Tomorrow, we will have been home for one week. It seems like we've been home for one month. Joan and Derrick are doing great. Laurel and Coleman are still embracing the opportunity to shepherd their little brother and sister. I am still thankful to be home and I have so enjoyed having Todd home with us the past 4 days. He is so good with Joan and Derrick. Joan adores Todd. She has so much confidence in herself that it allows her to just soak up whoever walks into the room. She has so much to give of herself. I have much to learn from her. Someone asked me this week what have they liked the most...Without doubt or hesitation, I can say what they have liked the most is the relationships they have shared with people they already knew and people they have just met. Relationships is what their treasure is. It's not the food they are eating, it's the people that have brought the food. It's not the tubing or the lake. It's the people that they are tubing or swimming with. There are no "things" that can win their hearts. It's the relationship that they will share with whoever walks into the room. It's the same way with the kids at SOZO. I was so concerned about what I could take them. All they wanted was a relationship with anyone that came into the house. This is a beautiful concept. Imagine what the world would be like if all we really desired was relationship with others, relationship with Christ...I can imagine it vividly right now because I spent a month in Africa. Relationship is what the children at Rays of Hope desire, to be in a relationship with me, Laurel, Coleman, Todd...whoever comes through the gates. If you visit there, you will feel just as special as they made me feel. If you go to SOZO, you will feel like you have been on a vacation for the soul...you will feel the presence of Jesus in a way that you have never known. I went there thinking that I would bless them and right away, I was humbled and I know that God blessed me by going there. I received more than I gave at SOZO because it's God's love, not my love that sustains them. I have mentioned before that there is so much I need to share from my time in Uganda. I can't think about my experience there without tears welling up. God used my time there to reveal many things to me. Much of it was my own sin, not the sin of the people there. When the time is right, I know God will lead me to share with you my heart. I know I will go back to Africa. I will have to. As difficult as it was, it was a time in my life when I knew I needed God the most. I abided in HIM everyday for every need I had. He wants no less from me here in Birmingham, AL but because the "need" is less, I am likely to "shrink from him". I have to learn to be just as dependent on HIM as I was in Uganda. I don't want to be the same as I was before I went. I have 2 reminders living with me now that are counting on me not to forget where they came from. Some have said, "we have saved them". The truth is, if we will allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, "they are going to save us" because all they want is "relationships". They haven't changed this week, I have. Every time I watch them embrace the new relationships in their life, I remember, they know what's important. Food is for nutrition to them. Their relationship is not with the food. A bed is for comfort but it's not necessary to sleep. I'm sure as time goes on, we will spoil them but for now, I want to remember what their first priority has been...relationships. I want to bottle their perspective and learn everything from them that God is teaching me. I want to continue to remember that God is all I need. He has blessed me so that I would give it all back to HIM, not for me to keep it for myself. He wants "relationship" with me. Okay, I am rereading this now and I am realizing that you probably really want more information about the kids than me...We are going to church today, don't know if we will make it through the entire service but we will try. Don't sit by us if you don't want to be distracted. Joan may end up sitting in every person's lap on our row. Derrick will likely fall asleep. I am going to bible study tomorrow and they will stay with Ms. Jean. I hope I make it through the entire study without Ms. Jean needing a little assistance. I know Joan will be in charge of the room and she will adore Ms. Jean. Derrick is speaking less Lugandan...I hear it more often when he is really tired. He LOVES to play with cars. He lines them up, all 50 of them. We put Nascar on for him Saturday morning and he was so excited. We are not a family of Nascar but we may become fans. The SOZO fundraiser is the weekend of August 27th. We would love to see each of you there. Please contact me for tickets or if you need more information. It's going to be a special event. Thank you for your continued prayers and love. Our journey is just beginning.
Love to all,
Amiee
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