Orphan Birthday

My way of thinking and wanting things has seemed to decrease in value over the past five years. You would think that as time goes on and the world gets greedier and new iPhones get updated that I would too. But it keeps making me want less. At some point during Full Sail, I began to talk a lot about the Amish culture, being fascinated that they choose to live a certain way even after all the inventions and advancements of American life, as asked by their religion. Then it went to Pioneer/ Little House on the Prairie times to make it even simpler. Living that way because nothing more had been invented. I was told about the PBS show "Frontier House" by my friend Lindsey and have watched that on and off- a kind of reality show from the 1990's about three families that live for five months in Montana as if they are living in 1883. They have to build their own houses, wash their clothes by hand every other day, ration their food until the time comes once a month where one family member can make the ten-hour trek to the general store and trade items for more groceries. Intense! But since I read "Kisses from Katie", I spend a lot of time thinking about third-world countries and orphans, wanting to help them by tithing (as often as I am allowed) so they can go to school for an education, have three meals a day and get the medical attention that they need.

Two of my closest friends since high school, Mia and Sharanya, selflessly volunteered to help me with a combined sponsorship through Amazima Ministries beginning in August, once Michael and I get situated into our wonderful new little apartment in Orlando. But if it doesn't work out for all three of us, I will still sponsor an orphan every month, using money out of my grocery fund and eat rice and beans for dinner and pray for everything God has given me over the past 27 years. This year I spent my birthday driving down to Gainesville for my brother's wedding. My mom worried that I was feeling left out in all of the marriage celebration, so we did my birthday that weekend. The girl in the photo is Celeste, the girl my mom has been sponsoring through Unbound (formerly called CFCA: Christian Foundation for Children and Aging) for several years now. I didn't have a picture of Mikaella with me, the girl I have been sponsoring through the same program for over two years. I need to keep praying to be able to do more for them. And others in general.