I didn’t plan on writing this blog until the end of the race. But the Lord had other plans.
I have met little girls around the world that I pray will one day grow into women that change it.
These beautiful girls are daughters of the Father that created them. They each have gifts that he has given them. They will bring Kingdom and be a light in their communities. I thank God for their hearts and I pray that they deeply seek him and have a relationship with their Father one day. They were created for a purpose.
Lori is 9 years old and she is from Kigali, Rwanda. She is has one younger sister and 2 younger brothers. She helps her mom with her younger siblings. She is kind and has the most beautiful smile. She has a peaceful spirit. Her father is a pastor and he is one of the most funny and generous men I have ever met. Her family is chasing after the heart of Jesus as they live by the example of Christ.
The Lord has given Lori the gift of resilience. About 10 months before we got to Rwanda, Lori got very sick and was in the hospital and in a coma for several days. They didn’t know if she would make it. She is a gift. The Lord gave her a spirit of strength because He has big plans for her life. She has been given the gift of life so that she can live it abundantly.
Esther is 5 years old and she is from a small community in Mombasa, Kenya. She only speaks a little English. She is has one younger sister who is 2 years old. She is beautiful and you can’t help but smile back when you see her big toothy grin. Her father is a pastor and they live on the campus of the school/ church they attend. Her family is chasing after the heart of Jesus by educating children.
The Lord has given Esther the gift of joy. It spills over when she plays with her friends and when she flashes this big smile.
Esther is 9 years old and she is from a small village outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She is learning to speak English, she is a great student and help in class. She is the oldest of 4 biological siblings and 2 adopted siblings. She is shy. She is a leader. Her father is a teacher. Her family is chasing after the heart of Jesus by bringing in orphans to become their family.
The Lord has given Esther the gift of influence and speaking with authority. In class or at home when Esther speaks the other students listen without question. They respect her and she leads them by example.
Mai is 4 years old and she is from Vietnam, but she lives in Bangkok, Thailand. She does her own thing and she has confidence unlike any 4 year old I have ever met. She has tenacity. She is tough and when you get her in a good mood you will get kisses and some sweet smiles. She is the youngest of 5 children.
The Lord has given Mai the gift of persistence and confidence. She knows who she is and what she wants. When she finds her passions in life she will walk in them persistently and without question.
Nha is 7 years old and she is from Vietnam, but she lives in Bangkok, Thailand. She is the most gentle and sweet child. She is so giving and loves to cuddle. She takes care of her little sister, Mai. She also has 3 older brothers. Their family fled Vietnam because of religious persecution. Their father is currently doing all he can to fight for those still in Vietnam. Their family is walking with Jesus through the mess of what it looks like to live in this world as refugees. They are chasing after the heart of Jesus regardless of persecution.
The Lord has given Nha the gift of gentleness. When her sister is hanging all over her and being stubborn, she gently lets her do her thing while also leading her by example. She is a friend to all. You can feel gentleness and peace exuding from her when you are in her presence.
Joanna is 2 years old and she is from a small jungle town called Gua Musang in Mayalsia. She is curious and she loves to be where people are. She is the youngest of 4 children. She has the most adorable smile and her family adores her. Her father is a pastor and he and his wife have the gift of prophesy. They have known pain and experienced healing. They are chasing after the heart of Jesus and being a light in their community.
The Lord has given Joanna the gift of wonder. I know she is a curious 2 year old, but she is so much more than that. She has the wonder of a child that will one day stand on the front lines of inviting people to Jesus. She wants to be in on the action.
Kiedry is 5 years old and she is from a city in Honduras called Choloma which is right outside of San Pedro Sula. She has a mind of her own and she is often stubborn when told to do something. But she loves fiercely. She loves to give kisses and snuggle in your lap. She has an older brother that is 12 years old. Her grandfather is a pastor. Her family is helping to get resources to feed the hungry children of their community. They are chasing after the heart of Jesus and feeding his children.
