Liberia - Thoughts Part 2

Dec 1 -- Day 2 -- travel
25 minutes until we land in Brussels. Whew is my back and rear end sore. Hey, only 8 more hours to go...yipee! I slept a little bit and I missed the breakfast they served.
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Just about to land in Brussels and man it looks just like America. The roads have houses on them that look like your average American cul-de-sac. It looks very pretty, and very green.
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So we are now waiting for our flight to Monrovia. Should be boarding in 20 minutes or so. I was a bit disappointed that getting off the plane here it didn't smell like waffles and chocolate!
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Ok so we are on the plane from Brussels to Monrovia, its boarding right now. Only 8 short hours till we are there. I'm sitting next to a man you is reading something in Arabic...I don't think he speaks English. It would have been interesting to talk to him about Jesus and hear his thoughts. I think I could have talked to him about showers too :). Oh and once again, I'm hungry. That's been the running theme so far for this 1 day old trip.
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I just missed out on ice cream!!! Dang it all. I fell asleep.
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Lord I just humbly come to you right now and ask for your continued protection and guidance. Lord there are going to be times of weariness, sadness and tiredness. I give those feelings to you and just ask lord that you be with Wife and the kids as they begin their Friday. I thank you father for the blessings you have given me and it’s my prayer that I will glorify you in my actions, thoughts and words. I love you lord, amen.
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Landed in Monrovia and man oh man its hot here and the baggage claim was like a zoo. Pastor Wesley is being talked to by the customs agents. We have an enormous amount of stuff here with us. Getting out of the airport is very chaotic. And frankly it doesn't look like an airport.
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So we just finished driving to pastor Wesley’s place. There was 13 of us in a van and it is stinkin hot and stinkin stinky. Its amazing to see the barbed wire and military personal with huge machine guns. Its really dark here so its was hard to see the landscape and the people. Every other house had power I think by generator while others had candles.
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This is surreal...all the things I have seen on tv. I'm outside a hotel/store looking around at the store and markets and the people hanging around in the darkness of the night dancing and singing.
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So its about 10:30 here on Friday night and there is no water to wash up with and I am beyond nasty right now. It is so hot and humid here, I can't even begin to think what'll be like during the day. I'm bunking up with Dr. Kelly Briden (sp?) from Michigan. We had a big mattress to sleep on, but we ended up giving it to the girls, who had one mattress to share between the 5 of them. We are supposed to get another mattress tomorrow. We are to be up for breakfast at 7am tomorrow. I'm gonna be tired. :) its ok though...I feel like this is a true sacrifice. Pastor Wesley has done so much in preparation for our coming. I pray that we are a light to him and we can glorify Jesus in all we do these next few days. Pastor Wesley seems to have planned out for us all of our activities. I think, by the time this trip is done...I'm gonna be one tired dude. I'm going to go outside and spend some time with people.
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So as much as I may complain about how sore I am...sleeping on the floor, in Africa, with no running water...that's missions work to me. Ok back to trying to sleep. I love you god...I love you Wife, Uno, Dos, Quatro, Seis. I miss you guys

Liberia - Thoughts Part 1

The next bunch of posts will consist of my thoughts, observations and prayers during my 11 day trip to Monrovia Liberia with our church. We went to work with Pastor Wesley from the Greater Love Baptist Church and the medical clinic and childrens home he runs. It was a life changing trip and I wanted to share with you the things that stuck out to me.

Nov 30 - Day 1 - travel
So we are sitting at Mayberry airport, just waiting to board the plane. All sorts of flights are being delayed and cancelled because of the snow. It snowed here last night, probably a dusting or so. Someone here said all the flights to New York are cancelled. Hopefully our flights are going to be ok. Delays would stink...but it'll all be good.
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So this flight has been pushed back to leave at 10:45 instead of 9:30. Super.
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We are on the plane in right now and some truck broke down in the middle of the taxi area and we can't go by until its cleared up. So we are sitting here. We are cutting it close as it is to make our flight from Chicago to Brussels. Praying we make it. The captain just came on and we are going to be de-iced again so that'll be an additional 10-15 minutes until we take off. It’s gonna be a tight connection.
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Still sitting on the plane. It’s about 3:15 and we were supposed to leave at 1:30. I'm pretty stinking hungry. They are de-icing the plane right now. Oh and to top it all off, I seemed to have lost my mp3 player. I plugged the headphones into the plane TV so I could watch a show. Well the TV volume stopped working, so I went to listen to music and I lost the mp3 player. I think I had it in my lap and when I got up and fell off...but I can't find it now. Ugh. This stinks :)
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Sweet sassy molassy...we were late getting into Chicago, but God is good and our flight to Brussels has been delayed as well. They still had to hold it for us, and now we are waiting for our luggage to get transferred over. I'm a little disappointed, this plane doesn't have the TVs on the backs of the seats. And the seats are pretty cramped in. I just hope to sleep most of this trip away. I also hope the food they serve is ok, I am stahhhvin (Boston for starving). I was supposed to sit on the aisle but the guy who was here already took the aisle and I got the window...sweet. And not only that, it's in between 2 windows which is advantageous to me sleeping. I am really sad that I may not get to talk to Wife too much this whole trip. I think I may have talked to her for the last time for 10 days. Ugh...that's super sad.
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So I'm sitting here listening to music and I feel you Lord. I've felt so alone, apart from you, but you are here with me right now and man I love you so much Father. You have shown that no detail is too small for your plan. Sitting on this flight to Brussels, because you called us here and held the flight and guided us here safely. I'm rambling Father but I feel you here and needed to take this time to worship you for all you are. Lord please keep your sovereign hand of peace, love and joy over my house and family, as I know you will lord, because they aren't my family if they aren't your family first and foremost. God I am so ready for you to use me. I've been ready for weeks now, but wasn't sure you really wanted to use me, but you have filled me with your warmth daddy and I thank you so much. It's with all my heart and love lord...amen
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Hey its 8:30 and I finally ate...woohoo. Only now I'm not sure if I feel better or worse *burp! I'm going to lay back now and hopefully sleep for a good long while. Oh and it was roast beef with mashed "potatoes"...it tasted decent...like a TV dinner.
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Ok so I haven't napped yet. Tim brought someone over to me who is a Romanian man, working in Chicago who's been doing work with churches in Romania and in Chicago. He gave me a cd with a PowerPoint presentation. I look forward to seeing it. I'm not so sure what this opportunity may or may not be...but God is good. I gave him my card and hopefully we can start a dialogue as to the works he is doing and see what Gods plans are.

Family Officially Larger!!

Well yesterday (Dec 18th) we officially adopted the girls. We are now a family of 6! What a relief to no longer have to worry about birth parents or social workers coming around. Of course this also means 2 more college tuitions to save for...doh! :) And now the search begins for a brother or 2 for Dos and the girls. Although Dos did tell us he felt so sad for the orphans of the world, cried about it, talked about how he wants to help so bad and how sad it is, yet when we asked if he would share his room with an orphan if one were to come live with us, he said with a straight face...there isn't enough room in here. Gotta love being 6.

Anyone praying over and contemplating adoption, I will say this: It took me forever to accept adoption as a way to increase our family. The fear of not being able to love the adopted children, the thought of being able to afford it, questioning my own parenting skills with someone "elses" child...(all which turned out to be a bunch of hooey!) In adoption you not only give kids a home and family, you are living out a true representation of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

When you take a child into your home to raise, love, provide for and call yours forever....this is exactly what Jesus has done for everyone of us. He loves us, He provides for us and He calls us HIS forever...and this was all done because God CHOSE to.

God is Good!