Time is a most prized commodity and wireless internet a rare commodity at City of Refuge for our Girlfriends Team.

Hard work is the routine for the entire Team whether leading VBS, painting a room, or helping to prepare meals. The payoff:

• The sounds of children’s voices wafting through the mountains singing “Jesus Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me”
• Two adults standing guard at the bedroom of 4 young girls in an effort to “surprise” those girls with a room makeover done in vibrant pink and a beautiful blue with their own personalized pillowcase.
• Sharing community in the kitchen and dining area with some amazing women, Kim who inspires us all (City of Refuge director) and Norma (our cook who is always ready with a smile and awesome food too).

Four days down: two days of dynamic, boot scooting VBS; 3 rooms completed and children squealing with excitement at their new bedding; teenage girls proudly showing off their pedicures; and, new friendships forged between Texas women and Jamaican children.

Yes…Jesus is the BEST thing that has ever happened to us!

VBS

Boys' Room Makeover

Girls' Room Makeover

Nursery Makeover

Jesus is the Best Thing!

As the Jamaicans say “out of many, one people.” It seems that even before fourteen Girlfriends departed American soil for their highly anticipated missions trip to the City of Refuge Orphanage in the mountainous area outside Kingston Jamaica, we experienced this in our own group.

14 Girlfriends departing D/FW

Diversity in talents, skills and giftings…Diversity in age, race and culture…Diversity in personality, habits and walks of life.

Isn’t this what makes a missions trip? Diversity in a group ascends upon another land and another culture to impact – and to be impacted!

The team – 14 Girlfriends from Trinity Church, Cedar Hill TX. City of Refuge Orphanage – our home for seven days. Our mission – a Holy Spirit led Vacation Bible School and a house makeover (paint, curtains, bedding, and bathroom accessories). The results – stay tuned to find out.

The View from the Dining Area

As our capable driver, Giao, safely maneuvers us through the streets of Danang, my hearing is assaulted by the numerous horns honking. I begin to think about the use of car horns in Vietnam. My American perspective of car horns – we use our horns as a statement of aggression – warning drivers to get out of our way. Car horns in Vietnam? Much different perspective. Horns are used as an act of courtesy – by honking their horns, drivers tell one another “I see you and I want you to know I am here.” A conflict of perspective.

Our journey takes us to Hoi An orphanage. Once again, my senses are assaulted – the smells, the sights. And, I have the opportunity to ponder on another conflict of perspectives. We Americans, arriving at the orphanage, are “armed” with candy and small bottles of bubbles to give to the children. As I pass out my allotment of bubbles, I consider another conflict of perspective. When giving a bottle of bubbles to a child at home in America, in most cases I would be giving the child something to do, something to free up my time and fill up theirs. Here at Hoi An orphanage, I give bubbles to make a connection with a child – to open the door so I can become part of their world. Definitely a conflict of perspective.

At Hoi An, my eyes are riveted to a child in a swinging bassinet peering over the wooden sides. It is evident that a disability prohibits this child from participating in activities as some of the other children are.  As I move closer, what I see is a shock. From my perspective, this child  is a prisoner in her own body. Her limbs are deformed, her head the size of a small watermelon, she is covered in scabies, and wearing filthy clothes (including a handmade diaper). She is the victim of hydroencephalitis (water on the brain) – something easily corrected at birth in America. And then, something happened, she reached out her arms. I picked Hong up and we began a short journey to the courtyard.  Immediately, my perspective changed. Her face broke into a smile as she saw the sun and the other children playing. She began to laugh and move both her hands and feet with giddy excitement. No longer a prisoner in her own body, a simple action of picking up a 12 year old child and carrying her to the courtyard changed her perspective and mine. Today for me – this was a conflict of perspective.

But I wonder….will I experience in my lifetime another conflict of perspective? Will the perspective I have experienced of Vietnamese children suffering from disease and imprisoned in their own bodies one day be conflicted? That is my hope…that one day that perspective will be no more as I see children’s lives in Vietnam full of hopes, dreams and health! I long for that conflict in perspective.

Hong

Just one of thousands!

Thanks to everyone for the support that has been given to purchase blankets for the children of Zimbabwe and for the ongoing needs for the children in Vietnam who need life giving surgeries. Camella and I are truly blessed by your willingness to come alongside of us to help the children of these countries and give them a hope for the future.

Camella is leaving July 2 for Vietnam to work with Giving It Back To Kids through the many programs that we have supported for the past 8 years. She will not only check on recipients that NNMSII has sponsored in the past, but I’m confident she will find more children to help.

Four days after she returns from Vietnam she will lead a group of ladies to Jamaica to work with an orphanage in that troubled country. I’m again very confident she will discover many needs to help the children she will be meeting on this trip as well.

Today we received requests for several thousand more blankets to “cover up” the children of Zimbabwe who are infected with HIV. We have committed to purchase all of the blankets that our friend, Dr. Andrew Reid, has identified. We need to show these children that God loves them, knows their need and has a blanket of love to cover them. We have agreed to purchase a minimum of 1,000 blankets each month but that amount will not be nearly enough. The temperatures in Zimbabwe are now freezing at night and thousands of children have no blanket!!

Over the past 3 years you have helped us distribute over 10,000 blankets!! Thank you!!! But many more thousands are needed and we will not stop doing what we can to “cover up” every child that needs a blanket! Blankets are only $5 each! Just think what $10 could do – or $100 – or $1000!

The needs are huge but our God is bigger than we think!!

Please prayerfully consider helping us to continue funding these urgent needs that help give these precious children a hope for the future by showing them God’s love for them.

May God bless you as you bless others.

Sincerely,

Bruce and Camella