Sunday, August 17, 2008

Faith Firming Days

Hello Friends! Happy Sunday to you! It may not have been the easiest week we’ve had here so far, but I sure do have many good things to tell you! The week was very hectic with kids leaving at random for holiday, being packed into overstuffed cars and travelling on their way with who knows who to who knows where.....and now as of Thursday night we have 3 kids here along with 31/2 year old Castro, son of one of the housemothers. These kids are just eating up the extra attention! I keep thinking about how much Jesus worked in smaller groups like this. These three will have changed lives in the next few weeks!

Thank you all for your prayers for Grace! She is no longer sick AND she tested negative for the AIDS virus!!!! She is one tough cookie, and the Lord is teaching me soo much from her! One moment she is so cuddly and the next she will not smile or look at me, rather she pushes me away. All the while I remain just the same, if not more loving toward her. It has become a goal for me to awaken the beauty and joy of her little feminine heart! There are so many ups and downs with her....and today I am thinking about how often it is that way between me and my Abba Father. How passionate he is in fighting for my heart, how committed to convincing me of his unfailing love....how he will not rest until he has completed the work he has begun in me. And how do I respond? There are daily letters written to me from Him, but do I always open them? There is a constant arm around me, but how many times have I brushed it off my back? There is a hand always lifting up my chin to catch sight of my smile, but do I just look the other way? If selfish little me is so willing to forget my self in pouring out endless love to this little girl, how much more does our Heavenly Father do so for her and for me and for all of us!

Today he said to me.....I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the lands....God the Father chose you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Jesus Christ and are cleansed by his blood. May you have more and more of God’s special favor and wonderful peace.........(and all of 1 Peter, chapter 1.)
I don’t have enough time to tell you all that the Lord is filling my heart with! But I will just say that he is faithful and firming my faith!

As for some of what’s been happening around here....
we have started meeting some of the village children now that they are all out of school with nothing to do!

We have been continuing to do Bible study with the kids and some of the village kids have come too. Please pray for us, tomorrow we have invited street kids from Hakahana to come for games and Bible study and will feed them porridge as well.




On Saturday we took the four kids to a special place called Kashana where they had their choice of juice or milkshake. They were in a small sort of Heaven!






















Friday was Anja’s Birthday so we went to the Schonfeld Farm to celebrate. I am telling you, I had the very best chocolate cake I have ever had in my life. I mean in my whole life, the best! The cook at the farm baked it. I am also excited because Anja’s father-in-law asked me to come celebrate my Birthday there as well! (maybe I’ll get a cake from Aletta too!)




Now for some requests: please be in prayer for the kids who are away, that they’d be kept safe. Please pray for safe delivery for Anja’s baby, she is due any time now! Please also pray that this man named Evan would actually come to the Haven to help us plant in the green house. This green house has been funded and in the works for a year and a half now, but the man with the knowhow never shows up to help! It has finally been built and is in the planting stage, but for two weeks now he has been putting us off! I love you all so much! Thanks and Blessings! Have a great week!

p.s. I really want to show you so many more photos, but the internet is so slow that it has taken an hour just to upload these! So please forgive the few and far betweens!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi my Amanda Darling,
I wrote you a comment but I think I clicked on the comment indicator at the bottom of the entire page so it showed up on one of your earlier blogs. I don't know if you get an update notice for new comments but I wanted to tell you that so you could check.
Anyway... you have been on my mind. When I read your most recent thoughts I really feel a kindred connection with you because I am hearing God say so many things to me as well. I have been so aware of the spiritual world that is really more real than this tangible material world.
He is awakening my eyes to be alert. I am realizing the importance of prayer - how it releases the supernatural into action. I might seem like I am talking 'christianese' but I don't know how else to say it. I am moved for your little orphans. You have no idea how your influence in the hearts and lives of these kids will affect generations to come.
May He open your heart even wider to let the things of God run deep. I am praying that His angels at His command will minister to you as you need it to shape you and ready you to fight the battles of warfare. Eph. 6:10-12
You are not alone in your battles. Read 2 Kings 6:15-17. Lord, open Amanda's eyes that she may see - the hills of Namibia are full of horses and chariots of fire - warring for the orphans He so desperately cares for!
"Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven." - Daniel 10:12
God hears you and He is responding. May you and the people around you be protected from the enemies attacks. Be encouraged that you are fighting on the winning side - God has won it all and He is our Victory! 1 John 4:4
I love you Amanda - You are making me so proud! I was pumped up by watching the Olympics, cheering them on. But quite honestly, this pumps me up more! There are millions of spectators watching Olympic television, crowds giving the winners their accolades. But there is a greater heavenly audience on the edge of their seat watching the true heros of God win the ultimate victory and you are shining in the spotlight, you don't even know it.
Love your other big sis:
Beth

Tricia said...

Ramona, you are so beautiful. I wrote a comment earlier but by my own fault accidentally deleted it. Erky!
I just read all of your blogs just now because I did not have the address and it's about time, such wonderful news to read from you. I finally asked Jenny for it and for your physical address cause I have a few things to send. A but load of buttons and a really neet craft that requires an oven, do you have an oven? Shall I send the pics with all this or just hold them, When are you coming back? I will be visiting KC in October and Again in December. Mama is going to try to visit me in September, I'm excited about that. Stephanie is engaged! Hazel has smiled only for me thus far, Eva is driving me crazy with her terrible twos, Opal's just Opal, and Alicia is reading chapter books! I have to run along now, I have a goal to work out some time between my duties so I must jont! I love you, I miss you, Tricia