The Global Food Crisis

In the midst of this recession (are we allowed to call it that now?), it's hard not to go internal. Not to curl up inside of ourselves, implode with a sense of entitlement and bitterness so that we can lick our financial wounds in peace. Don't read an ounce of sarcasm into that. I know it's hard. I know that people are losing their jobs and that we're scared. And we have a right to our feelings. Always have, always will.

But I'd like to take a moment to consider what we do have: a country where we can worship without persecution, access to all manner of services and programs to help us continue to put food on the table, a government that is working tirelessly on our behalf (whether or not we agree with their policies, at least we are not stuck beneath the cruel thumb of a dictator, despot, or tyrant), all manner of friends and family (by blood or by church, organization, or self-appointed community) to help carry the load, as well as clean water, a roof over our heads (even if it is not one that we own), food to eat (even if it comes from the ladle at a soup kitchen), and clothes on our bodies (hey, shopping at Goodwill is cool). And let's be honest here, for most of us, it's nowhere near that dire. Our IRAs are in the tank and we can't afford that little extra something we've been coveting. The extravagant lifestyle that most Americans enjoy is going to change. But maybe that's what had to happen.

The truth remains, we are blessed beyond belief, even when times are tough. We think the financial crisis is hard on us? It's devastating the rest of the world...

Today Compassion International is sponsoring Global Food Crisis Day. Partnering with media across the continent, they are trying to raise awareness about the food crisis that continues to ravage most of the world. I encourage you to stop by their site and see how you can help. Not interested in Compassion? Try World Vision, Save the Children, The Global Hunger Project, Bread for the World, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, or even our own One Body, One Hope. A dollar a day won't buy you a coffee in the States. But it can feed, clothe, educate, and give a child in the third world access to medical care. Did you see the little sweetheart in the picture above? Her name is Princess and she's eating today because a family cared enough to give up $1 a day for her. I think she's worth every penny and so much more.

Hunger Facts

• One person in seven goes to bed hungry every day.
• One-third of the world’s population is undernourished.
• There are 25,000 starvation-related deaths each day.
• Each night more than 300 million children go to bed hungry.
• Every day, over 12,000 children (one every 7 seconds) die from hunger-related causes.
• Approximately 146 million or 27 percent of children under age 5 in developing countries are underweight.
• Nearly 17 percent of babies in developing countries are born with a low birth weight compared with only 7 percent of babies in industrialized countries.
• More than 4.4 million children die from malnutrition each year.
• Worldwide, 161 million preschool children suffer chronic malnutrition.
  

Sources: www.one.org, www.bread.org, www.unicef.org, www.who.int, www.unep.org

Liberia (the second)

Okay, so I could forego all the book talk and spend the rest of my life blogging about Liberia. But I won't. At least, not now. Maybe after I go you'll see a definite change in subject matter around here. Until then, this will be my last Liberia post. Thought you might like to know what One Body, One Hope actually does.

Abide in the Vine

This is the church we support. Robert Bimba is the pastor and our original contact (we met in Ethiopia). We now provide quarterly food aid for the church and basically help out in any way we can (from paying surgical costs when someone gets sick to buying Bibles for church members). When Aaron was in Monrovia he led a pastor's conference for 120 Liberian pastors.

Christ Our Hope Orphanage

I call this our orphanage, but it's not. We just provide monthly sponsorship for the 54 kids here. Immanuel and Fatu Bimba run the orphanage and the children couldn't ask for more loving "parents."

Rice Farm

Through CHAP (Community of Hope Agricultrual Project) we were able to help Abide in the Vine secure over 30 acres for a rice farm. The very first head of rice was harvested when Aaron was overseas. After the photo was taken, they cut the stalk and gave it to Aaron. We're having it framed.

Lifewater Liberia Compound

While in country, Aaron and the rest of the team helped finish (or almost finish) a Lifewater Liberia compound. LL digs wells in Liberia and through mutual contacts and friends we became excited about their ministry.

