now this is a hero.

came across this video today and an article about this wonderful 28 year old woman who is changing lives. her name is pushpa basnet and she runs a home for children called the butterfly home. the forty children that live there with her all once lived in nepal's prisons with their parents. since nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, space is limited in the few children's homes affiliated with the government. so when no local guardian is available, the kids of the arrested parent either go to jail with their guardian or live on the streets. pushpa is one of few who have started groups to free these kids from living behind bars and helping them fulfill their dreams. i love that this woman let nothing stop her......

a schmorgesborg of fun.

we had the honor of being blessed by Hope Chapel and Millilani Missionary Church and they brought out their youth group to host a carnival for our kids on Ohai St. there was bubbles, hula hoops, games, jump rope, skits, music, food....i even felt like a little kid!

a video update....

here is my life after hours...and some people that are dear to my heart here.

Grace and Glory

i needed to read this again today:

"Considering how steep it was, the descent down into the valley seemed surprisingly easy, but perhaps that was because Much Afraid desired with her whole will to make it in a way that would satisfy and please the Shepherd. The awful glimpse down into the abyss of an existence without Him had so staggered and appalled her heart that she felt she could never be quite the same again. However, it had opened her eyes to the fact that right down in the depths of her own heart she really had but one passionate desire, not for the things which the Shepherd had promised, but for Himself. All she wanted was to be allowed to follow Him FOREVER. Other desires might clamor strongly and fiercely nearer the surface of her nature, but she knew now that down in the core of her own being she was so shaped that nothing could fit, fill, or satisfy her heart but he himself. "Nothing else really matters, " she said to herself, "only to love Him and to do what he tells me. I don't know quite why it should be so, but it is. All the time it is suffering to love and sorrow to love, but it is lovely to love him in spite of this, and if i should cease to do so, I should cease to exist." So as has been said, they reached the valley very quickly."

-Hannah Hurnard

No longer named, "Much Afraid." No longer questioning, no longer weeping, no longer faithless, instead a joyful following to wherever he leads....

some reflections...

"Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. LOVE LIKE THAT."

Ephesians 5:2

i am going through a season of learning to love---and i never realized how bad i was at loving until i actually started applying 1 corinthians 13 to my life. i am not patient, i am always looking for a shortcut, and i am learning that patience means i turn my life over to God and wait, just as God waited for me. it's been quite the journey of failing everyday in my stubborn self...but i will get there eventually:)

Committing to Bangladesh....

A friend of mine drew this picture and gave it to me after Bangladesh last

year, and I have always placed myself as the turtle in the picture- always

fearful. However, things are about to change and I am proud to say that I am

not letting my fears of the future: a husband, children, missing my family

and friends hold me back anymore. Bangladesh has very much been glued to my

heart, and I decided to apply for the long-term trip which begins this

September. I went through a week of tossing around the thoughts to go, what

I would miss out on here, and what about the other nations I want to go to?

"All In" has been our motto for 2012 and I decided to put my fears aside and

stop waiting around for something to happen and to just go for it. Surfing

the Nations has been so supportive of me, and I am excited to be a part of

them establishing a base there. I will keep you all updated....more to come!

Merry Christmas video from STN

Christmas Fun 2011 from Surfing The Nations on Vimeo.

The wonderful Joel Schat, visited us a little while back and we used his video skills to make a fun christmas video....it was all done in one take!

I sent this to my mom to remind her what I looked like. She didnt think that joke was very funny at all.