To Bless or Be Blessed?

Many of my friends who have travelled with me to visit orphans have said that they went to be a blessing but returned feeling that they were the ones who were blessed. I have felt that myself but never so much as after this trip. I felt like our entire time in Russia was like a party. Not a party that leaves you with regret and a headache the next morning, but a party that as you remember it your heart fills with warmth and with thanksgiving. It's the kind of party that you feel good about, that you want to return to and experience all over again.

My daughters and I were discussing parts of our trip last night. We were looking at pictures and remembering the kids we met and missing the ones we know. We laughed and we were experiencing blessing just thinking about our time there.

The kids we visited really have nothing to give us. That's one of the reasons I keep going. There's something so innocent about an orphan who comes to you, looks into your eyes and says "Spaseebo" (Thank You). That's really all he has to give and it blesses my heart beyond anything that I can buy or earn. I'm always baffled by how much I get blessed from a trip like this. I ask "Is this the way it's supposed to work?"

The blessing that comes from visiting these kids is intended. 

There's a scene in Luke that sheds some light on this phenomenon.

Jesus is eating at a very important man's house and He was addressing honor, how to give it and how to get it. 

Often parties are filled with the VIPs, in-fact the more important the people are that you get to come to your party the more important you are. Right?

Listen to what Jesus says. "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Luke 14:12-14

As we were getting ready to leave the girls we took to St. Petersburg, one of them, Masha (who is just so sweet) said, "Kevin, Harrell, thank you for bringing us here, somewhere we probably would have never been able to visit." The rest of them agreed and thanked us. We hugged them and watched them leave. 

I was all warm inside and we were at peace. Blessed.

Thank you for following along on our journey this past 10 days. I hope it blessed you enough to throw a party.

Good Medicine

The Bible says that laughter is good medicine. If that's true, and I believe it is, then our group is well medicated. I have not heard this much laughter in a long time. Today in particular has been full of giggles and smiles. When your ears are filled with so much laughter it's hard not to laugh yourself and that's when the healing qualities kick in. When you're laughing you forget about the junk in your life, the pain in your past and the uphill climb tomorrow will bring. When you're laughing your heart grows and it sheds some of that bitterness it's been carrying. The hard shell begins to crack. 

When you're laughing you feel a little bit of that "full" life Jesus refers to. 

Today was one of the fullest days I can remember. We took the girls to a beautiful palace with fountains and gardens, we ate pizza and then went on a nighttime boat ride through the city. The sun was setting, the girls were full of laughter and we were thankful. We finished the day talking about the father qualities of God and Jesus' desire to give us a full life. As we were returning to our rooms, Nadya said something funny and our laughter filled the elevator.

I'm praying for one more day of medicine.

Orphanage or Home?

Orphanage. That word probably stirs up images in your mind. Sad, dirty, neglected kids living in an institution instead of a family. We've seen the movies and heard the statistics and an orphanage is not really a home. A home is where family members love each other, care for each other and weather storms together. 

I have visited orphanages who fit the description we have in our minds. Those visits have left me heartbroken, angry and feeling helpless.

In Russia an orphanage is called Detskii Dom. This translates as Children's Home.

I haven't thought that a good name for these places. Although there can be love in many of them the multitude of challenges and negatives outweigh the positives.

Today however my view of an orphanage as a desperate place has been challenged. At the Spitzno orphanage in  the Kirov region of Russia I saw that God has provided a loving home for kids whose histories I'd rather not discuss. Would it have been better for these kids to be raised in a family? Certainly. But I'm encouraged by what I saw at this orphanage in Children's HopeChest's program.

I saw loving care givers that are working hard to provide some semblance of family and a quite incredible home. Orphans are learning to cook, clean, do a multitude of chores and all 33 of them are required to read an hour each day. They were being hugged by their care givers. They have schedules and to do lists, they play instruments and write their own songs. 

I had doors held open for me. I heard more "thank yous" than I could count and smiles, not tears were the order of the day. If you looked hard enough you saw the ache behind the smiles. But the smiles were genuine. The smiles were resulting from a place that I believe God has provided to heal and protect these kids who are His treasure. The smiles were coming from the realization that four crazy foreigners travelled on planes, trains and buses for almost two days just to come see them. The smiles were there because even though these kids probably don't realize it yet, God is looking out for them. Yes, they have many needs but God desperately wants these kids to have a full life. 

And He wants people to care for them and to help them put their lives back together.  I just saw the beauty of what that looks like. 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.    James 1:27

Stronger Shoulders

Last night on the plane to Moscow I sat between my daughters. Sure I
was cramped for 10 hours but It was cool having both of them that
close to me.
In the middle of the night they unknowingly took turns laying their
heads on my shoulders. I was wide awake, they were sleeping. I was
loving that affection from them even if they were trying to sleep. As
their warm, soft heads were resting on my shoulders I began to think
about how they need my shoulders. My wife, my sons need my shoulders.
I was struck by all of the responsibility resting on my shoulders.
It's both wonderful and frightening. God, strengthen my shoulders.

Sent from my iPhone

Four Days

It's my last Sunday before leaving to Russia. It's a beautiful day. 

Everyone is happy around the house. 

Getting ready to leave for church. Coffee. Sunshine. 

Perfect.

There's something about a Sunday like today. 

We need this day.

Thanks to The Creator of today.

Preparing to Go

It never fails. At least it hasn't yet. It never fails that something challenging happens that affects life, family, health, work or you name it right before I am to leave on a mission trip. Maybe this time it will be different. We're a week and a half out and things seem pretty normal. I pray that continues. Normal. Boring even. Anything just to be able to get on a plane and focus on what lies ahead, not what's waiting for me behind. God can do this. I know it. I'm expecting it. 

Just this once.