For the teachers!

Most of us have a favorite teacher or two from our school days. Someone who inspired to you keep trying! Never give up! Someone who encouraged you and helped you believe you could do anything! and Or maybe you have a favorite movie about teachers that moves you??
Mr. Holland's Opus? Lean on Me? School of Rock? (lol) and My personal favorite: Dead Poets Society... What's yours? What would our world be like without our teachers. I have quite a few friends who are or have been teachers. And I admire their love for children and their life's work to mold the minds of the future.
Imagine, attempting to teach a class of children who are special needs, most of them deaf & cannot speak with no supplies, no activities, no resource room to run to... no standard sign language... and getting paid less than the average person a day, when the average person is struggling to survive (If you get paid on time at all). Or what about cooking in a shack and walking food to the school in the rain? Trying to take care of a bathroom and clean with no running water? (For special needs children!) How many people do we know who wouldn't even show up? Most would quit... give up... never look back!
I met some amazing teachers and a small staff of people who LOVE, LOVE the children at Hosetta School. Real love or they wouldn't be there!
They just blessed my socks off! (well literally my shoes...)

Monica, Alex & Isatu are three wonderful teachers at Hosetta. Susan the Administrator, Margaret the Secretary and the Sweet cooks! & Edna who just takes care of everybody! I was drawn to the love that God has placed in their hearts for the kids. I spent almost every moment at Hosetta with them. My son's preschool and one of my 'teacher' friends had donated some school supplies for Hosetta. When I passed them out to the teachers, quickly I realized that the small amount I had taken were the only supplies they had. I took one wooden puzzle... just one. In my home my preschool age kids have more in one cabinet than this entire school has to teach with! The boys who I had just taught the sign language for "more" kept bringing it to me... begging for more with signs. Heart broken I told them, my friends are coming back in a few weeks, and they WILL bring more!

I made a special bond with sweet Edna! She lives on the school grounds in a shack with her family. Some of the children stay with her during the week if they live to far away to travel back and forth. Her Grandson Bernard reminded me of my son Levi! On the last day I had been passing out shoes to some of the children and I looked down and noticed that she was barely wearing 2 flip flops that didn't even match. Before we left I took what I had been wearing that day down to Edna. I told her how her love for the kids spoke to my heart and that I wanted to give her my shoes. She hugged me, broke down and cried. I hadn't seen many tears from the African women I had met, their hard lives has hardened their hearts. But my heart broke that day watching tears fall from sweet Edna's face.


I've been asked since I've been home ...

What do you feel like God said to you? What did He teach you while you were in Sierra Leone?

well... I'm still working on my answers and He is still teaching me, but

Love & Love deeply... I have to believe if we follow that command correctly than the world will see God in us! Chains will be broken and hearts will be changed.

In my favorite 'teacher' movie Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) leans in, to his class... giving the most famous speech of that movie while the boys are looking at pictures of people who had come and gone before them. He tells them "Their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable?" and then he says the famous quote "Seize the day boys" but everyone forgets the actual quote is... "Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary."

Make your life extraordinary! We know their only Hope! I don't want to wait and reach the end of my life here on earth and wish that I had done it differently? I want an extraordinary life. don't you? What makes life extraordinary? my car? my house? or my love?

Deut 4:9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

Since I have been home I have been struggling with the comings & goings of everyday life, so much of what we think is important ---is really just meaningless. What is the the most important thing I can teach my children? Somehow the finding the 'best' school, wearing the 'best' clothes, or spending crazy amounts of money on soccer camps just isn't really important. Is it?
I pray that I won't forget the things I've seen, that I will continue to allow them to teach me about God's Heart! I pray that my heart will break for what breaks His! That He would give me a heart to love deeply, with His truth. And show me how to share it with others.

a few words & silence

My time spent at Hosetta School I must admit was not spent shoveling rocks or sweating. I was so drawn to spend every moment with the children and teachers there. Most of the students are deaf and cannot speak on top of other disabilities. I was amazed to find out that no one knew sign language. How difficult and frustrating for a teacher to not be able to communicate with the whole class! And even more so, imagine being this beautiful little girl... unable to communicate how she feels or what she needs; she cannot hear and lives in unbelievable conditions. Her teachers struggle with how best to deal with her behavioral problems, which are completely understandable. By the end of our time she could sign basics such as, thank you, more please and "stop" it made her so happy!




