Tyler and I have always made our home a place where others are always welcome.  We especailly enjoy it when our yard is filled with the neighborhood kids playing football, soccer, or whatever game they selected from the shed.  No, we don't have young children anymore, but every Spring I go shopping and buy the neighborhood kids a good supply of sports stuff.  It is in my shed and they know that they can come and play whenever I am home.

     So, it is not suprising that when I am in the basement working on shipments for Haiti, that the children in the neighborhood come to visit and want to help.  I think it is just awesome that as young as they are they already want to do good for those less fortunate.

     They always have so many questions, so yesterday I put a flier together and went around the neighborhood to invite them all to a "Learn About Haiti" photo slide show, on Friday after school. I have been busy printing off coloring maps of Haiti and I have prepared a small presentation so I can teach them a few Creole words, and show them on the globe where Haiti is.  Then I will simply show them the pictures of my trip.  I'll serve a snack so they can all eat while they watch.

     I cannot wait until I can involve the kids with helping me get shipments ready.  I know they will feel that they have been part of something very special.  What a great way to turn their hearts towards others, as well.

E-Bay Auction
click here

          Would you kindly take a moment to check out the Haitian items we have put on e-bay.  100% of the proceeds benefit Homebound Missions WORK Haiti Program as many of our WORK Haiti people are vendors.  The purchase of these items helps them to support themselves and their families. 

     Also, feel free to send it along to your friends.  Thank you.

     Words are probably the most powerful currency we have at our disposal.  They are so powerful that they not only have the ability to build up, but they can also tear apart. Unfortunately, once they are spoken they cannot be taken back.

James 3:5-12

5  Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.  See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

6  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.  The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

7  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

8  But no man can tame the tongue.  It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9  With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

10  Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

     It especially shouldn't be among those of us that call ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ.  What better example could we set for the world then to use our words to encourage, bless, lift up, prosper, edify, enrich, grow, one another.

     This week Tyler and I have been blessed by this very currency. We discovered that Colleen from Three Angels had added us as a link to  her blog (which has received 9000 hits this last year). Then Tyler and I discovered another person named Nikki who added all kinds of information about Homebound Missions to her blog.  The free advertising for our organization is priceless.  And you know that there is no better advertising than the praises of someone else.

     Tyler and I responded by returning the blessing, then we also added others so we could add to the momentum of this simple, yet powerful currency.

     While in Haiti I realized that with mere words, Tyler and  I could help even more people and grow our WORK Haiti Program's impact for the people of Haiti. You see in Haiti there are many people who are doing it right, who stand out, who shine in their environment.  What they lack is widespread knowledge to the right people (Americans) that they have something really good to offer.  I am talking about drivers, artists, smart English speaking individuals who may be looking for a job or who are already running businesses that are ethical and dependable.  All they need is for the right people to know about them.

     Tyler and I are going to be adding a directory to our web site.  This directory is going to highlight businesses and individuals that anyone going to, or who is already in Haiti should know about.  It is going to be a directory of People and Services, People Looking for Work, and Places to Visit.  We hope that this part of our site will become a resource for missionaries looking for exceptional people to hire, and for tourist looking for dependable services and businesses. 

     Our goal is to help people who are exceptional to find jobs that offer living wages, to direct business to those who are doing business well, and to highlight special areas where craftsmen are selling their wares.

     With mere words the potential to bless is unlimited.

     I know that I have missed a few days of blogging.  Monday I spent the entire day flying home, and Tuesday and Wednesday I was trying to catch up here at home while I fought fatigue and a fever.  I am fine now and back to work.

     Haiti is a very perplexing place.  For every tragic terrible thing you might see there is an equally wonderful, unbelievable thing to see.  If you were to return from Haiti with only pictures of starving children you would only have a selected piece to the story.

     That is how this trip seemed for me.  As much as I came home feeling motivated to do more and that our families needed us more than ever, I also came home with a peace that passes all understanding.  A sense I have never had before that we are truly making a difference.

     For those who know Homebound Missions personally, you know that we are a very small, all volunteer organization.  Our growth has been slow but sure and I have never felt that we do great things in Haiti, but rather small things.  This trip I was able to see how those small things can add up to changed lives.

