crocs and babies!

Yesterday I visited a small Bible Study group at the Pregnancy Crisis Center. A sweet lady named Carolyn meets with the young ladies once a week and she has several groups that meet with her at different times on different days. As I listened and asked questions, I found out that one of the 18 year old girls was raised in an orphanage. She had a baby and twins and was seeking help. She was abandoned and scared for her babies because she stated that the village witch dr was chanting spells against them. As they went around the room to get prayer requests I was overwhelmed. The 14 year old girl that was pregnant wanted prayer for her delivery because she was scared. Carolyn said that she is from the poorest slum area that she has seen and that the poverty that she lives in is hard to grasp. The 14 year old girl also was thankful for the food that the girls receive once a week at the crisis center. They receive one kilo of carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, flour, oil, beans, rice and fruits. The food is just enough to last mother and child for one week. Another 17 year old girl with a baby needed prayer because she did not have a job, the father of the baby abandoned her, her mother passed away, and her dad kicked her out of his hut. This group of young ladies ranged from 14 to 19 years of age. They are hearing about Jesus and HOPE and their babies (even the unborn) are being prayed over.

I left yesterday feeling very overwhelmed with the needs of these beautiful young girls. It really encouraged me to begin a Bibly Study with the girls at Canaan Childrens Home that I have grown to love. I'll be seeing them on Saturday and cannot wait!

I spent the day at Amani again today and it was so fun to watch the children at amani race outside after snack to get their shoes on. Many of them have crocs (some our teams sent) and the boys LOVE the camo crocs! I am hoping that many of you reading this will be encouraged to help us in our "Crocs and Children's Vitamins" campaign. The children that I'll be visiting at Canaan Saturday and at the Canaan School need shoes frequently. Many schools do not let them attend if they do not have shoes. To find out more about the Crocs and Vitamins Campaign go to www.heal-ministries.org or email me at Tina@heal-ministries.org

There are many miracles here. The 2-1/2 year old boy at Amani that has been with them only 3 or so months with aids. He was in the office today sitting on Helen's desk just smiling and teasing her. He is pictured here lying in his bed with the blue and white striped shirt and looking up at me with those huge brown eyes. The 4 month old new baby boy named Fred that just arrived today is a miracle because he is alive and being loved and taken care of now. He was abandoned in a house and I do not know the full story yet but there are 4 siblings somewhere. As you pray tonight for the hurting children in the world, remember to lift up a prayer for Fred's siblings. Fred is pictured above with the nurse at Amani.

Today I helped at nap time and the children were holding their beanie babies that the July HEAL Ministries team gave them. The team painted their rooms and beds and then gave every toddler a beanie baby. Even today, they still sleep with their beanie babies and they know which one belongs to them! Sometimes the small things are HUGE things to a child! A smile, a prayer, shoes to wear and a beanie baby to cuddle with really do sometimes make a BIG difference! I'm thankful that God is reminding me daily here to enjoy the small things that make a child smile and to see the miracles He is creating daily here!

"Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see."
C. S. Lewis