Day 5 and 6!!! Is this really working?

"Mommy I know that people don't have food but I don't even like rice and beans anyways." This is a comment that came from my 4 year old as he stood in front of me with his hands on his hips (wonder were he has seen that pose) and looked me straight in the eyes. This conversation went through my mind: This is so not working, why are we doing this again? If one more person asks me what we are having for dinner, as if the 5 answers before weren't good enough, I think I am going to. . . wait. . . is this working? What kind of question is that? Am I really expecting my kids to get this when I can't even get it. And do we really have to get this, all that it means, all that it is teaching us, all it's implications? No, I won't, we won't really get it. When we as Americans can pretty much go to any shelter, soup kitchen, church, or even work a street corner as a beggar and have our needs met, I can not say that I get it or that I may ever get it. I am rich beyond imagination. My only prayer is that god would make me more aware of my need for understanding, for compassion, for humility.

Day 4!!!!

Tonight is our 4th dinner of beans and rice, we are a little over half way there. Tonight was one of the most impactful nights. After we ate our beans and rice we wrote down 2 things; first was our own answer to the question Why beans and rice and second was a prayer for the orphans. This last Easter Roger made a cross from wood which we have keep in our family room to remind us of the sacrifice Christ made as he gave his life for us. On that cross we have been taping our prayers for the orphans. I kinda imagine it as a visual way for us to lay our burdens at the cross.

Mommy how many more days?

I was wondering how long it would be before I would hear this question, "Mommy how many more days until 7 days is over?" Wow I can't even imagine if we were doing this for 30 days what kinds of groans I would be getting. Tonight with our beans and rice before us we watched a video about an Ethiopian orphanage- at least 50 or so children living in this one orphanage. Matthew asked, "Are those babies sad, why did their mommy's and daddy's leave them?" Christopher said, "Oh my gosh, how sad they are poor and in need." Both saw things differently but with eyes of compassion. Thank you God for moving in their little hearts.

As Americans we so often look at the needs around us and feel bombarded by the countless images and needs that beakon our attention. How do we choose? How do we evaluate what to do when there are so many in need , what to give to what to be passonate about? The questions I am stuggling with are endless.

Day 2 of Beans and Rice!!!

Today I thought "What am I going to make for dinner." How quickly I had forgotten. Of course Beans and Rice. Tonight We read a little blurb about what it would be like to be a child in Africa as we have and will be doing for the week. One part that really caught Christopher's attention was that some children have to bring their own toilet paper to school. Such a boy thing. Matthew is still struggling with wanting to eat beans and rice at all, he understands that people are eating it all over the world and some not even that, but his question is "well why do I have to eat it, I don't even like it anyways." Ok so it's not settling in quite yet but that's ok this is all about awareness. He did say "Mommy can you see those babies skeletons because they don't have food." So he gets a little part of it.

Every 3 seconds a child dies from hunger 1..2..3.. a child just died. What a sobering reality that the lack of something that seems so basic to me causes millions to die. 1..2..3..my heart grieves.

Why Beans and Rice?

Tonight we began our 7 days of eating beans and rice for dinner. I took 7 days because the 30 day challenge was met with much objection by my family when I presented it. So we're starting there. As I skimmed hundreds of blogs the last month my heart was transformed and humbled like never before. I read countless stories of those who have gone to Africa to adopt and to serve as God's hands- I was moved. So moved that we decided to join many other families who have done the same thing. The money saved from eating beans and rice for dinner will go to a pay it forward program for someone who is trying to adopt from Africa.

Why beans and rice you many ask, because millions of children in the world will eat it for all 3 meals today tomorrow and probably for the rest of their lives. To give our children and ourselves a very small glimpse at what is the reality for many. When my family comes to me every evening asking what are we having for dinner their answer is always met with something. If I don't "feel" like cooking we can drive down to any of the hundreds of restaurants in the area. How blessed are we. But for many children who ask that question the answer is nothing or very little. My heart was heavy tonight as I was making this meal for my family-probably enough to feed 6 families. As I was going back for seconds I couldn't help but see the pictures of the hundreds that stand in line waiting for their portion and I can simply walk 10 steps to an abundance.

God has been moving in my heart these past few weeks for Africa I don't know what it means or why this country has been placed on my heart, but I am responsible for teaching my children and doing something with what I know. Today my prayer is that I will grasp a deeper understanding of what I have and how blessed I am. That I will do instead of say.

He will answer them, "I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored that was me-you failed to do it to me." Matthew 25:45

We added to our family !

This morning Roger picked up the new addition to our family. A 6 month old boy. We named him Koby Estrada. The boys were so excited, they spent a good portion of today outside. Matthew wanted to do everything that Koby did, including drinking from a bowl and licking everyone. Koby followed Christopher every were, he just fell in love with him. Enjoy the pictures!!!