Thankful Thursday - TWO FER!

Today's FIRST "Thankful Thursday" actually began on Saturday while Micah and I were volunteering at New Life Family Services "Walk for Life".  While manning the food station, we met a young woman, E., who had come to the walk with a group from Teen Challenge.  What caught my eye was that she had gone to the hair painting station and gotten every section of her French braid spray painted a different color.  It was absolutely lovely and I told her so.

After the race she stopped back to ask me some questions about New Life and if they had anything for women who had had abortions because she had "this friend" who had had an abortion.  I knew New Life had a program, but I didn't remember the name as I'm an adoptive parent, but I encouraged her to ask any staff member (wearing the black t-shirts marked "STAFF") and they would be able to help her.

Not one to miss an opportunity, after E. left, I went over and asked a staff member the name.  The program for post-abortion survivors is called "Conquerors."  Now I knew . . . 

And on my way to the bathroom, who should be standing in front of me, but E..  I was able to share "Conquerors" with her and she shared with me that she was the one who had had the abortion, not a friend, and how hard it still was twenty years later.  I, in turn, shared with her that while I had never had an abortion, we had turned down a baby before Matt, and I knew the feeling of being between a rock and a hard place with no idea of where to go.  Fortunately, Sam and I had had godly counsel available to us to help us make our decision.  And our consequences, while different, didn't lesson the pain of losing a child.  E. hadn't had godly council available to her, nor had she known Jesus then and she was still in pain.  

With wonderment, because she hadn't been condemned by "the godly', she told me she was at Teen Challenge.  She was there for 14 months.  She had been doing drugs.  And she needed a sponsor.  Would I be willing?  

I tell you what - I saw no flashing lights saying, "NO! NO! NO!"  I heard no voice from heaven saying, "NO! NO! NO!".  And when I got home and talked to Sam, he said, "Did you know they are looking for math (his background) tutors, too?  Maybe we could go together."   

So I filled out my application, heard I got an excellent reference from a good friend, and now I wait patiently - THANKFUL that I was there when E. needed me, and I was able to offer grace and acceptance and maybe even more in the future.  Stay tuned . . .

THANKFUL THURSDAY NUMBER TWO:  Happened yesterday when I was able to take Rachel - of Night Watch fame! - to the airport!  I worked until 4:00, picked her up and got her to the airport by 5:00, with the most glorious conversation on the ride!  I thank God for the honor and privilege of being her Sand Creek Mom (see Tuesday's post).  I also thank God that He nudged me and yesterday morning, I MADE all the guys at work sign a farewell card for her!  And I'm thankful for the boss who slipped a $20.00 bill in the card before I sealed it - because what college student couldn't use an additional $20.00 on her way to India!?!

The Sand Creek Mom

Is me!  I discovered this on Sunday at Jake's graduation party.  Seriously, introducing myself to two different people at two different times in two different locations with, "Hi, I'm Margo . . .", I got right back at me, "You're the Sand Creek Mom!" followed by "It's so nice to meet you!"

Truthfully, I struggled with this "new" work title - I just wanted to be everyone's co-worker and all of a sudden I felt old - like a mom!  But then I began to think about the things I do for the people I work with - sending Kaylee and Caleb texts on their birthdays, bringing Rachel to the airport tomorrow, asking people about special events in their lives, texting Calvin his first day at a new job - and yup, I'm "momming" 'em!  To God be the glory!

 

2016 Walk For Life

Today was our adoption agency's "Walk for Life" at Lake Nokomis and Micah and I volunteered - to face paint!  Thursday night we were asked if we were willing to switch to food.  Of course, we said yes and had a blast!  Check out the pics . . .

Here we are surrounded by coffee, water, bagels, bananas and granola bars!

This is with our adoption social worker, Brita, who is back at New Life - and I quote her, "Until retirement!"  Her youngest, Miles is one month younger than Matt and we had a lovely time catching up!

We now have a new post adoption social worker whom I have yet to meet, but this happens to be her husband - after I convinced him to get the beard colored blue!  The hair was his idea!  "Smurf up!"

The Night Watch . . .

The first time God ever called me to "The Night Watch" was at Eagle Lake Camp in Colorado back in the 1980's.  At the exact same time, in the wee hours of the morning, when I was awake and praying for my friend Becky, she and her baby almost died during the emergency delivery.  But God heard my prayers . . . and those of many others . . . and spared Becky and her daughter.

Fast forward to Wednesday night, actually early Thursday morning.  And I had the overwhelming burden to pray for my co-worker from Sand Creek, Rachel, based on our conversation earlier that day.  So I prayed and I prayed and I prayed - for a solid hour I interceded on her behalf.  Then I texted her the next morning and asked her if God had done anything exciting in her life between the hours of midnight and 1:00 a.m.  You don't have to read any further to know that He did - but hey, let's praise an awesome God together!  Here's Rachel's response:

"God actually did some crazy things!  In fact, right in those hours, thank you!  I heard back from the Northwestern Study Abroad person and she was going to try to call the (India) embassy to expedite things.  Then I was able to get a hold of a Karunya representative (a college in India) on WhatsApp and their finance team drafted a special doc for me.  And finally this morning they managed to get me the original doc requested too!  Thank you so much!  God is crazy good!" 

