1.06.2009

what Ethiopia Taught me.......

AIDS, STARVATION, CHILD SOLDIERS, GENOCIDES, ORPHANS....
*These are the IMAGES that come to mind when I think of AFRICA
*HOW can I Help?
*HOW can I make a DIFFERENCE
*I THINK....... I am NEEDED HERE....
*They have so little....AND I have so MUCH
*often there is a LEVEL of SUFFERING here that is UNIMAGINABLE
*But it is hard to reconcile the CHALLENGES many Africans FACE
*with the JOY I see in The People
*but the IMAGES spilling out of my T.V. showed ONLY MISERY and I was FOOLED
*I BOUGHT into the LIE....that CIRCUMSTANCES defines HAPPINESS
*in Places where Despair SHOULD thrive....I found adults DANCING and SINGING
CHILDREN playing soccer with a ball TIED of TRASH
*RELATIONSHIPS and FAITH provide JOY
*my NEW REALITY....my JOY should have NO regards for my CIRCUMSTANCES

I want what I have learned to trickle down from my head to my HEART

I NO longer want to NEED the "NEXT THING" to have JOY

Africa NEEDS our EFFORTS and PARTNERSHIP

Because it is Africa that has TAUGHT me that POSSESSIONS in my Hands.....
will NEVER be as VALUABLE as PEACE in my HEART


for ME......

I NEED AFRICA MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS ME

CLICK HERE to learn more.




9 comments:

Kristi J said...

I just LOVE that video!! I'm seen it several times and my sister and her hubby have already bought the shirts!! Thanks for your sweet comment!! I copied the sign idea with my 4 kiddos under it from my sister and then several friends have it on their wall now too...Your daughter is beautiful and I can't wait to see my babies face, kristi

rachel said...

i just wanted to comment on how much i love your blog!!!!! i loved your post from today! so true! thank you!

i found your blog through other ethiopian adoption blogs. we are in the process of adopting from ethiopia. previously, we were waitlisted in Taiwan and while it was a great program and we would probably be getting a referral soon, we discovered ethiopian adoption and knew that's where we needed to be. my husband grew up in liberia and has a heart for africa.

we're just south of you in SA. we are not native texans and found ourselves here about three years ago now. if you know of any ethiopian adoption resources in the area, i would LOVE to learn about them!

blessings,
rachel

Amber said...

I have seen this video. I love it!!!!

Amber said...

Thanks for your comment. I too feel like God is calling me to do MORE. I keep praying for direction.

Amber G. said...

Leah-
When I first read the text above the video, I thought you might have written it...as it is what you have been telling me since you returned from Ethiopia. I hope that some day I will fully grasp the lesson that joy is possible in EVERY circumstance. Thanks for always sharing your wisdom and your heart.
Lv ya,
Your BFF Amber

Lory Howlett said...

Preach it, sister! Amen!

Erin said...

I love how you typed out the words, Leah! It makes it even more powerful. Can't wait to see you on the 17th!

Upstatemamma said...

Oh my goodness! Now I am in tears. That was truly moving and so true. It is so easy to forget how much we have when we are always looking to the next thing.

Unknown said...

Awesome post Leah!

Our hearts are in full agreement!

I'm struggling after watching hours of videos this morning and pray that God will open all doors He wants us to walk through to help His children!

Blessings,
Jill
WHO IS BEYOND EXCITED THAT SCOTT IS ABOUT TO MEET GABRIEL IN A FEW HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!