The Best Before and After EVER!

We began sponsoring Adanu at the Trees of Glory care-point in July.  The picture below was taken in June.

This next picture was taken in November.  Just five month later!

I can not get over the difference.  I had e-mailed Karen, our contact with Trees of Glory, telling her I couldn't wait to get a new picture of Adanu when she (Karen) went to visit in November.  I wanted to see Adunu's smile!  And I couldn't wait to take that sad picture down.  

But I had to leave it up on the fridge.  It's lower now, and to the side of the new picture.  But I can't get enough of seeing those two pictures next to each other.

What a difference sponsorship makes!

In the new picture Adanu is holding the care package we sent with Karen.  All the love we could stuff into a gallon size ziploc bag.  A new shirt, other small gifts, and letter and a picture of our family.

18 more kids are joining the care-point, and need sponsors!  Please e-mail Karen if you can help.  $34 a month makes a world of difference in the life of a child!

Below is more information from Karen's blog about Trees of Glory.

"Trees of Glory" care-point is located about a 2 hour drive North of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  It is a semi-mountainous area of Ethiopia that has been greatly affected by famine and drought  The care-point is located on 27 acres of land that can eventually be developed to help the care-point become more self-sufficient.  There are 13 buildings on the property that are being renovated to provide shelter for the kids when they visit the care-point.

The local government identifies the neediest and most destitute children in an area, and provides the opportunity to attend a care-point to meet their basic needs.  84 orphaned and destitute children have been assigned to "Trees of Glory" as we develop a sponsor program here.

Most of these children are orphans, and are living with a relative or guardian that is barely able to provide for their basic needs.  As a result, many of the children are severaly malnourished, and are vulnerable to illnesses like malaria and pneumonia.  Local livestock owners employ many of the children as herders, and pay the child's guardian a meager wage of about $12 per year.

Your sponsorship will provide your sponsor child with nutritious meals every day, along with clothing, medical care, Christian discipleship and EDUCATION.  Without a sponsor, these kids will never have the opportunity to go to school and they will continue "working" to pay for the roof over their head.

Ginia, with Children's Hopechest, spent a day with the kids at "Trees of Glory" in May 2010 and she emailed me: "Trees of Glory is WONDERFUL. It's a 2 hour drive into the mountains from Addis. We gave kids bread and bananas today. Most of the kids are orphans and are living with relatives or on the streets. They work as "herdsmen" of sheep and cattle. The relative is paid 120 ETB (equivalent of about $12 dollars) for year by livestock owners for the kids to work. It's very sad. Simret's (the director) vision is very big. She is a beautiful Godly woman. Very sweet and you can feel the presence of God in this place. There are no Christians living in the area. They are mainly Ethiopian Orthodox and live by superstitions and witchcraft."  A sponsor program will make a dramatic and lasting impact for the kids at "Trees of Glory"!!

If you are interested in sponsoring a child at "Trees of Glory", please contact me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com and let me know if you have a preference for a boy or girl, one child or a sibling group of 2.  I will email you with a child's photograph and biographical information and instructions on how to register as that child's sponsor. 

Crazy Fair Trade Day

Today was a serious test of my new commitment to buy only fair trade. 

As a community group we have adopted some families who are hurting for the very basic needs.  Our part was to do pajamas, maybe a few sweatshirts.  I wasn't too worried;  I knew I could find something online that was fair trade.  But then I got an email that everything needed to be turned in by this weekend!  I looked around a little this week, but didn't have much time.  Today had to be the day.

I was headed out to Sherwood for a birthday party at Safari Sam's.  My plan was to drop off the boys then hit a consignment store.  Which I hoped existed but I hadn't found anything on my google search.  So I called my friends at Sweetest Thing Cupcakes and got the name of Pitter Patter in Newburg.  Yea!  

But then I got a phone call from Courtney.  She needed 5 Christmas presents for a gift exchange.  Tonight.  Okay.  I can do this.  God, I pray I can do this.

Pitter Patter was a great success.  I pulled every quality item I could find in each of the two kids' sizes:  jeans, pajamas, shirts, sweatshirts, mittens, hats, scarves.  It was a load.  And the price?  Less than taking the family out to dinner.  I think I like this thrifting!

Then a quick cup of coffee and yummy gluten-free cupcake with Ann at Sweetest Thing (it WAS on the way back to Safar Sam's).  And supporting local businesses, double yay.

Got the boys and headed to the new Finegan's Toy Store at Bridgeport.  I wanted to have at least one brand new shiny toy for these kids.  But EVERYTHING was made in China.  Almost.  I finally settled for Playmobil advent calendar toys.  Made in Malta?  I don't know, but I had more hope for that than China.  And the boys had the most fun there playing with a remote control helicopter toy!

