To Be a Mother

HELP US ADOPT OUR LITTLE BOY IN EASTERN EUROPE!!!

2011-05-16T20:17:00.001-07:00

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MOMCAST PODCAST-ADOPTION IN UGANDA AND HAITI

2011-04-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

Please start visiting our main blog at MOTHER THE WORLDhttp://www.mothertheworld.org

We will have live PODCAST on ADOPTION IN UGANDA AND HAITI ON TUESDAY 4/12/11 at 8pm

VIdeo for 40Daysforlife 2011 YOUTH

2011-02-25T19:18:00.000-08:00

HIV Positive Adoption-Video Testimony- Project Hopeful

2011-02-15T12:20:00.001-08:00

This video is of my friend Traci. I had the pleasure of taping her during a recent Chicago meeting we had with Project Hopeful. She is the mother of 6 children (all adopted). Her youngest is Dasha from Ukraine. Dasha is HIV+. Traci is fast becoming one of my best friends. She is extremely bright, funny and easygoing. I love this woman. THere were two points that really drove home to me when listening to her.

One was when she mentions that being a mother is less about fulfilling our needs but loving because these children need us. It seems like a given, but truly if we consider how and why we love, it is often because we are trying to fulfill a need within ourselves. That need could be security,confidence, control or our own personal NEED to be a mother. If we really think about it LOVE is something that we should express toward out children in spite of getting nothing...even the possibility of a lack of love back from love. We love because they need us to love them and when we do it is a gift God has given us...Traci says about her kids "they don't have to love me. If they do it is a gift. But I love them..." Important point to remember when considering adoption. Do we adopt because we expect love back. Do we adopt because we expect appreciation from the child? Or do we love in spite of getting nothing back?

The other thing that I loved about what Traci said is regarding HOPE. And this could be applied to TRUTH, JOY, PEACE or anything feeling or promise that others need to survive. We oftentimes think of 'hope' as something elusive or out there somewhere in an intangible spot. The fact is that we are called to 'bring' hope to people by being the hands and feet of Jesus and 'bringing the hope' to them. When we advocate for them we are 'bringing the hope.' When we sit around thinking the hope will come from some other resource than ourselves than we are deciding not to participate in the Great Commission to bring Truth to others. .....We are blessed to be able to serve. We can choose to let someone else bring the hope...or have a person die without hope..or we can 'bring the hope'...to someone in need. Traci and her husband Scott have brought the hope to six children...one with HIV who could have died without her intervention. So we bring on the HOPE whenever we can everytime we say "Yes Lord..I am going..to be obedient and serve your children.." Traci's personal blog is LET IT BE TO ME...

Kids Visit Make Up Store

2011-01-25T16:46:00.000-08:00

# Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (His Dream Our Reality)-Video Tribute by Blended Family

2011-01-17T10:32:00.003-08:00

Incredible Adoption Video

2010-12-10T19:05:00.000-08:00

MOTHER HIV PLUS

2010-12-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

Please view these amazing videos from our MOTHER HIV PLUS campaign...click on the link and hear some amazing testimonies

#adoption God Plays Santa for Orphans

2010-12-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

Reminder that most of our posts are to be seen at MOTHER THE WORLD

My family has been committing to praying for the orphan in a very personal way. So we post pictures of these sweet children on our refrigerator or in a frame and pray for them. Often we have celebrated when we find out these children find homes. One of these children is a beautiful boy that my family loves even though we haven't met him. We have been praying for him for several months now. He is 4 years old, HIV positive and living in Eastern Europe. I have a friend who is a strong advocate for many orphans in this country and has connections in over 20 of these orphanages....Through an amazing act of God we had come to find out what

orphanage our virtually internet adopted son is living in.

This was an orphanage she had not visited yet but because of her advocacy we were able to find out orphanage needs etc of his current home....We just had this conversation recently and in this conversation she mentioned how her organization had already sent or were about to send most of their Christmas packages to the orphanages and this orphanage did not have anyone sending gifts....So of course I volunteered to send boxes to these orphans but also told her that we would not be able to get them there by Christmas...(they celebrate in January)....

A few weeks ago, I posted a note on my Facebook about needing toys for 40 boys and 40 girls ages (2-6) and then additional items (pacifiers, baby wipes for 150 infants).No one responded or volunteered to help...But in all honesty I dropped the ball not pursuing it further and then started to get concerned because I had promised....so even though finances are very tight i figured I would somehow be able to spend the money etc to get it done..or I was just going to tell my friend we couldn't get our act together....In all honesty, I had no idea what Iwas going to do because I haven't even shopped for my own kids..don't have discretionary income...and had to cancel two fundraisers due to lack of response or contributions. Things are tight very very tight now not only for myself but for many so I totally understand people needing to prioritize and spend for their holidays etc..But still..I said "yes' I will help...and no matter what my family 'needs' for the Holidays...they pale in comparison to the 300 children at this orphanage...My intense passion for these particular children is spilling over into most of my extra time...I can't stop feeling anxious about the HIV children especially at this orphanage and the fact that when it snows in winter..there are windows that are broken so it snows inside (winter is coming fast in Eastern Europe)....I had decided I was going to find a way to help via MOTHER THE WORLD NFP by offering to videotape the orphanage/raise awareness etc...Somehow I am determined to visit there but not sure how or when...

Being the mother of 4 adopted children I have noticed that God does allow the orphan to get to the front of the line of His priorities...It sometimes seems like every other seemingly important thing in the world can take a backseat when His orphaned children are clamoring to sit in the Father's lap....If God were Santa...there would be a VIP line at the mall for these children. The sea parts for them...but sometimes requires someone to lead them to the opening...We oftentimes are called to help to deliver the goodness of God to them...and it is serious business...

So, this morning I experienced an intense Jesus encounter. I woke up with my heart broken for these children...and I prayed and prayed for God to move mountains for these children...while not thinking much about the ball I had dropped regarding Christmas or at least February gifts for this orphanage...I prayed for families and that God would not forget them...I then went out to open the garage door because i had an errand to run and found this blocking the entrance to my garage...(I could have backed into something)....

On the way to see what was outside of my garage (in the way of my leaving), I received a call from a mother of my daughter's friend saying "Hi this is Linda, I just decided to drop by some extra items our store had and i thought you would be able to figure out what to do with them!" This woman had not seen my email requesting help for this orphanage...I had not called her to ask for anything and she is not on facebook and doesn't know hardly any of my friends...as I walked up to the boxes and looked inside I saw that there were 5 boxes filled with age appropriate items for all of the children in this orphanage for the holidays...dropped at my house in NC to be delivered from God to these children in Eastern Europe that I had forgotten but He hadn't...

There were about 200 little cars, dolls, action figures, yo yo's, books, mittens, stuffed toys, crayons, playdough, jumpropes...on and on..brand new...

I walked into the door of my house deciding the errands will have to wait....I fell to my knees and cried like I was a little child myself....I couldn't get over the relentlessness and extravagance of God. My Ethiopian daughter Ella asked me the other day if Santa and God are the same....my older Ethiopian daughter very wisely looked at her sister and said "God is like MANAGER to Santa!" In this case this is very true...sometimes Santa may forget but God doesn't...I am humbled at how God can deliver stocking stuffers to a busy mom in NC (right behind her minivan in case she would miss it)..so that she will NOT FORGET what GOD'S priorities are....and it is very clearly the orphan....I pray this season we remember how insignificant our needs and desires are to the needs of the least of these who have made it to the top of the list of the MANAGER AND SUPERVISOR of Santa....

If you would like to donate to MOTHER THE WORLD to help with shipping or help me to get there to video tape the orphanages and Mothers and help these children find homes please consider donating to my non-for profit...Mother the World..

MOTHER THE WORLD: FAMILIES NEEDED for Adoption of Sibling Groups

2010-12-09T06:23:00.000-08:00

Please note that most of our BLOGGING activity is at our main blog MOTHER THE WORLD
Please frequent there for more daily posts/updates..

We have two new inquiries looking for families for two situations abroad:

Three toddler siblings in an Asian country (the youngest -age 2- is HIV positive)...looking for a family to take all three...Please contact PROJECT HOPEFUL.

AND

2 Sibling groups of 4 in Poland ranging in age from 2-9 (see below for contact)
A woman (Anna Maria), who adopted 3 Polish children 10 years ago (just recently returned to the orphanage in Poland for a visit), has been asked by the sisters (Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Czestochowa ), to help get the word out that there are two different sibling groups of four children each (ages ranging from 2-9), that they are trying to find homes for. These nuns who run the orphanage do not want to see the children split from their siblings.

If you all know anyone who might be in a position to adopt a sibling group from Poland, please pass on this information! Anna Maria's number is 703-203-2901. She is here in the U.S. and does speak Polish. If anyone is seriously interested, Anna Maria said she would be glad to talk to them.

The Directoress' name is Sr. Alina Syliwoniuk. Her phone number is (011) +48(0)34-324- 67-51. Dom Malych Dzieci Home of small children (Orphanage) im. E.Bojanowskiego E. Bojanowski ul. sw. Kazimierza 1 St. Casimir Str 42-200 Czestochowa

Gratitude and the ADOPTED CHILD

2010-11-24T18:50:00.001-08:00

PLEASE VISIT: MOTHER THE WORLD for more updated blog posts

I grew up as the youngest of 4 girls, with one bathroom (without a shower) in a tiny bungalow in Illinois. My mother was a single mother from the time I was 8 years old. I dried my hair by sitting in front of the furnace. My mom worked 4 jobs to pay the bills and there were times when I ate mayo and peanut butter sandwiches for lunch.

This morning our bedroom door bust open at 7:15 am. Our adopted children woke us up to inform us that they wanted to change rooms and that their plan was for us to change our plans to accommodate their idea of FUN on the day before Thanksgiving in moving furniture, dresssers etc. My agenda had included getting the turkey defrosted and preparing for Thanksgiving. As I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, somewhat annoyed because I wanted to sleep in until at least 8am, I informed them that there would be no room changes now or in the near future. My 9 year old Ethiopian daughter Ella wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer and in her usual spirited fashion kept pushing for HER WILL TO BE DONE….. . Eventually, this led to her proclaiming how she never gets what she wants and that all of the other kids she knows basically are parented by people who always say “YES” to every whim of their children. I then sent her to her room because I have come to the realization that I have no patience for any individual who feels entitled or is ungrateful.

When you go through the adoption process you have to take these DVD parenting classes required by the HAGUE. Most of them are extremely helpful. We still use 90% of the techniques that are recommended. But I have to say that I disagree with the advice to never let your children think that somehow you have done them a favor by adopting them and increasing their life span by 50 years through adoption. Okay…let me explain. Many child psychologists recommend not pointing out to your adopted kids how fortunate they are to have what they now have. I take exception to this because I don’t care if a person is from Park Avenue, Beverly Hills or the streets of Guatemala City or Addis Ababa…I HATE WHEN PEOPLE ARE UNGRATEFUL FOR THE BLESSINGS GOD HAS GIVEN THEM….

Oprah had this segment that she promoted often which included a ‘gratitude journal”. Oprah I know is not perfect…but I do think expressing gratitude for all that we have is an awesome thing to do. If we expect this from your average American why do we decide it is best not to remind our orphaned children of the same? I want all of my children to be grateful to God for our lives. I realized as I pondered what Ella may be thinking while I had her ‘reflect’ in her room., that the reason Ella is constantly dis-satistied, is that she still is mentally coming from a place of lack and a place of being robbed. She lost her mother, she lost her culture in some ways…she lost life as she knew it. I don’t want to diminish her pain in anyway. But I also don’t want her to grow up to be an adult with a chip on her shoulder thinking the world still owes her something. She is not living in lack and seems to have her eyes closed to the treasure that abound all around her. It is my job as her mother to open her eyes and direct them away from the lies of lack and the truth of the treasures. She has been blessed. She has the word CHOSEN all over her in spite of her past. She has an opportunity to give a testimony of how God redeemed her life. But if she lives her life waiting for THINGS to fill that empty space and if I allow her to grow up with that chip present than I personally don’t think I would be helping to nurture a healthy adult. If we keep ignoring the awesome blessings God has placed on their lives by bringing us all together then we are being ungrateful to God Himself. There are still many children in Africa, in Guatemela, Ukraine, China that don’t have 3,4, or 5 bedrooms to choose from.

It had been announced to me that Ella wanted to run away after being denied ‘a different room.” I told Ella to make sure not to take any of the clothes we had given her, or shoes, or food or bike. I know!.I know! Not really the DVD parenting advice you get on the adoption DVD’s. I went up to see Ella and she had been writing a scathing letter of how much she hates us for not doing what she wanted when she wanted it….I sat down calmly and asked Ella these questions. How big was your house in Ethiopia? She said she didn’t remember. I told her that I remembered because we had visited her great grandfather’s house where she lived after her mother had passed. I told her it was the same size as her current room. I said “Did it have a bathroom attached and was it air conditioned?” I know! I know…awful parenting. Then I told her the horrific stories of how when I was little we had to put air conditioners in the windows…”OH NO!” She gasped!!! And how we didn’t have computers or even a cell phone or a dishwasher…OH NOOOOOO….to her I had been an abused and neglected child…Then a light bulb went off in my mind….I thought I would discuss why we had THANKSGIVING and how people who came to America had no food then PILGRIMS AND INDIANS shared their food (sort of like we do with eachother and friends)…I then told her how sad and sorry I am for her for the death of her parents and how it makes me sad too…but then I told her…”isn’t it amazing that God loves you sooo much that he brought you a new family? Isn’t it incredible that you can even choose between bedrooms? Isn’t it awesome how you have so many friends and that you can live a long life and that one day you too can adopt a baby from Ethiopia because you will grow to be a healthy strong Ethiopian/American woman? Not all Ethiopian girls can grow up to be Ethiopian women or mothers or grandmothers (their life expectancy pales by many years to hers)…. I told her that she has an excellent chance of all of the amazing milestones that were stolen from her mother….

