Outrunning Poverty

Eighteen year old Emilda has never been a stranger to hardship.



Born into extreme poverty in the Philippines, Emilda's life was already difficult enough, but it was about to get harsher. At the age of 2, she developed a high fever which soon led to convulsions. The convulsions were too much for her fragile brain.

She was unconscious for six days.



As parents, most of us can't imagine what Emilda's parents faced 16 years ago. We can't imagine what went through their minds in those desperate hours as they watched and prayed over their 2 year old daughter, not knowing if she'd recover or even survive.


She did survive, but she didn't recover in the ways that they had hoped and prayed for.


Emilda's brain suffered from the trauma of the fever and convulsions. Her parents hoped that she would overcome these challenges, but after five years of attempting to complete Kindergarten without success, tests determined that Emilda had suffered irreversible brain damage and had been left with the mind of a 3 year old.

Unable to count, memorize scriptures, read or write, struggling to communicate, Emilda found herself unable to complete an education that would have provided a way out of poverty. A way out of her poverty stricken neighborhood on the edge of this dangerous landfill where families scavenge for food, scraps, and survival.




While the brain damage affected her capacity to learn and communicate, it didn't affect her spirit.


There was something extra special about Emilda -- her ability to outrun her challenges. Literally, and otherwise.




Her ability to run was fostered and encouraged. She worked hard, eventually competing in the 12th Philippines Special Olympics in 2009, where despite a fever, she won a gold medal, two silver medals, and a bronze medal in track and field, qualifying her for the international Special Olympics in the historic city of Athens, Greece.

It was already a significant challenge to travel to the track for practice twice a day. They can't afford transportation, so they walk several miles, twice a day. They are determined to give her every possible chance...

... but Athens?


They can't walk to Athens.

All her life, Emilda has been a survivor, she has outrun each challenge to the best of her abilities.

This one seemed too great to outrun.


Except nothing is impossible for the God that we serve.




Emily is part of the Compassion program. In light of the special circumstances, her Compassion project brought this situation to the attention of Compassion international and an intervention proposal was submitted. Once approved, a fundraising initiative was set into motion for Emilda, her mother and a Compassion worker to travel to Athens, Greece, where Emilda will compete in the Special Olympics.


What a blessing for you and I, what an incredible opportunity to serve and be a part of Emilda's success story. An opportunity to give, to give hope, to surround her with love, and to cheer her on right through to Athens.


That fundraising initiative was announced on Valentine's Day, and already 48% of the total has been raised!!


There is still a chance to help -- won't you join us?



There is no amount too small. Emilda's family lives on less than $1 a day, can you match their daily salary and give $1? Perhaps $7? Give what you can.

Together, we can help Emilda outrun the poverty that has been trying to slow her down.

Together, we can help her outrun her way to Athens.

Donating couldn't be simpler -- just follow this link.

For more information on Emilda, click here, or here.

How Crayons Can Erase Walls

We have been married almost 17 years, almost half of my lifetime.

Although our relationship began on a foundation of communication, the years that should have made us fluent in each other's language of love have done the opposite. In time, the differences carved a wider and deeper space between us leaving us struggling to regain that space.

That space hurts.

That hurt builds invisible walls.

Rather than to protect, the walls create more hurt, defensiveness, sharp edges...




Like many parents whose time is torn between work, children and other responsibilities, we all too often put our marriage last. We have been deceived into thinking that always putting the children first is best, but how can it be best when what's best for them is to have the living example of two parents who are one with each other, in love, and in tune to each other's hearts?

In an effort to strengthen our relationship and tear down walls, we have begun dating again.

Dating each other, that is.

With Love, From Ghana

("Letters To Africa" Photo credit: Teri-Adele Roberts)

Our precious Compassion son from Ghana has poured his heart out once again in another wonderful letter. Pages upon pages revealing his heart and his personality, each page drawing us closer to he and his family.

I can't imagine what we'd be missing out on if we didn't communicate with him on a regular basis. It really does build relationships and leads to such a beautiful experience.


Some of the highlights from his letter:

Friday Favorites

What an incredible week for blog posts...

Here were a few of my favorites:

What really happens when you give to the poor? Ann Voskamp answers this ever so beautifully. If you have not taken a moment to read it, will you take a moment now?

Does living as a Christian in a world saturated with the secular leave you feeling as though you're straddling a fence? Tracie is journaling her way through the Bible. Her posts always make me pause in reflection and leave me hungry for more of His word. I am blessed to spend every Sunday evening under her leadership in our Bible Study group -- will you spend a moment with her too?

This post on time management is a powerful reminder to put life on "pause" and reflect on who directs our days, our time, our tasks... Us, others, or God? Has being "busy" become another idol?

This one will break your heart... are you willing to brave it and join Jesus on the mountaintop and pray for those living in conditions we may never be able to understand?

