Orphans Minstry and India

So as you read a couple of posts earlier I mentioned how Christy had headed to India with a group from church. This was totally a trip that God intended her to be on because she had not planned on going but someone could not go at the last minute so Christy stepped in. While there she visited Mother Teresa's orphanage and also another orphanage that a man and his wife run. When his wife converted to Christianity, her family disowned (abandoned) her and so she decided to take care of the children who were also abandoned. They have basically just a roof over their heads and have currently 26 children living there. Christy said only the boys had beds and the girls sleep on the cement floor. She didn't see one toy in the whole place but she was amazed on how well behaved the kids all were. She mentioned to me that at age 12 the boys can no longer live with the girls and they will have no where to go. This orphanage needs so much help. Remember how I told you that we really had no direction on which way our ministry would go, well now we feel like God has put this trip, this orphanage, together with Northpointe so that we can help them. We have a direction! I have so many ideas for the children of this orphanage and cannot wait to get started. They need so many things, from blankets to crayons to toys. We'd like to raise money to get them another place for the boys. We'd like to find sponsors at church for each of the 26 children to help support them. So many things are happening and things are falling into place that it blows my mind! Christy has been talking with Kay Warren's assistant to bring Kay to Northpointe to speak about orphans and we're hoping to launch the ministry at that point. Another woman spoke to Christy about her willing to head up the domestic/foster side of things while we do the international side. So amazing, I know! So this brings me to another point..... I have been asked by Christy to possibly go on the next trip to India in February. At first I thought to myself "February, no way! I cannot go that quickly, that's too soon, too expensive", but after some thought and prayer I was quickly on board to go! I feel that this is what God wants me to do and honestly with me heading up the ministry I really need to see first-hand the people we will be helping. The amazing thing is that an amazing friendship between Chenecua (Katelyn's friend Dejah's mom) and myself has emerged and she will be taking the trip with me if we're able to go! We both felt the longing for a Christian friend in our lives and really feel God put us together. After talking we realized we both have the same heart for these children and she has agreed to pair with me to head up the ministry and to go on this trip with me! What a blessing! For those of you who think I am crazy, just know that I am going to be His hands and feet in a place that so desperately needs it. I trust in an amazing God that will guide us and protect us. When you have such a heart for something like this sometimes it's hard for others to understand why you would travel to such a poor foreign country and sometimes I just can't explain it. I long to help these children who have NOTHING. How can I just sit in the comfort of my own home ignoring what is going on all over the world? I have an article from Kay Warren about orphans and a part of it is exactly how I feel. "We are no longer content to just feel bad when we see a picture of an orphaned child; we have decided that God holds us responsible for the 143 million boys and girls around the world without moms and dads. We realize that we have been given much, and therefore, much is required of us." Or how about this, "Someday we will give an account to God of what each of us did in response to God's command to care for orphans. We want to be able to point to the thousands and thousands-maybe millions-of children who found a family and home through our church." And one last thought, these children have "nothing to eat, no one to hold them at night, no mother to whisper that they are beautiful, a precious child of God" and "If just one family out of every four churches would adopt, there would be no more orphans in America." That should hopefully explain to you where I'm coming from. Please pray that God shows us His plan for all of this, if we go on the trip that we can raise the majority, if not all, of the money that it takes to get us to India and that people at Northpointe are open and willing to help us on this mission to care for these children, God's children. I will keep you all posted on this exciting journey.