The Lord has given Kiedry the gift of love. While that love is wild and untamed now and she is prone to getting jealous when others are around, I pray that that love grows into a love that persists without condition.
Esther was 14 years old. When she become an orphan after the death of her parents, she was adopted and raised by her cousin Mordecai. She was a beautiful Jewish girl who put her life at risk order to save her people and to serve God.
The girl, named Esther lived in Persia about 100 years after the captivity of Babylonian. One day, Xerxes I, the king of the Persian Empire, threw a grand party and insisted for his queen to be present. Because the queen Vashti refused to appear she was removed from the kingdom. To find the new queen for his kingdom, the king Xerxes hosted a royal beauty pageant and the beautiful Esther was chosen for the throne.
At the time, the highest official of the king was a man called Haman. He hated Jewish people especially Esther’s cousin Mordecai, because he always refused to bow down to him. Because of this, Haman came up with a plan to have every Jew in Persia killed. Esther, risking her own life, approached the king with a plan of her own in order to save her people.
The Lord gave Esther the gift of boldness. She risked her life and went to the King uninvited on behalf of her people to beg for their lives to be spared.
“Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” -Esther 4:14
Who knows what purpose these girls have in this world? What if they were given a spirit of strength, of joy, of authority, of tenacity, of gentleness, of wonder, and of love for a specific moment in which the Lord will use their gifts for a purpose?
I pray that they seek the purpose that the Lord has given them.
I can’t help but see a common denominator among these girls. They all have a father or grandfather or strong male leader in their life. They have parents that are guiding them and giving them to Jesus.
In Africa I became intrigued by the way I saw men and women interact. Men and women are not very affectionate in Africa so I rarely saw them hug or touch at all. This got me thinking and I began watching to see how men interact with children. So every time I saw a man hold a baby or child or hold the hand of a child I counted. I have done this since month 1. Each country looked different as far as city versus village and touristy versus not. When we were in touristy areas I tried to decipher tourists from locals. Also Central America has a very affectionate culture so I only counted when I saw a man holding a child not holding their hand. So this is what I got…
Uganda 37…This month we were in the city of Kampala. We lived in a community right on the outskirts of town.
Rwanda 49…This month we lived in Kigali. We lived in the mountains about a 30 minute taxi ride to the larger part of the city.
Kenya 155…This month we lived on the coast in Mombasa. It was a very touristy area.
India 101…This month we lived in the large city of Hyderabad.
Nepal 119…This month we lived in 4 different places, an IDP camp with displaced people from the earthquake, in a community about 30 minutes from the city of Kathmandu, and 2 small villages one called Dungedunge and the other Ulabari.
Cambodia 120…This month we lived in the city of Phnom Penh on the weekends and a smaller village during the week.
Thailand 82…This month we lived on the outskirts of the city of Bangkok.
Malaysia 55…This month we lived in a jungle town called Guamusang.
Guatemala 121…This month we lived in a town called Chichicastenago and we also spent a week in Antigua.
El Salvador 10…We spent a few days in a beach town in El Salvador on our way to Honduras.
Honduras 85 as of 6-20-16… This month we lived in a small community in Choloma, Honduras called Zolano. I will update this number at the end of the month.
Nicaragua…to be determined… I will edit and add at the end of the race.
When I began counting it was just a game. As I thought and prayed more about it I realized the impact that fathers have on their daughters. We all have a heavenly Father and that love is unlike any other we will ever experience. However, the love and affection of an earthly father is also unlike any other.
So, fathers love your children…Your love will shape the way they view themselves and other men for the rest of their lives. Little girls that have fathers or father-like figures that show them love, grow up to be women that have the confidence to find ways to change the world. And those that don’t have fathers still change the world because our heavenly Father withholds no good from us.
So hold your babies, hug your little girls, encourage your teenagers, and support the women they become. Pray that they follow the Lord more than they follow your plans for them.
Happy Father’s Day!
We’re doing the thing!
Much love, Carson