Why shouldn’t the orphan be grateful? We all should be grateful…Why shouldn’t the orphan be reminded to praise God for where they are and what they have? We all should Praise God for where we are and what we have….Why shouldn’t the orphan be reminded to speak with respect to the people who took a leap of faith to commit their lives, hearts and finances to love them? We all should respect our parents when they put their lives on the line for us…I don’t want Ella to feel condemned or that she should be constantly shouting THANK YOU to us…but I certainly don’t think it is healthy for the memories and realization of blessings to be stripped from them because of some advice from a psychological study that may or may not work with my real life child in my bedroom at 7:15am..

Ella is upstairs making pumpkin pies with her Aunt Denise right now. Her room is clean, She played with her 2 Chinese girlfriends today. Tomorrow she is in charge of collecting a list from each child of what they are Thankful for ….I am so grateful for the parenting DVD’s we were required to watch in order to be qualified as parents…but sometimes there is something to be said for parental instinct and a divine HOLY SPIRIT intelligence that sometimes dominates in our parenting….

I am grateful for my beautiful children but feel free to join me in reprimanding them if they pull any entitlement crap in front of you…it is THANKSGIVING and we will be giving thanks in spite of what they WANT!!!!

Christmas 2010

2010-11-18T15:25:00.001-08:00

Two Mateas....Video Trick

2010-11-15T11:41:00.001-08:00

PreTeen Daughters at the MakeUp Store in the Mall

2010-11-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

Orphan Sunday: Is the Bride of Christ Dancing? Mother the World

2010-11-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

InCulture Parent

2010-11-01T11:12:00.001-07:00

Check out this new online magazine. I am a contributor InCulture Parent...

REDIRECT/GO TO MOTHER THE WORLD FOR NEW POSTS

2010-10-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

HI..I am posting much more frequently here at our MOTHER THE WORLD blog...

Orphans Living on the Streets of Russia

2010-10-27T17:39:00.001-07:00

Documentary of street kids in Russia. Be still my heart. Some have run away from home, the orphanage and abuse in both places. But the life on the streets and what it does to these kids is just heart breaking....All I can say honestly is that we have to remind ourselves to always think about how precious they are in HIS sight and that as the hands of feet of God...maybe we can do our little bit to help. Children often times who age out of the orphanage system have the options for government programs but because of lack of proper parenting often still end up on the street after using govt funding for vodka and foolish spending..it is a crazy cycle...just pray...

THE CHILDREN OF LENINGRADSKY 1 OF 2
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THE CHILDREN OF LENINGRADSKY 2 OF 2
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@adoption Pure Extravagant Religion

2010-08-30T16:11:00.001-07:00

In 2000, I was blessed to be the contracted band for the wedding of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. It was an exciting time for me. I was in my element on the Plaza stage leading my band of 16 musicians, surrounded by A-list Hollywood cele

brities and honestly, I didn’t feel out of place. Granted, I didn’t feel like a movie star but I did feel confident in my abilities as a young band-leader. This was not a typical wedding. It had been reported that they spent 3.5 million on the wedding. And while most of my weddings were not 3.5 million dollar weddings most of them were in the 200-500k range and several a year were million+ dollar weddings. I had played the Plaza hundreds of times before thiswedding and on this night felt at home and at ease enjoying gazing at the movie stars on the dance floor and at their tables from where I was at center stage.

At one point during the night, I stepped back from my position in the front line of the band to hand the microphone to Art Garfunkel another to Jimmy Buffett, Steven Stills, Jimmy Webb, Bonnie Tyler and Mick Jones from Foreigner. I then sat down giving cues to the band while they performed. I remember being infinitely aware that this was probably the pinnacle of my success as a NY bandleader. I have done many parties for celebrities since then and before. But this wedding stood out. But as I sat on the stage, surrounded by Grammy and Oscar winners, a thought passed quickly through my brain. “NOW WHAT?” I was acutely aware that even though I enjoyed being there and loved my job, the level of fulfillment was only ‘so-so’. In the months after this wedding I started to become annoyed with people wasting 80k on flowers

that I would see thrown into a garbage bag or the dumpsters filled with filet, salmon and caviar. This also was just about the time that I started to feel pulled toward the orphan, adoption and other issues related to children and people struggling and suffering in America and around the world. I developed a really bad attitude about the spending that occurred at these weddings, parties. I would tell myself “there are children dying of Aids in Africa. All of that food could feed a village in Guatemala!” I became a bit undone….

But something changed a few years later as I started to indulge myself in thinking about the Extravagance of God. I am not going to suggest that we should be wasteful, but sometimes it really is okay to use the best wine all throughout the party. Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding….(and really good ‘port’ wine apparently). My oldest daughter and I watch ‘SAY YES TO THE DRESS.” I am shocked at the 7000 dollar dresses. I hope my daughters know that the $7000 dress is probably not in their future, but there are times when it is appropriate to be extravagant with your children and throw a wedding or party to celebrate their life. I pray we can be extravagant in our love to each other like Jesus is to us. Sometimes this will come in the form of extravagant food, clothing or parties… but mostly I hope our actions can become invaluable treasures and contributions to the world.

When we decided to adopt our children we had to make a conscious decision to sacrifice our lifestyle, our prior way of existing in order to pour out our hearts and souls to these children. Most people I know who have adopted children are not rich but it is as if they have consciously made a decision to ‘bank on God’. In other words, they are playing the ‘God market’ not the ‘stock market’. If we believe that the center of God’s call to us is to serve and take care of orphans and widows (James 1:27), then are we also willing to invest in the church of PURE EXTRAVAGANT RELIGION? God calls this type of service to orphans and widows and diminishing the world’s influence on our lives- PURE RELIGION. Do we have more faith in our worldly pension plans and new 30k cars and big houses than we do with taking a leap of faith to pour all we are and all we have onto the feet of Jesus’ call?

I love the story of Mary (the prostitute) who poured out the most expensive oils onto Jesus’ feet. She took her life savings in the form of oil to anoint the feet of Christ and fill the environment, the house, the community with fragrance. Extravagant love really means pouring it into God in a gesture of faith without boundaries.

John 12:1-11 Jesus arrived in Bethany where Lazarus lived. The home that they were in didn’t belong to Lazarus though, it was, according to Mark 14:3, “Simon the Lepers” home. Most of us would never ever think of eating in a lepers house. And many of us would never consider adopting an HIV+ child or allowing the HEP C child to play or wrestle with our kids in our living room. But Jesus went there to eat. Jesus would play with the HIV+ kid, He would give His love extravagantly back to the down syndrome baby and the child crying at the side of the road. Jesus gave His life extravagantly. It was a good time at Simon the Leper’s house. It was also a place where something miraculous and truly great took place.  Mary enters the room and brings Jesus a God honoring offering. She approaches Him, breaks open her alabaster jar, and pours it all over his head. She then falls to her knees and pours what is left on his feet and wipes it with her hair.  The fragrance of the perfume fills the room as tension fills the air.  Judas rebukes her.  But the Lord Jesus is just as quick to honor her. Jesus blessed her gift and made sure that her selfless act would be remembered forever. Jesus visits the home of the Leper, dines and then allows a prostitute to pour out the oil she bought from selling her body in sin to men onto His feet. This boggles my mind. Jesus enjoys when sinful people extravagantly honor Him in serving Him, in glorifying Him. Mark 14:9, “I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”  

So a few months after the famous Plaza wedding I stood at another wedding at the Plaza. The father of the bride told me that they almost lost their daughter to cancer when she was a child. They popped the most expensive champagne for her wedding. The father gave a toast in celebration of his daughter being given life when they were sure she would die. I watched on realizing that an expensive wedding was appropriate…I still wondered and was frustrated at what seemed like wasteful spending at other events and then I realized that each one of us is precious….

Today my (neice in law-that means my brother in law’s niece-) was laid to rest. She was 10. Her name was Giovanna. She died of cancer. I think about how blessed she was to have extravagant love poured onto her as a child surrounded by loving parents and family. I know that had she lived to see her wedding we all would have wanted to pour the expensive champagne.

I think about Gio and I then think about all of the children in the world who do not have one person to lay vigil as they die. I think about all of the children who will never have a champagne toast in their honor because they have no mother or father to shower them with love.
I think specifically about a little boy named Baxter in Eastern Europe who is HIV+ who may never have a chance to learn how to read or ride a bike because no one was extravagant enough to ‘bank on God’ and pour extravagant love onto him…I cringe and am brought to tears in thinking that he could die without one person laying vigil at the side of his bed. And I think about how he has a ‘disease’ that if treated is totally manageable…if only someone was willing to be extravagant enough to bank on God and pour their savings on him (like Mary did to Jesus).

Today I was at a birthday party where two adopted children were pampered and surrounded with love. I think about my little girl and my friend’s daughter and I can understand how their lives are worth well more than extravagant love..the kind of love that would fill a room with expensive flowers on their wedding days. I remember how my girlfriend and I prayed for these children and how it seemed risky to ‘invest’ in these children who were qualified and considered by some to be ‘unplanned’ and ‘unwanted’.’ But in ‘banking on God’ with them the incredible thing is that we are the ones that feel like we are soaking in some kind of expensive oil of Christ’s love.

What is more risky? To commit to abiding by Pure Extravagant Religion by ‘banking on God’ or sitting comfortably while the ‘world’ or ‘wall street’ brokers control our life savings….? Shouldn’t we want to be saving lives rather than committing our lives to saving?

When the groom comes back to His bride (the church) after being gone for awhile, and asks, “So how are my children? Have you been making sure that you are caring for them?” What are we going to be able to say?

I hope we can turn to the One and say….”Beloved I poured out everything we have on these children because you told me that in order to honor you I had to take care of them and not be influenced and polluted by the world…so I took all we have saved, every flower from our garden I have bathed them in, every rich fruit I have fed them with and with the most expensive linens I have clothed them with…….and I am amazed to see that new flowers are growing, new fruit is budding and I have filled your closet with the finest silk and velvet from gifts that have been laid at our doorstep…”

What do we believe in ?

There are 147 million orphans…many are dying today. Some of these children do not have one person to care enough to even pray for them. Some are left to starve naked because they are handicapped and have no one to even bring them a banana. Christ wants us to clothe them, feed them and open our homes to them (Matthew 25:31-46).

I remember being on the fence with not knowing whether we should throw an investment onto our children via adoption. I remember being afraid but I know now that I am not going to ever regret the choice we have made to ‘bank on God’. I will never regret pouring what we had saved onto the feet of God’s call to ‘go’ and adopt these children. I know that had I been a goat standing in front of God as someone who failed to recognize the face of Jesus in the eyes of these children I would have wished I had taken the step to join in participating in “Pure Extravagant Religion” while I was still able to.

My children may never get the 1 million dollar wedding. But I no longer judge or criticize the work I do. I realize that there are times that as parents we should pour into our children in celebrating their lives extravagantly. It just grieves me knowing that each life deserves celebrating but for 147 million orphans that rarely means a birthday party. It grieves me to realize that each birthday deserves the special party with tea and dress up and gifts, but so many children have no one to say “we are so glad you were born!”

Get out the good oil….pour it into God’s bank…live your life extravagantly for Him. Believe in Him and be able to look Him in the eye and say “we recognized you when you were a stranger, an angel unaware in the form of the orphan child .We took you in and poured out the finest scented oil on you….then we celebrated Your life and lived and practiced Pure Extravagant Religion for the rest of our days!” And it is a pleasure to be where we are surrounded by the pleasure of Jesus.

@adoption My Ugly Friends

2010-08-26T21:44:00.003-07:00

It was a long ugly year. It was also one that I will never forget. I learned so much about ugliness this year and discovered pure amazing beauty as well . I learned that when we step out to reveal our own ugliness, we disarm pretense, we create a safe house in our presence for others and we find that there is liberty in expressing truth and ugliness. It is sort of like washing off the thick make up we had been wearing for weeks on end just to go ‘au natural’ with a clean and freshly washed face. Each wrinkle, sunspot, pimple, mole, in the light of day is beautiful in its authenticity. Kicking off the three inch heels we have worn to give us stature only to run barefoot, feeling the sand, mud, water, in-between our toes, shows us how alive we really are when we walk in humility. Exactly a year ago I released my book, “TO BE A MOTHER.” I was reluctant at first to tell my story about the abortion I experienced and the deep pain, regret, shame, guilt and remorse that I felt. But through prayer it was clearly revealed that this story of God’s grace and redemption must be told. The day before the book was released it dawned on me how naked I would be and how ugly the truth was in my past. I was so afraid and doubtful but knew it was God’s will for it to be written in all of its naked ugly truth. The best lesson I have learned this year is that God loves me as ugly as I can be and as ugly as I have been. I have stood in front of women (whether it is one woman or a crowd of women) in my ‘ugliness’ and reminded them that they are loved and of value because God tells us that we are significant in our imperfection and ugliness. We try so hard to keep the make up applied, the high heels on and the pencil skirts pressed. But sometimes our quest for beauty just makes us feel dirtier and uglier by worldly standards, when we refuse to let the scars be shown. Sometimes the most beautiful parts of us are our scars, moles and age spots that we try to hide.

