A Heart for the Orphans

About this time, spring of 2012, I thought our family would be praying about where in the world the Lord would have us live. 3 years ago Brent was thinking South America, I was loving the idea of Africa and the only place we had ever been for any length of time was Turkey. And now it seems the Lord has made Texas our home. He gave us Daniel and Daniel is right where he needs to be.

I love children. I have a soft and tender heart towards kids. I feel energized after spending a morning with 32 toddlers. I enjoy teaching any age of elementary children. I love having extra kids running through our home. This is why my heart was drawn to Africa. I know all around the world, even in our own community there are orphans, but my heart is drawn to the millions of children without a mommy and daddy in Africa. I thought maybe we would have our own orphanage, a place like George Mueller, where in addition to feeding and loving and clothing the kids, we could prepare and help them be ready to be adults.

Brent and I both have a heart for adoption. And when I look at our table I see two empty chairs that need to be filled. Right now is not the time, but maybe one day.

A couple of years ago I realized that God had also given Lizzy a tender heart towards the fatherless. She loves listening to Twila Paris lullabies. One night when "More Than Words Can Say" came one Lizzy started crying and then sobbing. The lullaby has a line that sings "And if you don't have a mommy He'll take good care of you..." She was just 4 years old when she said to me through tears, "Who would not have a mommy and a daddy?" It is heart breaking to think of. And it was more than her little heart could handle.

Since then she has shed many more tears for the orphans. I often feel like I want to rescue her from her sadness, but instead I hold her and often cry with her. As much as I do not want her to be sad, I do want her heart to break for those things that break the heart of God.

She says when she grows up she is going to move to Africa and take care of all the orphans. She also says she will marry a handsome prince. And so I pray that somehow these two dreams would become one.

This past summer I took the boys back to North Dakota for 3 days. While we were away visiting dear friends, Lizzy was busy at home working on making books. Before I had left, my friend Amy had posted a link on her facebook page about the food crisis that was happening in Africa. I had shared this with my kiddos. We prayed and talked about what we could do to help. And while the boys and I were away, Lizzy put her own plan into action.

The books that she was making were for the orphans. I came home to her little "store" which consisted of colored pages stapled together and displayed on the chairs that went with her little table. She had made 12 books. And she was selling them for $1.00 to raise money for the orphans and the people who did not have any food. Of course Brent and I bought one. And she called grandma and grandpa and grandma and they bought one. My friend Ruthie bought one. The boys bought one. My friend Amy bought one. And pretty soon she was "sold out". From that little store she raise $128.00 that we sent through Compassion Internationals response to the food crisis in Africa.




She has continued to make stores and try and sell her things to raise money for the orphans. I am currently praying and brain storming with her for some ideas of what else we can do.

A few nights ago she said to me, "I keep making books and stores and stuff because I do not want their bellies to be hungry. It hurts so much when I am hungry and they go without food for a few days sometimes. It must hurt so much."

Such compassion for children from the heart of a child. I hope it only continues to grow.

If you would like to buy a book, or a project or a trinket, just send me a note or leave a comment. Lizzy would be happy to fill your order for any donation to the orphans.