I'm Still Here

No, I haven't fallen off the planet...just the blogosphere!  I know my summer posts have been thin and brief. 
We've been traveling a lot. 
I don't have any summer child care.
We've had some staff transitions. 
Just a lot of reasons keeping me away from my laptop these days.  For those of you who keep up with my little blog here, I am not gone for good. I do plan to be back when I'm ready.  I have several more substantial posts planned for August as well as a new series for the fall.  In the mean time keep praying for us and all those we love in Uganda!

Terrorist Attack In Kampala

Uganda made international news this week. Unfortunately the circumstances leading to the headlines are devastating.  There were two terrorist bombings in the city of Kampala during the final World Cup match on Sunday.  74 are confirmed dead and dozens more are injured.  This is shocking.  Read more details about the tragedy and who is responsible HERE.  

Please keep Uganda and her people in your prayers.

A Must Read Article: Abba Changes Everything

When we got home from Nashville there was a healthy stack of mail waiting for us on our kitchen table. I usually skim through it and shove most of it to the side because it overwhelms me, but I simply couldn't ignore the cover of Christianity Today.  "Abba Changes Everything: Why Every Christian is Called to Rescue Orphans." 

I've been involved with orphan care for six years now and over the course of that time I've seen a growing awareness and healthy attention being paid to this very Biblical theme of loving the fatherless.  It is so encouraging, especially as the emerging discussions aren't just "fluff."  In the Christianity Today article, Russell D. Moore boldly states that caring for orphans "isn't charity; it's spiritual warfare."  How true!

I won't go into all the points Moore makes as I'd really encourage you to read the article yourself.  I imagine you'll find yourself immediately captivated by the first paragraph description of a hauntingly silent eastern European orphanage. 

I will share following paragraph from the article just to offer up a taste.  It cut me to the core.  The plight of older orphans who no longer have cuteness to make them appealing is a heavy burden on my heart and where I often like to focus my attention in Uganda. 

Imagine, for a moment, the plight of an orphan somewhere out there. With every passing year, she will become less "cute," thus less adoptable. In a few years, on her eighteenth birthday, she will be expelled from the system. She might join the military or find job training. Maybe she'll stare at a tile on the ceiling above her as her body is violated—alone or before a camera crew of strangers—by a man who's willing to pay enough for her to eat for one day. Maybe she'll place a revolver in her mouth or tie a rope around her neck, knowing no one will notice except the ones who have to clean up afterward. This story could just as well describe a boy who is orphaned. Can you feel the desperation of what it means to be an orphan? Jesus can. Orphans are his little sisters and brothers. He hears them.

He DOES hear them, and so must we, His people.  Please read this article.  You won't be disappointed.

General Assembly 2010

Remember how I told you I'd try to snag a few minutes to update you all from General Assembly?  Um, yeah.  Didn't happen.  I tried, but the night I cracked open the laptop to post I nodded off five minutes later.  Our week in Nashville was just plain CRAZY!  But crazy is good.  We LOVE having a busy booth and numerous opportunities to share about Pearl Ministries.

Our Kanzi Craft  initiative was hugely successful and we sold dozens and dozens of beautiful Ugandan paper beads over the course of three days.  There was also a lot of interest in Ornaments4Orphans and we pray that as a result we will see dozens of orphan trees light up in church foyers this coming November!


The best part of a gathering like General Assembly is the chance to connect and reconnect with so many fellow believers.  It is like an enormous family reunion.  You meet up with old friends and friends of old friends.  Folks who know folks you know and went to the same college as you.  It was neat and refreshing to be reminded just how diverse, widespread and hard working the Kingdom of God truly is. 

I got to meet a woman representing Revive Our Hearts, the ministry from Nancy Leigh deMoss that I wrote about last week.  We saw our dear friends Bruce and Linda Farrant who head Mission to North America's  Native American and First Nations Ministries.  Family friends Andrew and Mary Anna Belz were down the aisle from us representing Cono Christian School and their son, Max, a friend of ours from Covenant was across from them recruiting at the booth for the newly founded Providence College.  This just scrapes the surface!

We personally had the good providence to be located next to a wonderful booth where we met a new friend, Diana Beach Batarseh.  This summer I started Vivian on Scripture memorization.  I figured if she could remember all the words to Silly Songs with Larry she could remember plenty from the Holy Word.  I'd also been wondering about when to start catechism with her, so when I saw Diana's booth beside us I was thrilled.  She has set the Westminster Shorter Catechism word for word to wonderful music for children.  The series is called Ask Me Whooo and you can visit the website HERE or link HERE to listen to samples.  I love how the simple truth's of Scripture are laid out for us so plainly and how Diana's lovely voice and charming music makes the words so much easier to remember. After just a couple of listens Vivian can answer (and sing) many of the questions.    I am just so excited about it that I wanted to tell you all who might want to get your hands on a copy for the special wee ones in your life!



After a week of intense activity and excitement we rolled into Birmingham yesterday afternoon quite exhausted.  I'll be honest, 24 hours later I STILL feel like a truck hit me.  Scott worked harder and longer than I did (although his shoes were MUCH more comfortable than mine) and seems to have bounced back faster.  I think part of this is due to personality issues.  Scott is an extrovert who feeds off of events like these.  I, on the other hand, am an introvert.  It often surprises people that I am so introverted because I'm so expressive/dramatic and I adore public speaking.  It's true that I had an absolute blast conversing with people at GA, but after three solid days I started feeling the weight of it. I have to push myself to keep going.  It truly takes a toll on my insides and I need time alone to process, reflect and just be quiet.

I'm getting some of that today as Scott so kindly took Vivian out on some errands this afternoon.  So I sit here contemplating what took place last week and preparing myself for the week ahead.  We've got a few five days here at home before we head off again.  This summer is turning out to be quite an adventure!