At some point in our lives, we have all had dreams…BIG DREAMS. We have had these burning passions within us to make a differene, to bring something to the world. In some instances, these dreams are raging so heavily inside people that they decide to do something about it. Churches raise up, Youth Centers happen, coffee shops brew away, greenhouse ministries blossom. Then there are those times when the flame loses its light. It begins flickering and soon the dream lies dormant for months, years, or even decades.
This is me. I have had a dream for years; since I was 17, 18 or 19. I really do not remember when it began, but it did. A dream to see children be loved, for children to grow up in a loving environment with two parents, for children to stay in one home and not be passed around, for the fatherless to have a father. An orphanage, a rescue mission, a children's home however you wish to phrase it. The thing is, it has been dormant for a while. Over the years it would try to resurface, but the charge was never strong enough, causing the dream to subside.
My bud who shared his snack with me and then
took my water bottle. Who could resist his
face.
It was not until Kenya/Rwanda (January/February) that this dream, this passion found some kerosene and exploded into endless possiblities. I remember riding in a Matatu in Rwanada at night heading back from our ministry. We began talking about dreams and passions. I simply stated that I would like to start up some kind of home/orphanage in America where there are house parents creating a family environment simply because the foster care system is unstable. (There are awesome foster care parents, but the system is not the best.) A place, home where children do not get shifted around, but grow up in one home. Then and there my friend Samara told me of how her friend sent her a prophetic word in Kenya for someone on her team, but she did not know who it was for.
The Word said, "There is someone on your team who wants to start an orphanage. Tell her it is from me (God) and not from herself. I (God) will make it happen."
I prayed about it and felt overwhelmed. What a huge task. Then the next month in Uganda, I shared this dream with my friend Tricia. The excitement within her raged as she began to talk about this incredible estate that was possibly going to be given to her for ministry, but she had no plans on living stateside. Thus, in turn would need someone to possibly take it over.
The Business Savey Man
The snowball effect had begun. I began to tell God that if He wanted this to really happen, He was going to need to provide everytying, especially someone who was business savey. Give me children to love on and I'm flourishing, but give me a business to start up and I'll crack. Sure enough in India, He provided a man on my squad who shares a similar passion, especially of rescuing children from human trafficking and bringing them into a home, who wreaks of savey.
Person after person God keeps providing from future supporters to mission teams to co-workers all before it is even established. On top of that these last four months, I have either lived or served at different types of orphanages. Here I am ending my race at the type of children's home I desire to begin. Transition into the next season of life? I think so!
cookout at one of the villages with our British friends
