Pray for Africa...

Will you take a minute to pray for those suffering...

Pray for Africa

We pray for healing.
We pray that you will lay your hands on brothers and sisters of Africa: the mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons.
We pray that you will touch their lives with your presence, your love, and your grace. We pray that you will heal their hearts and minds with the gift of life.

We pray that you will heal the church. We pray that you will touch the hearts, minds, and souls of religious communities with your compelling hand of truth. We pray that you will heal our fears, our anxiety, and our prejudice that we might live lives of faith, hope, and love to touch those suffering from HIV/AIDS.

We pray for salvation.

We pray that you will lift up our brothers and sisters of Africa from the mire of pain, horror and disease. We pray that you will offer the gift of salvation to those who are dying. We pray that you will bless them with hope in the light of love.

We pray for doctors, nurses, caregivers, and researchers. We pray that you will offer wisdom, compassion, and faith. We pray that you will bless them with an intellect to boldly imagine a world without AIDS, a vision for a new generation of medical care and an unconditional love for those who are dying without hope for treatment.

We pray for support.
We pray that you will provide for our brothers and sisters of Africa. We pray that you will comfort them in time of need. We pray that you will provide food for the hungry, clothes for the naked, a home for the homeless, and medical treatment for those who cannot afford such a luxury. We pray that you will provide your orphans with good families that will raise them in love.

We pray for our pharmaceutical companies, our corporations, and our religious communities. We pray that each institution will find it in their hearts and minds to offer monetary support by way of funding, medical treatment, and community-oriented aid.

We pray that institutions will advance in bringing “the kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven” by dropping the debt, providing aid, and promoting trade in Africa.

We pray for compassion.

We pray that you will instill in the hearts of complacent Americans a vicarious understanding of suffering-mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally-of those dying with AIDS in Africa. We pray compassion on the cold hearts of those who cling to ignorance and in difference. We pray for compassion on those who are compelled to combat the virus, the suffering, and the death. We pray compassion for the world as we attempt to wage a war against a deadly disease that is killing our brothers and sisters. We pray for compassion for life itself.

O God, hear our prayer.

Newest Project

So my newest project is the organizing of a co-op. I am doing this for our family's benefit as well as others. Last year I traveled to Lincoln on Tuesdays, North Kingstown on Wednesdays and held art at my house every other Friday. It was exhausting and I do not wish to do it again. So I am trying very hard to have as many of these co-op "classes" on Wednesdays at one location...

So check it out and pass the word! If you know people who homeschool...

This is what we are looking at http://greanmeadowcoop.blogspot.com/

The Emannuel Center got the cows!!

Check it out they got the cows and it was an adventure!! Many of us were a part of this venture so be sure to go to the blog! Also, THEY SAW LIONS ON SAFARI!!!
http://emmanuelcenter.blogspot.com/

911 story God is God!