This one touched a tender place in my heart... for those of us who have felt like sparrows, or tenderly held one.


I'd love to hear what spoke to you this week, would you be willing to share?

Celebrating The Unseen

Six years ago, I was preparing for a job interview with a company I had worked with for 8 years in the past. It should have been simple; it was basically the same position I had when I was employed with them years ago. I was very familiar with the company and the particulars of this job.

I went in, did the best I could given their very irrelevant interview style, and hoped for the best.



A few weeks later, I received a letter in the mail stating that while they appreciated my interest in my old job, they had chosen an applicant with more experience.


More experience than someone who had already done this job? How is that possible?


I had been out of work for several years, and we knew that we couldn’t keep living on one income much longer. This job would have been such an answer to prayer, such an immense blessing. And yet, that door had clearly closed for reasons we struggled to understand.


The kids were young; 3, 6 and 8. I stood at the door, rejection letter in hand, and called out for the kids to get ready to go for a drive.

I had a pocket full of change, and given how much we were struggling financially at the time, it may as well have been $1000. The thought briefly crossed my mind to put it toward something of longer lasting value, but I knew that although this outing would cost me a few precious dollars, the opportunity to teach the kids about faith and God would be priceless.


“Where are we going, Mommy?”

The Master's Symphony

The master holds an instrument in His hands... He has a song to play, a perfect song. He chooses just the instrument for this song he has written, an instrument he will use to play the song through.

If the instrument he chooses is not in tune to His song, the quality of the song will be greatly affected. Consider a guitar missing a string, or a violin with strings that have not been tuned... consider a piano with broken hammers, or a clarinet without a reed... consider how different the song will sound from what’s intended!

Overwhelmed By Love

Do you ever wonder what God meant by "new creation"?

It's something I keep coming back to, but I just can't help it. Change is a chain reaction. When something changes, everything within it's immediate reach is deeply impacted, and that impact leads to more changes.



Looking back at the landscape of my life and witnessing the renewal of my marriage after many years of hardship... I am in awe. I am overwhelmed. It would have been enough for God to simply bring peace to replace the anger, bitterness, judgment and resentment... but God wanted so much more, and deep down, so did I. My life and my marriage needed to bear fruit. Much fruit.


That required change. Much change.

African Awakening

Spring of 2005...

The seed was initially dormant, much like a bulb planted in the autumn of life, buried deeply and needing the cold of winter to force life to the surface. As winter’s harshness eased and spring’s thaw approached, the seed’s heart stirred, faintly aware of the growing longing to be the Shepherd’s hands and feet in far away places.

Although it felt the growing missionary beat in its heart, it knew it wasn’t time.

Some bulbs spring to life in the first season, some need a longer winter of death to self before giving rise to the awakening of life.

For years, I knew my heart was being called to the mission fields in developing countries, even though I had my own mission field here at home. I also knew that I simply hadn’t been ready – not emotionally, spiritually, financially, physically, or even from a marriage or maturity standpoint. I had a lot to work through so that He could use me as His servant this way.

Sometimes, it was hard to wait, much like dreaming for something you’re not sure will be yours to have. It's a risk to open your heart to that dream, but unless your heart is open, your heart can never fully receive the opportunity. Deep down, I knew that the process of working through the challenges was still worth it, even if the fruits of my labor weren’t what I had envisioned. God is faithful.

I knew by the end of the spring of 2009 that the seed was awakening from deep slumber, and that the season of winter growth would produce much fruit. In little time, I felt the first unmistakable calling to Africa when my best friend Tia shared her experiences from her mission trip to Africa. This was more than vicariously living through a friend, or simply having an interest in her experiences. My heart knew.

Kids In Doorways

A few months ago, our 9 year old daughter began to express her desire to become a Compassion Advocate. It began as she asked for my help in doing some research for a school project on the work Compassion does.

She was well versed in Sponsorships. We started out with 3 in January of 2010, and within a year, our Compassion Family had grown to 10. She has one of her own to correspond with and support.

What she was seeking was more... how did it begin? Who started it? What are the Compassion countries? How can she become involved and advocate for the lives of these precious children? What would she need to become a Compassion Advocate?

Naturally, she knew I could help her find the answers.

2011: One Word

Until last year, the buzz words as the old year elapsed and the new year began were “New Year Resolutions”. That seems to have been replaced with the “One Word” concept.

One word? Just in case you have been on vacation somewhere outside the planet over the last month, the point of it is to pick one word that will act as a positive goal or theme for the coming year, a word to inspire your life by.

Since I no longer make resolutions for the reasons stated in this post, the one word challenge appeals to me. OK, it may appeal to me simply because my challenge isn’t the word for the year, it’s picking just one without ending up in a straight-jacket.