I expressed my ugliness to a Mexican woman walking into her abortion and gave my testimony for the first time ever in bad Spanish. She ended up keeping her baby. She smiled and waved to me as she left the clinic. I felt beautiful even though I was wearing sweats and a baseball cap.

I told a crowd of women of the ugly day that I wanted to kill myself post abortion. Later, after the event, a woman volunteered to help me carry my things to the car. She confessed her own abortion. I was the first person she had told in 27 years. She cried. We laughed in liberation in the empty parking lot outside of a conference center. We both saw how free she felt once she confessed. It was a beautiful day even though it was cold and rainy .

This summer I was present when a baby was born that had been close to being aborted. I had shared my ugly story with the mother. She shared many ugly stories of her life to me. We both saw Jesus in the face of this child and felt beautiful even though we both hadn't slept in 48 hours.

I was present when a friend of mine had a nervous breakdown in front of my eyes. I don’t believe she would have been able to express her ugliness had she not known of mine. I watched later as she pulled herself out of it and developed an acceptance of her own ugliness. We found beauty in Christ’s grace that day….

I am a different woman now. I have been transformed through ugliness this year. I am so grateful to Jesus for moving the mountains inside of me to make me comfortable enough sometimes to sit in the ugly valley and know that I can make it up to the mountain top to view His beauty too. The ugly valley in all of its ugliness is sometimes where He wants us to be in order to show others HIS true beauty.

I thank God for surrounding me with women comfortable with the ugliness of this world. I thank God for friends like Carolyn, Traci, Leslie, Cindy, Diana who will pick up an ‘ugly’ HIV + child and open their arms and homes to them only to see God in their eyes.

I am grateful for my new friend Teresa who will go into orphanages in the Ukraine and hold and hug an ‘ugly’ child left to starve to death because he has cerebral palsy.

I thank God for Lynette, Sundy, Deborah who will shine a spotlight on the ugliness of human trafficking.

I praise God for Denice and Pam who are relentless in their passion to save the ‘ugly’ unborn babies.

I thank God for Rebecca and Madonna who hold their 'ugly’ down syndrome babies and love them unconditionally.

I thank God for Jodi who is willing to go to ugly places like Haiti and Uganda or advocate for the orphan in DC revealing the ugly truth about an at times flawed process...

Thank you Jesus for Eileen who with her relentless Kolfe Mama attitude unorphaned Solomon who is sure to breathe new life into America representing all of the 'ugly' street kids and discarded children in Ethiopia.

Thank you God for Elaine who has never met a teenager or young adult that she didn’t want to put her arms around and call ‘child.’ There are too many young adults who never know the comfort of a mother. I have to believe the world is a better place because she faced her own ugliness and was able to embrace their’s with joy and acceptance.

I am not the same as I was a year ago. The ugly truth has been a direct and fast path to witness unbelievable beauty that was unavailable to me when I tried to cover up my spiritual blemishes. My friends are beautiful with dirty fingernails that have dug into the messes of this world. I feel so much more put together these days as I walk with these ‘dirty fingernailed’ women. We dig deep, searching to find, as Mother Teresa put it “Jesus in disguise,” in the orphan, trafficked, post abortive and so called flawed children of God with their ugly diseases, birth defects and so far from ‘Gerber baby’ demographic faces. The women I call my friends these days are not the ‘pretty women’ type by worldly standards either. But I believe it is fine with us because our quest is not to fulfill an image of acceptance from the world. We are ‘ruined’ for the world and may never be perceived as beautiful to anyone looking at us with expensive designer rose colored glasses. My friends and their children are beautiful even if the world calls them ‘ugly’ sometimes…WHO THE STINK CARES!!!!! We are alive and more beautiful walking with mud in our toes, dirty fingernails and our messy, imperfect children. Such an honor to dance next to girlfriends like mine with their muddy feet and scars exposed for all of the 'pretty perfect people' to see….

Thank you Jesus for beautiful friends bold enough to run, walk, stumble and fall in a very ugly world!!!!!

Do it Yourself Laundry Detergent

2010-07-22T11:52:00.001-07:00

Okay i am so excited. I am going to share this recipe for home made laundry detergent which I believe originally came from the Duggars but I got it from my really good friend Carolyn Twietmeyer the wonderful mother of many amazing kids from birth and adoption....I have been noticing that detergent has been priced around 12-15 for a large bottle and because we go through so much I have
been opting for the extremely cheap laundry detergent but this is saving me tons of money. I think for the recipe below I probably spent 2-3 dollars......it will fill up 8 bottles ....

Ingredients:
4 cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar ... See More
1 cup washing soda
½ cup Borax
Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
Fill a five-gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (It will gel.)
Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons. Top-load machine: 5/8 cup per load (approximately 180 loads). Front-load machine: ¼ cup per load (approx. 640 loads).

Kids FIrst Trip to the Cemetery!!

2010-07-21T18:59:00.001-07:00

I know this is sort of creepy...but the kids were so funny with their first visit to the cemetery. I love how kids can be so real even in otherwise somber places...

Teen Ethiopian Kolfe Boy (Solomon) Spiritually Adopted in America

2010-06-24T20:10:00.001-07:00

Amazing miracle in the lives of the Mestas family as their son Solomon who they have spiritually adopted is now here in America from the Kolfe Orphanage in Ethiopia now here on an education visa to study to be a pastor. I am once again showing the video I shot of Eileen about 7 months ago along with two videos from our time yesterday at the airport....to greet Solomon into America...

VIdeos of FOSTER KIDS

2010-06-11T18:50:00.001-07:00

Abortion Testimony from CHILLI of TLC!!!

2010-06-03T19:07:00.001-07:00

So rare when people in entertainment come out to discuss the negative aspects of abortion. So many people in the entertainment industry advocate abortions.. She was very brave to talk about this! Her testimony with inspire many women to pause and reflect about the ramifications of abortion...

5 Year Old Matea tells the STORY OF ESTHER

2010-05-22T19:14:00.001-07:00

Churches and Greatness!!!

2010-05-12T20:41:00.001-07:00

I have been pondering my life a lot lately. I have been realizing how much time I spend chasing after greatness. I am not chasing after greatness in the sense of being a celebrity stalker or believing I should solicit dinner invites to the White House. But I have spent a fair amount of my life working on ‘being great.’ I have been told often how great I am. Because of loving the way it feels to be told I am great I then would chase after greatness even with a greater fervor. When I was little I loved getting praises and adulation when I would do something simple like ride a bike. Then I became a great poet at a young age. Then I was this great softball pitcher. Then I was great at community theater, singing, dancing and singing at the same time. As I grew up I aspired to be the best New York City bandleader and ended up being that. I longed to be a great mother. My husband and I had great credit scores and a great nest egg because we had great jobs. In being entertainers you often hear “Great Job!” “You were great tonight!” “Great Voice!” “Great band!”

Well human greatness is a fallacy. I tried really hard at the age of 18 when I found myself pregnant to continue to appear "GREAT." So I had an abortion..Greatness doesn't really exist for most humans. We should aspire for excellence while knowing we are human. Most people that many of us consider great are not. And many of our friends or relatives are also on the ‘greatness gravy train” and can’t get off. They spend their days trying to appear to be great when in reality they are far from it. I think as Christians we can have very large egos. In fact, we even pride ourselves on being the most humble which is ironic to me. We preach on humility and service but then when not on stage looking ‘great’ totally drop the ball. I will tell you what prompted this post on greatness…

Today I was in a church. The church has been called a ‘great’ church. The building is modern. The staff is dressed really hip. There is coffee and give away mugs in the lobby. The ladies bathroom is painted perfectly great for the women with great conferences listed on the bulletin boards. The hallways are filled with international goals in ministry. The church hosts concerts by well-known Christian artists. From the worldly viewpoint it looks like the church is doing ‘great’ work for the kingdom. One of the great works it is advertising was the race to raise funds for breast cancer. All of us believe fighting breast cancer is a great cause. But I happened to know that Susan G. Komen has been known to give money back to Planned Parenthood an organization that advocates and promotes abortion. I also have heard of many studies linking breast cancer and early induced abortions. Women like myself who have had abortions experience a 40% increase of risk of breast cancer. So, for me when I see a sign in a church and banners promoting this organization that is giving funds back to abortion providers, well it is just hypocritical and is just salt in the wound. Think of it this way: How would you feel if your church was promoting a race to stop lung cancer and you knew the money was going back to Philip Morris an organization that creates cigarettes. Then how would you feel if you lost a family member to lung cancer and the church continues to pour money into that organization that advertises and promotes giving cigarettes to children, teens and women. In early Roman history, babies were left on the side of the road to just die and it was the Christians that would save them. But what if there were chariot races that were all the rage just racing by babies and yet all of the Christians found these chariot races to be a vehicle for them to raise money for the people who would own a field to allow the babies to die in (sort of a death field).

I was upset that this church had these banners up. I believe there are better ways to raise money to fight breast cancer and I for one wouldn’t want to place my money into something that was going to cause the very thing I was fighting against. Would God want us to be that kind of steward to our money? So, I decided I would have a confidential conversation with the pastor. I asked in the morning. The receptionist said they were in a staff meeting. So I asked if it was okay if I came back in the afternoon. I told her it was a personal matter. I didn’t feel like telling everyone the story and facts over and over. When I arrived in the afternoon I was visibly upset by this. It would appear that even though I have been through therapy, bible studies and healing-churches that avoid and dodge the abortion issue still really gets to me. I said “Can I see the pastor for 5 minutes?” I had just seen him walk in with his lunch. I do respect the time of the pastors but this was an exceptional case and plus I believe Jesus came to get rid of overly stringent rules. I said “Please!” There were tears in my eyes. Well the receptionist would not relent and even closed the door on me. This is what got me on the greatness kick. Here is this ‘great’ church with women in cute pink sweat suits and sneakers unaware of promoting abortion and potentially more breast cancer, and a pastor who won’t ‘minister’ unless the crisis happens when it is perfectly timed.

Maybe if the church wouldn’t be so concerned with having perfectly great schedules in great buildings they would actually be in God’s business of saving lives and not APPEARING to be doing mission work. Wearing pink stuff for a walk can appear very Christian and ‘great’ until you google things like “Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood.” Or “Abortion Breast Cancer!” This church isn’t alone. There are many that honestly don’t care about abortion even though the bible tells us that He formed us in our mother’s womb.

My credit score is no longer great. I spent lots of money traveling to Ethiopia and Guatemala to adopt kids. I don’t think I am the NY bandleader rock star that I once was because I have been spending time talking about motherhood and not focusing on booking the band. Our work situation is not ‘great’. My mortgage is in pieces and far from ‘great.’ I probably will never be famously ‘great’ again. But I am tired of qualifying for some certificate of ‘greatness’ that has never come.

Jesus is great. Jesus is greatness! He acknowledged people hurting and had an open door policy. He hated hippocrites. Jesus says we are all adopted by Him. Jesus talks about the sanctity of life and walked a rough path with a cross after being beaten bloodied. There was nothing , cute or hip about a donkey with a mocked Jesus on the path….He would have been mocked a fool in these days too. But He truly was great!!! We should all get off of the ‘I want to be fabulously great treadmill.” We are not ‘great.’ We are sinful and flawed humans. But our intense passion for greatness and perfection has created some awful and evil stuff (such as potentially financing abortion by getting involved in a trendy event.) I am going to try to be more aware of how many times in my days, in my life I try to appear more than I am. I want to be more aware of how often I take credit for something ‘great’ in my life that is a miracle from God….

I came home today sad…defeated because when you dive into God’s plans you really start to see how not ‘great’ you are…..but then I went online and was introduced to David Platt who has given me hope that the GEN Y’s will reclaim true Christianity…I hope that my kids can live the radically Christian life which has nothing to do with our quest for ‘greatness’ but everything to do with JESUS’…

Mother's Day Tshirt with Donation of $20 or More

2010-05-02T18:35:00.000-07:00

To become an official MOTHER THE WORLD Sponsor donate $20 or more and get this MOTHER THE WORLD Tshirt for free as a THANK YOU(a great gift for Mother's Day)...Also, there is a link to additional gifts for mom at the end of this post...I am seen here with Elaine Bateman MRS. KENTUCKY in our MOTHER THE WORLD T-shirts

If interested in more Tshirts feel free to buy these from our link below. These are additional purchases outside of the promotion listed above...

National Anthem as a Second Language with Kids

2010-04-28T06:46:00.001-07:00

Ella came home from school so proud of learning the National Anthem. Because English is not her first language and she is still learning she has a ways to go before July 4th but should have it down by then..

Living Water for Girls

2010-04-28T05:00:00.001-07:00

I spent last weekend at MOMMY IN TRAINING and had a table next to LISA WILLIAMS..the director of Living Water for Girls...this is an amazing story and there is a huge need for care for trafficked women.

Grandpa with his Ethiopian Grandchildren!!!

