off to Africa

In less than 3 weeks I will board a plane to Zimbabwe with a mission family working for AFCA.  American Foundation for Children with Aids is a non profit organization that provides life saving medication for kids in Africa with HIV/AIDS.  It's a small, I say very small, group of dedicated, loving people who's hearts goes out to kids with little to no other options.  I am going along to help set up self-sustainability projects for orphaned kids.  We will be giving families goats, chickens and rabbits to raise and ultimately use to self support themselves.  I have no idea what I am getting myself into.  Leaving my own 8 kids and husband to travel almost 10,000 miles to be the hands and feet of Jesus to kids who can't even imagine the world any other way.  I am blessed. Period.   We take so much for granted.  I try to imagine my children suddenly being orphaned and having NO option, NO one to care for them, and having to rely completely on themselves, or the help of others to survive.  Think about it, this is the life for 1.5 millions orphans in Zimbabwe!  Unimaginable.  I read a post on another blog of a mom pointing out that we as a society need to stop bickering about which mommy style is better, who works harder, we need to stop getting sucked in to the media's constant pitting of one mom against another and stand up and help those who wish they had a mom.  What if only 1/2 of us stood up for the least of these, who followed the command of Christ to love and care for the orphans and widows of this world.  Imagine the future we could paint for the next generation.....

20 days and my life will be forever changed....

if you'd like to helps support this mission, go to www.afcaids.org and save a life, literally!

Jodi

Where it all begins...

For me, the joy of life is found in the details.  

I am blessed to have many people in my circle of love and care and if I'm not careful, I become overwhelmed if I don't stop and appreciate the small things that can get lost in the chaos of life. There are many details that need to be figured out on a daily basis, from whats for breakfast to barn chores (which involves a menagerie of critters) to household chores to the everyday needs of those I love.  And at any moment things can get shaken up, shuffled around and re-prioritized depending on where the greatest need is at that moment.  If you are a mom, you know exactly what I am talking about. 

 In addition to having the most important, under appreciated job in the world, I am also a lover of all things beautiful in nature and the world around me.  Most of my life has been spent living in a rural community in Central Pa, and after 25 yrs of marriage, 8 kids and 2 grandbabies, my husband and I took our first trip out of the country to England.   That is where I completely fell in love with the art of photography and simply being able to freeze beauty in a single snapshot.  I would like to think that over the past 2 years, I have be able to improve my knowledge and skill enough to create some pretty good pieces of artwork from my own little world. 

 I also enjoy anything fiber related, I  spin when time is available and I have been creating specialty yarns from different fibers from our own flock of rare sheep and angora goats and rabbits.  I love the artistic side of dyeing the yarn. And have taught myself simple knitting and crocheting skills, enough to clothe my family in plenty of hats and scarfs.  I have also been making my own soap for about 10 years, and although I do no advertising, I have managed to build a nice client base of loyal customers over the years and am able to make enough to support my habit.  

I guess it makes sense that I have always been a visual person, I learn by seeing, my emotions are stirred by my view of life around me. I have taken on the challenges that God has blessed me with by focusing on the small details and leaving the "big" picture up to Him.