Well, that's it in a nutshell. If you're interested in getting involved, we have a website (One Body, One Hope) that is in desperate need of updates, or you can simply email me. We are currently looking for people to sponsor the incredible teachers at the Christian school our kids attend. These selfless people are all Liberian nationals and university grads who are dedicated to making a difference in their country. I could not admire them more. Anyway, I'd better get back to writing. But I'll leave you with one last photo. This young man has stolen my heart.

Liberia

He's home!!! I'm no longer a single mom! Hooray!

Aaron's only been home two days (today is the third) but already my world is 100% better. Amazing how those husbands worm their way into your life and nothing seems good or real unless you can share it with them. The nerve.

Anyway, it's been a feverish reunion filled with late nights and lots of updating... I'm trying to fill him in on two+ weeks in the life of the Baart boys, and he's trying to get me up to speed with all that's about to break open at One Body, One Hope. Exciting stuff. I'll pass the juicy tidbits along once they've all been deciphered. In the meantime, enjoy a few pictures snapped by my National Geographic-worthy, photo-journalist husband. Who knew he could take such awesome shots?

Our Kids

In light of everything that has happened recently, it does me good to think about all the blessings that God has rained down on our lives. First and foremost in my mind are my own children. And then I think immediately of the kids at Christ Our Hope, the orphanage that our non-profit One Body, One Hope supports in Monrovia, Liberia.

One Body has been in existence for only a year and a half, and yet God has done such amazing things it makes my head spin. What started as a friendship in Ethiopia has expanded into a growing organization that has raised over $40,000 for our neighbors in West Africa. And on Thursday my husband is on his way to Monrovia. I'm so happy for him and yet so jealous... The reason I'm not going with him is because I was supposed to be sixteen weeks pregnant. Argh. But I am doing much better, and I am very excited about his amazing opportunity. Hopefully this will pave the way for yearly trips (or maybe an extended sabbatical in Liberia??? I can live on rice and bottled water...).

Anyway, I thought you might like to see our kids. At least, I consider them our kids. Aren't they beautiful? Maybe, when adoption stabilizes in Liberia... :)

I also wanted to take a moment to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your overwhelming display of support after I shared with you about my miscarriage. It wasn't an easy thing to do, but I'm so glad that I did. Your emails, comments, and prayers have meant so much to me. I know this probably sounds cliche, but I really, truly, honestly could feel the power of prayer in these last weeks. I thought this pain was something I'd never get over, and already I feel the sort of healing that only came months and months after I lost our last baby. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am humbled and I am blessed. And I'm starting to wonder if there's a book in here somewhere...? I never thought I'd write non-fiction, but boy, do I have stories. And so do you. Thank you for sharing them with me.

May your cup overflow, my friends.

One Body, One Hope

Check out the new logo for our non-profit organization. Isn't it cool? A good friend of ours just completed the design and I had to share it with you.

For those of you who don't know, One Body, One Hope was founded over 18 months ago after Aaron and I became friends with a wonderful Liberian pastor named Robert Bimba. Robert and his congreagation at Abide in the Vine (just outside of Monrovia) support an orphanage called Christ Our Hope. The 53 kids at Christ Our Hope depend on the generous monthly donations of our sponsors for their food, education, medical care, and other needs. It has been such an awesome experience to be involved in the lives of these beautiful children.

Anyway, over the course of the next few weeks I'll be sharing a bit more about our organization. In the meantime, if you'd like more info feel free to email me. And if you'd like a One Body, One Hope t-shirt, they'll be for sale soon!

Blessed to be a blessing...

Well, I've sold my first few books. What a weird feeling. Technically, the release date isn't for a few weeks yet, but as soon as my friends and family heard that I had a box of books (oops, I blogged about it and let the proverbial cat out of the bag) the phone started to ring. My favorite request was: "I want five copies and I'll pay anything." Anything? Interesting... He-he-he. :)

So I gave in. A couple copies are in the hands of trusted relatives and they have been given strict instructions not to lend them out! Of course, I let people borrow my books and I don't care if After the Leaves Fall is passed around, but I do want people to at least have the opportunity to buy it when it hits stores. Wouldn't that be nice? If people would buy the book? Oh I'd love that.

