Celebrating Buster

 A year ago my friend Buster died. Even though Buster didn’t talk much, he was the life of the home. You could always find a smile and a laugh when you were with Buster. The orphanage is not the same without him.

Since the anniversary of his passing was on its way, we (at ORR) decided to honor him by bringing some Buster-sized smiles to the orphanage family he left behind. It was declared “Buster Day"! Our Buster party-pack included smiley face stamps, silly bands, balloons, and a heart shaped craft to remember our love for Buster. And, of course, no party is complete without chocolate biscuits, candy, and juice!

I started out by asking what everyone remembered most about Buster and got a little worried as I was greeted with serious, unsure faces and a few trembling lips. Then an answer came—“Buster loved to sing!” “He loved to dance.” “Buster always loved to smile!”

Everyone enjoyed the Buster Day party. It even ended with a spontaneous sing-a-long in his honor. We may never know why Buster died so early, but thankfully we can always remember the life he brought when he was here.

Miss you buddy!

Buster "Busta Rhymes" Findley
Died June 2010

Click here to see what else we are up to at Orphan Relief and Rescue.

Beach Day!

Spending time with kids affords many fun experiences and creates many unforgettable memories. There are some days that outweigh the rest... some days you wish you could live over and over... some days you don't think you could possibly smile any bigger and you maybe have to wipe a tear away, it is so real, so amazing.

A day at the beach. 

A sunny, playful afternoon at the beach was a staple in my growing up years. Something I took for granted. You might think, living in a tropical beach bordered country, it would be something the kids in Liberia enjoy too. The truth is that most children here, HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE BEACH! There are some who grow up on the beach, and for them is it a place to wash and (unfortunately for the rest of us) go to the bathroom. Others may live a short distance away, yet have never seen the sand, felt the wind or heard the crashing waves. This is a tragedy.

There are 26 kids inside this beach-bound clown car.

We decided that the time had come to introduce some (of our favorite) kiddos to the beach. We borrowed a friend's Land Cruiser for the afternoon and loaded it up for the 15 minute drive. As we rolled to a stop at our destination, all you could hear were gasps of delight (and fear). Some kids didn't even want to cross the street towards the water. Others ran close then came to a quick stop. I literally had to carry one small girl over.

Then we stood there for awhile--
30 kids soaking in the ocean view for the first time. 

These two were very reluctant to get their feet wet.

Slowly we inched closer. Some cried out and ran away while their braver friends forged on. As the minutes went by, more feet were wet, clothes started coming off, squeals of delight snuck out. Dodging the waves seemed to be instinct, shovels and buckets were filled and emptied, Uncle Josh was buried in the sand, a football was kicked in the surf. 

Warming up to the ocean-- a wave is coming...

BAM!

When it was time to go we had to pull kids out of the water, they didn't want to go. The mother of the home exclaimed, "they are going to be talking about this for days!" ... And so are we.

Maybe this isn't so bad after all.

house for rent

Necessity dictates that I take a break from all news Liberia and focus back at home for a moment. 

My current renters (who have been wonderful and amazing in every way) have just informed me that they will be moving in a few weeks. While this is a great opportunity for them, it leaves my house empty and me without means to pay my mortgage. I was stewing about this yesterday and a song came on that reminded me, "everything's gonna be alright." Phew. I know God is faithful to fill this need and trust that He is already working on something good, but in the meantime can you pray? 

And if you or anyone you know are looking to rent in the Bonney Lake, WA area, please let me know. (debbie@orronline.org would be the best way to contact me.)

Two bedrooms/two bathrooms, large wrap around deck, good sized yard. ~$1100/month + utilities.  

Can't tell you how many hours I've spent on this great porch!

(More pics and info available upon request.)

I love this house. It has been a blessing and a refuge to me. I am praying that while I can't be there enjoying it there is someone else who will. Thanks.

A tale of two days.

May 20, 2010. I received a phone call at 0600 am, my heart dropped before I heard the words, somehow I already knew-- Michael was dead. 

Michael was an amazing boy. I had been spending a lot of time with him over the last few months as he struggled with complications of liver disease. He was 18. All he wanted to do was finish school, learn agriculture and help his country. Humble dreams. Instead he spent his last weeks in a horrible hospital room that he shared with as many as six other extremely ill boys. Crying, stench, depression all around. Even though he was weak and tired, Michael remained strong within. He wasn't scared. He encouraged me when I couldn't find the words to encourage him. 

The day before Michael died was my birthday. He had fallen into a coma, he desperately needed a blood transfusion. There are no blood banks in Liberia, if you need blood you have to provide it. We were able to find a match and start the transfusion. I left him like that to go to my birthday party. I didn't know it at the time, but, my last words to Michael were pleading with him to stay strong and fight. I may have been pleading for myself. Late that night I called to check on him, there had been no change.

I received the call in the morning. A wailing cry from his Auntie, "Michael died-o!" I rushed to the hospital, saw the empty bed, it was true. That started a surreal parade of events. There is no time to waste, things must be done-- order a casket, watch as cheap wood is nailed together haphazardly and covered with gold spray paint (Michael deserved better than this), bring the casket to the morgue, lift his body into it, nail it closed, drive to the grave site, carry the casket, lower it down. Words were shared, women wailed, I wept. It was finished. Now what do you do? It was mourning in fast forward. Somehow at the end of the day there was closure, but there was also still a huge hole in my heart.