2010-04-21T18:54:00.001-07:00

Ethiopian Adopted Kids See Pic of Deceased MOM after forgetting what she looked like

2010-04-20T07:00:00.001-07:00

(this pic is of YEMI AND BAN with Grandma Atalay, KIBRU (kids brother sitting), Yidneckachew (in white /red standing behind KIBRU and UNCLE(standing next to Ban)

It has been a beautiful day for us. Tonight we had the pleasure of showing our kids a picture of their mother. When we adopted them in 2008 they were not given a picture of their mom. They had been in the orphanage at Layla House in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for 18 months before we adopted them. Prior to that they had spent at least a year trying to live between their Grandma's house and great grandfather. So, it has been about 5 years since they have laid eyes on her face. About a year and a half ago, my friend Carla took a trip to Addis and was so sweet in desiring to take a long trek to try to get a picture. THis would entail driving to Asela (a few hours away) and finding the great grandfather's house and then trying to convince him to take them to see grandma. Well, we had also given Carla a photo album with many pictures of the kids in it. She handed the photo album to the great grandfather and his friend who identified herself as our kids AUNT....she also took video. But she was unable to go to get the pictures. At the time I was at least happy that we were able to get a photo album to grandma Atalay (great grandpa's daughter). When my kids saw the video they adamantly said "THAT IS NOT MY AUNT..THAT IS GRANDPA'S HELPER!!!" Well we have discovered now that HELPER translated into modern english means MISTRESS...So, we had the HELPER's phone number. Last month our friends YEMI AND BAN (also known affectionately by our kids as family to us) went to Ethiopia. We did not tell our kids but the plan was for them to try to get a picture of mom. They called the HELPER'S phone number and she said she would try to find grandma and the teenage brothers (there is also an uncle who is quite young and very bright). But days went by and she never called. Well, when we had visited in 2008 we had a cell phone number that was given to us during our visit by Getish (Yemi's brother in law). THe young uncle and MARK (who had the phone) exchanged numbers. Well a miracle had happened and a few days after the HELPER (forgot to deliver a message)...the UNCLE called Getish remembering he had the phone number. Getish then said YOU MUST COME TO ADDIS NOW!! And he asked him to bring grandma and Kibru and Yidnekachew, my kids biological big brothers. And Getish said he would pay the travel fees (by bus) if they brought a picture of MOM (Bayoush).

Well they came...and they were elated because they thought we took off with the kids with no desire ever to make contact. The grandmother had been concerned that the kids were dead. She had suffered so much loss/death in her life...so cried with delight in Yemi and Ban telling them all about their lives here and telling the story of how we brought pictures last year. Well Great Grandpa and HELPER had never bothered to tell her or give her the pictures. Grandma now has some pictures of our kids and we now have the correct phone numbers, and mailing address within ethiopia to call to deliver things.

So, last night we had dinner with Yemi and Ban...we still did NOT tell the kids about the pictures. After dinner we had Ban sit down and show the picture to them. At first Ella was unsure of who she was, Grace knew immediately and with pride said I LOOK JUST LIKE HER...I had made oodles of copies because I knew they would want them....Then Andrew is so brilliant and wanted to make sure that I had a picture ready of the only photo I have of Matea with her birth mom ALMA....

So, this was a very sweet and early MOTHERS DAY...we are elated,,,we are relieved. We had spent two years wondering if we would ever have a picture of their mom....When I look into Bayoush's eyes I am in awe. I am saddened. I am thrilled and I am also comforted. I really felt that somehow, in ways that are unknown to me, we had connected with eachother. She will always have a special place in our lives. I have told my kids that LOVE expands like a balloon that never pops...and I want them to feel free to show their love to her, to ALMA (Matea's mom), to all of their grandmothers, aunts, uncles, brothers. It just shows them how vast and extreme God's love is for them. There is no abandonment. There is only an outpouring of God's continuing love for them in the large family that God has adopted for them and for us. It is incredible to see.

The kids placed her picture in their rooms and I know that they slept easier last night knowing that they don't have to worry anymore that they will forget what BAYOUSH looked like. And grandma can also sleep well knowing that she made a wise decision in extending the family of her grandkids. And we are comforted knowing that the boys are thriving and taking care of grandma and that we now have real phone numbers and real addresses...to make contact with.

AND as a woman who has grown up being photographed by a genetically inclined familial love for photos....I have learned that pictures are powerful and can bring so much peace and joy to a situation. I love the pics..I will continue to take many and VIDEO...and I PRAISE GOD!! for hearing the prayers of our hearts in bringing this one inch photos to us (that we have very boldly enlarged a million times)...

Ethiopian Children's AIDS MOTHER - PIcture

2010-04-13T19:22:00.001-07:00

Well we are so thrilled to finally be in possession of a picture of our kids mom Bayoush. I just said to Mark as we were staring at her two pictures tonight..."It is sacred, sad and satisfying to have these pictures."

Just to update those of you who don't know. We have three Ethiopian children who were orphaned by the death of their parents from AIDS. When we came to Ethiopia to get them they had been in the orphanage for over two years. And there were no pictures of their mother anywhere. Once they were home the younger kids would cry saying "I can't remember her face!' One day we went to a restaurant, I watched as Grace my now 11 year old stared almost pale faced at the hostess. Later she said "Mom, that is what she looked like!" I said "who?" She said "my mom"..I said "oh honey she was beautiful" Grace said "yes she was"...she did not take her eyes off of the hostess that day.

My friend Carla went to Ethiopia and was so generous. She volunteered to go all of the way to Asela (at least two hours out of Addis) to search for the Grandmother. The plan was for her to visit the great grandfather who would then take her to the Grandmother who would have the pictures. BUt when she went to see the Great Grandfather she gave then the photo album we had made of the kids and then because of time/distance they couldn't visit the grandmother. Carla made a video of the grandfather and the so called AUNT and the kids very annoyingly said "that is not my aunt. we no like that lady"...it was a mistress to the grandfather.

So, my friends Ban and Yemi had finally been given their US citizenship after being in America from Ethiopia for 15 years. This last month they visited their very large and extended family in Addis. We had one phone number of the 'mistress' and a plan. We wanted to find out where my kids teen age brothers were, contact info and pictures of Bayoush. Ban called the lady who promised she would deliver the message to the boys who never called him back. Then Getish (Bans brother in law) remembered something. He said "when Mark and Deanna were here they used our cell phone during the entire visit. The uncle (he is about 18) has called me. I kept his number." So, Getish calls the Uncle and then tells them that if they come into Addis via bus and bring both boys and pics of Bayoush we will pay for their trip. Well they were thrilled because from their perspecive they had NO info on the kids at all. Our pictures which were sent and letters had never made it to them. So, now they came all the way to Addis were given updates of the kids (the pictures we sent didn't upload unto Bans computer) and were able to deliver the pictures....We plan on printing pictures and writing letters to send to them when my friend Carolyn visits in two weeks.

We are not posting the pictures yet. The kids don't know. We want to tell them with Ban and Yemi in the room because we want all of their questions to be answered. All I can say is there is a part of me that is so at peace right now. We do promise to post the pics later. But right now I just stare at the pics seeing all three of my kids in one face...and wondering why did she have to die? Why do I get to mother them? How can we stop the deaths from AIDS in Ethiopia so more women can actually LIVE even with HIV...? My heart is so connected to this woman that I never met. This family loved these children so much and we feel so blessed to have this extended family..Ban said that Grandma cried during the entire meeting. What an incredible woman. I can't wait to get pictures to her. To write to them and to be able to have a phone number to call them if and when we visit....amazing...

She is beautiful really really beautiful!!!

Microfinancing-Hope International

2010-04-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

Tshirt Fair Trade Manufacturer to STOP TRAFFICKING

2010-04-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

Mother the World is launching a PARTY WITH A PURPOSE (think AVON meets Compassion International)...In a nutshell, we will be focusing on such hands off topics like trafficking, hiv, street kids, domestic violence and of course the massive orphan crisis...all in a cul de sac party....we are researching FAIR TRADE products ...it will be a while to develop and we'll start with our current tshirts etc...but man we were so excited to see this company FREESET....

#Adoption Mother the World: Can't or Won't

2010-04-10T20:15:00.001-07:00

I just spent an awesome day on Friday in Atlanta with Carolyn Twietmeyer and Traci Heim from Project Hopeful and Anna Belle Illien and her staff from Illien adoptions. We basically are finding strength in brainstorming in numbers even when we all had to establish a hand raising system because we tend to interrupt at times (guilty guilty and guilty again…said I)…Anyhow, somewhere early on when Traci and I were gabbing and not caring when we would interrupt eachother I said something that was so dead on to my passion in my MOTHER THE WORLD mission. I have trouble being concise. I can write books that need to be edited down because of too many words ..having enough material has never been a problem…being concise and having an ‘elevator pitch’ has always been a struggle.

So there I was with another MOTHER of the World (Traci) and I said it like this and I had to fight stopping dead in my tracks and holding back tears as it came out. I said “ I have a passion to honor the women who CAN”T mother their children by inspiring the women who WON’T mother to take action.” Please know the context of the statement. We were talking about the huge orphan crisis and how to bring the number of orphans hope and love. Do you remember being reprimanded as a child by the dour school teacher who would look up from their glasses and say “you can’t or won’t?” Some people literally can’t …others just Won’t…because they have been insulated and determined never to look at the fostering situation in America, domestic abuse, HIV, Child trafficking, cultural abuse.

Women who CAN’T in America:
1. Women who are infertile and desire to parent
2. People who can’t due to serious mental or physical disablilities
3. Those addicted to alcohol or drugs

Women who WON’T in America:
1. The women who get pregnant but abort
2. People who believe adoption is not their calling so do nothing
3. People who have no interest in the orphan crisis
4. People who would like to do something but never have due to not being introduced to proper options or ways to take action…

There is a distinct difference though in the mothers that I was talking about when making that statement because I was thinking of the mother of my Ethiopian children. She died and couldn’t mother….

Women who CAN’T in impoverished countries:
1. Women who know they will die due to diseases like AIDS, MALARIA, TB..they know the last possible act of love for their children is to make a life decision for them. Some relinquish them at orphanages due to knowing their pending death is coming.

Imagine desiring to MOTHER with all of your heart and yet knowing you “CAN’T’ because you will soon die because the AIDS MEDS are not coming your way. Or you never even knew about them. All you have known is that women die and there are babies and children without mothers….so, you make a decision for your children out of love….

I will never forget the day in 2007 when I prayed to God to USE me to be the answer to the prayers of a mother somewhere on the planet who could no longer MOTHER because of her pending death…I cried to God to allow me to be her angel and come. Every time I look into the eyes of my 3 Ethiopian children, I see her. Her name was Bayoush. I imagine she was beautiful even though we have no picture. She was young when she died….I think of her often. She is a huge motivation in my starting MOTHER THE WORLD…

My quote or new elevator pitch: “ I have a passion to honor the women who CAN”T mother their children by inspiring the women who WON’T mother to take action.” There are people who won’t do anything and I believe they just need to be educated properly on what they can do…so we need to find them and get to them.

In case you haven’t caught on yet “mother’ is a verb that applies to taking action to love, give, nurture, care for…it doesn’t require giving birth..it can take place in adopting, advocating and volunteering..It does always mean though honoring and respecting life from conception to natural death.

My motivation for MOTHER THE WORLD also comes from once being a woman who was one of the ones who “wouldn’t” mother. The underlying inspiration of MOTHER THE WORLD is really from my own wound from NOT mothering and saying NO to mothering in having an abortion as a teen. I was one of the women who I now say are the ones I am determined to inspire to take action. So, here I am now healed and with a deeper understanding of who I am and of what it means to ‘adopt God’s heart.’ These days the women who CAN’T haunt me …because there are too many of them. And although it is a blessing that I get to honor God by serving them in mothering their children, something is still not right.

One of the things we talked about in this little ‘consortium’ as Anna Belle Illien called us all, was in helping women with HIV/AIDs to live longer lives in places like Ethiopia, India, Guyana by investing in them and offering them hope …obviously offering ways for them to get their meds but also in finding ways for them to have longevity, to dream for a future where they can be the ones to see their kids graduate, get married.

What can the women here who WON’T do? Well I think with the right motivation they will turn into women who WILL make a huge impact in changing the planet by changing the lives of many. First, it would be great to see more people adopt and we are planning on ways to offer education and information to dispel the fears of adoption to many. But it also would be great to have more resources to offer life and sustainability abroad for women like BAYOUSH…imagine if she would have had the right meds and the right resources through micro-financing, business opportunities, education…We can help the women here who WON’T or haven’t taken action to participate in making major changes in the lives of women they will never see. So, I am praying everyone stays tuned as in the next several months we come up with ways to hopefully create options in a world that currently offers so little to the women internationally who CAN’T but would love to MOTHER their children into old age. And if you know of women who WON’T …well we also believe we have ways to inspire and transform them into active humanitarians even without ever leaving their cul de sacs…my plan is to allow them to MOTHER THE WORLD without missing their kids soccer games…but if they are really bold they can travel way outside of their subdivisions and come to some exotic places with us if they’d like to…

So my new elevator pitch is once again this: “ I have a passion to honor the women who CAN”T mother their children by inspiring the women who WON’T mother to take action.”

Mother the World: Can’t or Won’t?

Children in Nigeria Murdered for Being Identified as Witches

2010-03-28T06:56:00.000-07:00

This is not Christianity but rather a perfect example of how local tribal belief seeps its way into indigenous churches that claim Christianity but create their own rules based on satanic teachings as well from generational cultural practices. Jesus abhors this and cherishes children. Please pray for them..

