Jul 18, 2011 | In the Name of Love
Late last year I met a wonderful woman named Mirriam, and her grace, her amazing heart, and her incredible ministry challenged and humbled me. In a tiny home with tiny resources, she cares for children that have been abandoned or need a safe place to live. {Some of you may remember me sharing Mirriam’s story with you some time ago.}
At present, Mirriam has nearly twenty children in her care. She is a living picture of James 1:27, caring for orphans that are sometimes literally left on her doorstep.
{The first time we met Mirriam (centre), last October}
Last year, I shared her story with you, and closed with these words:
Invisible strings from HH’s and my heart have been pulled and tied to Mirriam’s ministry. Beyond blessing the children with shoes. Beyond giving when we are able. We don’t yet know how, but we want to be more involved. I’m looking forward to extending the invitation for you to be involved, too.
Although I didn’t foresee anything like this when I wrote those words, I believe today is the day for me to extend that invitation to you.
In the early hours of the morning today, Mirriam’s house burned down. Everyone got out safely, but then some of the older boys went back in to get some of the more expensive things in the home, and one of the toddlers ran back in following them. By the time they realised he had gone back in, they could hear him in the house but it was too late to go in and find him.
Mirriam and the children have lost everything, including one of their own, who was two years old.
For quite some time, a community project called The Grape Community has been supporting Mirriam as she endeavours to raise these children, ranging in age from two months into the twenties. They’ve specifically been fundraising and collecting gifts of building materials to help build a safe home for Mirriam and the children.
Everyone is hopeful that these circumstances will speed up the process of the new home being built, but Mirriam House is still in need of so much right now, including food, clothing, shoes, towels, bedding, mattresses and financial support.
This afternoon, I spoke with our friend Annemarie from The Grape Community, who is an advocate and great support to Mirriam House. Mirriam and the children will be staying in the nearby community hall tonight (where we hosted a shoe distribution last year.) She said that loads of mattresses and blankets have been donated, and many people have volunteered to cook food for everyone. They’ve been very encouraged by the outpouring of support from the local community.
Still, there is so much need for Mirriam and the nineteen people in her care. And I’d like to ask you to turn concern into compassion, and to do something to help.
I believe in the power of compassion, and the power of God, and the power of social networking. And I believe that standing together, we can do something amazing to redeem this tragedy, and to see good come from it.
Could we raise enough funds to provide new clothes…new furniture…new appliances for Mirriam House? Could we make a dent in the deficit that remains for Mirriam’s new house to be built? {ZAR 500,000} Could we pay it off?
I know you can’t do everything, but together, we can do something.
First, {if you’re the praying kind} please pray for Mirriam and the kids as they make it through this tragic ordeal.
Second, please think about how you can give.
Mirriam and the children have been overwhelmed with donations in the form of goods, and financial gifts are one of their primary needs at the moment.
I’ve created a GivenGain page for Mirriam House, so you can give online right here to help.
If you are in South Africa and would like to donate food, clothing, building materials, or any of the other previously mentioned needs, please contact info@thegrapecommunity.org.za or email me, or leave a comment if you would like more details.
If you are in South Africa and would like to make a financial contribution through a bank transfer rather than by giving online, these are the Mirriam House banking details: Mirriam House — TGC Community, FNB Cheque – 62261357571, Branch code – 200110.
Third, you can tell this story. Share it on Facebook. Tweet it on Twitter. Forward it to your contact list.
Perhaps you want to give $67 or share this with 67 friends in honour of the 67 minute campaign for Nelson Mandela Day. Or give 93 Rand because it’s Mandela’s 93rd birthday. Maybe there’s some other reason in mind…dig deep, find it, and share it!
Mirriam has been modelling this verse to the world:
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit widows and orphans in distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. {James 1:27}
I believe this is an opportunity for us to do the same. Let’s stand together and see what we can accomplish.
With Love for the kids and Mirriam,
xCC
A few notes:
I shared more of Mirriam’s story here and shared photos from the shoe distribution for the Mirriam House here.
If you decide to make a direct contribution, please leave a comment to let us know, so that I can update the givengain site and we’ll have a full tally of what we’ve accomplished together.
GivenGain is a website that helps non-profit organisations raise funds online. Other than the small fee that they collect for their valuable service, the funds you give will go directly to Mirriam House. Over and out.
Jun 23, 2011 | In the Name of Love
When we dance, he gently leads. He can make a fire in the rain. He starts a conversation out of nothing at a dinner party. He can ride a horse, shoot a gun, and make perfect crepes. And he’s stern and gentle with our boys.
He’s my South African gentleman cowboy hubs.
Four years ago we stirred to the sounds of our own peaceful morning music choices, playing from a laptop nearby. Seagulls called outside our window and the busy streets of Edinburgh bustled below. We eventually settled into a sunny place with a beautiful view of Calton Hill, and it feels like there was enough peacefulness to swim in. We left it for these sunny southern shores two years ago.
This morning we stirred to the sounds of a baby ready for a diaper change. About the time he finished nursing his older brother was awake and ready for Dada to fetch him. He turned over and whispered:
Happy Anniversary. I love you.
We stumbled downstairs in the still-dark early morning, me carrying the bigger one to go and use the potty, him cuddling the little one, so tiny in his strong arms.
I paused for a moment while waiting for the kettle to boil to listen to our music. The Bear, singing his ABC’s and laughing in his high chair, squealing a request to see his baby brother or get down or coffee or cookie or just something. The Baby, cooing and singing as he watches the palm trees sway in the winter winds of the Cape, on this close to shortest day of the year.
We have a week before our address changes again. Change and movement, suitcases and packing seem a chorus in the song of our lives. But love has been the rhythm, the beat, the lyrics, and the reason to sing. We have two beautiful boys, ten thousand photographs, and a lifetime’s worth of memories already.
These four years have been a gift and a blessing. They’ve been full of joy and profound heartache. We’ve laughed until we cried, and cried until we laughed. He’s a reason for me to send thank-you notes to heaven.
To my South African Gentleman Cowboy Hubs,
Happy Anniversary. I love you.
Four years ago, today.
xCC
(If you buy a photo, you’ll really make his day!)
May 23, 2011 | In the Name of Love
Sometimes I’m not sure exactly where I’m headed on the adventure that takes place right here in this little corner of the world wide internets. What I feel sure of so far is that I’m supposed to write, encourage, challenge, and share words of life.
When I read God’s Word, sometimes things jump off the page — it’s almost as if I sense Him over my shoulder pointing to a verse and saying, “Well did you think about that?” or “How ’bout this one?” And I picture Him the way I see myself, standing over the Bear’s high chair helping him learn to trace and write his letters. Slowly and gently, there’s progress over time.
{Only God, in relationship to me, is significantly bigger, stronger, smarter, more amazingly wonderful — and the list continues — than me, in relationship to the Bear. But I’m sure you already knew that.}
The results that have come about from spending time here, writing and encouraging and endeavouring to just bring a smile to someone else’s face five or six times a week, have been wonderful, and exciting, and different than what I expected.
A lot of you have taken a moment to write me and say thank you. You’ve told me something I said meant something to you. And that really meant something to me. So I’ve done my best to point back to the One to Whom and through Whom and for Whom all things are — because if you find anything good here, you can be sure His hand is in it.
Now don’t get worried that I’m about to announce that I’m finished writing in this space, because that is NOT the case. I just want to take a moment to say thanks.
People often feel called to do something and get very little support, and that makes it hard for them to step out and do what they should. But as I’ve stepped out, you’ve held me by the hand and encouraged me. I can no longer count the number of times I was swerving to wonder whether I was wasting time here, and within days or even hours, I’d receive an email. From next door or from Brazil, someone touched base, saying “This meant something to me. Thank you for saying it.” Those life-giving words have stirred the gift in me and encouraged me to keep at it.
I look at numbers, so I know how many visitors come by this way, and I’m thankful for each of you. I love your comments, I love your emails and encouragement, but even if you’ve just been dropping by, that’s meant something to me, and I want to say thanks.