An Awesome 9-11 StoryA man from Norfolk , VA
He called a local radio station to share this on Sept 11th, 2003 . His Name was Robert Matthews.
These are his words:
"A few weeks before Sept. 11th, my wife and I found out we were going tohave our first child. She planned a trip out to California to visit hersister.
On our way to the airport, we prayed that God would grant my wife asafe trip and be with her.
Shortly after I said 'amen,' we both heard a loud pop and the car shookviolently. We had blown out a tire.
I replaced the tire as quickly as I could, but we still missed herflight. Both very upset, we drove home.
I received a call from my father who was retired NYFD. He asked what mywife's flight number was, but I explained that we missed the flight. Myfather informed me that her flight was the one that crashed into thesouthern tower.
I was too shocked to speak.
My father also had more news for me; he was going to help. 'This isnot something I can just sit by for; I have to do something.'
I was concerned for his safety, of course, but more because he hadnever given his life to Christ. After a brief debate, I knew his mindwas madeup. Before he got off of the phone, he said, 'take good care of mygrandchild.'
Those were the last words I ever heard my father say; he died whilehelping in the rescue effort.
My joy that my prayer of safety for my wife had been answered quicklybecame anger. I was angry at God, at my father, and at myself.
I had gone for nearly two years blaming God for taking my father away.My son would never know his grandfather, my father had never acceptedChrist, and I never got to say goodbye Then something happened.
About two months ago, I was sitting at home with my wife and my son,when there was a knock on the door. I looked at my wife, but I couldtell she wasn't expecting anyone. I opened the door to a couple with asmall child.
The man looked at me and asked if my father's name was Jake Matthews. Itold him it was. He quickly grabbed my hand and said, 'I never got thechance to meet your father, but it is an honor to meet his son.'
He explained to me that his wife had worked in the World Trade Center and had been caught inside after the attack. She was pregnant and hadbeen caught under debris. He then explained that my father had beenthe one to find his wife and free her.
My eyes welled up with tears as I thought of my father giving his lifefor people like this. He then said, 'there is something else you needto know.'
His wife then told me that as my father worked to free her, she talkedto him and lead him to Christ.
I began sobbing at the news. Now I know that when I get to heaven, myfather will be standing beside Jesus to welcome me, and that thisfamily would be able to thank him themselves.
When their baby boy was born, they named him Jacob Matthew in honor ofthe man who gave his life so mother and baby could live."
This story should help us to realize two things:First - that though it has been three years since the attacks, we shouldnever let it become a mere tragic memory. And second - but mostimportant- God is always in control. We may not see the reason behind things,and we may never know this side of heaven, but God is ALWAYS incontrol.
Please take time to share this amazing story with those you love. Youmay never know the impact it may have on someone. God doesn't call thequalified, He qualifies the call.

Who are the Maasai?

Good question.. and before our trip to Tanzania all I knew about them was what we saw on Discovery Channel...
Well ,what and experience when we went with Jill (and 12+ others in 1 car) to visit the Maasai. It was like going to another world, not enough that we were across the world from "home", but now it was like we were going even further. Read this story I found... go to the link in the post below and at the bottom select article box "Jesus among the Maasai"... couldn't get the link to work?

So our experience was with a church. This church was under a tree. They had recently built a building though and were waiting for the $ to finish it...

as we approached the church I was thinking, what are we going to do, say,... but as we joined them it was so amazing they were just glad to have us there with them...I think God brought us there to see how unimportant our stuff is...

it was an awesome visit sharing with them the story of Samuel and singing in half English and Swahili ...The children were so amazed by the video camera! And wow can they play soccer!

They could not stop touching Cole's head... They don't see many blondes...

So it was incredible and we left exhausted and soaked (from sweat) but now "knew" the Maasai...

What IS really important?

http://www.aim-us.org/get_connected/articles/articledetail.asp?ArticleNum=49


Check this article out! wow!!

We've been getting to know our new friend

Meet our new friend. We've spent a bit of time with this friend lately. We are finding our friend has many aspects to her that we didn't know about. Our friend hid from us for awhile but now our friend knows; hopefully, that we only want the best for her... (smile)

If we take time to get to know the people around us (even if it takes a broken down car) our life will be better for it...

Sometimes friendships take patience and time, but it's ALWAYS worth the end result. Take advantage of the opportunities that are put in front of you to spend time with people. You never know you may find as wonderful a person hiding in your friend as we did in ours! (smile)

Fatter

Who is Fatter? Rather, who was Fatter? Fatter was our fish... Really Cole's fish.

Fatter passed away a few days ago.
He was a good fish, though he didn't do much other than swim on his back.

So, I found out there is actually a reason he would swim on his back, it's called "bloated fish disease". It happens when a fish sucks to much air...

So those times when we thought he was being friendly as he would come to the top of the bowl and "greet" us...

So be warned fish owners if you have a fish who sucks to much air...

Fatter was a good fish, we enjoyed seeing him doing those "tricks". What kind of animal shall we care for next?