Schafers Family Year in Review 2012

I was lazy this year (or just horrendously busy) and didn't get around to sending out a Christmas card or letter.  So here it is, folks, the Schafers family year in review! Enjoy!

Randal - Randy (only I can call him that!) started out the the first year of his 30s at 230 pounds and is now weighing in at 160 and that pretty much gives you the highlights of his year!  He has worked really hard at getting into shape this year. He started out with the Couch to 5K running program and kept on going. He started training on his bike again and is now competing in Duathlons (like triathlons without the swimming) and is doing great! He actually came in 2nd in his age group at the Oklahoma State Championships this Fall.  We are all very proud of how hard he's worked this year to get in shape and it's fun to see him having fun at his races. He is still working hard as the Lead of his group at CCH and even earned a spot in the "Acheivement Club" this year, which meant an awesome trip to Alaska for the two of us!  We had a great time eating way too much great food and exploring the beauty of Alaska at a resort right at the foot of a mountain. It was gorgeous and we had a lot of fun on our excursions and just relaxing for a few days!

Randal at the warrior dash in his 80's garb and entering the transition area at the OKC Duathlon

Randal and Beth in Alask on the CCH trip, seeing BB King at the Orpheum, & dressed as older folks for a "senior prom" with our church's youth group 

Randal posing with the pumpkins he helped decorate. He was even prouder than M&m!

Beth - It has been a hectic year! I got to take 2 awesome trips this year - the first was Randal & I's trip to Alaska, which was awesome! It was incredibly beautiful and relaxing! The 2nd trip was to Uganda with my friend Melissa's organization Mercy for Mamas. It was an amazing short term mission trip with a group of wonderful people. I posted about it a TON on this blog, so if you want to know more, you can look back on the posts in October & November! I had a fun year of running around donig "mommy stuff" and getting more involved in our church family. I was diagnosed with a VERY mild case of Lupus this past spring after completing a ton of testing trying to figure out what was causing pain in my hands. I had to stop doing as many cakes, etc, but other than that, don't really have any issues that slow me down!  I walked/ran the Color Run 5K in KC with Randal and we had a ton of fun doing that! I'm still working at Ethanol Products and still love being able to see my sister almost every day!

Beth playing Madison's favorite "shocked face" game & with Randal at the Color Run in KC

With the team delivering Mama Kits in Uganda

Mason - Mason turned 4 this year!  He is such a little man and we still call him Benjamin Button pretty often!  He will be officially starting public school preschool in January and is so excited to go to school with his friends.  He is super protective of his little sister, who is still his best friend (thank goodness this has continued!).  They love to rough-house and play together.  This year has brought some definite "boy" tendencies to our house, as we've been overtaken by plenty of super-hero movies and all of the toys that go along with them.  His favorites have rotated between Superman, Batman, & Spiderman, though we've now settled on Spiderman for quite a while.  He makes us laugh all of the time with how much conversation he provides and his hilarious observations on every day life.  He has started saying that things "make him feel fluffy" when he doesn't want to wear them...we still haven't figured out where this came from, but it makes us laugh every time!  He has moved up to the big boy classes at church and is initiating more conversations about God and Jesus, which makes this mama's heart so happy and full.  He has also become increasingly obsessed with being a "Ginger" and how cool that makes him.  He even wanted to make cookies for "His Gingers" for his birthday and we play "spot a ginger" any time we're out and see a random redhead!

Mason as Batman while watching cartoons and rocking out at his birthday party!

Madison - Madison turned 3 this month and is blowing me away with how quickly she's growing up...must be a "baby" thing - I wanted her to stay little forever!  She started speech therapy this year after we decided it was time to address some concerns that we had with her language development.  She worked with Rainbows United until her birthday, when she transitioned to the public schools here in Mulvane.  She has made progress in leaps and bounds and it was fun to see her show off at the holiday get togethers over the last couple of months.  Everyone is starting to notice how much clearer she is speaking and she is getting much less frustrated in her communications, which is leaving her room to grow and learn in other areas now too!  She is super spunky and hilarious and can always make me giggle, even when I'm trying to discipline her!  She has continued to become more girly, which is something that I encourage, but that also makes me feel a bit out of my comfort zone.  She loves princess movies and baby dolls and has even taken a liking to wearing skirts, etc (a big thank you to Pinterest for teaching me how to make a tutu!).   Now, if someone could point me to some tutorials on how to do cute hairstyles, it would be much appreciated ;)

Mason (Batman) & Madison (Super Girl) for Halloween & m at her pretty princess party

There you have it folks!  2012 from the Schafers house!

30 Day Giving Challenge 2012 Recap

I'm behind...on what seems like everything these days, but specifically on blogging. So I'm starting today by posting my follow up for the 30 Day Giving Challenge.

I didn't even consider taking on daily posts about my challenge this year.  I knew that there was no way on God's green Earth that I could keep up with that, so here we are, with a generic follow-up. But, hey, at least I can say I know my limits better than I did a couple of years ago, right?!

This year's challenge was exactly that...challenging.  I tried to think of new ways to give and wanted them, for the most part at least, to not cost any money.  I wanted to focus on opening my heart by giving my time and efforts more than opening my wallet.  I won't bore you with details about every day, especially since I'd like to keep some things anonymous. But I will say that, because it was more challenging this year, my heart was that much fuller at the end of November!

My favorite part of the month was what I dedicated to do every day. I sent a text or email or made a call to a different person every day.  I chatted and asked how their day or week was going, gave them some extra time that I don't always seem to make, and invested those moments to find new ways to pray for them and encourage them.  By far a worthwhile investment, as I now have 30 new prayer cards in my stash and know my dear friends' needs and can support them in prayer much better. I am determined to make time for those sweet conversations more often.

Some of my favorite giving opportunities from the month:
* Baking goodies for some neighbors and friends (always fun).
* I found a few new places to donate some items that I know will be appreciated. 
* I tried to leave change in the pop machine at work one day, then the extremely honest person that went in there next sent out an email trying to figure out who to deliver the lost 55 cents to!
*Going out of my way one day to give compliments to several moms that I encountered throughout the day on how they kept their cool with their fussy kids and taught them valuable lessons. You should have seen their faces ;)

My favorite moment of the month was one day towards the end of the month when I was running out of new ideas of how to give.  I was standing in line at Chipotle getting something to eat for lunch after running my errands and was racking my brain, trying to figure out what I was going to be able to fit in that day...it was one of those insane days, you know the kind!

While I was caught up in my own thought process and working my way down the line towards the register, the woman paying in front of me started to seem frantic.  She was digging through her purse and couldn't find her wallet.  Finally, she realized she left it in the car.  She asked the woman at the register if she could just leave her food there and run to her car to get her wallet.

She was obviously on her lunch break and a mom (you could tell from the things she was pulling out of her purse). She seemed just as hurried as I felt and was obviously frustrated with the wallet situation.  I knew God was presenting me with an opportunity to bless this woman, so I stepped closer and said, "Don't worry about it.  I'll get it, you just take your food and have a good afternoon."

