Today I have been thinking about my friend Eustis who now lives at Nehemiah Boys Ranch in Kitwe Zambia.
Eustis was living on the streets after being abandoned by his mother. I was in the van with him the day he arrived at the ranch. His arrival was a glimps of heaven for me. The other boys came running to the van to see who was the new boy who would now be with them. When they saw it was Eustis they cheered, danced and sang a song of praise! They brought him new clothing; holding the precious duds like they were royal robes! Once he was clean and wearing his new clothes they led him to the table for dinner. The table was filled with food, yet the boys didn't sitdown. They gave thanks for the day, for Eustis, for the place they now lived and for the food. Then they sang song after song of praise to a Holy God who had blessed them beyond measure. It must have been 30 minutes before they finally sat down to partake of the banquet set before them.
Joseph, on of the older boys, told Eustis that he was very blessed to be here and that he would never be the same again. He told him that he would be changed from the inside out just as he had been.


Eustis is in the middle
This past summer when I arrived I didn't recognize Eustis! He was muscular and filled with joy! I gave him a coopy of the photo I took of him the year before and he ran off laughing. He showed the picture to the other boys as I stood there watching. They would laugh and slap him on the back and pull on his arms. I couldn't hear, so I didn't know what they were laughing about. Later Eustis came up to me with the picture and I asked him why they were all laughing at the picture and he said, "It's not me! Look skinny skinny! I'm big!" I told him it was him that he had changed. His reply was one that brought me to tears. He said, "I have changed on the inside also! I am not the same!" I knew what he meant and I shared with him how God had given me a glimps of heave the day he arrived. His response was, "Mama Carol, I have been truly changed-from the inside out!" Praise God!

Eustis holding the photo from last summer
I was honored this summer to see another boy rescued from the streets. He is just 8 years old and the last night I was with the boys for praise and worship, he sat beside Eustis and I couldn't help but smile as I looked at the frail boy next to the changed boy. I believe God rescued him so that He could change him from the inside out also! I can't wait to return to see the transformation I am praying and trusting will have taken place in him.

Warner Bros. new horror movie Orphan proclaims that it must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own. Let me tell you about how an orphan changed my life. I have the great privilege of serving the Lord by serving and loving on orphans in Africa. Three years ago I was giving the blessing of helping my friend Debi adobt a baby boy from Guinea Bissau. This was truly the hand of God working to rescue this child. I didn't know Debi at all and she contacted my office and asked if there was a special needs child in need of a home. Just that morning I had received an email asking me if I could adopt this child. I knew I couldn't and went to my co-worker's office and shared with him this need. We began to pray and the phone rang...it was Debi! I met with the family later in the week and we began the process of adopting this precious boy. God blessed this family and child by bringing them together and blessed me with their friendship. The added blessing is that I get to see Sam grow up! He is a joy!!! So much so that his parents are in the process of adopting two more children from the same orphanage. This time another boy and a little girl who's legs are on backwards. She will require much medical care, but God is placing her in the best home possible as Debi is a special needs teacher and has a heart for children like her. Adoption brings hope for a future to both the child and the family.

This is precious Jack. He lives at House of Hope Children's home in Naivasha Kenya with 19 other precious children.
I love this photo! He has milk on his face because he just finished having a laughing fit and shaking his bottle thus spraying the room and his face with it! He is ready to be sponsored by a family that would pray for him and provide for him monthly. He is a joy! Pure joy! He has been rescued from the streets and now lives in a loving orphanage where he has hope. Hope for an earthly future and hope for a rich eternal future. If you are interested in sponsoring Jack or any other of the 16 children still in need. Let me know. I can hook you up!

Zambia

A few of the children at Sara Rose Children's Home in Kitwe Zambia

Boys from Nehemiah Boys Ranch-Rescued from living on the streets of Kitwe Zambia.

As I look back on my time with the children I have been over come with emotion. Remembering my time on the streets with Ruth and the two girls who shared their sad stories that brought them to the sad condition of living on the street. How they wanted to get off the street to be rescued from horrors no little girl should have to endure. How do I tell them there is a God who loves them? How can I tell them there is hope when I see hopelessness all around them.
The vision of Monica sharing how she came to Sara Rose and her sobs as she relived it. Doris with her blank stare as she tries not to remember the horror of abuse she suffered at the hands of her own father. Anthony who fights anger and depression over his hurtful past. One child after another with a past of pain, abandonment and deep suffering.
My question over and over again is how can we help them overcome? How can we show them God cares?
Today God showed me. I was reading the account of Joseph who suffered abuse at the hands of his jealous brothers. Beaten, lowered into a pit, sold as a slave, imprisoned and then redeemed because God gave him the gift of dream interpretation. God had a plan to use Joseph for His good and his past was part of what he would use to show others who God was. Joseph named his first son Manasseh which means “God has made me forget” His second son he named Ephraim which means “God has made me fruitful in my suffering”. God is the one who will do the work in these precious children and He does have a plan. My prayer for each is that He will be the God of Manasseh and Ephraim in their lives. He will pour healing balm over their broken hearts and that He will deliver them from the paralysis of the past.
See in my mind I think counseling is the answer and they don't have qualified earthly counselors, but they do have a great and mighty counselor who can heal from the inside out and it is my prayer that each will be healed and used for His kingdom in mighty and amazing ways.

Blessed

I just returned from Kenya and Zambia. I visited House of Hope Children's Home in Naviasha Kenya. This was my first visit to the home and what an overwhelming, humbling time it was! I was blessed to know how each was rescued and brought to the home. Their stories are full of pain and hopelessness, yet their futures are full love, hope and joy! These precious girls are Faith and Ruth. They are both carrying their "babies" on their backs and playing "mommy".

These are my new friends: Lucy, Sheila, Naomi and Esther. Aren't they beautiful?! I so enjoyed getting to know these girls.

Each has a special way of adding to the home. They each have "adopted" one of the babies and help to take care of them each evening. They feed, bathe and put the babies to bed each night with great care and love.

Esther, Sharon, Julia, Sheila and Freshia show off their new shoes before they walk to school.