     My daughter, Magnalie was adopted from Haiti.  From the very beginning of our adoption process, my husband and I, made a committment to her birth family. We saw it this way:  Magnalie's ultimate well being depended on the well being of her family.  She was 13 years old when we finally got her home and she was too old to pretend she didn't have a birth family. 

     Magnalie's mom joined our WORK Haiti program and started to earn money to support her two children still in Haiti and herself, while HM assisted with school tuitions, medical expenses and such.

     When we first met Magnalie's mom, Mimose, she lived in a house shared by many families.  All she owned was a small pull out bed in front of an open doorway, with no door.  She slept there while her two children slept at other places.  This is where she lived when she contracted TB the first time.  Through the years, Mimose has been trying to better herself and her families lives.   This trip I was able to visit her new home.  It is nothing in comparison to American standards, but in Haiti standards she has something special.  She has a very small apartment consisting of three very small rooms. The walls, floor and ceiling are concrete.  One room serves as her and her daughter Rebeccas bedroom.  She even had a very pretty headboard.  The next room is the kitchen and Juniors bed.  There was a table and chairs, a small cabinet that she placed her dishes on, and Jr's bed to the side.  The last room is where she kept her stove, a small charcoal burning cooker and what appeared to be a fridge.

     Mimose's life has been changed.  Once sleeping in front of an open door, she now has a safe place where her family can sleep together in safety.  She even has a door that she can lock.

     I couldn't wait to come home and tell my daughter about her mom's new apartment.  I could see a sparkle of joy in her eyes as I told her that her mom, sister, and brother are doing good.

     There is a very popular story about a boy and some starfish.  The little boy is mocked by someone who sees him trying to save the starfish by throwing them back into the ocean. The boy responds by throwing another starfish back into the water and saying, "I saved that one."   That is how I feel about Mimose and her family.  I have come home with a snese that what we are doing really does matter and it really will make a difference, maybe not to thousands or even hundreds, but one family at a time, a quality, life changing difference, one family at a time.

Luke 18:27

But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

     The week has come to a close so quickly.  This morning Matthew said that he feels like I have only been here for a day.

     Today should be rather quiet.  I will meet with Hyppolite who has shown so much diligence.  He is coming to bring jewelry to me today, as he has already been busy making stuff.

     For those of you who might not know, I brought beads this trip for Matthew and Hyppolite.  They have been telling me over and over again, that beads are very expensive to buy here.  I had planned to go to the downtown market with them but Matthew wouldn't let me go because he felt it was too dangerous.  Our friends Troy and Tara told me that there were three kidbnappings this week end, and it wasn't until I could talk to Julma that I was convinced that downtown was absolutely safe, no problem.  So it got taken out of the schedule.

     Julma is my driver when I am in Haiti.  He brought a painting to me the other day for a gift.  I trust him and he has always been very good to me.  He tells me that gas is over $7.00 a gallon right now.  The drivers are affected by this of course.  Our trips have cost us a lot more and so we have been limiting them.  We declined leaving for Church today because it would cost us $50.00 to go.  We are going to have Church here.

     Let me tell you one of the ways that Haiti can be so strange.  All week I have been having avacado stuffed with shrimp for dinner.  Ok, your not feeling bad for me.  Here is the reality, avacado with shrimp is the cheapest thing on the menu at $7.00 US.  Chicken costs more and pizza costs more.  The problem I encountered was that even though avacados are in season the kitchen ran out of them after the second night, so I went to the market and bought 2 avacados.  When it was time to order, I handed the avacado to the waiter and asked him to bring it to the chef and ask if he would make it for me.  The chef was happy to do it.  There are many people staying here this week and so I expect they will be running out of lots of things.

     There are many challenges on a trip to Haiti especially because you know that everyone is hungry.  Yesterday I did something that bothers me still.  My purpose in sharing it is to help you see how difficult decision making can become, especially if you want to truly represent Christ.  Where do you offer grace, how do you set boundaries, how to you know where the line is?