The woman and the girl running the cash register looked at me like I had lost my mind. She finally agreed to let me pay and thanked me as she grabbed her bag and headed out. The girl at the register was just confused - I had to explain several times that I was paying for both meals - ha! I had never paid for someone in a line like that before.  I've always just done the drive-thru thing and I like that they don't know until I'm already gone, but this was kind of fun - seeing the expression on the woman's face when she realized what was happening!

I went about my business and left thanking God for presenting such an obvious opportunity right in the middle of my own stress.  As I walked up to my car, the woman got out of hers (ironically parked right next to mine) with a tear-streaked face.  She told me how stressful her week had been, that she was at her wit's end and feeling pulled in a million directions.  She told me that she had prayed that morning that God would refresh her and give her the encouragement that she needed to make it through the day.  She thanked me for being obedient to His prompting that day to serve others and be a blessing.  She told me she was determined to pay it forward and was already trying to think of ways to bless others that afternoon in the midst of her craziness.  Little did she know that I'm in one of those seasons myself where I feel run down, stressed, burdened, and searching for answers from God and that hearing how encouraged she was gave me the boost I needed to get through the day with a smile on my face. What an awesome moment!

I am always blown away by how people are affected by small acts of kindness and am so thankful that God can use us in such seemingly insignificant ways to affect so many people!

We're carrying this giving challenge through the year with our Acts of Kindness, and Madison and I will both be completing ours on our upcoming birthdays, so stay tuned for lots more fun encounters that I'll be reporting!

Uganda Post 10 - What God had to say to me.

Now for the really serious post...

What did I learn from God in all of this?

I prayed every day while planning things for this trip that God would use me to reach others and would use my experiences to speak to me. I knew that He would, but tried not to expect too much. I told myself it would be ok if there weren't any earth shattering moments or revelations; that there would still be purpose in what I did there and that He could still speak to me in small whispers even if I did want the big, loud screams to my heart.

And there wasn't a lot of yelling...not a lot of ground breaking…not a lot of surprise. Instead, there was constant pushing & prodding; constant reminders; constant remolding of my self and who I am known as. He renewed the callings on my life and restored my hope in letting Him have His way with them.

I made God a promise a few years ago. 
When I was at the end of my rope, in circumstances that no one wishes for, in a place where I was fully clinging to the only One I had left…

I promised that I saw it for His good and that I would use it for that. 

I promised that I would use my experiences to help other women who might feel like I did – lonely, frustrated, shattered, and without the ability to easily dream of wonderful days ahead like everyone wants to. 

I promised Him I would take what I learned and use it to build other women up, to restore their hearts in His trust and hope.

I promised that I would be different than the world.  That I would shine His light through my obedience to these other promises.

Then life happened.
I did what I could, which was the minimum.  I didn’t ask Him to open doors, I looked for the doors myself…and when I found them all closed, I threw up my hands and patted myself on the back for trying.

I let the still, small voice fade.  I told myself that it just wasn’t the time for Him to use my lessons. I told myself that my life was still a mess and that I wasn’t really in a position to help anyone else now anyway. I told myself that, eventually, the right situation would arise and I would be ready to jump in and get down to business when it was the right time.

I acted like the people I saw around me.  I was bitter and hopeless and said things I shouldn't.  I ignored the proddings on my heart that I was meant to do something different...something much, much bigger.

Then Africa happened.
There, He used my stilled mind to remind me of my promises, and more importantly, of His. He told me I didn’t have to have my problems fixed to be useful; that I’m much more useful to Him when I realize that I don’t have it all together.

He reminded me of how much I longed to know that another woman understood my thoughts, fears, and feelings and could provide hope to me in the darkest moments.

He reminded me how much we women need each other.

He reminded me that I do have beautiful days ahead, here and after my earthly days. And that, even if it doesn't mean that things get better and life is all gumdrops and rainbows, it is worth it to follow Him until the end.

He gave me new friends…who, for the first time in a VERY long time, made me feel understood and not alone in where I am. I will forever be grateful for those whispers into my heart and how much they set me free from my fears and turmoil.

He showed me that I came up with my own plans, and that those needed to be ignored.  He showed me that He can use my experiences in much bigger ways than what I ever had in my head.

He renewed my heart for other women…of all backgrounds, life stages, situations, and locations.  He reminded me of how much I love connecting with other ladies and how much I love to share with them and break down barriers around their hearts. 

He showed me how much it pleased Him and how much good it could do for Him for me to just encourage someone in a brief moment.

It was only a week and a half.  We've been back for a month now and He continues to remind me of these things every day.  It's a slow burning that continues to build.  He continues to show me the path He wants me to follow.  He gives me the freedom to close the doors that I've foolishly forced open in my own efforts and guides me to the doors He's opening instead.

Uganda Post 9 - The Sights & Funnies

These things aren't serious or deep...but I still don't want to forget them :) These are the things that still make me smile when I think of them...

Melissa asking me every 2 minutes if I would still be her friend when we got back home.

I took a Tylenol PM before our flight out of Uganda so that I could sleep. I feel asleep as soon as I sat down on the plane and the flight attendant and Melissa R. had to shake me awake and have me fasten my seatbelt so that we could take off.

On our road trip to Jinja/Mbale, we rode on a japanese bus that said something like "Excuse me....this IS a bus". I REALLY wish I would have recorded it on my phone and made it my ringtone...

How I met Kerri: Becki left her phone charging at our seats at the gate while she ran to the restroom.  She had already told us that Kerri's connecting flight was going to be quick and she was going to have to run through the airport.  So when Becki's phone started ringing and Kerri's name popped up, I felt like I had to answer it.  So I got to introduce myself while answering a stranger's phone to the poor girl on the other end who was running through the Atlanta airport...awkward.

At the Starbucks in Amsterdam, Kerri = Gary.

The kids across the road from the hotel in Mbale shouted "mzungu!!! mzungu!!!" until I acknowledged them every time I came in and out of my room.

Melissa driving the van...thanks goodness we weren't in Kampala.

Melissa's Ugandan sunglasses.

Kim & Melissa taking their Katniss Everdeen bows home for their kids.  Motherly love, meet airport security...

Uganda Post 8 - The Team

I already told you all about our fearless leader Melissa and how incredible she is.  I mentioned our amazing team, so now it's time to introduce you to each of them.  These people are incredible.  It was so awesome to get to know each of them and to see how well God put this team together. It was evident from the get-go that He had big plans for our ministry to others as well as each other.

God knew each personality that would be on this team. He knew how we would clash and how we would mesh. He designed a team that would function well in each area in a different way. He showed us our strengths and weaknesses so that we would learn to rely on Him when we didn't know which way to go. He orchestrated friendships that I will forever be grateful for and know come directly from Him and can serve His purposes.

The team (minus Bliss) delivering Mama Kits to Mama Florence:

Nurse Agnes, Josh, Kim, Katie, Melissa B, Jessica, Janet, Brooke, Beth, Becki, Kerri

Janet - Our other Mulvane lady! I've known Janet since I started attending FBC Mulvane about a decade ago, but have known her on mostly a surface level.  I loved getting to spend more time with her and learning more about her.  Seeing her interact with our team and those that we were there to serve was really special and showed me a lot of how compassionate and caring this woman is.