Adoption Video: God's Heart

2010-03-22T19:11:00.001-07:00

Orphans: A House is NOT a Home

2010-03-21T20:19:00.001-07:00

“a house is not a home
When there's no one there to hold you tight
And no one there you can kiss goodnight”

I have 4 children who were once orphaned. My youngest Matea is now five but born in Guatemala. My other three “orphaned” children are from Ethiopia and have been here since 2008.

Last night I went out for a meeting with our church small group. My baby sitter was my friend Elsa Mugyenzi. She is Ugandan and also an orphan. She is now an adult and was one of the original members of the African Children’s Choir. So, Elsa was in my house with the ‘for sale’ sign outside with my 4 adopted ‘orphans’ along with my other kids, inside.

My husband and I love old classic music. One song we love is “A House is Not A Home”…it is a lush beautiful song with a great lyric that talks about a house not being a home when the person (or people) you love are not there. I have been thinking so much about this lately when pondering the possibility of our moving to another house and having to sell this one ( a house built specifically with my ‘orphaned’ children in mind). On the one hand I have noticed a certain entitlement attitude within myself that is not really all that attractive. I seem to think that God would want my kids to be in a mansion because of all of the strife they have experienced. I feel as if they have earned this and we have earned it in stepping out to parent them. On the other hand I have been made aware through friends like Elsa and from my own personal travels that in places like Africa that two dozen orphans can live in a 300 sf shack with one single ‘mother’ who has adopted all of them. Orphans live quite frequently in this world without a house and quite frankly ‘without a home.” 147 million orphans have lost at least one parent. Approx 20 million have lost both. Others have parents but are abandoned by them with no house and certainly without a ‘home.’ God loves the orphans but the world leaves them HOMELESS (even in America). God calls to His people to practice pure religion and take care of orphans and widows. Still, most are living like paupers.

In my neighborhood and most neighborhoods in my town there are many houses of 2000, 3000, 4000 sf with just two people living in them. There are houses with women and men ‘longing’ to be parents but grieving their inability to conceive. I respect their grief and remember longing to conceive prior to birthing the two I have birthed. But there are also children sleeping on the street crying and praying for parents, shelter, a blanket, running water or a bite to eat. There are many rooms in my town that could be filled with these street orphans or the orphans like my kids orphanage friends still praying for parents to come to give them a “HOME”. So, what is my point?

When I think of the journey my kids have taken in their short lives it boggles my mind. Matea is 5. She has been with us since she was 8 months. She was birthed in a hut in Peten, Guatemala..at 9 days old she took a trek on some mode of transport with her teenage birth mom to Guatemala City (several hours away) to be relinquished to a foster mom in a small house in Guatemala City…six weeks later that foster mother had been found to be unfit and Matea was put into the arms of an amazing foster mother named Elena for the next 7 months. She lived in a 2 room house with 4 kids ranging from the ages of 5 to 15 and two foster parents. Then one day at 8 months embarked onto a plane to America with us where we lived together in a 3600 sf home with 2 other kids and 2 parents. Then in 2008 we moved to the 6700 sf home we are in now….

Jared, Grace, and Ella lived in several houses prior to entering their first orphanage. They were born in Asela, Ethiopia in houses with mud floors. They bounced between their grandmother, great grandfather’s and mother’s house. They lived in Addis Ababa later with their mother near death. They then moved back to Asela…They talk about the time of sleeping in hay bails in the barn or by the chickens. Then after their mom died they were separated from eachother lived in grandma’s and great grandfather’s home. Eventually, they were put into an orphanage together and then another…and eventually they were brought to our house in America after we traveled to Ethiopia to get them ….to live in quite frankly …a mansion…(mcmansion).

What is a home? A house is not a home…this we really believe. My kids don’t mourn the loss of the orphanage, their grandfather’s hut, or even their mother’s house. But they grieve the loss of family or the HOME that they lost when their mother and father died.

Elsa Mugyenzi and I talked about our house. Elsa has a room in our house that she calls her own when she baby sits. We feel very homey in my house. Elsa mentioned that God wants to house all the orphans in homes and they deserve big houses. But most don’t live like royalty. Some will only know the street until they too pass away from diseases or sicknesses…Some of the sicknesses will be chronic ear infections, diarrhea or the flu…diseases/sicknesses that are treatable by simple meds. Even HIV can be controlled offering a long life for kids without a house..if given a HOME…..

What do orphans need? They don’t need big houses. They can live in apartments. They can live in rooms that they share with other kids. They can even live with grandparents. My kids sleep on floors when we travel to friends or relatives and don’t complain. They dream and are content. Orphans don’t need houses they need homes. They need people who have square footage and empty rooms to be willing to be bold enough to step into the desolate huts and sheds that house the orphans who cry out for Mama and never hear “I’m coming!” They need people willing to travel into their dangerous world in order to offer hope and a future that they pray for everyday. They need bold people willing to sacrifice their houses and worldy stuff to create a home for a wanting and needing child. People in America constantly talk to me about wanting to adopt but not having enough money, or a big enough house …but the truth is that those of us who have walked this walk have witnessed numerous times how God has provided the funds for adoption. Yes, many of us struggle at times through loss of jobs etc…but it is all relative. Our downsizing or our troubles in America often dwarf the extent of stress our kids have seen by the time they reach age 5 if they are lucky enough to have survived.

The word of God tells us to go and take care of orphans and underprivileged. In Matthew 25 Jesus equates taking care to those who lack as being the equivalent as welcoming Him. He also shuns and turns away those who did not take care of them saying:

Matthew 25: 41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

These are really bold and scary words. But Jesus takes the business of taking care of those in need seriously. We may not all be called to adopt, but we are called to take care of the least of these.

Please remember the children like Kidist who wrote to me to help her find a family telling me she prays every day for a family. There are children who are beautiful and still in orphanages simply because no one has been bold enough to adopt an ‘older child.’ Children in Ethiopia and in America like Kidist eventually ‘age out’ and are put out on the streets after never having a mother a father or any parenting that will prepare them to take care of themselves. Please consider sharing a room in your house or encouraging a friend called to adopt to take the leap!!!!!

“Now and then I call your name
And suddenly your face appears
But it's just a crazy game
When it ends, it ends in tears”

A house is not a home when there’s no one there to kiss goodnight!!!!

Family Trip to St. Pete's Beach

2010-03-20T17:50:00.001-07:00

Green Eggs and Ham: Dr. Seuss Birthday Dinner

2010-03-18T20:16:00.001-07:00

Matea talks about a BRACHIOSAURUS

2010-03-18T19:52:00.001-07:00

My Kids Say the Darndest Things: What is an ORPHAN?

2010-03-15T16:24:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day Concerts in Honor of Amazing Mothers

2010-03-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

Here is one of the Mothers we will be featuring in one of our Mother's Day concerts this May.

So, I have been wallowing a little. Stressed about having to put my house on the market etc. Last night we had a meeting with our realtor. I was really bummed. DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SELL MY HOUSE...MY DREAM HOUSE! Anyhow, after he left. I was sad. Sat down at the computer and decided I would FACEBOOK my friend Jennifer Gilmore. Jennifer was one of our first friends to help us schedule concerts at churches when we first moved here. I sat down and decided i would contact a few people about setting up Mother's Day concerts and talks/luncheons etc. Then I saw her profile post:

"attended a touching funeral today. It is never good when a 40-year-old wife and mother passes away, but boy did she leave a legacy behind that will see them through...beautiful thoughts on life that her husband, friends and family can share with the children as they make their way through life. I'm sure that when the r...ain comes, they will dance! We all need to dance. :)"

I then thought that maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to talk to her about a Mother's Day concert right after a young mother lost her life to a mysterious illness. I thought I would give her a day or two. Then out of curiosity I went to the blog of this woman who had just passed. Her name was "Caroline Ellavsky". Her blog is called LAUGHTER THROUGH THE STORM . I read her blog and was brought back to reality. She talked about keeping perspective and remaining positive. She was inspiring. She wrote. Had plans to pursue her dreams in writing and writing screenplays. She also had a heart for orphans. One of her children is adopted from Russia. In reading her posts, I really really related to her desire to write, her love for orphans. In a nutshell, I felt I had discovered a woman who should have been my best friend. Then it reminded me of how lucky I am to have written a book that made it to the number one spot on Amazon and how blessed I am to be LAUGHING IN THE STORM. Mark and I are writing a book called "Do I Have Obsessive Communion Disorder? A Confused Christian's Guide to Church." It has been such a blessing to us because we have had moments of laughing sooooooo much in the midst of our job issues/loss of income/decrease in gigs/downsizing our house. And Carolyn just blessed me in being such an example of grace under pressure. Joy in the midst of pain....SO, I have decided to turn my frown upside down and if possible Jennifer and I are arranging a concert at First United Methodist Church of Cary around Mother's Day in honor of Caroline and Mothers in general. We will take a love offering for her family and remind other Mothers to pursue their dreams...laugh during the storm and live each day with a gusto...and we will definately talk about adoption and orphans...

Pray for the Ellavsky family and that they still can remember Caroline laughing through the storm and that they too can feel such joy in remembering the Mother and woman she was....PICS OF CAROLINE HERE

The Sea of Orphans by Deanna Jones

2010-02-28T12:37:00.003-08:00

My girlfriend Jodi came back from Haiti this weekend. And like many of my friends who are getting their hands dirty in the fields of the fatherless, I know she will never be the same. I know Carolyn, Kellee, Linda, Eileen, Carla, Elaine, Rose, Lisa and all of my sisters and brothers in Christ who have adopted or advocated for the orphan will also never be the same. Today I wrote another parable. I tend to gravitate toward writing that way when I am feeling deep emotions that I can't quite articulate in the real world. I am dedicating this to all of my sisters and brothers in Christ who are forever transformed after experiencing contact with one or more orphans. But while this is dedicated to all of you and I have written it identifying with my own experience with my 4 adopted children. I want to dedicate this to Jodi Tucker who has had an obvious transformation from her experience with HORT (Haiti Orphan Relief Team). I pray for supernatural processing and guidance for her and all of us because there are more drops in this ocean to save...ENJOY MY PARABLE

The Sea of Orphans (by Deanna Jones)

Everything was fine. The only problem was that in spite of the fact that everything was running smoothly in her life, she knew that something or someone was missing. One day she couldn’t resist the call to stand at the shore of a vast ocean. She knew that there were at least 147 million droplets in that sea, crying out to be freed from drowning as the waves of isolation, tragedy, calamities and diseases would violently crash into them. They were merely floating out there without a life jacket or branch to hold onto, hoping to avoid the waves. So, she stood there at the shore. There were other curious onlookers standing there on the shore. They watched as a mother standing on the shore swam out to offer hope and a home to a few droplets. The mother swam back in, exhausted yet transformed in a way that she would never be able to explain. The onlookers could see on her face that while she was pleased to have saved a few small drops, she couldn’t help but remember the ones still out there waiting for a brave swimmer. The sun then would set and most people would go home, forgetting about the millions still fighting to survive. But the woman who had a fine life stood at the shore longing to find a life that was better than ‘fine.’ She suspected taking a dive into that sea would transform her, yet she heard warnings from others. “You have a fine life. Don’t mess with it. Those droplets you bring into your life will ruin you.” She wanted to go deeper but noticed that in the hours she spent watching at the shore, very few of the thousands of onlookers ventured in. She closed her eyes. She heard a voice that sounded like an angel, “Go, save my children!” She knew that diving in would mean she would be the center of attention to those looking. She knew that people would talk about the woman with the fine life who took a dive to change everything. They would whisper “How could she be so crazy to try to ruin everything that is acceptable in her fine life.” Most of the onlookers believed that ‘acceptable’ was the best way to live their lives. The woman with the fine life didn’t think it was acceptable to just stand by and watch as the 147 million innocent droplets were destroyed by the pending waves. So, she dove in. Something heavy washed over her. It was a powerful wave of fear and doubt but as she swam over those waves she eventually swam like an expert surfer or life guard. She grew stronger with each stroke, persevering through the pressure of the pending waves. She passed by many droplets drenched in tears but kept swimming to move into the place that called out to her. Then when she arrived to that calm place drops of rain fell into the ocean and poured over her already drenched body. She floated. She allowed the cool healing rain to pour onto her. Then she took a breath and took a dive into a deep deep place. She met with an Angel of the Lord who handed her 4 precious droplets safely encased inside a beautiful treasure box from the sea. The Angel reached out his hand and said, “God is pleased! Now swim back and take care of these 4 precious droplets.” The Angel of the Lord then told the woman to swim back fast as there were more pending disastrous waves coming to engulf the 146 million, 999 thousand, 996 droplets that were still there in that ocean. The woman with the fine life pleaded with the Angel saying, “But let me take more! Please let me save them all.” The Angel said to her, “Take your 4 and love them. God will take care of the rest!” The woman with the fine life swam back to shore memorizing the way that each of the droplets that were left behind looked as she passed them. She came out of the ocean with her treasures, happy to have them but eternally ruined!!! Her ‘fine life’ was ruined. But now her new life was better than she could ever have imagined…She took care of the little droplets. She watched as they turned into children and then adults with great lives who longed to swim in that sea and carry back droplets just like their mother did. Nothing was the same in their mother’s life after she took that swim and saved those 4 drops. She now lived a life that was no longer ‘fine’. That life was ruined. But as the old life was destroyed a new life was created with more depth, more meaning, more significance than she could even imagine. She now lived a great life and never ever regretted taking a dive into that ocean. She still runs into some of those people that stand on the shore and stare into the waves wondering and waiting to watch as another woman with a fine life decides to take a swim. But they are rarely seen swimming even though every year more droplets fall into that ocean.

copyright 2010 DJO PUBLISHING. If you would like to reprint this parable please include following credit. Copyright 2010 DJO Publishing. Parable by Deanna Jones author of #1 Amazon best selling adoption book TO BE A MOTHER...For permissions please inquire at http://www.mothertheworld.org Reprint by permission only...

