Maisha Means Life

Gah- it has been so long since I posted..I kind of slacked when I started The Ground At My Feet(www.thegroundatmyfeet.blogspot.com)...plus I have just been super busy! I have been processing so much lately too. Something that you have probably seen me post a billion times on facebook has to do with Maisha International Orphanage. (www.maishainternational.org) I am so excited to go on this trip and experience Maisha and Kenya. Choosing to go on this trip came with a lot of prayer and conversation, after all Aldo is finishing up school, preparing for boards, we have 3 small children and certainly finances are tight. All of these things led me to logically (and incorrectly) rule out going on the trip initially. It soon became very evident that this trip was something God wanted me to be a part of. Once Aldo and I had made the decision that I would go I had the task of explaining to Arielle, age 3, Leilani, age 2, and Loic, only 1, where I was going and why I was going and how that affected them. Okay so where was not too hard! My kids can point out Africa on a map and we talk about it and watch clips about Africa on a pretty regular basis. I then explained that at Maisha there were a lot of children whose mommy and daddy had died from a terrible disease called AIDS. So I asked them if they would be willing to share their mommy with the kids at Maisha for Christmas. Arielle and Leilani thought that was a great idea, even if it meant that I couldn't be with them for a couple weeks. Arielle immediately insisted that she give some of her toys and clothes to the kids- WOW! She is THREE and that was an idea all her own! She inspired me to pack clothes that I will wear during the trip and leave in Kenya as well as putting as much toys and clothing in the remainder of my suitcases as I can. There is something about watching your own child grasp the concept of sacrifice and giving that changes you a little bit, at least for me. I still get tears in my eyes just thinking about her reaction about my going on this trip. I just pray that I grasp sacrifice in the deepest sense possible because I know that it is something that sets me deeply in touch with who Jesus is and what He died for.