Jessica - Melissa's sister-in-law is just as hilarious as any Busby should be. She kept us giggling with her good sense of humor and I loved getting to know this girl that I had heard so much about over the years.  She was such a trooper and jumped in when needed.  I loved seeing/hearing her soaking all of Uganda in and experiencing the place that her sister-in-law loves so much.  I also loved her commentary on the kids of Uganda and how tough they are!

Katie - Melissa's cousin-in-law.  This girl was awesome and got to show off her nursing skills on several occasions!  It was great to see her use her gifts to serve the team's purpose and to get to help in an entirely different way than the rest of us were able to.  She was also a big favorite of the Ugandans because of her beautiful hair!

Joshua - The brave boy that was willing to tag along with all of us girls. Impressed is an understatement...he managed to hang with all of us crazy ladies without going completely bonkers. He was such a trooper and was willing to step in and help every step of the way. Plus, he loves his aunt Melissa and that, in itself, was completely adorable.

Kerri - A musician and photographer from North Carolina. She is a sweet, spunky Southern girl and I fell in love with her and her best friend Becki.  She was awesome in every setting that we found ourselves in and could always give a giggle to the group.  Plus, she ate an entire fish that was pulled from the Nile....that just screams to her awesomeness.  Kerri and Becki led our worship sessions and blew me away with their talent and their heart for leading other women to the Throne. Amazing.

Becki - Kerri's fellow musician who resides in Tennessee.  This girl is tough and hilarious...just the kind of person I like to hang out with!  She lovingly shared her story with me and wanted to hear mine as well. She made me giggle and cry...not an easy thing to do when you've known someone less than a week! I'm so thankful for her and Kerri and the hilarity and seriousness that they brought to the team!

Brooke - She's from Nebraska, but I promised I wouldn't hold that against her. Husker fanhood aside, I loved getting to know this sweet lady.  She has such a heart for the kids in Uganda and she amazed me every step of the way with her special way of showing Christ's love to everyone that we met.  She managed to pull off some pretty awesome crafting activities too, which was no small feat!

Kim - Our new writer friend from Minnesota.  This lady is something special.  She has such a heart for the orphan and wants to know all that she can about the people of Uganda and how they live.  She amazed me with her interactions and her drive to bring attention to the problems that the people of Uganda face.  Plus, her sense of humor was sarcastic and spot on...just the way I like it.

Bliss - Our rogue traveler that joined us on the road to Jinja and Mbale.  We loved this beautiful girl and everything that she brought to our team.  I'm so thankful that her plans in Uganda didn't go right on schedule and that she got to tag along with us...she was definitely meant to be on that bus with us.  I loved seeing her sweet spirit and watching her experience exactly what she came to Uganda to do - love on the people there. We're all praying that the rest of her time in the country is just as special as our time was with her.

Agnes - The nurse from Kampala that tagged along with us to our ladies' events. She impressed me so much with the way she shared with the ladies at our gatherings.  She has such a great sense of humor and was so knowledgable.  She had a way with the girls and women that she talked to...she was able to get them to loosen up and take their walls down.  She got them to ask the questions that were on their mind and gave them such useful information to carry with them.  She was such a blessing to our team!

I have to also mention Billy & Brian - the boys that drove/directed us on our trip.  They're both awesome guys who just wanted to help serve in the best way possible and they were such a blessing to our team.  They both made us laugh constantly and brought a different perspective to the trip, so I'm thankful for them too!

30 Day Giving Challenge...What it means to me

I first heard about the 30 Day Giving Challenge back in November of 2010.  I actually saw something online after it had already started, but I jumped in anyway.  I love this kind of thing...purposefully looking for ways to give to others in order to meet their needs and fill their hearts. I was super pumped about the challenge...especially the timing of it...

The Fall of 2010 was a really rough time for me.  My marriage was hanging by a thread, my grandma fell horribly ill, I had two very small children demanding every extra ounce of energy I had, etc, etc, etc.  We all have rough seasons of our life, I know...but that seemed to be the season where everything came to a head for the Schafers family. 

And I wallowed in my own self-pity a lot. Too much.

I tried not to feel sorry for myself, I did...but I didn't try hard enough.  I let it get to me...I deserved anger, sadness, bitterness, and even laziness due to my circumstances.  I was in a place where I needed to take care of me and my family, not anyone else.

Then I got a kick in the pants courtesy of this 30-day challenge.  It was the perfect reminder...no matter what your circumstances are...no matter how much heartbreak and stress you're in the midst of...we ALWAYS need to give of ourselves.  It is what we are called to.  To be His hands and feet...to pour out His love from our life. We are where we are for a reason, and someone needs us to carry out that privileged purpose.

So that's what the 30 day giving challenge means to me.  An attitude adjustment.  A month of looking intentionally to serve others.  A month of finding creative ways to make even a little difference in the lives of others, no matter what's going on in mine and how I "deserve" to just worry about me.

So thank you to the ladies at the 30 day challenge for giving the rest of us a great reminder of what we should be doing every day!

Uganda Post 7 - Why It's Ok to Go

"Who's gonna take care of the kids?!"  - The majority of people I told about my Uganda trip


I got some serious slack from some people that I love dearly for leaving my children "without their mother" for this trip. They told me I couldn't abandon my kids...that my kids are my job...that my kids are my mission field...that I would be scarring my kids more than I would be helping people in Uganda.

Let me tell you again....I love these people...these are family members, coworkers, and church family. They are precious people with good intentions, but what I feel is a misguided and unfortunate understanding of a mother's legacy to her children.

I say it all the time...when I need mommy time...when my friends need it...when I'm talking about being a working mom...when I'm at a Bible study....when I'm off doing a service project...when I drop my kids off in the nursery....when I go on a trip...

How I schedule my time away from my kids is just as important as the time I schedule with them.

If it refreshes me, renews my Spirit, enriches my relationship with God, or serves His purposes, it affects my children just as much as the precious time together that I treasure so much.

Will my kids remember that I love reading them their bedtime story and then doing "little blanket, big blanket" when I tuck them in? Will they remember all of the meals that I made for them?  Will they remember our tickle fights and dance parties in the living room? I pray that they will...that they'll understand how much I loved those sweet little moments. That they'll remember how much I love them and love spending time with them and helping bring up the people that they will grow to be.

But I pray even harder that's not the first thing they remember about me.

I pray constantly that the legacy I leave with my kids wouldn't just be sweet little moments, sage advice, or great guidance (I'm working on those last two!). I pray that, first and foremost, my kids remember me as the hands and feet of Christ, showing Jesus' love to not just them, but the world around them.

My kids come 3rd. There's no getting around that. And they will know that full well as they grow up. It's easy to get our priorities messed up as moms...kids are all consuming, it's really easy to put other things on the back burner.  But that doesn't make it ok. So I have to keep asking myself, constantly reminding myself...why am I here?  And the answer has nothing and everything to do with my kids....the answer is for Him.