Now back to the Courtney challenge.  Five moderately priced gifts.  After dropping Bode off for a Noni and Popi date and before Cade's basketball game, we stopped at a craft fair but there was nothing that teenage girls would find exciting.  I wish hand crafted stuff didn't look so, well, hand crafted.

But I found what I needed at my beloved Market of Choice.  Along with the best price on organic grass-fed beef in town, they also had.... Fair trade wool hand warmers!  You know, like gloves, but with the tops of they fingers missing so they can still use their phones, itouches, etc.

All devices that use conflict metals, a whole 'nother issue.

But anyway!  It was a successful fair trade day, and I'm thankful.  But tired.

Me, An Oppressor?

I have to confess that I have been oppressing people.  Maybe not directly, but I have.

We've been studying James 5:1-6 this week in Bible study.

Here it is in The Message:

^1-3 And a final word to you arrogant rich: Take some lessons in lament. You'll need buckets for the tears when the crash comes upon you. Your money is corrupt and your fine clothes stink. Your greedy luxuries are a cancer in your gut, destroying your life from within. You thought you were piling up wealth. What you've piled up is judgment.

 ^4-6All the workers you've exploited and cheated cry out for judgment. The groans of the workers you used and abused are a roar in the ears of the Master Avenger. You've looted the earth and lived it up. But all you'll have to show for it is a fatter than usual corpse. In fact, what you've done is condemn and murder perfectly good persons, who stand there and take it.

We learned today that James is not addressing Christians here, but still, I want to examine myself.  At first I felt pretty good.  I think I deal fairly with others, and try to be generous.  But I couldn't stop thinking about the "exploited workers."  The ones I don't see when I buy something at the mall.  The ones who made the clothes under possibly inhumane conditions.

In the past I've gone back and forth on this issue, sometimes refusing to buy things made in China because of human rights violations, and then getting tired of the effort.

This week I did more research, and my eyes have been opened.  As the songs goes, "Now that I have seen, I am responsible."

At the end of our study we were asked to write James' indictments in our own words, applicable for today.  These were my thoughts:

You care only about your bottom line and spend your money on cheap food harvested by oppressed workers, some of whom have lost their family farms because of your demand for perfect, plastic, convenient, name-brand food.

In the same way, always looking for the best deal on clothes (so you have plenty of money to eat out and entertain yourself with the latest movies, music and video games), you think nothing of the children who were sold by their parents to work for no pay, 16 hours a day, sewing tiny little beads on a t-shirt for your daughter.

You have lived on the earth in wanton pleasure and luxury, always wanting to have a better house, a nicer vacation and a fancier car.

So what am I to do?  In general, I need to be content.  Live simply.  Be busy giving and doing good.

But specifically in the area of clothes for my (slightly) large family?

Honestly, it will be pretty inconvenient.  But I can probably clothe the nine of for about the same price as I do now, if I:

1.  Buy less.  I mean how many clothes do we really need?

2.  Buy used.  I will miss the Nordstrom smell.
3.  Buy from fair trade - socially responsible - ethical companies.  Yes, they are more expensive, but they will be balanced out by less clothing and used clothing.  And I am so happy to support companies that are doing things right and the people that will be blessed with good jobs.

As far as food, I've been trying to buy quality, local, and organic for quite some time but there are probably a few things I need to tweak.  More on that another time.

In all of this study and soul searching, I am so thankful to God for how tender He has been with me.  I have truly felt a change in my heart that can only come from Him.  He has made me really want to do this.  I would have done it out of obedience, and done my best to have a good attitude.  But His Holy Spirit has changed my heart, and I am grateful.  I'm actually excited to do it!

He's also given me a song to inspire me.  We've been watching a lot of Les Miserables with both Abby and Kat in the musical for three weeks, and I love "Do You Hear the People Sing?"  You might have to listen to it yourself to fully appreciate it, but here are a few of the lyrics.

Do you hear the people sing? 

Singing a song of angry men? 

It is the music of a people 

Who will not be slaves again! 

When the beating of your heart 

Echoes the beating of the drums 

There is a life about to start 

When tomorrow comes! Will you join in our crusade? 

Who will be strong and stand with me? 

Somewhere beyond the barricade 

Is there a world you long to see? 

And for more information on the global sweatshop crisis, this is by far the best, easiest to read article I have seen.

Praying Mantis

Soon after setting up the greenhouse both a male and female female praying mantis moved in.

One day we couldn't find the female, and I told Bode to look for her.  I said that she might be laying some eggs.

I'm not sure why I said that.

