottom.  It will be  "hub" for people to come and get tested for HIV/AIDS, and if the are positive, she will send them to get meds!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!  Needless to say, we started working FERVENTLY on how to raise the funds. ( no grass growing under our feet!)
In the middle of our preparations, we received the call that Jan ( my last post) had been taken to the hospital with stroke symptoms.  The next day, Michelle, Gwen, and I went to the hospital to visit her and she shared that she had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Now, let me just back up and say that we are the "four amigos."  we do everything together.  We talk all day long, every day, making 147 ROLL.  In my last post I sent you to read Anna Bliss's perspective.  Because honestly, I was SO numb from hearing the news that I didn't know what to say.  The biopsy showed that it is cancerous.  She went back into surgery on Wednesday and there were able to remove 90% of the tumor.  It is in her speech/memory section of her brain, so they didn't want to go too deep for fear of causing damage.  We were told that she probably wouldn't speak for awhile and she might have to learn sign language.  (the words would be in her head, but she wouldn't be able to get them out.)  Miraculously, she woke from surgery talking like normal!!
Over the past few weeks, God has shown himself in a MIGHTY way.  Our fundraiser went off without a hitch!  Megan was in town and shared her heart.  Jan was able to come!!  we raised $100,000!!  The Holy Spirit was so heavy in the room.  My heart felt as though it was going to explode.
Gwen and I traveled to Knoxville to speak to a 3,000 member church.  It was AWESOME.  The heartbeat of the people there was all about giving and serving others.  Our hearts were filled with hope that more churches will see the heart of Jesus as we left town.
We had our 147 Christmas sale. (shop with purpose)  We spent the day listening to Christmas music and filling bags of gifts for  people to give away.  And the icing on the cake was that Jan was able to be there with us!
God has given her such strength the past few weeks.  She has more JOY and is sharing her heart and HIS purpose for her life and others.  IT HAS BEEN AMAZING to watch her share HIS story of her life that HE is writing each and every day.
This week I was thinking back of the past few weeks and realized that HE is writing a story in my life each and every day also.  My days aren't filled with doctors appointments or scheduling surgery, but they are filled with living out strength, patience, perseverance, and grace.  HE is in the small things too. He is in the everyday, all day long and is writing a story with our lives.  Why does it take a brain tumor to make us realize that we ought to live each day with intention?  Going through the motions of baths, laundry, meals, school distract us.  While those things HAVE to happen so that our homes do not collapse, there is a bigger picture here.  OUR LIVES are a colorful, beautiful picture that God is creating and we do not even realize it.  What do I want my picture to look like?  I get to draw/paint it, I have the opportunity to choose what I want it to be filled with....hhhmmmm...clutter or INTENTIONAL things?
The past few weeks have given me perspective.  One day when I stand before the Lord, I want my life painting to be FULL of colors, pictures, and LOVE.


www.147millionorphans.org