And yes, He blessed me with 2 kids that I get to raise and point towards Him.  But, let's be honest with ourselves, "our" kids aren't "ours" anyway, are they? They're His.  Just like you.  And just like the people I met in Uganda.

I do have a calling as a mother. I am to raise Mason & Madison to know and love Christ.  I do what I can towards that goal.  I love teaching my kids about Jesus and telling them about how He saved them from their sinful nature.  I love talking to them about how God created them just like they are and that He loves them even more than I do and I am so very prayerfully hopeful that they will know Him as their Savior one day.

But I'm called to teach other people that too...

He's given me resources and opportunities to follow Him where He needs me outside the home.  He's given me skills (a very particular set of skills, if you will) that I know He's given me in order to serve Him.

If I see only my home as my mission field, I'm not doing what I'm here to do.  Period.

And if I think that I am the only one that can take care of my kids and show them the love of God, then I'm sadly mistaken as well.

I'm not saying every mom is called to go on a mission trip overseas.  But if you're feeling led to, don't let the fact that you have kids hold you from being obedient to that calling. There will always be reasons to ignore that stirring...but you need to learn to push those reasons aside and trust God's prompting and His protection on your family.

Your kids will be fine.  Your husband will be fine.  Your job will be fine.  The world will go on spinning and God will still be watching over every little thing much better than you ever could.

Even if you're not called to go on a mission trip (short or long), I can guarantee you that God is calling you to some sort of missions outside of your home.  You may need to form a prayer group to pray for unreached people. You may need to drop the kids off at a friend's house in order to go take care of someone else's needs for the day.  You may need to set aside time to fellowship with women in your church community and serve along side them and grow with them. You may need to get a job and use your workplace as a mission field. You may need to volunteer at a school or a nursing home and love on some other people during your week.

You may need to spend some serious time reflecting on how you spend your time and if you're scheduling it to fulfill His purpose or yours.

No matter what your calling is, know this: Your decisions and actions will speak volumes to your family...they will scream of obedience, of dedication to your true purpose in this life, and to God's goodness and love for all of HIS children...because THAT'S what we're here for...that's your mission, whether you're a mom or not.

Uganda Post 6 - The Orphanages

You've seen pictures, you've heard stories, you may have visited them yourself...none of what I can tell you about our visits to the orphanages would come as much of a surprise for most of you probably.

I met lots of kids...kids that need families and good homes...kids that need a lot of love and extra special care.  I heard stories of their journeys to these homes and they broke my heart. But then I heard redemption stories of how far they'd come.  I saw the difference that these caretakers had made in these kids' lives and witnessed joy in these children that I knew came from the most innocent and deep places. I fell in love with kids and got the sweet opportunity of praying for them...for them to know their Creator and His awesome plan for their life...for families to be obedient in adopting these children as their own and to love them through their emotional and physical scars...and for joy to continue to flood their lives. 

But I will tell you this...the kids weren't the only ones that stole my heart on these visits.  The people who run these orphanages and care for these kids are absolutely incredible.  I loved hearing where they were from and what led them to these places...how God worked in their life to call them to care for these children who need them.  The Ugandan mamas were lovely and the ones that I got to talk to were amazing in how much they love the kids they take care of.  I got to sit in the baby room at a place in Jinja and chat with a woman who was visibly pregnant and got to ask her some questions and then give her a mama kit.  She was beautiful, could tell me everything about the babies in this home, and I loved just chit chatting with her for a while.

The girls that we met who founded Ekisa, the special needs orphanage, floored me.  They are so young, yet so determined to make a huge impact in their community and in these kids' lives.  They are mature and strong in their purpose to help these kids.  They are doing a great job and only want to continue to improve their work there.  They amazed me.

The founder of another home gave us the opportunity to share a dinner with her and the kids one evening.  While we sat and ate dinner, we asked questions about how she ended up in Uganda, where she was from, etc...just like we did with every American we met there.  As she shared, she dived into a part of her personal story that took me by surprise...reasons for hurt that resounded in my own life and forced me to admit to myself that I hadn't used my own experiences as much as I promised God I would. This woman opened her heart to us and, as she shared, I felt like I had been hit by a ton of bricks...I felt so challenged, so pushed, so reminded of the woman that I am and the woman that I want to be. So as we watched the kids in her home sing to their Heavenly Father, I had to fight back the tears for this sweet woman and her heart. As we pulled away later that night, I learned that she rarely shares these details that meant to much to me...which just confirmed for me that I was supposed to hear that from her...and that she was following God's prompting to share her story, even though she probably didn't know why.  She was a beautiful woman...and such an inspiration to all of us, not just me.

I pray that the adults that I met in these places continue their work, find encouragement, and see the fruits of their labors for the Kingdom.  I pray that the kids that we met continue to find joy and hope...that they will find their place in this world and will know their Heavenly Father who watches over them and loves them.

Uganda Post 5 - The Schafers in America

When people heard that I was going on a trip to Africa, most had an immediate question:

Who will take care of the kids?!

And my immediate answer was this:

Their father!!!!!!!

Now, listen...I'm not going to lie...I had my hesitations about what would happen in my absence...not enough to keep me from going, but enough to make me nervous about what I would find upon my return. At times, I thought I would come home to kids that had been fed only shells & cheese and had only been bathed once and a house that looked like it had been robbed. But I say with confidence now that my hesitations and fears were proven wrong. I don't know what happened to Randal when I got on that plane, but this Randal cleaned the house, cooked dinner for the kids, made sure schedules were kept, and even shampooed the carpets while the kids were with their grandparents (who were also a huge help while I was gone!).

Not only did he keep things nice and tidy and keep the kids happy and healthy, he also kept this wife of his at peace by sending overly detailed updates that made me giggle away how much I was missing my babies.

His emails were extensive and hilarious. You can read most of them here [http://mandmschafers.blogspot.com/]. He was encouraged by my family to start a blog, so of course he did! I will share a few of my favorite bits with you right now...

I missed these guys and our everyday silliness...it's what we do best.

Upon the departure from ICT airport we drove west, like Micheal W Smith told us to do. - Daddy on the day's activities after dropping me off at the airport

It's ok, snowmen are made out of snow not people - Mason, talking to daddy about building a snowman and then knocking him over.

He told her, "Can you say ORPHANAGE?"  She tried and it sounded like baggage.  Then he proceed to break down the word for her.  - Mason talking to Madison about where daddy said mommy went that day.

They both went to bed without crying or yelling.  I think the day wore them out, or I am just an amazing parent.  We read Gustav the goldfish tonight. - Daddy on bed time a couple of nights into the trip.

After getting her bags and saying goodbye to her UG team, we headed to the car, and got ready to fill our ears with UG stories, our stomachs with TX Roadhouse, and our hearts with love. Mommy told us a few stories, we told her some stories. It IS good to have her back. - Randal, on the day I got back (Texas Roadhouse was wonderful, by the way)

This was my big welcome when I got home :)

Thank you Randal for taking good care of my little people and our home while I was away and for keeping me well informed and amused! You surprised me in the best ways while I was in Uganda!

Uganda Post 4 - The Encouragement

I told myself I was going to save this post for last.  However, no matter how hard I try, I can't write about anything else...this is flooding every memory when I think back on our time in Uganda. I hate to say I'm picking favorites, but I'm gonna say it anyway.  This was my favorite part of the trip....Our missionary nights of encouragement. Melissa already wrote her thoughts on these evenings here and it's a must read (as is the blog post that she links to in her post - go ahead, get lost in bloggy land for a little while).

We hosted 2 missionary nights during our trip.  One in Kampala at Herb & Ellen's guesthouse, and another in Jinja at The Source Cafe.  Melissa felt God leading her to do something for the missionary women in Uganda as she was planning this first trip for Mercy for Mamas.  She's seen a lot of missionary women during her time in the country and wanted to do something special for them.  She appreciates how hard they work to share Christ with the people there and how exhausting that can be (you can read a little more on her thoughts leading up to this on her blog post). She knew that God was leading her to plan a night for these women to connect, relax, fellowship, praise, and receive new tools for their various ministries.

These nights were tons of fun to plan.  From the moment Melissa mentioned them to me, I was super excited.  If you know me very well, you know a few things about me...I love to party plan, I love to encourage people, and I love fellowship!  These nights had all of these components...so I, of course, felt like this was one more reason I was on the team! This was a project I could help with!

Melissa had great ideas for the goody bags - some items to remind them of home and maybe give them a little boost.  We collected all kinds of things: candy, gum, notebooks, pens, coffee creamer, ranch dressing mix, taco seasoning, lotions, kleenex, etc.  Little things that they miss there.  My favorite quote from Melissa's blog about these nights (maybe my favorite quote from a blog ever) is "After looking in the goody bags, one lady was nearly in tears over the ranch dressing mix. She told me that she had seriously prayed for God to send someone to her with ranch dressing. For reals people, ranch dressing can be serious ministry!"  Who knew that such a little thing would mean so much to these ladies!? It was so awesome to see them dig through their bags and squeal in delight over little things that I wouldn't ever imagine they'd miss.  This was a definite blessing to these ladies and a taste of home.

We had lots of donations to help out with collecting our various items, which was great!  Even the kids in Melissa's class at church donated the gum...including my 4 year old Mason.  He was very excited about getting the "big packs of gum" for the missionaries that I was going to see when I went to Africa.  He told Melissa and I about 100 times each!  He wanted to make sure we got it, then he wanted to make sure that Melissa saw the packs of gum and knew what to do with them.  One of the first things he said to me when I arrived home was "Mom! Did you give the missionaries my gum? Did they like it?" Melissa did mention to the ladies in Jinja how excited my son was to give them their gum, so I brought several thank you messages back for him, which made him pretty happy!

We fed the women some great food at both evenings. Harriet did a great job preparing the meal in Uganda - it got pretty quiet once everyone got their plates!  I've never heard so many people rave about mac & cheese before - it was pretty great to see them enjoying their meal so much!  The food that they prepared for our group at The Source was great too and the ladies had a great time chatting while they had a great meal!

We had some great time of worship with our team members Becki & Kerri. This was incredible.  First of all, I got to see my new friends use their gifts for leading worship and for sharing their hearts with women.  This was pretty special.  They are incredible ladies and are so very talented.  The best part is, they know where their talent comes from and they use it so well to glorify their King. They did an awesome job leading these women in unified worship to the Father and giving them a chance to let loose and refresh their praise.

I love to sing, so I enjoyed lifting my voice with these new friends of mine, but I found myself stopping every once in a while, or getting a catch in my throat, just listening to these women that are far away from home, from our every day comforts, serving where God has asked them to...to hear them all come together and sing together about God's goodness was enough to be completely overwhelming.  It was such a sweet sound, and I know God's ears were happy to hear all of his daughters' voices come together.

Melissa shared with the ladies for a while.  She told them who she was, a little bit about her story and the beginnings of Mercy for Mamas.  She shared her heart with them and I could see them starting to understand this friend of mine and her joy for serving God's purpose for her experiences.  She shared with them about how, as great as it is to get to pass out these mama kits ourselves, she understands that often they can be much more effective as a ministry tool in the hands of long term missionaries.  She told them that she wants them to be able to build relationships with the women that receive them and to be able to follow up and to continue to show Christ long after our short term missions teams would be gone.

This is one of my favorite things Melissa got to share with people when we were in Uganda.  It's just so much more than a birthing kit...it's love and relationship waiting to happen...it's an open door to a mama's heart.  And she got to give that to these missionaries and equip them in a new way to connect with the people of Uganda.  At the end of the night, they lined up to receive their kits with huge smiles on their faces and ideas rolling off their tongues. I heard so many excited women talking about where they were going to use them first, followed with questions on when/how they could get more because it was going to be such a great tool for them.  It was amazing to see it all fall into place and be understood so completely.

We had the ladies introduce themselves to the entire group at the beginning of the program and it was so amazing to hear about them, their families, their ministries, where they were from, and how long they had been serving in Uganda.  We had women that had been there for decades sitting next to some that had been there for a few weeks.  We had older women and younger women.  We had different denominations.  We had women serving in education, some in health care, some loving kids in babies' homes...all different spectrums of ministries, sitting in one space, laughing and praising together.  It was beautiful to watch them make connections and meet new friends...to see them sink into fellowship with other women with similar lives, stories, and hearts and to understand how much they need each other and those relationships.

At the end of our program, we split the ladies into groups and each person from our team sat with a group and prayed with them.  We asked them to share their prayer needs, to tell us more about themselves and their work there and what they needed and how God was working on them.  These ladies poured their hearts out more than I ever could have asked for.  They showed me their love for the people of Uganda and how God led them there.  They told me their struggles, their frustrations, their worries and doubts.  They asked for endurance, for guidance, and for continued joy in the work for the Lord.  We laid hands on each other and took turns praying.  They told me how much they needed this...all of it...and how thankful they were.  They prayed for our team, that we would continue to bless people the way that we had blessed them. 

They told me that they felt uplifted, encouraged, renewed, and covered in prayer...and that they would be able to carry this night with them for a long time.  They raved about the evening and how they wish they could do things like this more often. I was amazed by these women and their lives and hearts.  I loved getting to sit and chat with some of them for an extended time...to really get to know them beyond the surface stuff. I will carry those women and their work in my heart and can only pray that our encouragement will stick with them as well.

Uganda Post 3 - The Mamas

I wish that I could show you faces and tell you the stories of every pregnant woman we met in Uganda.  Whether it was at an event at a church, or at a pregnancy crisis center, or even at a random fruit stand on the side of the road…you need to see and know them to truly understand this.

Words fail me.  I’m not articulate enough to paint a vivid enough picture of these women and their need for His kind of love.

