New beginnings...

And so it is...

As Louis moves on from the FMSC site here to mobilepack... 

I actually took his place at the site...

and I LOVE IT!!!

(Here Louis and I were wrapping and strapping a pallet during a packing session last week... he was subbing at the site... I was trying to get him to wear matching T-shirts... he wouldn't go for it:)

It has been a blast... There is a lot to remember and there is definitely a learning curve for me... but the people are kind, we make a great team, and I love feeding God's kids who are in great need...

It is the perfect way for me to take my love of missions and serving the vulnerable children of the world... and make it a part of my every day life right here in my own back yard!

The kids were packing a few weeks ago when we had company... nice hair nets friends!

Louis in front of the huge semi parked right in the convention center last weekend for the FMSC gala and auction... What a special time... Seriously, I am so honored and privileged to work part time for such a great organization!  

Here is a part of our team here at the site with the CEO of Feed My Starving Children, Mark Crea... What a down to earth fella...

It was a great night and a WHOLE LOT OF CHILDREN are going to be fed because of the generosity of the People in the Chicagoland area!  Go GOD!!!

Off to Haiti...

The St. Peter Mission team to Haiti June 2015

Last Sunday Morning 24 teens and adults form St. Peter and 3 other churches left bright and early for Haiti... 

I think their smiles say it all...

They were ready to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people of Haiti...

Some of the youngsters on the plane getting ready to take off:)  We were super excited that Louis' girlfriend was able to make the trip with the group as well... Those 2 are both in their element serving abroad...  :) 

Louis is my social media updater... I usually know that if they have Internet access, I can count on him to touch base with us back home and keep us updated on things... 

I have a feeling that they haven't had any decent Internet since the very first night...  We haven't heard a word from Caleb or Greg and... 

Louis texted me this picture the first night saying, "I am adopting him:)!!"  Totally my son!

So I can take it that they are probably all falling in love with the kids, adults, and country of Haiti...

Hopefully we will get some updates, but I always figure not news is good news... 

They had a jam packed schedule of working with a couple of orphanages, doing VBS, the women to do some women's ministry while the men built a roof for a church, as well as working on some farming in some villages... I can't wait to hear all about it when they return...

I am especially excited to hear Louis' perspective... He has felt like he would like to go into missions as a career... He has loved Uganda, loved South Dakota and the work they did on an Indian reservation there last summer, and loves doing disaster relief.  

I am so thankful that he is getting an opportunity to see another county.  While we would 100% support him heading to Africa in missions at some point, I think it is great to see another place and really surrender to what God is calling him to and where... I am praying that God is making His way for Louis clear on if missions is really what God is calling him to do and maybe even a direction that maybe he is pointing him... 

We will support him wherever God calls him... It sure is exciting...  We shall see how the Lord unfolds his plans for him and all of us:)

So hard... so real...

I just had to repost this...

From the mother of our missionary friend Emma, who recently opened a special needs orphanage in Uganda...

I rarely think of the details of the many  extremely tough things that she faces in her calling... everyday...

Please take the time to read this to get a clear picture of ALL that it means to follow the Lord's calling on your life... the beautiful and the really hard stuff...

and then...

Please support them however you can... through prayer, encouragement or even financially...

Hug your little ones tight tonight:)

http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-stuff-no-one-talks-about.html

Back for "Moore"

And the St. Peter crew goes back for "Moore"...

Our precious friend Emma from AZ who came with us to Uganda last year, came a few days early to hang with the family... 

(Lou and Emma when we picked her up at the airport...  Sweet Friends reunited :)

And off she, the boys, Greg, and about 10 others headed last week.  

I am always amazed at the amount of fun they have while serving... this trip was no different as you will well be able to see in the following pictures...

They did some minor building and strangely were able to abundantly help out a family who had some hoarding issues...

They were able to help this gentleman make some really big progress...

Which in the end will help reunite a family that has been torn apart...

They were a part of changing lives and changing the future for this family... and they loved every second of it...scorpions and all... YIKES!

It warms my heart to see how the Lord can unite His willing servants into an unstoppable team from HIM... being His hands and feet and showing HIS great love to others!

Can you see the evidence of God's love poured out on this homeowner by the group?  Makes my heart smile!  No judgement... just the love of Jesus poured out on HIM...

So thankful to God for this willing team of teens and adults...
So thankful for all that God can do with willing hearts...
He is so good and so able...

Never too old or too young... to be used by our Lord...

I have to share with you about....

something amazing...

someone amazing...

who is allowing an amazing AWESOME GOD to work through her to do 

amazing things for HIM!!!

Here is our sweet precious missionary friend Emma... 