You see, Rachel is trying to study abroad this fall and she's been working with her parents who are missionaries in Cameroon and the university in India while living in Minnesota - and no one's time zone matches!  So she needed a Divine intervention . . . which God so graciously provided!  Do I hear an "amen"!?!

 

ER TIme in the Scooby Doo Room!

I called home this afternoon to let them know I had left Sand Creek and Micah was a bit hysterical - Sam had been sharpening the mower blades and the mower fell off the saw horse putting a big gash in his face.  At that point I was less than five miles from home.  She said he said he needed stitches, Matt wasn't home and she didn't want to drive him.  So I hurried home . . .grabbed a couple of good books to read and headed off to the ER with Sam!  He got put in the Scooby Doo Room (obviously, no children were there at that time) where he received three stitches just under his nose!  The good news - it REALLY wasn't a big gash and they didn't have to shave his mustache!

Fred is pointing to the wound.

Thankful Thursday!

Besides the obvious . . . 

• Thankful for a clean house;
• Thankful that before we go to bed tonight Micah will already have one of her papers done for next school year; and
• Thankful for an empty pool this morning;

. . . I am thankful for the lives I get to touch at Sand Creek Adventures!  Yesterday morning I sent a group of IT specialists from all over the United States down the zip line.  It's amazing what fear shares as you're standing on the platform looking down and I'm so thankful that Emma Jane's daddy successfully made it down the third zip!  After the IT group, it was a group of kids from Owatonna on the low ropes course followed by a girls' empowerment group on the low ropes.  A smile, an encouragement, a life touched.  Have a great day!  I'll be back at Sand Creek tomorrow . . . 

Hoanaky

Today's post has been reblogged from "Through My Porthole".  On my bucket list - some day, some where in Africa - is going to a dress ceremony!

As I sat at my desk writing Hoanaky’s story, the sweet lilting sound of African voices drifted up the ship’s stairwells from the hospital deck. Irresistibly drawn below, I encountered a sight that reminds me of all the reasons I have served with Mercy Ships for almost 3 decades. A cluster of tiny Malagasy women recovering from their obstetric fistula (OBF) surgeries were singing, clapping, swaying their way along the corridor. I understood enough to recognise Thank you Jesus and I’m very happy, but there was no misinterpreting the utter joy radiating from each beautiful face, young and old.

Hoanaky suffered a long labour. K Keegan

This is one woman’s story which echoes in the lives of thousands of her sisters.

Hoanaky labored hard for four days in her remote village in Madagascar’s far south.  Exhausted, she finally delivered a still-born baby.  Hoanaky’s loss was compounded by the impact of her traumatic delivery.  The prolonged pressure of the baby’s head caused the wasting of internal muscle and tissue, creating an abnormal opening between her bladder and birth canal.  Hoanaky had developed an obstetric fistula. At the age of 26, she was permanently incontinent.

This gentle woman became shrouded in hopelessness.  Neither Hoanaky nor her mother had ever heard of another woman with this condition.  There was nowhere to turn for help.

Life as she knew it ended. In a nation when incontinence products are practically unheard of, Hoanaky’s injury made it impossible to go about her day-to-day activities. She leaked urine uncontrollably and smelled terrible. “I was always staying at home. I could never go to the market or anywhere,” she recalls. “I didn’t have a life anymore.” Ashamed, Hoanaky sequestered herself in the thatched hut she shares with her mother and daughter.

She received free corrective surgery at the clinic Mercy Ships established. Pic Justine Forrest

Months later Hoanaky’s mother heard talk that perhaps Mercy Ships could help her daughter. Together they attended a patient screening.  Hoanaky received an appointment and transportation to the far-away hospital ship on the coast.

Hoanaky journeyed with two ladies from her region for five days. As time passed they told shared stories and the three realised they had a similar tale to tell.  Suddenly Hoanaky was no longer isolated by the belief she was the ‘only one’.

When the trio reached the Mercy Ship they embarked on a journey to healing. Free obstetric fistula surgery mended their physical injuries, and the compassionate medical team encouraged the recovering women in regaining confidence. The gentle, fun-loving nurses nurtured each broken woman towards rediscovering they are “beautifully and wonderfully made.”

Mercy Ships holds a celebration for each group of women ready to head home; a Dress Ceremony. Each restored woman accepts a brand new outfit symbolizing her new beginning. For many this is the solitary time they have ever possessed first-hand clothes, and the elation radiates from their faces.

“Without the surgery I would be like a person already dead. Now I will live like everybody, like I have a normal life!” Hoanaky declares with delight.

Hoanaky and her friends had received their longed-for opportunity to begin again.

The outward reflection of her inner transformation

                            Hoanaky’s plight is echoed by  

200 girls and women each day 

who developed obstetric fistulas in sub-Sahara Africa and Asia,

The establishment of a fistula clinic in Madagascar 

is part of the Mercy Ships strategy 

to bring sustainable healthcare to this nation.