This is the reason we went. And this is why I knew I needed to actually go and not just offer support from Kansas.  It’s amazing to hear Melissa tell what it’s like, to hear the stories and witness things that way, but until you see them…until you hear their stories…until you see the look in their eyes when you offer them a prayer, some pre-natal care info, and a $7 kit of birthing supplies…you won’t really understand.

*Sunday, Sept 23^rd – Muyenga Baptist Church

Our church events were great.  We got to start off the week with a gathering at Muyenga Baptist Church just a few hours after arriving in Uganda.  We loved on the kids and attended their church service. Then, the men cleared out so that we could have the ladies to ourselves.  They provided us with our first African lunch of the week, which was great, and then we got down to business. 

The women at this event appreciated some pre-natal care advice from our nurse friend Agnes and another health care professional who shared with them.  Melissa shared her story with these women and we then offered them prayer and a mama kit each, along with some other goodies (sugar, tea, & soap) that we had bagged up that morning. We got to spend some really good time fellowshipping with these women and seeing the excitement in their faces over this gathering and these gifts.  It was a great way to hit the ground running.

*Saturday, Sept 29^th – Mbale (Doko)

We ended the week by the holding our other women’s event in Mbale, in the slum area of Doko, where a revival was being held by a team from TX and Pearl Haven Christian Center of Mbale.

This event was very different from our afternoon at Muyenga.  We were speaking specifically to the pregnant women, but there quite a few women there that weren’t pregnant.  The women here were different than the women we served in Kampala. Most of the expectant mamas seemed to not have had any pre-natal care before and soaked up the information that was given by the nurse that was with us there. They asked a lot of questions, which we were all so thankful for.  They were thrilled about the mama kits. 

A couple of the girls on our team shared with the women and it was incredible how they held the attention of that large crowd even while there were loud noises everywhere around us.  These women needed to hear the hearts of these people that were here to minister to them.  The women, pregnant or not, ate it up. They needed it. They needed someone to be open and honest with them and show them God’s love in that way. We then prayed over the entire group and then gave out the mama kits to them in a frenzy of trying to determine who was pregnant and who wasn’t, which is always interesting! J

I thought these two events were great.  It gave us a way to minister to these women in a practical way while giving us a way to pray for them specifically and know where their needs are.  They need care, they need birthing supplies, they need guidance on motherhood and who couldn’t use some encouragement and prayer for their relationships with God? It was encouraging to see how excited they were about these opportunities and to hear them ask as many questions as they did.  We wanted so desperately for them to get the information that they needed and wanted, and I think we left knowing that they did.

*Pregnancy Crisis Centers (Wakisa, Comforter Center, Mirembe House), Monday, Sept 24th

Now to the part that I’m having trouble with…a part of the week that overwhelms me with a range of emotions and that I find hard to put into words.

Our visits to the pregnancy crisis centers, while similar in program, were very different from our women’s events at Muyenga and in Mbale. These are different women (read: girls) in different circumstances and stages of life.  They have different needs, both physically and spiritually.

These girls are broken when they come to these places…having painful stories that need to be told and dealt with.

They are young. They are on their own, having been kicked out of their homes or abandoned by husbands, etc. They have been raped.  They have been abused, physically and emotionally.  They have wounds and scars that we can’t see. They have heartbreak that I can’t even begin to imagine.

They live in a place where the maternal mortality rate is astounding and frightening for this 27 year old to swallow, much less a 12 year old who didn’t ask for the small being growing in her belly. 

And they’ve found these places…where healing happens and hope is given.  Where the Gospel is taught gently and Christ’s love is shown through directors who love these girls and want to see them gain peace and purpose. 

We stepped into each place, just for a couple of hours.  To share with these girls.  To let them know that they matter.  To give them another piece of hope and some extra love.  We entered to overwhelmed faces, probably wondering what the next couple of hours would hold.  We shared our names and a few personal details and they did the same in return.  My stomach seized as the ages that came out of their mouths got younger and younger. 

A 12 year old girl in the group smiled shyly as she looked away from our smiles.  She disappeared for a few minutes in the middle of our talks and came back with a plastic dinosaur toy to play with on her lap. 

My heart broke...my mind ran crazy....imagining how this girl and all of her housemates ended up here.  I managed to focus my energy on the task at ahnd while reigning in those thoughts. 

Kim shared a beautiful devotion on motherhood with the girls and Melissa shared a bit about Mercy for Mamas.  Then Agnes gave the girls some pre-natal info and answered the girls' questions.

After our talk, we broke into groups to talk with the girls, pray for them, and then do some crafts for their babies.  As we split into groups, I found myself sitting down with this beautiful, pregnant 12 year old girl.  My heart just jumped as I could almost audibly hear God telling me that, as much as I had tried to imagine her circumstances, I was nowhere close...I had no idea...

Her 17 year old friend pulled up a chair next to her.  Again...I knew I had no idea how deep her wounds were.  With the help of a volunteer at the center who translated well, Janet & I got to hear these girls stories and pray for them. 

They broke my heart. 

The 17 year old had been lured to her father's house on the understanding that he would put her through school.  Instead, her father took advantage of her and raped her.  Then he kicked her out and that's how she ended up at Wakisa.

The 12 year old had been raped by a stranger hiding in the bushes while she walked to the store one evening to get her family some food. She was brave enough to come forward and the man ended up in jail, but she wasn't allowed to stay with her family while she was pregnant. 

She shared everything and I had to bite back the flood of tears that wanted to break free.  Then she said that, since coming here, she had peace.  And she is hopeful because of God and Wakisa. 

Our next stop was at Comforter's Center where we met the amazing founder Victoria and the amazing women there.  We heard incredible stories...my heart was torn for these women that fought over whether to keep their babies when they were in dire situations.  To hear them talk about deciding not to abort their babies...to hear them talk about having nowhere to go...to hear them share their hearts...was bittersweet. 

There is one woman that I will never forget.  Just by looking, it seemed that she had attempted to abort her sweet little girl that she held in her arms as she started to share her story.  She talked about how, when her baby was first born, she didn't love her....but that God had showed her how to love her baby...and then she broke down into tears as she squeezed her little girl tight to her chest. I'll never forget the look in her eyes when she looked down at her little girl....how much that look spoke to God's grace, forgiveness, and love.

I loved praying over these girls and women.  I loved sharing those sweet, sacred moments with them.  We all loved doing crafts with them and giving them their mama kits. 

But most of all, I loved hearing the peace in their voice...seeing the hope in their eyes as they told you their stories.  These ladies are beautiful.  Their wounds are being healed.  They are meeting their Heavenly Father and receiving His love and care through these centers.

And THAT is why we had to go.

Uganda Post 2 - Our Fearless Leader

I decided that the beginning is the best place to start. A novel concept, I know...so we're going to start with the woman behind Mercy for Mamas.

I'd like you to meet my friend Melissa. She is a beautiful woman and has an incredible story. Her story isn't mine to tell, but I will tell you what she means to me.

I met her back in 2006 when her Ginger husband Cody came to serve as our pastor at FBC Mulvane. I immediately knew the Busbys were cool...and they have not let me down since that first impression. ;)

The way that Cody and Melissa have served our church is beautiful. They show us truth and grace and love every day. They've shown us all what it looks like to follow God's plans for your family, no matter how much sacrifice and heartache that means.

And while my beautiful friend was in Uganda for 11 months finalizing the adoption of their sweet daughter Mercy, her and Cody offered me and my family support during the hardest time we've known.  While they were fighting for their family, they helped me fight for mine. 

Even though we weren't necessarily the closest of friends, Melissa and I shared random, encouraging emails and sometimes painfully sad moments.  She gave me positive words when I needed them and listened to my heartbreak when I needed that too, while I tried to return the favor for her and her family.

Since then, she's continued to amaze me.  Through her fight to bring her daughter home and her journey to follow God's direction with her experiences since then, she's shown the world her faithfulness in the midst of the craziness.  I've respected her since the day I met her, and that respect just continues to grow.

When she first started sharing info about mama kits and beginning to reveal her calling to start this new ministry, I was continually impressed by her faithfulness and amazed by her ability to swallow how much of an undertaking this was going to be. I'm sure it was scary at times. I'm sure she had freak out moments.  I'm sure she questioned this calling and whether she understood this plan. I'm sure she had times when she felt unequipped to take on this task. I'm sure she'll continue to have those moments as this journey continues to unfold, and that's ok.

But I can tell you that, from the moment she told me about all of this, I knew it was right.  I doubt people a lot...one of my biggest downfalls.  But not this...not for a second.  This was for sure and I was so excited for her and the entire Busby clan. And the journey that they've been on with Mercy for Mamas has been incredible to be able to witness and cheer on.

She's also got a relatively awesome sense of humor, which helps with any Beth Schafers friendship.

So after 6 years or so of knowing this amazing woman, I followed her to Africa.

I can honestly say, I don't know if I would have been so sure and willing to follow anyone else.  I never doubted my safety, I never doubted the vision.  I never doubted the necessity of our service there.  I was confident that Melissa's heart reflected His and that, as a result, the plans would fall into place and we would be exactly where we needed to be. 

I was also confident that, after a very long time of feeling like God wanted me to go to Africa, but plans never working out, this was exactly the right time for me.  And I can tell you now, on the other side of things, that was exactly the case.  This was just what God was preparing me for and why He was making me wait.

The way God used Melissa's time in Uganda to set the stage for Mercy for Mamas, and for this trip specifically, is amazing.  The friendships she formed there and the relationships that continued to grow back home formed the perfect team and plan for the 1st trip.

Our time in Uganda was incredible.  We all had amazing encounters and eperiences.  For me, one of the best of those was seeing my sweet friend take the lead for our group.  She knows her strengths and her weaknesses and is willing to take charge or ask for help when it's needed.  She followed God's promptings on her heart for the plans on this trip and did all that she could to make sure that our agenda matched His.

She's crazy in Uganda. A whole other side of her came out as soon as we stepped off the plane and I love her even more for it. She drove a huge stick shift van with the steering wheel on the wrong side and just laughed the entire time. She dances and sings like crazy to get the kids to laugh and let their guard down. Somehow, her sense of humor becomes even more find tuned and impressive. She tries new things and makes you want to try and keep up. She wears sweet sunglasses off the street and rocks them like no one else can.


She has an amazing Ugandan accent that I finally got to experience firsthand and it was one of the most adorable things I've ever heard.  She negotiates and makes people laugh when she forces them to not give her the "American" price.  She finally got to introduce her American friends to her Ugandan friends.  She got to show us all that she loves about Uganda and you could see the light in her eyes when she was sharing her stories and experiences with us.  It was amazing to see her in this different setting and to be able to feel just how much love she has for these people in this place. 

But while her crazy side comes out, her serious side impressed me even more.  To hear her get up and tell her story to the women that we shared with was touching.  To hear the passion in her voice when she tells these women how much she wants them to have safe, healthy births and how she doesn't want any more orphans in Africa makes me choke up every time.  They know how much she means it, even if they don't speak her language...you can see it in their faces. 

And to hear her talk afterward...about how much these events meant to her...how much it confirms her calling...how much she can see God using her team...that's still getting to me even as I write this.  Then...to have bittersweet conversations with her and other friends in the hotel lobby late at night and talk about our hurts and our joys...is indescribable.  She shares her heart and makes you feel safe to open yours.

Don't get me wrong...she's not a completely different person when you're in a foreign country.  She's the same, wonderful woman on each continent...I just got a much closer look at this friend when we were in this setting.

She shows you Christ's love in her own little ways and her contagious laugh.   She is passionate about giving God the glory for all of it...and the best part is, He's getting it. 

So thanks Melissa for being faithful and for letting this dorky girl tag along with you to Uganda. Thanks for doing what He tells you to and making me do the same. 

I took a poll....and I can still be your friend ;)

Uganda Post 1 - Where Do I Start?

Where do I start? 

Every time I sit down to write this blog, that’s the question on the forefront of my mind.  Where do I begin when I have so many thoughts, so many stories, so many faces in my head? 

*I could tell you about the 12 year old that I prayed with.  She was very pregnant…raped by a stranger hiding in a bush while she walked to the market to get some food for her family one evening.  She played with a toy dinosaur on her lap while we talked about pre-natal care with her and the other girls at the pregnancy crisis center. 

She was beautiful….but oh, so young…so innocent still.  And I bit back the tears as she told my friend and I that she had peace…and hope. 

*I could tell you about the missionary women that we served.  How many of them looked exhausted when they arrived at our events. How many wet eyes I saw as they sang together to their King. How many of them squealed with delight over something like Ranch Dressing Mix in their goody bag.

How they shared their hearts with us…showing their love for the people of Uganda and their desperate desire to have their neighbors know God’s love. How when they left, they were excited, renewed, and refreshed in their purpose and their focus in their ministry.  How they were covered in prayer and felt it following them home.

How thankful they were for a rather random group of Americans who were willing to invest some time in encouraging them in their ministry and even giving them a new ministry tool for the future.

*I could tell you about the kids…so many kids…at the churches, in the villages, at the orphanages, in the slum. How they love to sing and dance for the crazy Americans. How they praise their Father with beautiful voices and lifted hands.

I could tell you their sad stories…the ones that you can’t help but hold onto…the ones that some of them don’t even realize that they have…and of the beautiful hope that they have now that someone has given them a chance. 

I could tell you about the kids at the special needs orphanage…about the girl that held my hand during snack time on the mat outside while I wondered what her disability was.  How she then pointed towards some leg braces and a walker and motioned for me to put the braces on so that she could walk.  How she lit up as she showed our group how she could take a few steps towards them and had one of the most beautiful smiles I’ve ever seen.

*I could tell you about the new friendships that I formed…and about the old ones that were renewed and strengthened as they were changed.  I could tell you how I wrestled with God and saw His plans unfolding in front of me.  I could tell you how I was blessed by other women who were willing to go on this trip. 