Happily Disturbed in a near Foreclosure!!!!

2010-02-27T19:54:00.001-08:00

I have been a really bad blogger recently. I am so sorry. But to be honest with you I am just processing so much in my life. We have our house on the market now. It is stressful. But all in all, I am reminding myself of perspective. I live in a huge, gorgeous house that we worked really hard for. It is almost 6800 square feet. Our business slowed down and now we have to downsize. When I put the ‘for sale’ sign up one of my neighbors called me. I have had only 2 conversations with this woman in the two years we have lived here. She said “Deanna this is really disturbing!” I have to say that I acknowledge that for those people who live in the type of suburbia that our NC town offers, well she may consider a neighbor with a large house selling…’disturbing’. But in all honesty with this economy the way it is, it is really the norm. And it is more disturbing to me to know of all of the homeless people in Haiti without water or a toilet or food or parents. So, I tell my kids that we have to count our blessings. We will still have blankets, food, water and a roof that doesn’t leak even after we sell. It is interesting though talking to my kids about moving. When children have lost parents and watched them die, been uprooted tragically, moving means something different. So, everyday I have to remind them that the move doesn’t mean that we will not be a family anymore or that someone won’t be coming with them. I tell them that it is just a house. Still, Grace cried today thinking about how much she misses her brothers in Ethiopia. I can’t help but think that this move has fed into her insecurities and fears of losing a loved one or disconnecting from family. So, how do we get through a move with children previously orphaned? We pray and daily focus on the positive. Still, there is a grieving process for all of us. We thought we would be here forever….still God is on His throne . We feel Him more, perceive Him more and are hearing Him more than we did when we first laid out the blue print for this house. I have written a song that I spontaneously sing around the house.

This is my home,
And its where I wanna be,
Living in your presence,
With your grace upholding me….

This is my life,
And the only thing I own,
Is faith you’ll walk beside me,
No matter where I go,

There are many mansions,
In my Father’s place,
There is always room,
There’s always space…

This is the world,
And when it all just disappears,
I will not be homeless,
For my Father holds me near,
I will not be homeless,
For my Father holds me near….

The house is irrelevant. All of my professional life, I have been longing for a deeper perception of the Lord. During those times, I had no money problems, no struggles and could buy whatever I wanted…but I also lacked the intimacy I now have with the Lord. “Living in His presence” is what I am striving for at this point in my life. And none of the mortgages, or room colors or square footage matters. In the Heavenly places that God resides in, my earthly house means nothing. I long to live my life while I am here so that I can hopefully, be allowed to live eternally in a place where there are many mansions and lots of beautiful sunshine and music. So, I choose to invest in His plans for me whether that means to be living in an apartment, in a mansion, in a bungalow or a hut or out in the open air….all that matters is that I am enveloped by His love and basking in the shelter of His arms. I am okay with that and know that there is nothing disturbing about residing in the presence of God….Praise Him for this amazing time that we are living in!!!!

Dollar Tree Adventure with my Adopted Kids

2010-02-22T10:51:00.001-08:00

WARNING: DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO USE MOUTHWASH UNATTENDED

Jesus and Luke Skywalker!

2010-02-19T18:42:00.001-08:00

Our dear Ethiopian son Jared is now seven years old. As I write this book, I can say that after 2 years of being with us in America and learning English, he is starting to understand the language better. But he still has a ways to go. One wish we have for all of our kids is for them to grasp whom Jesus is. So when our Amharic speaking kids first came to America, we had our Ethiopian friends speak to them in Amharic about Jesus. I watched with tears in my eyes not understanding a word as Yemi and Ban, knelt down and told Jesus stories in a language that I didn’t understand (with the exception of ‘shintabet’ and ‘zimbaloo’ – which mean ‘potty’ and ‘quiet’). We have been going to church every Sunday with them for 2 years. We have Bible studies in our home. We go to church and watch as Jared and the other kids go to Sunday school. We lead worship, play Christian music and I have a confidence that my husband and I are doing an excellent job exposing our kids to Christ and Christian principles.

Being a typical boy, Jared adores superheroes. When he first came home from Ethiopia, he would run around the house with a blanket tied around his neck like a cape, shouting “goola-lantay, goola-lantay!!” At first, we both thought that he was saying something heroic in his native Amharic. We eventually realized he was trying to say “GREEN LANTERN!!” Well last night we were sitting at the kitchen table, and we were talking about the crucifixion. Then my older son Andrew said, “I don’t think Jared really understands who Jesus is.” I said, “Of course he understands. Jared, how did Jesus die?” He said, “On a cross!” I looked at my son Andrew and said, “See, he knows.” Andrew said, “Mom, ask him more questions.” I said, “Jared why did He die on the cross?” Jared looked at me with complete certainty and said, “The “Joyce” follow Him with white green lasers and shoot Him. Then the “Joyce” capture Him and put him on the cross.” I said, “the ‘Joyce’? The ‘Joyce’? What is the ‘Joyce’?” Then with a sudden trepidation, it finally dawned on me that he was saying “DROIDS”. Jared said, “yeah mom, the ‘Joyce’ (droids) shoot Jesus.” That was when I really felt like an awful Christian mom. I came to the shocking realization that our adorable but confused son Jared had somehow merged the story of Jesus’ real life with the story of Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies! I don’t know if the bible’s Book of Luke inspired George Lucas to create Star Wars; it’s possible, but you’d have to ask George Lucas. I am just a confused Christian and really don’t know. But I do know that our son Jared believes that Roman soldiers and Droids are one and the same. When he hears, “I am your Father” he thinks that Darth Vader is God. He believes that Jesus looks like Mark Hamill. I am Princess Leia with two cheese Danish stuck to the side of my head thinking “I AM AN AWFUL CHRISTIAN MOTHER!!!!!”

Video Testimony of Mom's Delivering Babies in Haiti

2010-01-22T07:59:00.001-08:00

Kellee Metty, Linda Graham, Lisa Lewis talk about their amazing experience in the Haiti earthquake and their adventure delivering babies in Haiti. The church is KINGS PARK INTERNATIONAL

Stay at Home Mom-Linda Graham-Delivers Babies in Haiti Earthquake

2010-01-18T16:41:00.001-08:00

SUPER MOM SURVIVORS OF HAITI EARTHQUAKE/AIRPORT WELCOME!

2010-01-17T19:51:00.001-08:00

These are friends of mine from church. I spent some long hours last night waiting for them to come home. Their stories are incredible.....Pray for total healing and that they don't suffer from Post Traumatic Stress or Survivor Guilt.

Pat Robertson and the TITANIC IN HAITI

2010-01-15T08:47:00.001-08:00

Imagine the Titanic crashes into the iceberg and you are the first ones there on an adjacent yacht. You watch as tons of people are jumping into the frigid water hanging onto pieces of pool furniture or they are treading water unsuccessfully. And then you have the resources or at least some to save many but part of your leadership on the yacht says….”hey let’s evaluate this situation. How did they get into this predicament anyhow?” Meanwhile, you continue to watch as people are shouting ‘help me, help me”…you start to ignore the conversation at the helm which is comprised of a very old and out of touch ‘should have been retired years ago’ captain and just start throwing the life preservers over board…People are screaming, drowning and you watch as the team in their tidy whitey captain outfits stand talking about history, or how scientifically they could have avoided this very real disaster.

Two weeks ago I was spending most of my waking hours focused on the atrocities toward second born daughters in parts of India, where the girls are killed after birth as infants because of a dowry system that is outlawed but still very much in practice. I was determined to try to figure out how to stop this practice single handedly from my subdivision home in Cary, NC. I was also really really upset about the female sex selected abortions there along with the fact that now young men can’t even find brides because there is a clear discrepancy in the balance between men and women. There just aren’t enough brides. Then I saw research that said that the infanticide as well as the female sex selected abortion leads to increase in prostitution as well as sex trafficking. Many young women are kidnapped, brought to Mumbai’s red light district from Nepal or even from schoolhouses in Mumbai and then forced to be prostitutes. So, I called a woman named Anna Belle Illien who has an adoption agency in GA dealing with India. Through my conversation with her and my experiences with feeling overwhelmed before about issues in Ethiopia, China, Uganda, Guatemala…I came to a conclusion. I can’t save the entire world.

I have my organization MOTHER THE WORLD. But have really accepted that I am a first responder. I have to be there to pull drowning children, people, out of water, give them mouth to mouth and save as many lives as possible. Should we be analyzing why we hit the iceberg or how we could have avoided disaster or why there is evil in the world? SURE! But when do we have the luxury for that? NOT NOW! There are too many orphans in the world to be mothered…too many kids without families in America and too many people to mentor…I just don’t have the time now while the world is in this condition to spend my precious time over analyzing history.

This week Pat Robertson said this about Haiti:

"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about," Robertson said Tuesday on his 700 Club show. "They were under the heel of the French, you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said 'We will serve you if you will get us free from the prince.' True story. And so the devil said, 'Ok it's a deal.' And they kicked the French out. The Haitians revolted and got something themselves free. But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after another."

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2010/01/haiti_the_devil_and_pat_roberton.html?sid=ST2010011304487

Honestly, I love Jesus so much and don’t want to get in an argument right now with Pat Robertson so I will just say this “SHUT UP AND THROW OVER A LIFE JACKET!!! WE CAN HAVE THE CONVERSATION WHEN THE TWO YEAR OLD IS PULLED OUT FROM UNDER THE 3 TON SLAB!!!”

My girlfriends that are all mothers were there patching up wounds, delivering babies with guaze from the CVS. This is what we should do. AND I disagree that the people don’t know Jesus. If they are all so overcome by the devil why were some of the reports and blog postings these:

“Things are really bad here. The palace fell down, the hospital, the cathedral, everything. “The city is dark and the people keep singing for Jesus and saying ‘Hallelujah’.

http://www.theworld.org/2010/01/13/international-response-to-haiti/

MS. ANNE ROSE SCHOEN: What they do right now, they put tables and chairs on the streets and they sit there and they wait. They don’t want to go into the houses because they have damage and they are scared that they will crumble down which is true. When you have an aftershock then everybody shouts “Jesus” and “Please help me God”. It is a very eerie situation.

"People were screaming 'Jesus, Jesus' and running in all directions," said Reuters reporter Joseph Guyler Delva from the capital Port-au-Prince. "It's total chaos."

Apparently the missionaries who have been visiting Haiti for years have penetrated into the hearts of the people. I stand corrected! Jesus himself has penetrated into the hearts of these people. But that isn’t even the point either. Do we interview people before throwing life jackets and say…if you are ‘saved’ then I, Christian person here will save you.” I don’t remember seeing that anywhere in the bible…In fact, let’s even save the devil worshipers and tell them about Jesus once we stitch up the gash in their foreheads. Jesus came to save. We are His hands and feet. ‘Shut up! And throw the life jacket in.”

I have settled into the fact that MOTHERING THE WORLD isn’t going to mean that I can save everyone or that I have the luxury of spending my time over analyzing the cause while newborns in Haiti don’t have formula and their mothers were just squashed by a 5 story building. Yes, adoption legislation can and will be changed but I am determined not to get caught up these days in taking a microscope to the Titanic when people are still crying out HELP ME I AM DROWNING….it is just not the time. They are calling out for Jesus and we are called to be HIS hands and feet…let’s be intentional with that and careful not to be the mouth piece for something that isn’t of Christ. Hands and feet…the body, working, responding, loving, caring, not judging…Christ is MIGHTY TO SAVE but I don’t believe He would have stood by ignoring the drowning people while preoccupied with a Historic conversation about the French…..

American Mothers Save Lives on Soccer Field in Haiti Earthquake Aftermath

2010-01-13T17:48:00.000-08:00

I spent Sunday after church in the usual manner, trying to gather all of my 6 kids from their various Sunday school classes. All of us church moms quickly whisk by each other with our quick “hey Linda I have your casserole pan in the car.” Or “Are you coming next Friday?” while grabbing our kids, placing Sunday school craft projects in our purses or under our arms as we put on jackets and hats of our little ones. We greet our closest friends quickly with our focus on making sure our families all are in one place so we can march back into our SUV’s or minivans and ‘off we go’ to our slow cooker lunches. Our quality adult time seems to be in small group meetings on Friday or Saturday nights when we can arrange baby sitters. Or we meet our girlfriends over coffee at Starbucks during the week or set up lunch dates. This past Sunday I called out to Linda, my church ‘sister’ and said “hey Linda we have to get together it has been almost a month.” Linda says “Come over today at 1:45 and pray for Lisa, Kellee and myself.” I call out “are you okay?” She says “Yeah, just having some prayer time.” I say “I have to stay with the kids.” Linda assumed that I was aware that she was taking off on a mission trip that Tuesday. I had no idea. We belong to a church in Durham, NC called Kings Park International Church. We take the ‘international” part very seriously. It isn’t unusual for someone to be in Ethiopia, Uganda, Guatemala and for my friend Linda it isn’t unusual for her to be in China, Japan or any of the Asian countries. Linda and her husband have seen earthquakes in China been in the middle of hurricanes/typhoons and are not novices to mission work But what I did not know due to our multi tasking ‘busy mom’ schedules is that Linda had planned to go to Haiti on Tuesday with two of our other church friends and a dentist from Raleigh. So, the prayer time that I missed was to bless the trip.