(Can't help but smile at the two of them... as Louis was handing over our gift of a chicken to Emma for being such a great host... good times trying to make sure that thing didn't get loose in the van filled with our Go Team last January... oh the laughter:)

Talk about a photo that screams... MIRACULOUS!!!  EVERY SINGLE  time I look at the following picture , I catch my breath and my heart is overwhelmed my the miraculous power of God to heal and work in people's lives... Oh, how He loves the orphan and us all!

Here is Emma with her sister Ruby on the day they discovered her at the orphanage... Extremely sick and only weighing 6lbs at a year... Can you imagine, 6 lbs. at a year?  

The second picture is of ruby a year later... At that point she had been adopted, was Emma's sister and had clearly put on a few very healthy pounds:):) praise God!!!

Emma's Parents remember Emma telling them she was going to be a missionary to Uganda at the tender age of 6 and even caught her on video saying that very thing at her 8th birthday... 

Can you imagine your kids saying that at 6 or 8 years old???

And what I love about her family is that they never discouraged or doubted her... but only sought to have her follow whatever the Lord might call her to do... 

Again... amazing!!!

(As a mom to a 17 year who feels the Lord calling him to missions... my heart is already being tugged at... Ultimately, I want him to follow the Lord's calling wherever that might be... but my human side says, "Lord, ... if it is your will... ... not too far away... but your will be done:):)"

(Here is part of our team from January with Emma, some of her staff, and our driver before we left to come home)

Well Emma's dreams and the Lord's plans for her life are finally being fulfilled:)

God is so good and to see Him work through her in Uganda is so inspiring... 

Did I mention she is only 20?

(We are NEVER too old or too young to do the Lord's work:)

Last week her home for special needs orphans opened it doors and was filled with 11 boys... 

The opening of the Gem Foundation has been long in the works...

But now there are many kids to be loved on, cared for, and provided for in the walls of that home.

Please considering checking out her website

www.thegemfoundation.com

to see the amazing kids at the home...

to see the work the Lord is doing through one young humble WILLING servant...

to know how to better pray for Emma and her ministry...

And who knows maybe the Lord will touch your heart to maybe help the gem foundation in some way as they care for the special needs treasures in Uganda...

(Emma, in January at the Christmas party that our Go Team hosted for over 70 kids from 3 different orphanages) 

The Love of Jesus shines right out of her... I love it... and her!

Mission to Haiti!

So last week amidst the company visiting my G hopped on a plane for Haiti...

Internet access has been sketchy, phone conversation brief and easily lost, but I am so thankful for the few minutes of phone conversation with G, and for Jeff, a friend also along on the trip who has updated Facebook:). Yay for just being able to see G's face.... and it doesn't hurt to see a precious little pumpkin like this one pictured below, in his arms... Isn't she a doll??

The whole Haiti team... Three members from St. Peter along with some others from Palatine and Normal Illinois:).  The kids and I, on the road to Houston, were just praying a little bit ago for God to do a mighty work in and through them all as they serve the people of Haiti!!

Here is G hanging out in a rural village with some of the locals... No foreigners/white folk had ever been to their village... How amazing is that? 

I know that besides the main missions of the team, that our St. Peter crew was hoping to make some connections and start to build relationships for further service in the future...

I have been praying for The Lord to clearly direct their steps to the place He may have for Our church to connect... 

And where there is a great need... Personally I can't help but hope there is some sort of orphanage connection:) 

This kid... and another young one...(at least young compared to me:)

So today his birthday wish finally came true....
He was able to use his money to bless some very special kids in Uganda...
Jojo has been bugging me for the last few weeks if we could finally purchase something for a special friend in Uganda.  He was so excited!

He was sort of hoping to get a washing machine, but when he heard the real need was for cribs... he jumped at the chance...
So today when our friend finally went public with the launching of her new ministryhttp://www.thegemfoundation.com/  to special needs orphans in Uganda Jojo said, "Let's do it now!"

And he did...  You should have seen his smile! Almost every penny he has to his name... but he couldn't have been happier!
I do not share this at all to speak boastfully... but truly to share how God can move in anyone's heart... old ... young... sick... healthy... anyone...
And He will take a willing heart and do so much more than we ever thought possible in our own minds...
And that is exactly what He is doing in the life of Jojo and of our young friend Emma in Uganda.
Here she is 20 years old starting a ministry to some special treasures in Uganda... at 20 years of age!!!

I continue to learn from Jojo... and Emma:)

Never squelch a generous heart... let the holy spirit work in the hearts of your kids... (Greg and I almost wanted to encourage him to give less and purchase a smaller gift... He insisted, and I know God will be glorified in it!)

Never underestimate what God can do through anyone... yourself included!  He will take the most ordinary people and do extraordinary things through them for His glory!

Please go look at Emma's new ministry, The Gem Foundation and consider supporting this amazing missionary and her new ministry... She is the real deal!  http://www.thegemfoundation.com/  I know you will be blessed by seeing this amazing young servant!

Here is Emma at our Christmas party this past January,  for some very special orphans:)