And since we're on the topic of book-buying, I suppose I should tell you what Aaron and I intend to do with some of the proceeds from After the Leaves Fall and Summer Snow (the sequel). But before I do, I feel I need to let you in on what a difficult decision this was for us.

For almost a year (since I signed the contract with Tyndale last November), Aaron and I have been praying about this and seeking God's will. There is a passage in Matthew that says, "... when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." We have struggled over this passage, wondering if we should keep our plan to ourselves. But then we would think about the potential for good, the amazing results that could come about if people knew what we intended to do. And so we started to share our idea with a few close friends and family members. Their response was so positive and so overwhelming that we decided this gift is something we can all participate in together.

15% of the proceeds that we receive from the sales of After the Leaves Fall and Summer Snow will go to support the children and workers at Christ Is Our Hope orphanage in Monrovia, Liberia. It's not enough, it could never be enough, but we are excited to do what we can. We are blessed to be a blessing--what else is there in life? And if I'm not doing my math wrong (which I could be, I was never very good at math), we've already raised $37.65! Some of that money was straight-out donations when people heard that we were contributing to Christ Is Our Hope, but still. Do you know what $30 can do in Liberia? It can feed, clothe, educate, and provide basic medical care for a child for one month. Wow.

Buying books is not the only thing you can do to get involved. We are also in the process of setting up a child sponsorship program for the kids of Christ Is Our Hope. So far we have about fifteen sponsors, but we need 70. Or better yet, 150. There are many street kids that the orphanage would like to enfold but they simply don't have the money. Anyway, for only $30 a month you can support a child. How awesome is that?

Stay tuned for more information. Our website will be up and running soon. In the meantime, if you would like to sponsor a child, please email me and I can send you everything you need to know. And if you would like to know more about our relationship with Christ Is Our Hope, feel free to browse old posts:

Feeling Pressured
Reminders
What I've been up to...

One last thing. Here's one of the boys from Christ Is Our Hope. I dare you not to fall in love... :)

Feeling Pressured

I know it’s been a while since I’ve blogged, but frankly, I have been so busy! I keep thinking my life is going to slow down someday soon, but the elusive soon only seems to be receding on the horizon as fast as I approach it. It’s incredibly frustrating. And either I’m getting worse at dealing with the pressure, or the pressure is intensifying…

A quick run-down:

1. I'm sick and have been for days.


2. We are remodeling our main bathroom and must therefore use the only other bathroom in the house: the basement bathroom.


3. We have houseguests (and will for the next few weeks) and must share said bathroom with six people.


4. Our family has been without a family car for six weeks now. I’m not sure Aaron’s ’77 Chevette counts as a car… Well, at least not a family car--we can’t fit the car seats in it.


5. My redline manuscript is coming today.


6. I’m bogged down in emails, phone calls, and a seemingly never-ending list of To-dos.


7. Mothering two toddlers is getting the best of me! Who knew parenting was this hard???

The list goes on… I need a vacation!

Well, that was cathartic. And kind of whiny. And, as always, God’s not letting me get away with it. Let me explain…

Just when I’m starting to feel really sorry for myself, really pressured by all the responsibilities that fall on my shoulders, I’m reminded that I am blessed beyond belief. Aaron spoke with Robert (our friend from Liberia) on the phone the other day. Remember my last post and our fears that a child in the orphanage had died? Well, this call confirmed our fears, though it wasn’t a child who had passed away. Lucia (Robert’s wife) lost her aunt last week. She died unexpectedly and it was very hard on their family. Aaron, completely devastated and trying to comfort his friend in some small way, asked: “How did she die, Robert?”

The answer: PRESSURE.

Excuse me? How does one die of “pressure”?

