This picture is my computer desktop background.  Her name is Carolina.  She's lives in an orphanage in Tegucigalpa.  She's my friend.  I love Carolina.  God loves her more!

How many orphans do you know?  I mean personally.  How many orphans do you know by name?  I must admit that 2 years ago I don't know if I knew any orphans by name.  Honestly, I didn't want to know any orphans!  I know that sounds bad, but I didn't want to deal with the emotional pain that came from "personally" knowing an orphan. 

That all changed between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. on July 27th, 2006.  That's an important day for me (I'll write more about that this week).  As I sit here and type these words if I raise my gaze from my computer screen I see a picture frame sitting on the end table in front of me.  It contains pictures of kids.  They are not my biological kids, but kids who live in an orphanage - a 18 year old, a 10 year old and a 3 year old.  They live in an institutional environment.  They live with 20 other kids.  They live without a Mom and a Dad to tuck them into bed at night.

Are they loved?  Yes!  God loves them immensely.  Many of the orphans I know realize that and take comfort in fact that God loves them and cares for them.  Yet, millions of orphans all over the world don't know that anyone loves them - including the God of the universe.  In the eyes of God, something is wrong with that picture.  A child is not supposed to grow up in an institution!  As I write these words my eyes are filled with tears just thinking about the kids all over the world (143 million) that share that kind of story. 

What is the church going to do?  What am I going to do?  What are you going to do?  What I'm going to do is - DREAM BIG, take one step at a time, and TRUST GOD for direction. 

One of the baby steps I am taking is to step out and try to help start an orphan care ministry in our church.  To be honest, I'm a little scared about that.  I don't know what it's going to look like, but if we trust God then it's going to look like Him.  If we trust ourselves it's going to look like us.  My desire is that God be the hero and it look like him.

I'll close this post with a prayer that's on my heart.  If you've read this far, would you make this simple prayer to God your own prayer? 

God, I know you love children.  I know you especially love orphans.  I am realizing that it's Your church's responsibility to care for orphans.  Help me do my part to make a difference in the world orphan crisis.  God, help Mark and Amy do their part to make a difference in the world orphan crisis.  Oh, God, help Your church to wake up from it's slumber to make a difference in the world orphan crisis because our response is a reflection on your reputation!  I love you God.  Thank you for adopting me, an orphan, into your family and giving me a purpose in this world and an eternal home in heaven.  Amen.

What an emotional weekend.  It all began with this little orphan group singing How Great Is our God.  I thought I was going to end up on the floor sobbing uncontrollably.  The last time that happened to me was in the shower a couple months ago when I turned on the little shower radio only to hear "Stealing Cinderella".  I don't know who sings it because I rarely listen to country music, but as I heard this guy singing about his daughter getting married and describing it as "stealing Cinderella" I lost it!  Honestly, I can't believe I writing it here, but I lost it in the shower . . . sobbing uncontrollably as I thought of some guys stealing my Cinderella (s)! 

That's how I felt as I listen to these orphans sing praises to our God on Thursday night.  I thought someone was going to have to pick me up off the floor.  It was the most awesome, profound, gut wrenching experiences I've had in a long time. 

I'm sure I'll write more about it this week, but Amy and I were able to attend Summit IV of the Christian Alliance for Orphans this weekend at Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale.  Like the orphan camp we did in Honduras a couple weeks ago, it's hard to put into words. 

For now I'll close with a line I heard over an over at the conference - "There are 143 million orphans in the world today and what is the church going to do about this crisis?"  What am I going to do about the global orphan crisis?  What are YOU going to do about the global orphan crisis?

Six weeks ago I never dreamed Daniel would be pitching in a baseball game.  He hasn't played baseball in four years and never pitched a day in his life.  A couple weeks ago he asked his coach if he could "try out" for pitching.  I didn't have any confidence that he could do it, but surprisingly he did extremely well. 

Tonight he started his first game (only his second game to pitch) and they won!  It wasn't that simple.  It was a long hard fought battle.  I won't give you the play by play, but his team came back in the third inning to win - at 10:00 p.m.  Yes, the game lasted until 10:00 p.m. on a school night!

Daniel pitched a great game and I was so proud of him!  I know he was tired, but he kept going as long as the coach left him in.  His whole team did great.  His best friend on the team even hit the game winning double with 3 RBI's.  Way to go Daniel and Isaac!

Isaac at bat . . . (FYI - the photos were taken at last Friday's game)

I don't know it if has something to do with the camp or just one of those times in life, but I've kind of got a writer's block.  I haven't felt much like writing this past week and a I know several of you have been wanting more info on the camp so I decided I'd just post more photos.  I promise I'll write more later for those who would rather read than look at pictures.  For those who like photos . . . click on the images for a larger view.

The Bus Ride to the Camp . . .

Futbol

Explaining the rules of "American Footbal" - didn't go over too well!

 First day fun!

Primos (cousins)

Maria the model

camp games . . .

camp worship

craft time

Orphanage Directors (Isaac & Olga) doing their crafts

climbing wall (trust exercises)

climbing wall

a much needed break for Directors Isaac & Olga

singing Pharoah, Pharoah around the bonfire

friends . . .

go carts . . . yes, go carts!

our last day with the kids!

"Dad, that guy is a wimp.  He's got training

wheels on his motorcycle!"

Said by David (5 yrs. old) as we were leaving Lowes this past week as he saw a Trike (you know, a three wheeled motorcycle).  He just could not get over how wimpy it was that someone would have training wheels on a motorcycle.  It was even funnier when hearing it in his squeaky little voice.  For those of you who know David, read the quote again and imagine that squeaky little voice at about 100 decibils.  Funnier isn't it?