So, on Tuesday when I received a text from my husband midday saying “how is Linda?” I was perplexed. How is Linda? She is probably fine, I think. Why wouldn’t Linda be fine? I start to worry. Then I look in my email for prayer requests letting me know that my friend Linda and two of my other church ‘sisters’ are in Haiti on a mission trip and landed at the airport one hour prior to the 7.2 massive earthquake. They were traveling on missions for the Christianville Foundation. One of their travelers, Julia is a dentist. They had collected donations that were dental instruments, gauze, pain relievers, cold meds…band aids, antibiotic creams. It was known that they had arrived around 3:50 but Tuesday night we spent wondering where they were, having no communication. Were they still at the damaged airport? Were they okay? Were they on the road? Were they okay? My friend who did go to prayer time with Linda, Kellee, and Lisa said the prayer time was powerful and she felt like they would be protected. Linda’s husband’s facebook page said “I am full of faith.” I also felt ‘full of faith.’ But after not sleeping on Tuesday night, I started to wonder and worry a little today. Between the women they are parents to 10 children or more (I don’t know Julia). I started to be concerned that there was more damage to the airport that could have hurt someone. Or I worried about them being hurt by debris in a car-ride etc. So, when would we hear from them? Today I felt compelled to pray with my friend from 2-2:30. At 2:40 we received a phone call from Linda’s 12 year old son Matthew that Linda had made a call via SKYPE. They were alive!!! Praise God! Not only were they alive but they had found their way to a soccer field adjacent to a hospital where many wounded were. Linda’s son said “They are like doctors and nurses!” Matthew’s voice was so filled with pride. Linda, Kellee, Lisa and Julia had already delivered two babies. All of this brought tears to my eyes. I was mainly relieved but also in awe with God. He had scheduled the mothers to land in Haiti with medical supplies in their bags one hour before the worst earthquake to hit Haiti in 200 years. The Lord had sent 4 mothers from North Carolina to be first responders to this catastrophe. No longer were we worried, instead we were humbled at the extent of care God would go to in order to save His children. Why them? What did they have to offer? I am the type of mother who can put a band aid on my child or take out a sliver. I am capable of placing bacitracin on a scratch or make sure the tooth fairy remembers to visit. But I can’t imagine dressing a major trauma head wound or assisting in giving birth. What I have learned is that the team of 4 women is pretty awesome. Linda did study at UNC for awhile in premed. Julia is a dentist so must know how to stitch things up or give CPR and most likely has medical training. Kellee has been to Haiti several times and speaks creole. I don’t know Lisa very well but can imagine that God has appointed her as well due to her unique gifts. Mothers from North Carolina in a make shift hospital in the middle of Haiti saving lives….these women are truly Mothering the World. I am sure that Linda, Kellee, Lisa and Julia will be able to tell a much more amazing story after they return. But as information comes in talking about how the building at the airport collapsed minutes after they walked out of the door (thank you Jesus for bringing in the flight early)….for going before them and covering them in protection. Sometimes this world seems chaotic and without any kind of order ….GOD is still on the throne. The take away for me is that God continues to use people equipped with faith but by the world’s standards are lacking in official worldly capacity or titles. He cares and is aware of even the smallest of details and that even mothers from north Carolina can Mother the World and be she-ros using their ‘band-aid…boo-boo” skills to save lives…..

Dining with Beautiful Ugandan and Kenyan Orphans!

2010-01-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

African Hair Care Products on White Daughter!

2010-01-09T06:30:00.001-08:00

Dr. Mitu Khurana MOTHER TO DAUGHTERS in INDIA-Fights for their Lives

2010-01-04T19:36:00.000-08:00

This woman MITU totally has my attention. She is so brave and I just would like to scoop her up and bring her to America to live with me if I could. Imagine having your entire family try to kill the babies inside of you repeatedly and then once they are born throwing one of them down the steps at 4 months....Seriously, where are all of the women's groups on this one in America fighting against this type of travesty....Please join me in praying for MITU...

African Children's Choir-Video of Silent Night!

2009-12-26T17:15:00.001-08:00

Merry Knishmas - Family Video!

2009-12-19T06:00:00.001-08:00

Apparently there is a cartoon on the cartoon network called CHOWDER. After making this video my kids have informed me that Jared was referring to the episode called Merry Knishmas

"I Will Serve the Lord" Christian App video

2009-12-14T16:49:00.001-08:00

Parents Are Teachers-Christian Appalachian Project

2009-12-14T10:55:00.001-08:00

CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT

Christian Appalachian 78 Year Old Volunteers

2009-12-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

Christian Appalachian Project: Volunteer Round Table Video

2009-12-13T11:13:00.000-08:00

Christian Appalachian Project

Mother the World-Christian Appalachian Project

2009-12-12T16:50:00.000-08:00

Please go to MOTHER THE WORLD for the recent videos from our tour at CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT

Fake Santa - Christmas Carols as a Second Language

2009-12-02T15:28:00.001-08:00

Mother The World: Ellie Mestas 'Teen Orphan Ministry" Etaala

2009-12-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

Ellie Mestas is incredible. At 16 she has founded ETAALA and is truly mothering the world through ministry, advocacy both as a sister and Mother helper to 6 adopted siblings, but as a global teen leader. She takes James 1:27 to heart in caring for orphans and widows. She what she has to say:

Mother The World: Eileen Mestas - Adopting in your 40's and 50's

2009-12-02T15:25:00.001-08:00

I love Eileen and her husband Jerry. To keep up with their story please go to JOBSDAUGHTERS
to find out more....

MOMMY is a HERO: Shooter of Hasan is a MOM

2009-11-07T14:19:00.001-08:00

Fort Hood hero is a mom - shot terrorist Hasan four times

November 7, 2009

The mother who brought down the Fort Hood killer

Chris Ayres in Fort Hood, Texas

Ministry in Appalachia-Mother the World

2009-11-03T20:01:00.001-08:00

We are going to be launching our follow up tour and official debut of MOTHER THE WORLD in December and we will be going to APPALACHIA in the Eastern part of Kentucky. I am hoping that we can meet the woman whose organization put this video together (Appalachian Ministries). Our plan is to visit and document mothers in the mountains, talk to the woman who runs the ministry and hand out gift packages to mothers. AND of course spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I would also like us do some beauty work on the mothers and teens (haircuts and manicures or pedicures) and bring princess and super hero costumes for the kids. We will ask for donations.

To Be A MOther-CD Available

2009-10-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

Buy our CD here TO BE A MOTHER

Chick-fil-a Assistant Manager Saves Baby from Abortion!!! Videos!

2009-10-16T10:06:00.001-07:00

So, last year I finished my book and then realized that after 27 years of keeping my abortion secret I had to finally confess to my parents, kids, friends....

It was hard but something I knew the Lord wanted. One of the people I called was my friend Pam. I had contacted a few people from my old church to ask for help for the upcoming 40days for life campaign. I hadn't seen Pam in several months. But contacted her via email first. In those few exchanges Pam confessed her abortion too...and later told me about her 3 abortions. A few weeks after that we had a dinner at my house to discuss 40 days. I had spent a year studying abortion etc. but Pam had not really explored the effects of her own abortion etc. Still as we completed dinner we all talked about the upcoming event and then one of us said something that visibly struck Pam to the point where she was totally shaken. We didn't want to hit a trigger and had assumed that she had worked through her abortion experiences. But when one of us talked about the late term abortions Pam pretty much lost it....we all prayed over her.

I spoke to her that week about taking things slowly. She said "no, I am IN..I am called to fight for this cause etc." So, we would get together and talk about the bible etc and women's issues. One day Pam was working in her position as manager at a local fast food restaurant....one of her co workers was talking about her daughter and the pending abortion that was sched. Pam felt compelled to talk to the mother and daughter and give her own testimony. THis was still new to Pam but she confessed and made an impression on this family. She convinced the pregnant mother to postpone the abortion appointment and go to see an ultrasound at the pregnancy clinic. Pam drove her there. Pam talked to her about Jesus..Pam helped the young mother to choose life by offering to support this woman in any way she could.. Pam had gathered gift cards from church and would take this mother shopping for essentials. She would also take her to the doctors appointments. Pam helped talk the woman into going off drugs too.

Well, this September a beautiful baby boy (and I mean beautiful) named Keshaun was born. I am doing a video series on Pam. Pam has seen it all. Nothing shocks Pam. But her past has also made her qualified to speak to women who have been addicted, women who have had a hard time mothering and women who have aborted. For me, I am humbled. Not only about Pam but about how my confession led to Pam's confession which led to life. If someone had told me even 26 years ago that my abortion confession could save a life I believe I would have had more courage even back then to try to tell my story to inspire women to choose life for their babies....God is so good and I am watching as this young mother has Pam to help her still ...and Pam calls herself NANA to Keshaun. I am witnessing an entire community raise up a baby and give a young mother hope. I pray and wish this MODEL would be replicated throughout the US...just look at this baby....just look at Pam who was broken when parenting her own children post abortion as she loves unconditionally this baby...AWESOME GOD!!!

Brides of Christ-Mother the World

2009-10-13T14:45:00.001-07:00

So, it has been a really long time since I posted any actual text. I have been a bit preoccupied with my new love ...the FLIP HD ULTRA video camera. My husband says he is a video widower...It has been one of the best gifts I have ever received (not counting my husband,kids and laptop-which I wrote a book on). I had received a gift for our ministry MOTHER THE WORLD (officially not yet launched 12/1/09). And prior to heading to the midwest to promote TO BE A MOTHER a dear friend gifted me with a check for the cam the day after I was in prayer and heard from the Lord to document and interview mothers. So, it has been a blessing but requires some editing time.

In the meantime, all is well here in the land of my beautiful Injera Guacamole Hotdog family. However, we are struggling through (so far) a light version of the flu. My son first had it and because there was only a light fever I misdiagnosed it as the IDONTwANNAGOTOSCHOOL strain...and sent him to school for two days ...NOW I FEEL AWFUL...but he is fine..The youngest two are home today with fevers..and coughs..and by 9:30 once the Motrin kicked in my 7 year old came down looking like a professional Ethiopian soccer player with a ball uder his arms...knee socks, shorts and a soccer jersey saying "HEY I AM GOING TO PLAY SOCCER OUTSIDE"...i quickly said UH NO YOU ARE NOT....My daughter Ella's class has 10 kids out of the class with the flu....and she is coughing with no fever as is Grace...they have really really hearty bodies....Oldest was home from college and insisted no one breathe on her....the corner PEDS office is claiming 30 cases of swine flu a day. Still, we are hunkering down...I have a batch of homemade chicken soup on the stove along with ginger tea (which I SWEAR is why these cases in our household aren't worse) and italian ices that we bought as twofers....

Still, there is a lot of unknowns in our lives. OUr business is slow with our band so we are struggling financially and may be putting our new big house on the market....(sorry to put all of you blogger followers through the house selling thing again)...but the Ministry is bearing much fruit...I cannot even begin to count on my hand how many incredible mother stories, adoption stories, stories of choosing life, stories of stepping into motherhood...incredible SHE-RO stories....and so much revelation...I went on my tour thinking I would impart so much to the people I would meet or speak to on adoption. I am in awe at the lessons I have already learned...

1. People need to be 'mothered" even when they are octogenarians...How many people in nursing homes etc long for someone to come to tell them they matter enough to them to spend some time making sure they are happy and cared for or given a hug.

2. Most mothers feel inadequate and God uses them anyhow...WHEW what a relief to discover this one. I had thought I was the only messed up clumsy mom out there and that maybe GOd somehow made a mistake...but looking at the clumsy characters in the bible that He used as well...now I say..."OH IT IS BIBLICAL FOR GOD TO USE PEOPLE THAT FEEL INADEQUATE and even ARE..."

3. Due to a lack of mothering we have many older teens and young adults who are confused and unsure of how to parent leaving them to carry on some of the abuse they encountered as kids with their own kids...we need more people like my friends Elaine and Cody Bateman to teach and mentor....

4. Our culture while financially blessed has a lot to learn about parenting from places like Africa where the mothers in the communities truly believe that IT TAKES A VILLAGE...in America many mothers feel isolated turning to books and HOW TO manuals rather than having mothering be natural simply by being around other mothers.

5. Children with HIV in Africa will stay healthy waiting to be taken to America where they will live a long life..if they know they have a new family waiting for them. CHildren with no hope will die...

6. Older boys and girls in Ethiopia still long for a mother but many times are thrown on the street to deal with all kinds of awful things if a mother doesn't claim them like Eileen Mestas my friend.

7. 30000 people starve everyday to death. Haiti has a huge starvation problem...food is spoiling.

8. 2.8 billion professed Christians in the world...if 7% of that number would adopt only 1 child we would solve the orphan crisis and all of the 143 million orphans would have a mother. BUt in Ethiopia for example only 1 one hundredth of 1 percent of the orphans are adopted annually..

OK...so the new campaign...website/network I am creating is called MOTHER THE WORLD...what that means is that MOTHER IS A VERB..to nurture, care for , save, love, feed..basically pick up on Jesus' message to take care of the orphans, widows and least of these.... my inspiration is that if we are BRIDES OF CHRIST (the church or even individuals in this case women-but does apply to men too)..then we are to MOTHER THE WORLD..find the children...adopt the children...care for the children...save the children...and CHILDREN doesn't only mean 18 and under...it means children of GOd..and that could be a 97 year old woman in INdia or indiana....

