Month Seven

As month seven encroaches upon me quickly, I am trying to think of what I need to give up this month. Last month I decided to change my terrible spending habits. I would use my debit and credit card with no thought of the money I was spending. I was not a wise steward of the money God has entrusted to me so I felt led to start living my life to a budget. Living on cash every two weeks. If the cash runs out.I am done. This has opened up a new way of thinking for me. I easily have the money I want to donate to the live58 and I am not spending money on eating out, Starbucks and the things that I so easily spend money on. So that makes my decision a little harder this month as my entire spending habits have already drastically changed. My sister in law suggested adding something. Maybe it's something to increase my prayer life and she suggested walking. I know God also wants us to take care of our bodies so the thought of adding exercise in my life this month makes sense. I can use that time to pray or spend time with friends I need to reconnect with. This is a big sacrifice that will require a lot of self control. I am sacrificing my laziness this month.

Child Trafficking

I am reading this powerful book called Jantsen's Gift.  A mother grieving the death of her 15 year old son, accepts an invitation to visit a Vietnam orphanage. Forever her life was changed and committed to saving one child a time from the streets of Vietnam. Upon reading an article in the New York times about child trafficking in Ghana where small boys are sold by their families to fisherman to work long hours, living in horrid conditions with other trafficked children and beat by the hand of their masters she then made it a mission to save these boys. Families desperate to feed their families sell their boys for about 20/year. They were chatting with this boys as they cruised up and down Lake Volta and they came across, Tetha. This is an excerpt from that meeting. " Tetha missed his parents, both of whom were farmers. He said he thought of them every day, and he felt sorry for whatever he did to anger them. "What do you mean?" Albert asked.
" I think they must have sent me here to punish me, he said. " I don't know what I did wrong, but I fought with my sister a lot, and maybe that's why my parents had to sell me. When I am sleeping at night, I see my mother in my dreams and I apologize to her. Then she comes and says that I can go to school. That is all I want to do is to go to school."  It is so hard to fathom the desperate situation where a mother or father has to come to this decision and where a small child struggles with why his parents did this to him. We can make a difference. If you can help one that will make a difference.What if that child was your child, your niece or nephew wouldn't you move the heavens to help them?
Visit http://www.touchalifekids.org/ to find out more. Photo below is courtesy of Touch a life website.

Day nine of the Television Fast

It is only day nine of my television fast! It's been a tough one. It really is hard to believe that I still have about 3 weeks left. Lord help me. I have wrote about 3 letters to use in the future to my sponsor kids. I spend a lot of time online and on http://ourcompassion.org/default.aspx. Here I have gleaned tons of letter writing ideas and ways to keep the letter writing momentum.  Check out the forum  Letter-Writing Fail :(  Sponsors have shared their ideas on how they remember to write. So many great ideas to remember to write life into our sponsor children's lives.  Whether you sponsor with Compassion or some other organization, this is a wonderful resource. Make sure you check it out. I read a blog today about the importance of letter writing.
http://compassionfamily.blogspot.ca/2011/07/impact-of-letters-personal-story.html
This boy was about to give up! He thought, "I must be too ugly for a sponsor to care about me" But one day a new sponsor started to write him and speak truth into his life. He is now serving the Lord through Compassion's ministry in Indonesia. Your words could drastically change the course of a child's life. So pick up a pen today and write your special sponsor child.

International Justice Mission

Wanted to share this link so you have a better understanding of this ministries work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCMddMOrcn4&feature=player_embedded#!

Justice for the poor and oppressed!!

Month Six

So another month is upon me and I have given little thought of what my sacrifice would be this month. During my morning devotions I was going through my mind of what I haven't given up yet and where I am spending my money. This is getting harder and harder as months go by and it's getting harder and harder to want to give things up. It came upon me that this month would I would sacrifice watching TV and movies. I had yet to turn my television on today. I was sitting on my deck reading my bible with worship music playing in the background and thought a month of this would be nice. I can devote these times for praying, scripture and worship. This month takes us to Uganda and shines the spotlight on IJM (International Justice Mission)

Across Africa, many widows and orphans are left defenseless when their husband or father dies. In this time of vulnerability, they become victims of ‘succession-related’ property grabbing - the term for illegal property seizure in the aftermath of a death. Victims often lose not only their homes, but - for many who raise crops or engage in small enterprise on their land - their only sources of livelihood, leaving them and their children homeless and without income.

Property grabbing often arises from the perceived lack of land rights for women in traditional societies. Family members, local leaders and potential victims may not be aware of the legal rights of widows and orphans or the criminal sanctions that may arise from illegal property seizure. Moreover, agencies charged with enforcement of rights lack the knowledge and resources to meet the overwhelming need.