I think about 90% of you are female, so I feel confident you’ll appreciate this analogy. You know when your body feels a little loosey-goosey? Perhaps you’ve just had a baby and aren’t back into form, or you just aren’t in shape quite like you used to be or might like to be? There are these magical underpants a lot of you will already know of, called Spanx, that hold you in place and make you look like you’ve lost ten pounds, just by putting them on. Underneath the wedding dress, the bridesmaid’s dress, the Little Black Dress, enter the Spanx.
In a beautiful way, you have been Spanx for my soul. You’ve been holding me in place to do what I feel called to do — to use the gifts God has given me to write, here and elsewhere — at times when I’ve felt a little loosey-goosey, a little uncertain, a little afraid that if there is a difference to be made, this ain’t making it.
I want to say a special Spanx to you likers and commenters and sharers and tweeters. Writing here is giving me more and more opportunities to write in other places (more on that soon), but this place feels like home. And we all know there’s no place like home. A lot of you have shared a link on Facebook, or tweeted something, or linked from your website to mine, and sent other folks this way, and that has really, really blessed me. You’ve clicked “like” on my fan page, or on a post, and helped share this space with others. When you see enough value in a post to share it, it means a lot to me.
I want to give special Spanx to the sites that have sent the most traffic my way for the past wee while. I do hope this place will grow, and I’ll be an encouragement to more folks who haven’t been here yet. {But even if this has all been just to encourage those of you who’ve been here already, it is TOTALLY worth it.}
So here’s a special Spanx to my Top Referrers since the start of this year:
1. Se7en @ Se7en.org.za {Lekker love and thanks!}
2. Amanda @ Seriously. {You’re one of a kind. Love ya.}
3. Hero Hubs @ Quiver Tree Photo {Wowzers, my dear! Already! Thanks!}
4. Grace @ Grace {Sweet & Amazing Grace! No pun intended!}
5. Allison @ DameronGirlz {Thanks sweet friend!}
6. Erin @ Happy Noise {I’m honoured and you’re hilarious!}
7. Pam @ PamLewsey.com {Go Pammy! So glad you’re writing!}
8. Brunette Koala @ Learning from Sophie {My first blogging/IRL friend, thanks for sticking with me!}
9. Paul & Michelle @ BroonandMish {Miss you guys & love you!}
10. Michelle @ Michelle Has Thoughts {Congrats on Baby Brielle!}
And because you’re number 11 and I love ya ta pieces, Natasha @ The Chronicles of Nat. {Whoo-hoo, you are great!}
And a little further down the list were Neal and Julia and Aubrey … I just don’t like it when people get left out. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Friends, thank you again and again for your encouragement and support. In dark moments, you’ve been here for me in tangible ways. Thank you for rejoicing with me at wonderful times. (And thank You Lord that I haven’t been doing much weeping for you guys to share in!) What a privilege it is to walk the road of life together.
Please keep sharing, please keep commenting, and please keep letting me know when something means something to you. It means so much to me.
Spanx!
With Love from Here,
xCC
Feb 12, 2011 | In the Name of Love, The Good Word
No baby yet! Baking and keeping busy in the meantime! I thought contractions were starting this morning…false alarm! 🙂
Do you remember the nifty story from Acts 3 with Peter and John and the lame man? On their way to the temple, they pass by a man who has been lame since birth — someone brings him to lay there by the gate and beg every day. He sees Peter and John on the way into the temple and asks for alms. They stop and ask him to look at them.
He gives them his attention, and Peter says, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
Peter takes the man by the hand and lifts him up, his feet and ankles receive strength and for the first time ever he walks. He is joyful — and walking, leaping, and praising God, he joins them in the temple.
An obvious take-home from this story is the fact that this man has been healed, something miraculous has taken place, and it has taken place in the Name of Jesus. Peter and John took the time to stop and speak to this man, and the Lord showed up with a miracle.
There’s a less obvious lesson that’s worth considering as well — and you’ll find it if you look again at what Peter says.
Peter and John didn’t have silver or gold with which to bless the man by the gate, but that didn’t stop them from blessing him. What they had to give, they gave — healing in the Name of Jesus.
Now some of you may not be comfortable with the idea of speaking such bold words to someone and believing for a miracle. I believe God can and does still perform these types of miracles through His people in the present day, but uncertainty about whether you can heal someone doesn’t have to be the reason you walk away without being a blessing.
We often limit ourselves in situations where we have an opportunity to be generous, because we have a very limited understanding of generosity.
We pass by folks on the side of the road without helping because we think we don’t have anything to give. We see people having a hard day at the office and don’t think we can make a difference. But having a stash of silver or gold (or dollars or pounds or Rand) isn’t a prerequisite for generosity.
Generosity might just be a smile or a kind word.
A sincere moment of prayer with a stranger can hold more generosity than a blank check from an unlimited bank account.
Generosity sometimes just means taking the time to hear someone’s story or to be with them in their moment of need.
Generosity might look like sharing your lunch with someone who otherwise won’t have any.
Generosity can come in the form of a cup of coffee. It can be opening the door of your home to create opportunities for friendship and fellowship. It might be giving someone a ride in the rain, even if they return the favour by stealing your camera. (God is a redeemer!)
Generosity can be a kind touch, a word gently spoken, clean feet and new shoes.
Even a cup of cold water can spill over the brim with generosity.
So don’t be too quick to pass by an opportunity to be generous because you think you have nothing to give. The best gifts in life are often the ones that come with no price tag at all.
xCC
Feb 7, 2011 | In the Name of Love, South Africa
Hey friends — I just have a few quick questions for you. Do you have a moment to answer three wee queries for me?
- Could you would you pretty please visit this link at espn and Vote for Coach Calipari of the University of Kentucky, who has chosen Samaritan’s Feet as his charity of choice in the Infiniti challenge, in partnership with ESPN? We’re in second place (about 20% behind first place) and winning could mean $100,000 for Samaritan’s Feet. That works out to about 10,000 pairs of shoes getting distributed to impoverished children around the world. It will take a moment to register, but then the website will remember you and you can vote every day until the contest ends on March 11th.
Will you vote preez? A pair of shoes can change the course of a life.
- Are you interested in going on a mission trip with Samaritan’s Feet this year? I am confident that if you did, it would be a week that would change your life. Between May and August of this year, teams will be shooting off to SOUTH AFRICA, Brazil, Haiti, Iraq, SOUTH AFRICA, Nigeria, Peru, SOUTH AFRICA and Zimbabwe. Wait, did I mention SOUTH AFRICA?
Never have I understood the words of Jesus that it is more blessed to give than during my experiences in short term missions. A short term missions trip literally changed the course of my life. If you are even remotely interested in hearing more about the upcoming trips, would you mind leaving a comment on this post? You can put an email and a phone number if you like. You don’t have to include a contact number. And, you don’t have to put your email address into the comments section — I’ll be able to find the address you register with behind the scenes without you typing it out for all the internet spam monsters to grab it and get busy. You can also visit Samaritan’s Feet’s website to find out more.
If you’re thinking about thinking about it, will you leave a comment, preez? A short term mission trip can change the course of a life. And I mean yours.
- Easiest question of the three. If you were having a baby boy tomorrow, what would you name him? I might not, but hey, it could happen. 🙂
Will you pray that we’ll have peace about the right name? A name can change the course of a life!
Thanks for taking a moment with these three wee questions. No contractions yet, other than a few Braxton-Hicks. Love you guys.
xCC
Nov 17, 2010 | In the Name of Love, Stories
During last week’s distribution, a little one came up to me, with an ear to ear grin, her front two teeth missing. She softly whispered something to me, and gently repeated it when she could see that I couldn’t understand. She was one of the most jovial of the group and I was eager to know what she wanted to say. Unfortunately, even the second time around I still couldn’t understand, because she wasn’t speaking English.
I brought her over to one of the older children and asked for a translation, and the answer was simply:
She wants some water.
As I took her into the kitchen and found a cup and filled it up from the tap, I heard the words of Jesus in my heart:
And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42)
I snapped her photo because I wanted to remember the moment. The privilege of the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus through a very simple and practical act of kindness.
We all have a cup of water to give, in one way or another. And sometimes it’s a blessing to see things that cost us very little mean so very much.
With a smile, an open door, a kind gesture, a cool drink, you can offer a cup of cold water in Jesus’ Name today.
Will you?
xCC
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