One random act of kindness this Christmas can save a life, change a mind and motivate a person to pay it forward....MOTHER THE WORLD..honor GOD and DO SOMETHING....

TO BE A MOTHER boo is still available at AMAZON

Teen Adoption: Jasmine Speaks about finally finding a MOTHER

2009-10-11T12:44:00.001-07:00

VIDEO: Mother Mary Tribute-by Deanna Jones

2009-10-06T20:56:00.000-07:00

TO BE A MOTHER at Amazon http://www.tinyurl.com/tbamam

VIDEO:Do the Don'ts...Juicy Couture Campaign

2009-10-06T07:29:00.001-07:00

Video: Searching for a Stay at Home Mom in NYC

2009-10-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

The TO BE A MOTHER book is still available at Amazon..http://www.tinyurl.com/tbamam

VIDEO: Laundromat with Kids for FIRST TIME - Mother The World

2009-10-04T12:46:00.001-07:00

Mother The World Midwest Tour- Video

2009-10-04T12:38:00.000-07:00

Video: Adoption Costs and God's Provision

2009-10-01T10:57:00.001-07:00

Mommy Hates Halloween Video!!!!

2009-10-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

Mom to 20 Kids-Rose Malavolti Discusses Adoption

2009-09-29T21:33:00.001-07:00

PURELIFE 2009: My Story God's Glory

2009-09-28T21:20:00.003-07:00

"I Want to Be A Mommy!" To Be A Mother

2009-09-28T06:05:00.001-07:00

Stiletto Run to STOP CHILD TRAFFICKING

2009-09-27T21:37:00.000-07:00

GO to STOP CHILD TRAFFICKING NOW..to learn more and contribute.

National Anthem/Jessica Helms

2009-09-22T13:44:00.001-07:00

Okay...so I am on the MOTHER THE WORLD
first leg tour with my kids heading from NC to Illinois. I stop to hang out with the Bateman's my new adopted family. Jessica is one of my neices. She just happened to sing for me in the basement the National Anthem. She is so awesome and unaware at how great she is. That is totally refreshing....I love how God just gives you this wild idea to travel the world talking about motherhood and then you are treated to quality entertainment in a basement in KY...Praise Him! Jessica loves to sing Christian music and is a strong Christian so I seriously doubt would be inspired to sign a record deal in a secular market..But seriously ....she ROCKS...and I am proud of her...I love the Bateman family...and Jessica and all of her siblings..my new extended family. Video quality isn't that great because of lighting.

HIV ADOPTION VIDEOS at TO BE A MOTHER of TWEITMEYER FAMILY

2009-09-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

IT WAS A CRAZY DAY...HERE ARE OUR BLOOPERS!!!! 16 kids between the two of us....

Lisa's Baby Died Here (Rockford Abortion Mill)

2009-09-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

So, I just returned from a book tour for TO BE A MOTHER . It was an awesome trip. As I headed out in prayer it was revealed to me to video tape women and men, families while we were on the road. I stayed in Rockford, Illinois (my hometown). There is an abortion clinic there that has aborted 50,000 babies. The abortions take place in a clinic that is housed in an old elementary school that was built in 1898. Bob Brady (the man holding the angelic sign in the video) went to this school as a child. The parking lot where the mothers park prior to abortion was where he played at recess...when I was there I saw a beautiful sign of Jesus that had been painted by a pro life activist mail man Joe Nicosi...in the window of the abortion mill the owner had placed a picture of Jesus giving the finger to the counselors with a sign that says JESUS HATES YOU!!!! There are also rubber chickens covering Jesus on a crucifix and dolls dressed up like nuns in coffins. This is where the women go to abort their babies up to 18 weeks. While there I watched Lisa Johnson a woman who had an abortion at the clinic at the age of 14. Lisa goes to the clinic with her SILENT NO MORE sign (I REGRET MY ABORTION)..She hands out literature with her testimony along with directions to the pregnancy clinic. In her literature she talks about how the abortionist showed her a petrie dish of her baby post abortion and said "see it is just a blob"....That abortionist died of cancer at a young age. Lisa told me she was saddened by that because she always held out hope he would be saved...Listening to her I had tears in my eyes. Her voice is strong...her voice is filled with compassion, sincerity and strength. Still, you can hear that her pleas are genuine....50,000 babies are lost to this clinic...where children used to play outside with joy in their hearts...pray for these prayer warriors....who stand outside of this clinic..

Rifqa Bary's Testimony! Mothers of the World..Help to Save Her Life!

2009-09-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

Rifqa fled her parents home in Ohio for fear of death in proclaiming her Christianity. She is in Florida now. On Monday there is a possibility that she will be sent back to Ohio. If that is the case she may end up killed...please pray..

Spider PIG-800 mile serenade

2009-09-17T19:44:00.001-07:00

I heard this song for 800 miles...When we stopped I decided to get it on tape because they were still singing..

Disney as a Second Language!

2009-09-17T18:50:00.001-07:00

Decaf Frap High-TO BE A MOTHER /Mother the World tour

2009-09-15T14:47:00.001-07:00

I didn't give them these drinks the church had an awesome coffee bar and the kids were treated to decaf fraps....

BUSY BUSY on TOBEAMOTHER/MOTHERTHEWORLD TOUR!

2009-09-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

We haven't forgotten you all out there in the blogosphere. I have just been really busy with my 5 kids/flip cam and book tour. I have learned so much. I have 300 video clips to edit for all of my blogging friends/some amazing stories about adoption and confessions...and some really amazing interviews with some incredible mothers...

A couple of nights ago we were at a place called THE FAITH CENTER in Rockford. It was amazing..and we had a great turn out in spite of the fact that the BEARS and VIKINGS were playing or was it the BEARS AND GREEN BAY...This is football territory so anyone that comes out on football night has to want to come...I will tell you more about that later.

Yesterday i drove to Joliet to interview Carolyn Twietmeyer from PROJECT HOPEFUL.. . I also interviewed Rose Malavotti..a mother with 20 kids from Haiti, Mexico etc...Have video of her.

Today I spoke for a homeschooling group and tonight I am speaking and singing with no piano...

Will update soon..

Deanna

To Be A Mother/Video: Older Child Adoption-Bateman Family

2009-09-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

We are traveling cross country talking to people about parenting/motherhood. First stop was in Kentucky to visit the family of Cody and Elaine Bateman. They have 19 kids (14 at home). Most of their children were adopted as teens. Hear what they have to say about adopting older kids and being adopted as older kids

Titus 2:3-5 (New International Version)

3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

To Be a Mother: Kentucky

2009-09-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

We just spent an amazing two days with the Bateman family in Bowling Green. Elaine Bateman is Mrs. Kentucky and the proud mother of 19 kids (14 at home). Many of the children are 18-30. I am about to post some video clips but in a nutshell , I am being convicted to know that we need to continue love and mentor our children after they leave home....and after 18. I will chat more about it later..

OLDER KID ADOPTION: Kentucky! Day Two!

2009-09-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

We spent yesterday driving from Asheville to Bowling Green. The view was surreal and gorgeous in the mountains of Western NC and Tennessee. I had a lot of time to think. I am still amazed where God has taken each and everyone of us. And I am all butterflies combined with awe.

We are staying with the Bateman's in Kentucky for 2 days. Elaine is MRS. KENTUCKY and Cody is an awesome inspiring man who is indeed a Pastor. We had a worship service in the basement with 20 people. So, the Bateman family has fostered/adopted/given birth to 19 kids (fourteen are still at home). I have learned via international adoption that the older kids are rarely adopted. In places like Africa, China, Russia often the older orphaned kids have to end up living on the streets once released from the orphanages. THere have been reports too that pimps are tipped off for when the girls/boys will 'age out" and they will wait for the kids and then force them or manipulate them in to sex slavery. In America it is hard enough for older children to be adopted...there is too much fear.

Most people when adopting are specific with their requirements. Many do not want to adopt children with any 'special needs'...Special needs can mean an older child, childhood abuse, medical concerns, learning disabilities. I have learned since adopting my 4 children and raising two other children that I gave birth to, that there are no guarantees. My first baby had a heart murmer that cleared up, my son has growth issues, my baby has eye issues, my son and daughter from Africa have permanent holes in their eardrums from chronic ear infections. My kids threatened to jump out 2nd floor windows when they came home or run away. My Ethiopian son would pull fixtures out of the wall in anger until we had to spackle the dry wall..

Raising kids is not easy...but it is so rewarding and we are not alone..all things are possible with the help of God and miracles happen. Abused children heal and grow to inspire and care for other children. Drug addicted babies even grow to graduate from college. Kids who watched their parents die sometimes move on to love and embrace new parents and learn to trust again...(my children are a perfect example)..

So, I am watching women in America and meeting people who have mothered children who need villages of mothers to care for them. I am meeting women who have taken in children who have no other mothers to care for them...and I am seeing young adults who have never given birth move beyond their childhood abuse and into their futures as mothers through teaching, counseling and hugs...

God is amazing..the human capacity is amazing..so why do we so often choose to shut down, block our giving to others out of fear...THROUGH FAITH IN HIM we can heal hearts and change the world.We can be His hands and feet., MOTHER THE WORLD one person/one child at a time..

Look for updates on OLDER CHILD ADOPTION...

To Be A Mother: 5 kids on road trip and the DVD player is broken

2009-09-03T21:17:00.001-07:00

Great Review of TO BE A MOTHER by author Dennis Gerard Embo

2009-09-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

Grace that continues to amaze,

September 3, 2009

Review by: Dennis Gerard Embo, author of

St. Augustine of Hippo opens Book I, Chapter 1 of his with a doxology, proclaiming, "You are great, O Lord, and greatly to be praised: great is your power and to your wisdom there is no limit." Deanna Jones' spiritual memoir takes the reader from a very dysfunctional childhood relationship with her human father to her ultimate and joyous discovery of God as her spiritual "Father" and deliverer. Hers is very much the story of a woman who enters adulthood alienated from God, but who in the end we see experiencing God's presence in very intimate and tangible ways. The immediacy of God's presence in so many of her personal experiences as she rises from intense inner pain and despair to wonder and elation is beautifully expressed in the pages of this book.

One aspect of the book I particularly appreciate is Deanna's level of candor in which she shares with the reader her youthful naïveté; her alternating fear and love for her mentally troubled father; her fits of rage against what she came to realize later was a very distorted concept of God as a fearful ogre like her human father; her inner turmoil as she grappled alone with her unplanned pregnancy, her decision to abort, followed by her life literally coming unraveled; her cherished dream of a successful career as an entertainer collapsing before her in a heap.

The remainder of the book can be compared to the aftermath of a violent storm that has just passed. The rain finally stops, the clouds begin to dissipate, and the sun, little by little, begins to break through the clouds. Such was Deanna's slow ascent into presence of One she had once despised and feared: God. But not God in some abstract theological construct, but God as a caring and forgiving Father. Here begins a story filled with fascination, wonder and surprise as the grace of God, manifested through a wide variety of personal circumstances, and even dreams, looms larger and larger in her life until that day when she comes to the realization that God, her heavenly Father, had been with her all along, even in her darkest hours. To paraphrase Augustine, "...you were with [Deanna], but [she] was not with you."

For me one of the most endearing parts of the book is Deanna's self-effacing confession that she is anything but a [Jill]-of-all-trades when it comes to children and what mothers and elementary school teachers have come to know and (not always) love as "arts and crafts." Perhaps arts and crafts are not Deanna's forte, but what she certainly has succeeded in doing is penning a moving personal memoir that once again reaffirms the new life even the most despairing of us can discover in the inexhaustible ocean of God's mercy, and the wonders of His love.

TO BE A MOTHER: Book Tour Send off Video

2009-09-03T10:46:00.003-07:00

Upstaged by my 4 year old daughter...video...

2009-09-03T10:30:00.001-07:00

To Be A Mother: "A BOOK FOR ALL WOMEN" Review by Jodi Jackson Tucker

2009-09-03T04:23:00.000-07:00

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book for All Women!,

By	J. Tucker "Orphan Hugger" (Durham, NC) -

This is an amazing story of redemption and grace. I expected a predictable memoir, but Deanna is a powerful writer who puts you right inside the story. I could not stop reading! Every woman should read this book...the themes are universal and the outcome is an encouraging reminder of God's amazing love. This book reminded me that it is never too late for any of us. Who doesn't have regrets from her past? Deanna shows us how to rise above circumstances and past mistakes, and continue to evolve during every season of our life. I loved the book and found it very inspiring.

Road Trip for TO BE A MOTHER

2009-09-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

Well it is the eve before I take off with my 5 kids for a book tour. It should be fun! We are heading to Asheville tomorrow around 4 to be with my sister overnight. Friday we take off for KY to be with my friend Elaine. Saturday we will stay with Elaine again and drive up to Illinois on Sunday. I am praying I am well rested and able to drive all that way....We are also praying that hearts will be changed moved and healed through the book...Amazing little book so far. Up at #1 most of last week. I thought then it had stopped building momentum..it went down to almost 100 and now is back at 10. I am so humbled by this whole experience and so happy but overwhelmed also...we just appreciate the prayers and hope that you all will be looking back here for our video/blog/motherhood tour...