     When I stay at the hotel, the HM Board allows for me to feed people and helps to cover that cost.  In the very beginning we made this decision because it did not feel right to turn hungry people away, and or to eat in front of them.  It was always a burdon that Tyler and I felt strongly about.  After all, if I was home I would not turn anyone away.  We try to be careful and have learned  that people show up at certain times and so sometimes we arrange our schedule so that we are not convenient to drop in on.  For the most part the people who visit with us are very careful not to wear out their welcome, but there are the few who try to take advantage. 

     This was the case yesterday mnorning.  All week Venise has been sending all her children for breakfast except for the baby.  Breakfast is the easier out of all the meals because I am charged only $2.50 to give them eggs.  Then, Venise sent all her children and a friend, then yesterday she brought it up a notch, sending all her children including the baby and two friends. 

     To add to the strain that I know she was taking advantage of us was the fact that I had not slept the entire night before.  I was also missing lots of sleep from earlier in the week because of Smith.  Each morning Matthew and Darlene would quietly leave the room so I could get some sleep.  When Smith asked Darlene where I was and she told him I was sleeping he decided that he could fix all that and he had the front desk call down to my room until they woke me up.  The next morning he came down to the room and knocked on the door until I woke up.  This was at 6:00 am. He got a scolding.

    So to continue the story, Darlene just looked at me, like what are we going to do?  Esterline and her friend were all dressed up extra special, their hair must have just been done.  The baby was just looking at us and I made a quick decision partly out of anger, partly out of exhaustion, and partly out of trying to gain control and I sent them all home.  A decison I deeply regretted as soon as I had a chance to get some rest.  I should have fed all the children.  I hurt them because they were rejected and it wasn't them who were misbehaving it was their mother.  I could have fed them and then sent one of the older children of the family to talk with Venise.

     Today none of the children came.  I feel very strongly that I should have done it different but I have no way to correct it now.

     Tomorrow, Darlene and I, will be out of here at 7:00 am, hopeful to be in Boston at 7:00 pm.  WE are doubtful that it will go that easy but we are prepared.  I can't wait to get home and share more about our trip.

     It seems especially warm today.  We left the hotel at 9:00 am to go to Three Angels.  Darlene and Matthew worked very hard getting all the footprints of employees and children and I took pictures. Smith, Sonel and Junior also came to help. The employees were very excited to know that they were being included. 

     For those of you who may not know, we are taking footprints as part of Operation Footprint.  This program provides shoes for children and adults in Haiti.  Because of the faithful donations of an unnamed shoe store we already have shoes for all the children, and because of other donations we probably have most of the adults.  Darlene and I will prepare these for shipping as soon as we get home and can size each of the shoes to the particular footprint.  This means no one will be left out.

     This is what you must know, people in Haiti do not get paid well even if they do have a job.  Last night I spoke with a gentleman who told me he gets $100 US dollars a month to do his job, he works 48 hours a week, his family (wife and daughter) lives in Carrefour and so he only sees them on Saturdays, and to top it all off he is going to computer school to better himself.  Do the math, he earns about 50  cents and hour, this is not a living wage and he is a slave to his job because he is lucky to even have one, bucking the system means loosing his job and not having one.  To me this is nothing short of criminal.

     How does Haiti grow into something better if even when the people work they are kept in abject poverty?  There are American and other companies taking advantage of this as well.  If the employees try to get paid more, they are told they make piece work.  How hard would you work for 50 cents a day, or even an hour.  It just isn't right.

     So, I along with Homebound Missions wants to make sure that the employees at Three Angels feel appreciated, cared for, respected, and most of all that after serving TAs they can go home and actually eat, cloth themselves, send their children to school, and actually have a place to live.  We will start by sending important items like shoes and clothing.

     I am really excited about working with Three Angels.  The first thing you notice when you walk in is that the children are dressed nicely, they don't look like orphans.  The facility is clean and painted with child friendly pictures, and the people are warm and inviting.  I am really thrilled about supporting TAs work and being a supportive part of what they are doing so well.

     Today we asked Julma to take us out to Cabaret to inspect some of the damage done by the hurricanes that recently came through Haiti.  It is unreal, many of the people are now living in tents, and sadly these tents are probably better than the homes they lost.  Mud 2 - 4 feet deep was everywhere and everyone was busy shoveling out their homes and yards.  Some homes were washed right down the river or had major portions of them removed.  Trees and debri are piled in heaps everywhere, the edges of the river beds are completely gouged out, and heavy equiptment manned by Haitian men are working to take the gravel from the bottom of the river and pile it up the sides.  I took lots of photos and I will post them as soon as I get home.

     Haiti has so many inconsistencies and today we experienced the exrteme side of the working Haitian population.  Julma took us to Croix-des-Bouket and we experienced a neighborhood of metal workers.  Here is how it begins, first with a 55 gallon drum.  The top and bottom is removed and the metal is pounded by hand into flat metal, which is then pounded more to thin it out.  It is then hand cut and stamped into patterns that you cannot even imagine.  I will also post pictures of this.  They not only make one dimensional items they also create 3 dimensional Noah's Arks and other beautiful stuff.  Darlene and I were simply in awe.  The next time we come to Haiti with a group we are adding this to our itinerary.  The prices were just plain fair and nothing is made in China.  Just great Haitian craftmanship. 

     In Haiti the men are either sitting idle doing absolutely nothing or they are working so hard you wonder how they do it.  I have seen men pulling axles with hundreds of pounds of wood piled on, down the street, wood craftsmen hand carving beautiful furniture on the side of the road.  I mean gorgeous hand carved dinning room sets, beds, chairs.  There is no shop, no table saws, it is all just done by hand.  The gate makers are another group that I just find fascinating.  With prinitive tools they work on the side of the road making these huge gates and such.  How? 

     Tomorrow we are headed to Three Angels.  I am really looking forward to it.  I plan to spend most of the day and we will probably bring a bunch of people with us.  We will be documenting all of the employees and children so that when we return we can send a very large shipment of supplies to them.  It will be really fun to meet everyone.

     I am finished for today, but I will continue writing about this trip ebven after I return.  Some of the things I want to tell you about cannot be articulated at a public cafe, they will just need more time.

     Today is just an awesome day.  The vendors all arrived early and set up all their wares outside my room.  At Visa Lodge the rooms create a circle and the middle area is a large garden full of orange trees and other plants.  That is where we chose to have Taki meet everyone.  Hyppolite, Hilio, Obenson, Fanfan, and Kanese (which sounds like Kangas without the G)all came with a huge amount of items.  HM invested $200.00 in items that we will make available on ebay as soon as I get home, Taki purchased several of Hilio's chair sets.

     Our TIH moment was when I ordered pizza for the vendors for lunch.  I ordered 3 extra large peperoni pizzas.  Simple enough for us, but the chef sent two girls done to tell me I was ordering 1 extra large pizza and 2 large pizzas, so I corrected her and said no I am ordering 3 Extra large pizzas.  I was corrected again, so I relinquished to the fact that I was getting what I was getting.  Darlene mentioned that maybe they only had 1 extra large pan and so I said that sounds possible.  2 hours later (that is how long it takes to make pizza here) they came with 3 pizzas that looked like large.  So we just got what we got.  It was enough to feed everyone and everyone was happy.

     The hotel is still without internet, but I am fine with that now that I see the beautiful cyber cafe I am at now, and it costs 1/3rd the amount per hour.

     Matthew is doing much better and tells me that he feels really good.  I think the nutritional stuff I brought him is doing its work because his energy level has been very high and he has been extremely helpful.

     Smith has been working along side us as well and he was a real trooper this morning serving water to everyone and getting ice.  He has also been a really great help.

     Last night we had dinner with Troy and Tara.  It was a blast.  They are just really nice people and we had a great time sharing.  Make sure to check out their blog, I promise that if you read it once you will be addicted.  Troy and Tara are missionaries serving in Haiti with 7 children and their blog makes it look like all fun.

     There seems to be a ton more people out on the streets this trip.  The streets are really a mess from the rain and have giant ruts in them.  Sewerage is running freely like a river all over and it smells bad.  We had to cross it to come into the cyber cafe.