Apparently, Liberians are very familiar with this term and it’s meaning. It’s relatively common to die of pressure. But it’s not what you think. Pressure is not the result of an over-busy life. It’s not some crazy physiological consequence of West African heat and humidity. It doesn’t even have to do with pressure as North Americans understand it.

Lucia’s aunt died of the crushing weight of horror. The memories, the sorrow, and the sheer terror of Liberia’s civil war are still fresh in the minds of many Liberians. Many of these people saw their families killed, their wives and daughters raped, their children stolen and forced to fight in rebel armies, and their country destroyed. Some of the survivors have never recovered. They die of the “pressure.” Who knows, maybe it’s post-traumatic stress syndrome. Maybe their deaths are completely unrelated to the mental and emotional anguish they are experiencing. Or maybe our hearts and minds are far more powerful than our earthly bodies. Maybe dying of pressure makes more sense than heart disease, cancer, and AIDS combined.

At any rate, I don’t need a vacation, I need an attitude adjustment. Let’s try this again:

1. Last night I was able to go to a walk-in clinic and receive medicine for my illness. I feel better already.


2. We have the wonderful opportunity to turn our dinky little bathroom into something gorgeous and functional. Venetian plaster, bamboo flooring, and new mirrors and fixtures are just a few of the improvements.


3. Our home, though small, is well suited for houseguests and we love having our friends and family stay with us. Besides, we’ll only have to share a bathroom for a few more days.


4. Though we don’t have a usable car, my family lives nearby and they are more than generous in allowing us to borrow theirs when we truly need it. The rest of the time, I put the kids in the bike trailer and use pedal power! What’s wrong with that?


5. My redline manuscript is coming today! I love the editorial process and I’m excited to see what my editor thought of my second book. Never mind the fact that this just serves as a reminder that my lifelong dream is coming true…


6. I have a telephone, a computer, and all the accoutrements of a lavish life. I am rich beyond measure.


7. I get to mother two toddlers! They are the sweetest, cutest little boys I’ve ever seen. And I’m doubly blessed that I don’t have to go to work and leave them in day care.
   

The list goes on… I have NOTHING to complain about.

And I’m starting to wonder if all the “pressure” in my life is nothing more than the consequences, the byproducts, of all the blessings that have been heaped on me. How backwards is that?

Anyway, to keep myself grounded, I’ve been sneaking peeks at this photo. It’s of a soldier walking through the streets of Monrovia, Liberia at the end of their last civil war. Look closely. He’s not walking on gravel.

I don’t know the meaning of the word pressure…

Reminders

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday? A big box of books! My books! How crazy is that? I've been dreaming about this day for twenty-four years, and it was so cool to finally rip that cardboard box open on my living room floor and see the cover of my book peering back at me. It's like a dream, except for that all fifteen of the blue-bound copies were stacked on my dresser when I woke up this morning. I'm not dreaming!

What a fun thing to experience... When the UPS guy drove up, Aaron gave me this look that said, "This is it." It seemed almost providential that Aaron was home at the time and the boys were sleeping. We sat on the floor together and took them all out, reading the back cover and flipping through the pages. Wow. I can't even begin to describe how incredible it was. And I can't tell you how happy I am with the way everything turned out. Tyndale did an excellent job on the cover, the layout, the chapter breaks... Everything looks so great.

And God gave us about ten minutes to revel in it all. Then the phone rang.

I think I've alluded to our relationship with a pastor named Robert in Liberia, but I'll fill you in on a few more details... When Aaron and I went to Ethiopia to pick up our son, Judah, we stayed in a missionary guest house. At the time, there was a Life Water conference going on and there were a number of pastors from all over Africa in attendance. One of those pastors, a man named Robert Bimba, quickly found his way into our hearts. Aaron and Robert struck up a great friendship and we left Ethiopia promising to do all that we could to help support Robert in his ministry. Robert is the pastor of a church called Abide in the Vine Fellowship in the capital city, Monrovia. Abide in the Vine also supports two orphanages both named Christ Is Our Hope.