Michael Dimhue
Died May 20, 2010

Not sure how I would handle it, I was dreading May 20th as it approached this year. I was planning to go to Michael's grave and spend some time honoring him there. I didn't know what else to do.

The day before was my birthday, I was out celebrating with friends in the evening and drank too much coffee. At 0440 am, I had only slept about an hour, when I received a text from my good friend and co-worker Matt, "We are at the hospital, this is not a drill." Matt's wife, Alvina, was in labor three weeks early. After texting back and forth for about an hour I gave up on sleep and headed to the hospital. As I made another early morning drive to the hospital, I couldn't help notice the irony. I spent the day with Matt and Alvina, didn't do much, except be there, but I knew that's where I was supposed to be.

That afternoon Alvina delivered. It was a boy! Perfect in every way. (as Avina put it, "all his parts are correct."

Kingsley Cramer
Born May 20, 2011

A few hours later, as Alvina was resting, Matt and I couldn't help notice the difference the day had made. We thought we would be remembering Michael, spending the day at a graveyard. Instead, we spent the day celebrating new life. What a difference. What a blessing. 

What a great way to honor Michael and redeem the day.

American Barvor

Last month Barvor headed to the states to get some much needed medical assistance for his eyes. No one really knew what kind of care that he would need, but the need for surgery was suspected. After two appointments with a specialist it has been determined that he will NOT need surgery. He is using a different kind of eye drops and has brand new specialized prescription glasses.

All in all he is doing very well—he is fitting in well with his foster family and LOVING all things America. He even made a trip to the Central Park Zoo in New York City!

American Barvor-- April 2011

For the contrast-
Barvor in Liberia -- March 2009

Baby Favor

Towards the end of September a baby girl was born in Liberia. For some reason we will never know, her mother decided to place her inside a cardboard box and discard her in a pile of garbage behind a latrine. There this precious new life sat, surrounded by flies, rubbish, and human excrement. No one knows how long she lay there. Hours, maybe a day. 

A woman was minding her own business that day. Rushing through her day, caring for her kids, trying to find meat to sell at her small booth in the market. The last thing she was expecting to find, as she stopped by the community latrine, was a baby. But that is what she found. Small, quiet cry. Dirty box. A decision.

Elizabeth chose to open the box. Inside she found a tiny newborn baby girl. No one saw anything, no one knew how long she was there, no one wanted anything to do with her. Elizabeth took her to the hospital, miraculously she was healthy. She went to the police who were unable (unwilling?) to help.

That brought Elizabeth to another decision. What to do with the girl? Bringing another mouth to feed into the family is not an easy thing in Liberia. She was already struggling to make ends meet as it was. No one would think any less of her if she decided not to keep her. But this girl had already been discarded once, Elizabeth couldn't do it again. It really wasn't a decision for her, she knew what she would do from the moment she opened the box...

She took the girl home and named her Favor because, surely she had received favor from God to survive, to be found, to be loved.

I met Elizabeth only a few weeks after she found Favor. The girl was so small, so vulnerable. Even though it is a story that I have heard before in Liberia, I was shocked. Shocked that someone could throw away their baby and shocked that someone could so selflessly rescue one. Honestly, there are probably more reasons here to get rid of a baby that to keep one-- resources are so scarce, food is expensive, school fees unimaginable for most.

I have had the pleasure of watching Favor grow over the last few months. She started so small, so shaky, always looking so fragile. Today Elizabeth brought Favor by for a surprise visit and I was blown away. The spunky, smily, chubby cheeked eight month old who greeted me today was too much. I couldn't stop thanking God for her. Thanking Elizabeth for everything she had done. Favor truly is a miracle. And I couldn't help but share her with you today.

Baby Favor

The Resurrection and the Life

An excerpt from-- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Written by Lew Wallace.

“All the eyes then looking were fixed upon the Nazarene. It may have been pity with which he was moved; whatever the cause, Ben-Hur was conscious of a change in his feelings. A conception of something better than the best of this life—something so much better that it could serve a weak man with strength to endure agonies of spirit as well as of body; something to make death welcome—perhaps another life purer than this one—perhaps the Spirit life which Balthasar held to so fast, began to dawn upon his mind clearer and clearer, bringing to him a certain sense that, after all, the mission of the Nazarene was that of guide across the boundary for such as loved him; across the boundary to where his kingdom was set up and waiting for him. Then, as something borne through the air out of the almost forgotten, he heard again, or seemed to hear, the saying of the Nazarene,

“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.”

And the words repeated themselves over and over, and took form, and the dawn touched them with its light, and filled them with a new meaning. And as men repeat a question to grasp and fix the meaning, he asked, gazing at the figure on the hill fainting under its crown, Who the Resurrection? And who the Life?

“I AM,”

the figure seemed to say—and say it for him; for instantly he was sensible of a peace such as he had never known—the peace, which is the end of doubt and mystery, and the beginning of faith and love and clear understanding.”

May you find such Peace this Easter.