     One last thing.  Yesterday I watched as two men took a machette to cut a huge tree into logs.  They were preparing it for charcoal making.  You cannot believe the labor that was involved in cutting off each piece and the heat was just trecherous.  Anyways, I was watching those men and decided that I was going to change everything they know about cutting wood and I walked down to Eko Depot (Haitian version of Home Depot) to buy them a chain saw.  I went to two places and couldn't find chain saws anywhere.  What a shame, as it would have been so much fun to bring one over, start it up, and show them how it's done, but then to hand them the saw and say, "this is for you."  I guess I tried.

     I mentioned the idea to Troy and Tara and Troy thought he knew where we might be able to find one, but then declined to say where because he had visions of maimed Haitians all over town.

     I will try to blog again tomorrow.  Thanks for taking a moment to read this.

     This Is Haiti (TIH) belongs to Tara Livesay, whom I will meet for dinner tonight, but it is so appropriate for the situation I have found myself in.  Last night I blogged.  I know you don't see it there, this is because after typing the entire blog on a keyboard with no letters on it, and with which you had to press each key with all your might, the blog was erased due to some work being done on my computer, just moments before I posted it. So, now here I am at a cyber cafe, near Deli mart.  I am sitting at a station that barely gives me enough room to type, and a mouse that is allowed to move 1 inch in either direction.

     Matthew is doing much better.  It is amazing what a little food will do.  He has been working along side Darlene and I and his help is priceless.

     Yesterday, we took a ride to see Matthew and Sonel's sleeping place.  Darlene's words are to this affect.  There are no words to describe what I have just seen.  She says it well.  We entered a dungeon about 6X10.  Tyler your lights were a total God thing.  Literally you could not see a thing, it was pitch dark and even with the light it was difficult.  Matthew and Sonel sleep on a concrete  floor surrounded by concrete walls, hot, damp, and dark.

     We met with all of our WORK Haiti families except for Hilio's.  Hilio is a very busy man and was unable to fit us in.  We had a blast giving everyone their new shoes and other iitems.  My favorite part is when Obenson came with the twins.  I had at least 6 matching outfits for them and it wasn't long before they figured out what a fashion show was.  It was like an Extreme Haitian Child Makeover show.  Kathy and Kathiana smiled and laughed and after getting their picture taken they would run into the room again all excited.  Everyone was still visiting with us and so they had a good size audience.

     You may notice that the typeface has changed.  This too is out of my control, again TIH.  At least the blog hasn't disappeared.

     Tomorrow we are meeting all our vendors and they are going to show their wares to Taki and her group.  I am hopeful they will make a lot of sales.  I noticed they have many new things, but they need to be willing to sell things dirt cheap.

     The computers are out at the hotel and so I cannot promise a posting tomorrow though I will do my best.  There is so much more to tell you, but it is extremely uncomfortable at this station.

     I have been packing and weighing, packing and weighing and it looks like we may be at full capacity.  Today I double checked with American Airlines on my limit and they confirmed that Darlene and I can take 10 check ins at 50 pounds each (we will need to pay for 6 of them).

     On Tuesday, my grandmother and I headed out to look for underwear.  Three Angels sent me an e-mail stating that this was a much needed item.  Gram and I wiped out K-mart, Walmart, and Building #19 of all girls and boys underwear sizes 2, 3, & 4 for a total of 355 pairs.  This was so exciting that I e-mailed them right away to let them know that this need had been met.

     My grandmother is my shopping partner in crime.  It doesn't matter what I tell her I need, she can find it at absolute rock bottom prices.  My gram is 88 years old and she shopped with me from 9:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon.  We always just have a blast together and the more we are together the more alike I realize that we are.  She gets the biggest kick out of knowing she has helped me get all these things for the kids.

     I began packing my personal belongings today.  This is unusual for me because I am a last minute packer.  I usuallly do not sleep the night we leave as we are out at 2:00 AM and so there seems to be plenty of time.  This trip, however I am trying to get in a nap on Sunday.  I think it will help me all around not to loose an entire night.

Matthew 6:33,34 NKJV

     "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

     Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

     Currency Tip:  My trip to Haiti is possible because I have a Capital One credit card.  My husband and I, pay everything we can on this card and pay it off at the end of each month.  It awards us flyer miles which allows us 1-2 free trips to Haiti a year.  What is your credit card doing for you?  Check to see if you could get more for your money by getting a different card.  You may not be looking for flyer miles, this is fine as there are a multitude of cards that do all sorts of things.   The question is, how can your credit card provide you with the most currency? 

     I have been thinking of expanding on the things I discuss on this blog.  First, to make it more interesting, but also to explore currency in the day to day events and operations of Homebound Missions. Second, to make it more personal and relational.

     So, from now on instaed of just talking about currency I am going to share what is going on in our organization and how we are putting currency to work.  I will try to end each blog with a currency tip of sorts.

     There is no better time than the present to start.  So, with no further delay, I leave for Haiti September 22, with my friend and Board member Darlene Hurst.  As you know, Haiti has just been hit by three hurricanes (Gustav, Hannah, & Ike) and the country has been devistated by rain, flooding, and mudslides. Roads have been completely washed out, crops destroyed and the people are starving in many, if not most areas of the country. Our freinds Troy and Tara Livesay, missionaries in Haiti spent all of yesterday driving emergency supplies as far North as possible, meaning until the road ends as it has been washed away.  The supplies were then to be taken by mule and backpackers the rest of the way.

     Darlene and I will be bringing approximately 500 pounds of relief supplies with us including shoes, clothing, WORK Haiti supplies, nutritional suppliments,and more. 

     While in Haiti we will visit Angel House, the orphanage of Three Angels Children's Relief (the orphanage that HM's supports) and document all the employees and children.  As soon as Darlene and I return home we will be packing relief supplies for each of the children and employees and sending them out immediately.  Darlene and I started packing bins last week for this shipment which will include lots of food items, formula, diapers, clothing, bottles, and much, much, more. 

     We will also meet with all of our WORK Haiti families.  This is a very special part of our trip because this is when we get to  bless the families, not just the member we have been working with all year.  Every member of our WORK Haiti families will get a new pair of shoes, plus other gifts that we have collected.  One family, asked us to help them send their daughter to school this year and we were given her tuition by a donor just two days ago.  Will she be excited to know she was not forgotten.  Also, one of our families named their twin daughters after me, Kathy and Kathiana, so of course I have a very special gift for them.

     I Corinthians 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

     Currency Tip:  Never take advantage of "NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE US", always use your own stamp.  You will save the ministry about $1.80 and this is a lot of money when multiplied by thousands.  K.P. Yohanannan of Gospel for Asia says it best, "Your stamp is like a donation!"

I first began to think in currency when I had no money to give to the things that were closest to my heart.  Currency was my way of thinking outside the box.  The question in my mind was, "If I do not have money, what do I have to meet this need?"  It wasn't long before I realized that there were many ways to meet a need.  Giving money was only one way.  I also soon realized that sometimes money isn't even the best way.

I then realized that thinking in currency was the key to creating a completely giving lifestyle.  If I thought in terms of currency I could then give all the time, at any moment.  All I have to do is utilize the currency I have available to me.

So, lets make this more real.  My neighbor just got out of the hospital and she is still feeling sick.  Easy, I can make her dinner tonight and my daughter can help by making her famous corn bread.  I'll deliver it just before 5:00.  I have shown love and care for my neighbor.

The neighborhood children are in my yard.  They are just looking for something to do and really want me to come outside and watch them so they can play with the chickens, but I do not have time (Time is the currency that is not available).  So instead I send them to the garden with bags in hand, and ask them to pick vegetables for their mom and to take them home. The kids have just been treated kindly, they had a task to do, and they will go home and bless their family.  Plus they feel really special because they were allowed to do this all by themselves.

I am driving down the road and someone pulls out in front of me.  I just slow down and let him have the space.  That is the currency I am offering.  It is my witness of Christ.

I want to support an organization.  I have no money but I notice they sell handcrafted items.  I put together a little party and help them make a big sale.

Someone I know is going to throw away a bag of clothing.  I ask to have them, take out the good items and drop them off at a collection box.

Do you see how it is never ending when you think of needs in terms of currency.  Currency is so unlimited.  It can be time, a cooked meal, grace, kindness, anything that reflects the love that Christ asks for us to give.

I'd love to hear about your real life currency.  The ideas I have shared are very simple but that is what currency is, very simple.

     When your heart aches for the persecuted Church, for orphaned children, for lost souls, and the severely impoverished you can become overwhelmed with a sense that there is not enough money in the entire world to "fix" these things, but there is something you can do starting right now that can make a difference, a big difference.

     Start by thinking about money as a currency that you want to get the most out of.  When you purchase something you want to also be giving a donation at the same time.  It is really easy.  Many organizations now have stores on their web sites.  When you purchase an item you are actually getting an item and making a donation at the same time.  You can even triple the impact of that purchase if the item you have purchased will encourage the receiver of the item in their faith in the Lord.  The idea is to be creative and to think outside the box.

     I am going to talk about several of these ministries and what they offer and how you can utilize their offerings.

     Homebound Missions is an organization with a WORK Haiti program.  This program allows individuals in Haiti to work and earn money.  They mostly make jewelry, but the store offers other items sold by venders in Haiti and items that have been donated to raise money.  Items are very inexpensive  and very appealing to teens.

     Christian Freedom International is an organization that works with the persecuted Church all over Asia.  They have a self help work program and their items are all handcrafted.  CFI has gorgeous items that you will want for personal use and for those special occasion gifts, like weddings, showers, anniversaries, birthdays and such.  They have clothing, purses, basketry, toys and so much more.  Think ahead so you can order items ahead of when they are needed.

     Gospel For Asia offers a wealth of material that will inspire anyone in their Christian walk to care about the least of these and the unsaved.  These books are great friendship gifts to give to someone who is serving the Lord and would be encouraged by hearing about others in the faith.

     Mercy Ships is a fleet of hospitals that sail to different ports around the world offering medical care to thousands.  They have a 2008 Gift Catalogue on their site and it has a very unique selection of gift ideas for the person who has everything.  For $45.00 you can provide agricultural training to 1 person in a village community, $25.00 will pay for a man, woman, or child to receive an eye exam, $25.00 will provide 5 Bibles for recovering patients, and there is so much more.  To give this gift you simply make a donation and then create a lovely card that says, For your Birthday a donation was made in your name to Mercy Ships to provide...  I love getting these types of gifts because I truly want for nothing and I hate when people waste their hard earned money on something I don't need just beacuse they wanted to bless me.  Donate money to something I care about and bless me. 

Voice of the Martyrs has a bookstore complete with videos and DVDs.  They have a great selection of movies for children that will inspire them to care about the persecuted Church and to learn more about it.  They also have a great selection of books for adults who want to understand more about persecution, Islam, and the underground Church.

Now add these sites to your favorites list with a title like: Shopping with a Mission, so that you can quickly go to the sites whenever you have the occasion.

I could go on forever because there are so many ministries that offer this type of opportunity.  Please do not hesitate to share about other Christian organizations that do this as well.  E-mail them to me if you would like me to post them in the blog, or simply use the comments feature to share them.

     The other day I received a telephone call.  It isn't the kind that you want to get.  A friend called to tell me that his 13 year old son had died.  His son, whose name is Justin had lost his battle with cancer.

     We were just finishing up devotions when the call came in and when I returned to the table I couldn't help but cry for the family and their loss.  Justin is surely in heaven I have no doubt about that.  He didn't leave without first leaving his faith as a testimony of the Savior he loved.  But I knew that his mom and dad and sisters and brother were going to miss their oldest brother terribly and I was very sad for them.  We prayed for the family and went about our nightly routine.

     The next day, I called my freinds to see how they were doing and asked if there was anything I could do.  My friends asked if I could make them dinner and I responded that I would do it right away and bring it over. 

     I then gathered my nephew, Shaunan and my daughter Magnalie together.  I told them that we had some ministry to do.  They were both very eager to help.  I explained to them that although we cannot make their pain go away or bring their son back to them, that we could bring them love and care.  "Tonight we are going to bring them love and care" I declared.  Magnalie started right away on making her favorite, corn bread.  Shaunan got out the tools for peeling carrots and potatoes, and I started cutting the keilbasa and began to cook.  With joy and care the children helped me to create a wonderful meal for our friends.  Within a half hour we had a meal made and ready to deliver.

     The next time you find a moment where you need to help the neighbor, a widow, or greiving family.  Bring your children together and make them a part of what you are doing.  Talk to them and tell them what you are doing and why.  This will become a part of who they are as they get older and they will benefit so much from the satisfaction that comes from helping others.

     While talking to a friend of mine, I learned that her dad, Bob was in the hospital and not receiving any visitors.  This didn't seem right because if you know anything about Bob, you know that he is known by everyone, and loved by them as well.  So, Tyler and I decided that we were going to visit him. 

     When we got to Bob's room however, he had other plans for us.  You see, Bob's plan was to minister to anyone who came to his room.  He was already witnessing to all the nurses, doctors, aids, and cleaning personel.

     Within minutes of entering his room, his Bible was on his lap.  This was not just any Bible, this was the biggest Bible I had seen in a long time.  There in his hospital bed he began to read scripture to Tyler and I and to share from his heart.

     He then began to tell us about his trips for coffee. 

     Every morning Bob gets ready for work and heads out to get a coffee. He is self employed and this offers him the luxury of going at his own pace. It doesn't matter if it is Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, or any other coffee place, because "it isn't about the coffee".  His sole purpose for being there is to say hello to the person behind the counter, to smile at them and to build a relationship from which he can then share the love  of Christ.  He knows all the workers names, he knows about their families and children, and the struggles they have shared, but most importantly they know he cares about them. 

     This is Bob's currency: a smile, a warm moment of caring and talking and with it he leads the lost to Christ.

     What a versitile currency this is.  We can use it at the grocery store, the pharmacy, the gas station, just about any place where we regularly come in contact with another person.  After all it isn't or shouldn't be about the groceries, the perscriptions, gas, or anything else.  It should be about reaching the lost person we meet when we set out for those things.

     I have a free book to recommend, Revolution in World Missions, by KP Yohannan.  It will set your heart on fire for missions.  I know it did mine.

I read a quote in Guidepost Magazine, April 2008. I thought it was worth sharing.

"Real heroes don't save the world, they serve the world." -submitted by Linda Bird

     This is absolutely the most important concept I could blog about.  I am about to completely change your ideas about ministry, missions, & money.

     I want to show you how you can dramatically increase your ability to give by changing the way you think. It is really simple.  The next time you have a burden to give, help, or reach out I want you to ask yourself, "What currency do I have to meet this need?"  I want you to even pretend that you need to meet this challenge without money. 

     Many years ago, I faced a dilemma.  I had a deep burden for the persecuted church and missions, but absolutely zero money. What could I do? 

     Christian Freedom International was one of the organizations that I wanted to help. I was impressed by their self help store and decided the way I could help is through the store.  I called and talked to CFI.  They were thrilled I wanted to help and were willing to send me some samples.  I then planned a home party; invited freinds and family.  The day of the party I served refreshments, showed a short video about CFI, and passed around catalogs and samples of the items that were for sale.  That event raised $2500.  in sales and donations for CFI.  I could not have written that check, but because I was able to think creatively I was able to create an event that did.  My friends and family joined together to make a difference.

     I realize that this example was really an example that raised money, so lets talk about how we can discover more currency in our lives.  Money is currency, so what are other forms of currency?  Currency can be our resources, talents, time, creativity,and our excesses.

     Resources can be who we know, what we know, and what we can learn, see How It All Began, to see how I used resources as currency.

    Talents are unlimited in the ways they can be used as currency.  Sewing can be a way to dress entire orphanages, crafts can be used to raise funds, other talents such as medical, secreterial and more can be donated to organizations.

    Time is probably the least valued, but most valueable of all, and it can fix things that money cannot help at all.  Time to visit the elderly, or a child who has lost a parent, or wife who has lost a husband.  Time to pray.

    Creativity is what will keep you thinking and responding with currency.   The ideas will become endless and you will find yourself giving like never before.

    Lastly, our excess.  Who would of thought that what we don't need could be used as currency.  Salvation Army has used this currency to build a major part of its ministry.

    So go ahead and start thinking in currency.  I challenge you to something that is so much fun that it will open up opportunities you never knew existed.

    And please, share your ideas about currency with us.  The Church working with currency could be a very powerful force.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matthew 6:21