The adventures of Mama, baby and bump!

Please excuse the ruggedness of this blog.No time to edit! :)

At the beginning of the month I travelled back to Scotland for a short 10 day visit. It was a sad trip in many ways. Seeing a loved one before they pass over to the other side always is. It was a hard trip,but a blessed trip.

My hubby and I have always made a point of not being away from each other for more than a few days.We miss each other too much! I know its mushy, but true! But there are some situations you just can't prepare for. This trip was one of them

To be totally honest I really did not know how it was possible financially for me to return at such short notice. In my heart I really wanted to go and say goodbye to my step dad who had fought cancer so very bravely for over 2 years. But I did not think I could go. But it's just like God to already be way ahead of us and have planned everything out right to the last detail. I was reminded again what a personal God I have.

One morning I had been thinking a lot about my family and the situation they were all facing back home. I felt so helpless. That afternoon I received a message from a dear couple who have become special friends and encourager's to us. They said that they wanted me to know that if I wanted to go back to Scotland for a trip that they would like to gift my flight. Who does that?!!
At the time they knew my step dad was ill but had no idea of the details.The amazing thing was at that time I also had no idea of that decline of his health. Once I was able to speak for shock, I told our friends I would pray about it and speak to Ron and my mum. Within a couple of hours a family member phoned me to tell me the doctors had given my step dad a couple of days maximum to live. I knew God had presented this opportunity for me to be with my family at this time.I was overwhelmed by His love and the kindness of our friends. Flights for Josiah and I were booked that evening and we flew the next day.

I was a little nervous about travelling a different route than usual with Josiah and bump.When we checked in, the airport stroller we had hoped for could not be given. Carrying an 11 month old through security and airports would be a bit of a challenge.But guess what happened? After we got off our first flight a member of staff approached us and said. "Some one on the plane yesterday just happened to leave a stroller. Do you want to use it and just return in later?" I just knew then it was a little kiss of favour from our heavenly Father!

Then as we got to our gate we were told our flight had been changed! I hadn't brought any cash with me because our stop over times were supposed to be very short and I figured I wouldn't need it. But now we would have hours to wait and my baby belly was telling me I was going to get hungry soon. But guess what happened next? As we went through security the lady said "Oh you have been upgraded to business class and so can avail the business lounge. Well Ive never been in the airport business lounge but oh my! There was a big lovely buffet with all sorts of yummys which Josiah and I enjoyed. Gods loving hand was on us again! I don't want to bore you with every detail but it was just so clear God had gone before us the whole trip!

I'm writing this because I think it's important not to forget the favour and blessing that some may just say is coincidence. It's definitely not. We have a personal God who knows every need- even the ones that may seem insignificant.He really does care! :)

Through the eyes of a volunteer....

Below is the writtings of Chloe, a 20 year old who has come to volunteer with us for 3 weeks. She describes her first visit to the dump site community in Tondo....

  

"11/08/2012. Tondo dumpsite; festering with fermenting rubbish, knee deep toxic sludge, contaminated water and accessorized ever so plentifully with vermin. The visual can only be likened to the minds darkest concoctions of the aftermath of a war; devastation, disease and despair. As we travelled into the dumpsite dozens of smiling faces greeted and ran after us welcoming us to the community Not one child looked in anyway disheartened by their situation and couldn’t hold your hand or cuddle you any quicker - the people being the ultimate paradox to the extreme poverty they are victims of. Their affection, trust and joy left me with the heaviest feeling in my heart I have ever felt. I looked at the children, some with no clothes, some coughing from primary complex, some starving, some lying in contaminated flood water, ALL smiling – truly, diamonds in the rough. That day I listened to the children’s community choir singing for the first time. I was met by beaming faces desperate to perform. Whilst posing for the camera and singing ‘the climb’ the children sounded out of this world. Their English was word perfect, perfectly in tune,; the happiness in their eyes was overwhelming. When the choir finished and the children began to return to their ‘homes,’ cramped, disease ridden make shift homes scattered across the dumpsite, it hit me - these children have nothing but hope. That is the first time I have ever witnessed the power that having hope can have. It transforms these children from feeling alone and victimized to being some of the strongest characters I have ever met. I couldn’t help but cry later that day as I thought back to the tiny faces. That night I had a shower, I put on clean clothes, I went to the mall and I bought some dinner - not one of these things did I do without thinking how much I would give for those children to take my place. My mind boggled with how the situation could be so out of hand, the class divide far beyond any stretch of the imagination. I was consumed with feelings of anger, at why these children and adults must endure this when so many, including myself, have so much and always desire more in a complete self-obsessed ignorance. That night I felt the hollowest, darkest feeling I have ever felt - complete helplessness for the children. I wish I could take every single one of them and give them clean clothes, houses and rid them of disease, the fact that I cant and I have seen the conditions they live in makes me feel helpless and beyond any frustration imaginable. Photographs, videos, blogs, even fabrications of your mind, nothing will ever amount to the feeling that succumbs you in Tondo. So many turn a blind eye to the jewels that are buried under the dirt and the disease but my heart will never let me move on from the sights I saw my first day in Tondo ."