This is Fatmata, she lives to far away to get to and from school every day, she stays there during the week with Auntie Enda.

Now by no means am I a sign language expert, I know a small amount from teaching my children basics and putting signs to songs for children's worship. Getting to sit next to a deaf boy and sing Jesus loves me with signs for the first time, this was one of the most amazing things I have ever been allowed to do. My favorite two songs we sang together were...

He knows my name. It is a simple amazing little song that says:
I have a maker, he formed my heart, before even time began, my life was in his hands. He knows my name, he knows my every thought, he sees each tear that falls and he hears me when I call.
How powerful that was! I don't know all their names or couldn't even try to explain the pain in their lives, but we have a father who can fill every need.
&
Shout to the Lord
Those who could hear and those who couldn't, all loved signing this song, one of the team members caught a little of this on video while i was sitting with a few of the deaf children.

Definitely one of my favorite moments. The video ended up having no sound. I left it in silence...

(I added the words here for those who don't know it)

Shout to the Lord all the earth let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
at the sound of Your name.
I sing for Joy at the work of Your hands,
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand,

Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

My Jesus, My Savior,
Lord, there is none like You;
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love.
My Comfort, My Shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You.

I Praise You in This Storm

Its been 11 days since I've been home from Africa. and my heart and emotions have been a mess! Last night, I was able to successfully communicate to some friends about my trip and what God has shown me (without a complete breakdown) and then this morning I'm crying in the car trying to talk to the kids about the tornado devastation in Joplin that they are hearing about on the radio. Gideon said, "but not where we live, right Mommy? Why are you so sad" I told him how good it was that we have our house and everything we need but today there are lot of people hurting because they lost everything, even friends & family they love. I said "Mommy, hurts for them."

A note today off my path to tell you about my trip. My heart breaks for the hurting people in Joplin, Missouri. The devastation is horrible and close to home. I just wanted to share a thought. Giving money, seeing pictures, and hearing the stories & reportbacks are very informative and heart gripping. But I have just learned...being there in person ... giving love, a hug or supplies to someone in desperate need...seeing it for yourself... the reality of what devastation smells and feels like... is a life changing moment. Joplin will need continued - ongoing assistance and willing hands & feet in the many months to come. After aide gets organized and opportunities to physically 'show up' and 'help' start to arrive, please don't forget about these hurting people. I challenge you to get personally involved.

"Don't forget about me." I heard this many times as I was leaving Africa, hugging the people who's lives had touched mine. I said, "I will be back!" and I pray that will be possible. Africa may seem "too far away" for some of us to get too. Joplin is not. I challenge you to seek out a way to be His hands, feet and love to the people of Joplin. There is hope and it is only found through the Lord, if His love is in your heart you can share it with someone who needs it by your actions, not just words. And it will change you!


I was reminded about this amazing song this morning--- Now, when I lay in bed listening to the rain & storms I see the faces of parentless children, sleeping in the dirt on the street with no food to eat. Who I have held, touched and hugged with my owns hands, like this boy...
I have been in the mist of people with hearts devastated by the hurt in this world, but by God's grace some of them have learned there is hope and this world is not our home. I literally prayed standing in the front of such hurt and pain. Lord, come now... and while we wait, bring them hope. There is Hope!

I Praise You in This Storm (Casting Crowns)

I was sure by now
God,
You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God
who gives and takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are,
who You are No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried, You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm.

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth.