Two Things

Okay. First order of business - Every Mother Matters accomplished their first task thanks to some of you who went over to Steffany's blog, followed the link and donated! The money was raised in 4 days!!! When Steffany told me Monday evening that the money had come in I could have jumped for joy!! Except I was sitting on my couch under a wonderfully cozy blanket and was too lazy to get my behind off the couch! I have rejoiced over and over this week!! The preparations are being made to get her to Addis Ababa for the surgery and restore her quality of life! For those of you who have followed Steffany's blog for any length of time also know that a dear Ethiopian woman named Gadese had come with them to the States to receive prenatal care. If you don't know the story return to her blog and look at the left side bar to get the link to the story. Amazing!!! Anyhow, Gadese may be able to meet this woman who will be receiving the surgery which makes the tapestry that God is weaving that much more beautiful! Steffany....your acts of selflessness and obedience encourage and inspire me!

Secondly....the earthquake in Haiti! My heart is breaking! We watched a bit of coverage tonight with the two older boys but didn't want to overwhelm them with too much. And then I thought, "yes, but the children who are there and living through this horror cannot be protected!" It is almost too much for me to process - the pain, the agony, the loss, the loneliness......what can I do?

Let me tell you quickly about my sweet cousin. She is my age - a whopping 32! She has lived in Haiti for I believe 4 years (Edith correct me if I am wrong). She is a nurse and helps to run a clinic in a more remote part of Haiti. She does a phenomenal job of sending out beautiful emails monthly detailing her work there. It is no small task!! What she does on a daily basis can sometimes be mind numbing. She is a beautiful woman! Lives selflessly so that other may live - literally!! She helps to save lives! She is walking out her life in obedience to His call. I wish so often that I could pick her brain about things but unfortunately we do not get many opportunities to see each other.

She is heading into Port-au-Prince to help. Would you please pray for Bethanie as she will be working tirelessly? Would you pray that God would perform miracles through her hands? Would you pray that the Holy Spirit will speak through her? That people would feel a blanket of peace over them as she is working on them?

And Bethanie - if and when you get a chance to read this: I will be praying as often as God brings you to mind - which has been so very often today!