Anyway, now that we are settled back in our comfortable, North American lives, God is doing a very good job of reminding us of what he expects from us... We have indeed kept our promise to Robert and we have struck up a church partnership between the church that Aaron pastors (Bridge of Hope) and Abide in the Vine. We are also in the process of setting up a child sponsorship program for the kids in the orphanages. But just when we think we can take a break and pat ourselves on the back, God gently reminds us that we are nowhere near done.

Yesterday, as I sat in my glory surrounded by all these beautiful books, Robert called. We are blessed to be able to speak with Robert once or twice a week, and we always look forward to hearing his voice. But yesterday, Robert called with bad news.

It's the rainy season in Liberia and the people are, quite literally, struggling to survive. Last week Robert gathered his entire congregation and brought them to the church where they stayed for five days together, praying and fasting. The orphanages have run out of food, many of the children are sick, and Satan seems to be mustering armies against these already besieged people. And then, the morning after these beautiful children of God break their time of fasting and prayer, thieves enter the church and steal everything they can lay their hands on.

I was grinning over the books when Robert called, and all I could hear was Aaron's side of the conversation: "No. Oh no. No, you've got to be kidding me. Oh Robert, I am so sorry..." I thought we had lost one of the kids in the orphanage. And though I'm thankful that the only thing lost is a bunch of furniture, I still can't get my mind around how devastating this must be for the people of Abide in the Vine. And I absolutely can't understand how half a world away, my brothers and sisters in Christ have to plead with God for every meal they eat while I throw my extra away. While I get the joy of holding my books in my hands.

It's so wrong. And we will be held accountable for what we have done, and for what we haven't done. Every gift I receive is not my own--it is freely given from my God for his people, I am nothing more than the distributor. I better never, ever forget that.

Praise you, God, for continuing to remind me.

Perspective, Take II

I've already written about perspective, but I find myself being drawn back to this topic again and again. Today, it was Aaron's fault. He preached about perspective (listen to the sermon at http://www.bridgeofhopeministries.org), and I am once more obsessed with seeing God, viewing his master plan, with a tilted head.

I am such a type A personality. First-born, perfectionist, over-acheiver... I expect a lot from other people, but I expect even more from myself. Control freak? Ouch. But, yeah, maybe just a little. Anyway, I have a hard time getting it through my thick skull that I can't micromanage everything in my life. And I can't shake the feeling that the success (or failure) of my book rests with my ability to market myself, my willingness to go out there and "show 'em what I've got!" I can't escape the conviction that this is about me. My eyes are riveted on my own future, my own career, my own dreams.

And then today, Aaron preaches; I listen. Best of all, I have a moment of clarity. It's not about me! But I already knew that. What then? Maybe, it's about dying to my own agenda. Maybe it's about what God wants to do through me when I stop trying to force my life to conform to the mold that I have so carefully constructed for it. I want to make everything fit just so, I want to be in charge: cool, collected, running everything smoothly from my vantage point on high. And God's saying, "Let go, little girl. You have no idea what I have in store."

A dear friend of mine experienced a horrible loss. I'm sure there were moments when she was convinced that this tragedy was hers alone. She bore the pain, she shed the tears, she would live with the outcome for the rest of her life. And yet, beautiful things began to grow in that empty place... Many, many people were touched by her loss. In fact, a non-profit organization was begun in memory of her loved one. Maybe it's cliche to say so, but the ripple effect was enormous.

I am struck by how interwoven our lives are. You affect me and vice versa. It's inescapable. And since we can't control the outcome of any given situation, since each unique perspective must deal with its own joys and sorrows, it is impossible to be completely in control. A hard lesson for me to learn. But somehow freeing, too. Because when I unclench my fist, back away, and let God do his thing, he is able to weave something profoundly good in each facet, each outcome of my actions. It means that a book that I write in my little house in small town, Iowa can have an enormous impact on a growing church in Monrovia, Liberia. And it will. It means that my job is less managerial and more an act of obedience. It means that my perspective is just one of many.

I'm fine with that.