He found her.

And she really was laying eggs.

Right then.

And it only happens once a year.

The whole process took about an hour, and they won't hatch until spring.

Here she is, hard at work.

I did some googling to find out more, and it seems that sometimes the female eats the male, starting with the head first, after laying the eggs.

And sure enough, about ten days later we saw this.

Poor guy.

So now we're down to one pet.

But in the spring, we should have hundreds more.

Evidently the babies might eat each other too.

Sometimes I'm a Little Slow

Early this year at a church conference I was offered a free copy of this children's Bible and I didn't take it.

A few months later everyone at church was raving about it, but I wasn't interested.  

I already have a great children's story Bible, and besides, I really didn't like the cartoon picture of Jesus on the cover.

Then my best friend starts telling me about this great children's Bible and even buys me a copy.

Ok, I've read it now.

I think I understand what all the fuss is about.

The introduction made me cry.

It's beautiful.

Even if you don't have kids, you need to buy this Bible.

Here are just a couple paragraphs from the intro to whet your appetite:

"No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes.  The Bible is most of all a Story.  It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure.  It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne - everything - to rescue the one he loves.  It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life."

"It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story.  And at the center of the Story, there is a baby.  Every Story in the Bible whispers his name.  He is like the missing piece in a puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture."

(Oh, and for you Tim Keller fans, he was evidently very influential in the writing of this book, as noted by the author.)

My kids love it too.  They never want me to stop reading it.  And when I do, they keep looking at the pictures.  For hours.

Here you go - you can click here to buy it now.

Hopefully you're not as slow as I am.

There Should Be An App for That

I want to give more.  I want to teach my kids that it makes a difference when we skip that trip to Jamba Juice and give the money to those really in need.

But I need help.  While I want to give, I'm still an impatient American used to instant gratification.  So I have a great idea.  More about that in a minute.

You know that Jesus cared about the poor, right?  And they should be one of our highest priorities in life.  It's not the government's job or someone else's job.  If you are a Christian, it's your job.

If we are generous and share our food with the poor, we will be blessed.

If we give to the poor we will lack nothing.  But if we close our eyes to them we will receive many curses.

When we are kind to the poor we lend to the LORD and will be rewarded.  (This one really amazes me!  It's all God's money anyway.)

But if we shut our ears to the cry of the poor, we will cry out and not be answered. *

I think there are a lot of people who care about the poor and still do nothing because they are overwhelmed with the magnitude of the problems in this world, and they feel like their small contribution won't make much of a difference.

This is not true.

Every little bit helps.

I learned recently that we spend $62 BILLION each year on soft drinks.  If we gave up just a third of our soda, we could provide clean water to all 884 million people in the world who lack it.

So back to my need for instant gratification.  Yes, I could tell my kids that we're not going to have soda with dinner because it not healthy, and that we're going to send the money to help someone who really needs it.  I'm not sure how much they would get that.

But if I pull out my phone and had an app that allowed me to quickly and easily show them a picture of the baby chicks we're going to send to a family in Africa to start a small business, and really sent the money right then and there, don't you think that would be effective?

So to all my favorite charities - those that meet physical needs and give eternal hope through Jesus Christ - this is my request!  I'd like your "gift catalogs" to be made into iphone apps.  I will download it, and it will be so fun to see how our money can be better used.  And really give - then and there - to make a difference!

*Proverbs 22:9, 28:27, 19:17, 21:13

Disclaimer:  This type of giving is not tithing.  As Christians we should order our finances in such a way that we are tithing to our local church, paying our taxes and bills, providing for our family's needs, and giving generously regularly.  This is just an extra way of giving a little more.

The Greenhouse

My fortieth birthday present from my husband was a beautiful silver bracelet from Tiffany's and a fabulous party.

My fortieth birthday present that I connived/guilted him into was the greenhouse of my dreams.

I asked him how he would feel if it was football season and he didn't have a TV or a computer.  Cause that's how I feel when I can't garden during the winter months.  And somehow, after all my years of pleading for a greenhouse, that was what got through to him.

But he's actually really gotten into it.  We feel like we're officially an "old couple," since we spent a Saturday afternoon at Home Depot and working on the greenhouse instead of going out to dinner for a date.

It's been pretty warm lately, making the temp in the greenhouse at least in the 90's during the middle of the day.  My thermometer reads over 100 at times, but I'm not sure how accurate it is.

We're starting veggies and herbs and flowers from seed.

Saving some plants that would normally die once the first freeze hits.

And coming out here for some quiet moments.

I feel like we've added another room to the house.


We also have a few new pets -- that have moved into the greenhouse.  More about them next time.