I could tell you how I bonded with complete strangers and was amazed as I learned their hearts, their stories, and their passions. I could tell you how I saw women that I’ve known for years unfold a part of themselves that I didn’t know they had and how impressed I was by these people that I call my friends.



So that’s what I’ll start with I guess….the overwhelming little thoughts in my head.  And I’ll save the rest for another day…

To Uganda We Go!

I am leaving for Africa in less than 2 weeks!  And I still have so much to do! Eek!  But here I am, blogging...for you. So you're welcome...or I'm sorry...whichever is appropriate for your particular situation. 

I wanted to take a break from the planning and the Excel spreadsheet making to tell the story of this trip for those of you (all 2 of you that read this) that might not know why we're going (or even that we're going if you're really out of the loop). So here goes!

First things first. I am going with an organization called Mercy for Mamas.  My incredible friend (and my pastor's wife) Melissa started this organization when she was in Uganda during the adoption of their sweet daughter Mercy, whose mother passed away during childbirth.  Unfortunately, this is an all too common occurence in Uganda, where 15-20 women die every day while giving life to their precious babies.  The saddest part of this is, it's a problem that is, in a lot of cases, simply a matter of having the supplies they need to have a sterile delivery.  For $7, Mercy for Mamas helps provide women in Uganda with the supplies they need to have safe, clean births and helps give these women and their children the chance to have lots of time to love and grow together.

I could go on and on and on about Melissa's story, or how incredible it's been to watch her take the idea of Mercy for Mamas and run with it.  I could tell you how proud I am to be her friend and to be a part of a church where adoption and the orphan crisis is such a focus.  But I won't...at least not right now ;)  For now, I'll point you to the Mercy for Mamas website: www.mercyformamas.com. Melissa tells her story way better than I ever could, so go there and learn more about this incredible woman and her mission.

Now...more details on the trip itself.  We leave next Friday - September 21st.  We will arrive in Uganda late on Saturday, the 22nd.  We will hit the ground running and will spend our days in Uganda serving as many people as we can. We will be distributing mama kits to women, visiting midwives and orphanages, helping serve at a couple of churches, and hosting a couple of encouragement events for missionary women in the area, and lots of other stuff in between.  We will be serving in Kampala, Jinja, and Mbale. We will be busy and I know I'll be completely exhausted when we get home on October 2nd...but I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am. 

I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to serve on this trip.  And I'm so excited to see how God uses our group to His glory.  I have seen Him every step of the way as we've planned these events and raised our funds and even as we've gotten to know our team members from afar.  He is planning to use these mama kits and our experiences in Uganda to do wonderful things and I am so anxious to be a part of that.

So this is what I ask of you...that you pray for us and for His work.  Pray that our group (there are 11 of us) would push aside our own desires for this trip and let Him take the wheel.  The last thing we want to do is get in the way.  Pray for safety and provision for our families back home so that we have a few less things to worry about.  Pray that we would be brave in sharing the reason we are there - to share His love with His people. Pray that hearts would be softened to that love and that doors would be opened for these people to know that they have an eternal life with their Father waiting for them.

So that's it for now!  I will post info and pictures once we return!  Thanks in advance for your prayers and support for this trip and for Mercy for Mamas!  Seriously...go to the website...now! www.mercyformamas.com

Love,
Beth

4 not-so-Random Acts of Kindness

A few months ago, I read this blog where this woman had an incredible idea...she used her 38th birthday to do 38 random acts of kindness! I've always been one for random acts of kindness and try to look for ways every day to brighten someone else's day and show them some love.  This just gives me a really good excuse to go out of my way to make it happen repeatedly in one day.  It also helps me get the creative juices flowing and new ideas pop out to me all the time now!  So I immediately decided to do it for my next bday (#28!).

Then I got to thinking...I try to include the kids in my every day activities. Whether it's just telling someone to have a nice day or stopping to give a meal to someone in need (although sometimes Mason questions why I'm giving away his food...), I try to show them on a regular basis that we do nice things for others to show God's love for them.  So why not have them do these acts of kindness on their birthday too and reinforce those ideas?! I can see no good reason why not...and so, a new Schafers family tradition is born!  And Mason got to be the first one to have this great day!

I started planting ideas in his head a few weeks ago about what he might like to do.  I gave him several options and let him tell me which ones sounded the best to him.  Here's how his birthday played out:

#1 - Our first stop was at Wesley Hospital. Mason's first "act of kindness" was to take a bag of clothes for the kids who are in the hospital.  He was so excited to give something to kids who were sick and told me he hoped it made them smile. He told me later when I asked that this was his favorite part of the day because he liked helping the sick kids feel better.  (Can I get an "awwww"?)  :)

#2 - Our next destination was His Helping Hands.  Before we left the house this morning, Mason picked out 4 toys to donate.  Since he was kind of shy when we gave the clothes to Ms. Melissa at the hospital, I told him in the van that he needed to help explain at this next stop. He told me he was really excited to give his toys to kids that didn't have any and that he would take care of it all...and boy, he did!  He carried the bag into the donation room and, after I flagged down the lead volunteer, Mason pulled out each toy and explained what it did and why the kids would like it.  He was super giggly and excited as we left there.  I've never seen such a big grin on this kid!

#3 - Next, we headed back to Mulvane.  I had given Mason the option of baking cookies for someone for one of his acts.  He said he wanted to make cookies for our pastor.  So we had baked chocolate chip cookies and Mason was my big helper and was really excited to deliver them.

#4 - Our final act was, of course, at Target.  Mason finally got to "work" there :) His kind act there was to push people's carts back inside the store.  Right as we were getting out of the van, a mom and her 5 kids came out of the store, so we headed their direction.  I explained what we were doing and asked if Mason could take their cart back into the store for them.  The mom was great - she made a big deal about his birthday and how nice it was to help others and we had a good chat and she said she might have her kids start doing something like that too.  The kids all wished Mason a happy birthday and we took off with their cart.  Right when we got it inside, it started to sprinkle on us.  So, instead of waiting on other people to come out of the store, we went ahead and just rounded up some loose carts in the parking lot and parked them in the cart stalls. 

After he was done with his final deed, he got to go inside the store and buy a toy and a movie with his Target gift card that he got for his birthday, which was another fun adventure :)

We had some leftover balloons & helium from his party on Saturday, so he wanted to blow those up and give them away somewhere.  We ended up taking them to daycare when I dropped him off for the afternoon and he had a great time sharing them with all of his friends! 

All in all, a successful day!  I was so proud of Mason and his willingness to serve this morning. I honestly didn't know how he would react...or really if he would go along with this at all.  But he made me so incredibly proud when he jumped in and was willing to give up clothes, toys, cookies, and put in some work to show love to others.  I can't wait to spend more of these kinds of days with him and Madison and to instill in them how important it is to care for others.  And how great to use your birthday to remember that...when we could make it all about ourselves...to have a constant reminder that we're here for a bigger reason, part of a bigger plan...here for His glory and to show His love and mercy to others.

Happy birthday to my sweet boy!  I couldn't be happier to be your mommy!