They are coming!!!!

I found out last week that my brother, sister, Mama, and 2 aunts are all coming to Arusha in March to meet Neema!! I am so excited!! Neema cannot wait to meet Ya Ya, Simsy, and Uncle Will! J We have been so blessed by the support of friends and the prayers of so many…THANK YOU ALL!!

Through this process there have been many tears, frustrations, questions, and days of waiting. Neema and I have been excited only to be let down AGAIN on numerous occasions while trying to finalize this adoption. There have been times where I just sat before the Lord and told him “I know you are Good, but I don’t understand…”

Sometimes we never know why “bad” things happen on this side of Heaven, however, sometimes God lets us in on his Perfect Plans…and I have to say that I am humbled to bits as I am realizing that now my whole family (my dad came last May) will see this place that I love so much!! If it weren’t for all of these reschedules I wouldn’t get to show off my beloved Africa. Not only will they get to come and meet Neema, but they will see where she is from. They will meet her biological family. They will see her interact in her homeland, speaking Swahili and entertaining “her people.” J They will see Cradle of Love, the amazing place that cared for her in infancy.

They will meet the children of Takes A Whole Village. And see why God has put this ministry on my heart! I can’t think of anything more wonderful than for them to see my life here and see how ALIVE Jesus is and experience Him outside of Western Christianity. I’m simply thrilled beyond words! Especially for my brother and sister who at 22 and 16 years old have their whole lives in front of them, God willing. I pray that this will be a life changing experience for them in the way it was for me 3 years ago. My prayer is that they would all go back CHANGED and with a new perspective on what is Real and True.

While I can say that the past few months of continuous visits to the High Court of Tanzania have brought real heartbreak…I am incredibly grateful that my family will see with their own eyes this other world of mine…God’s sweet sweet redemption.

BABY NEEMA

A volunteer at Cradle of Love from 2006/2007 was sweet enough to contact me and offer me pictures she had of Neema as a wee little one. I did not have any pictures of her before she was about 18 months old so these really are extra special to me. 

Then yesterday Neema and I took a visit to Cradle of Love to see the nannies and some of the new babies. They have an all time high of like 43 babies right now. I walked into one room with over 25 cribs and 50 big ole eyes staring back at me. My heart broke as I gazed around at each child either laying or standing gripping the sides of the bed with their tiny hands. Each of them so fearfully and wonderfully made. I tell you the truth, these children were not meant to live like this. Where 40+ babies are looked after by only 5 people at a time. And this is one of the BEST orphanages in Arusha. There are over 147 million orphans in this world. And now in light of the horrific effects of the earthquake in Haiti the number has probably grown even more. These are the "least of these" and God says whatever you do for them you are doing for HIM! Why do so many people profess their love for Jesus with their Lips but not their Life? The Bible says our time on Earth is like a blink of an eye! Let us take actions that will last for eternity. A lady in my church the other day had a different spin on treasures in Heaven. She said, "Children are the only things you can take with you." How beautiful. Please don't be fooled into thinking God only calls certain people to these children. It is a LIE. "Religion that God accepts as PURE and FAULTLESS is this: to look after orphans..." James 1:27  

This is Cradle of Love today: 

These babies are just like my sweet Neema. Except they are still waiting...

First Day of School

January 13th, 2010 was a big day for Neema! Her first day ever to school! I am so excited about this little school I have found. It has children from all over the world! There are children from the UK, Australia, Guatemala, and obviously Tanzania. A British woman started this school when she was looking around for her 3 year old and did not find anything she loved. She turned her garage into a classroom and then eventually built another house in her yard for the nursery class. So there is now nursery and Early Years and the school is called "The Learning Space." I have heard such wonderful things about this little class and I was thrilled when I learned that despite there status as "full" they agreed to take Neema. :) Her teachers names are Kate and Nursera. Kate is from Australia and Nursera is Tanzanian so Neema can speak english or swahili and be understood. Being the not shy child that she is, she jumped right in and was not fazed at all when I told her I was leaving. I am thankful for that. I praise God for giving her such confidence although sometimes her fearlessness scares her mama. (stairs, pools, etc. ahhhh) Here are a couple of pictures from her first day. I wish I had taken more....First Day of school (3 years old)

Little House built for the Nursery. So cute, right?!

Jesus Loves Her

excuse her little hiccups. :)

New Year...New Boots?

Ok I broke down and bought Neema these boots...im sorry but I had to. They have princess crowns on them....how could I resist?! They just make me happy. :) She has wanted to wear them everyday. She is very in style here in Africa where the current look is dresses and boots. :) I'm so happy to have this little girl who i can dress up and be girly with. We love things like pink, chocolate, and princesses...she is like my bestie and baby doll all wrapped up into one! What did I do in life before her?! :)

Princess Crowns...not usually for rhinestones...but i mean cowgirl meets the city....perfect.

she was busy looking at the airplane!