Anton's Story

Anton is a young man in his twenties. When he was young he got a rock in his eye while playing. The injury caused him to have severe epilepsy. His seizures gave his classmates reason to ridicule him and eventually isolate him completely. The teachers would not allow him in school because he was too much of a distraction. Anton became lonely.

On top of all of this, Anton was not able to read more than about 20 minutes at a time because of his epilepsy and he was completely prohibited to use the computer or watch television. Anton searched for something to fill his time with. Eventually he found that he was able to knit. He began to knit things and thought it might be a good business since he would probably never get a proper education.

He took his things to the bazar to sell them, but he started having seizures again and people would steal his precious product. He continued to try to sell things at the bazar, but eventually the landowner didn’t want him there anymore because he scared people away with his seizures.

This left Anton feeling completely hopeless…

Until one day…

He was introduced to a young group of people who also had disabilities. This group of people accepted him into their community. He now meets with these people regularly. They laugh together and play games and he now has a place where he is loved.

The loneliness is gone. The despair has turned to hope.

Last wednesday we packaged wheelchairs for this organization. We have the pleasure of giving goods to this organization that pulled him out of despair and some of our co-workers have had the opportunity to spend time with him. So, in a small way, we get to be a part of Anton’s story.

There are many other stories like his. Ask Father that these stories would have similar endings and that other people like Anton would find their way into this wonderful little community.

Home?

Since I arrived back here, I have felt more than ever that this is my home. This is a really exciting and confusing fact. Of course Camarillo still feels like home and being with family feels like home as well. But overseas? Well, that is my new reality. I have felt comfy here for a while, but home? Yes, now this feels like home.

It is a great thing to feel settled in the place that you live and to feel as though you have a community of people around you who love you and understand you and whom you love as well. It’s great to be able to communicate with people and not feel uncomfortable in the stores or walking the streets. It’s great to walk down the street and bump into several people that you know because this in fact is your home.

I have had this passage running through my mind lately from Psalm 68. You see, last year I had a difficult time adjusting back here and I realized that a large part of that was the feeling of loneliness. But this year as I returned, I felt the embrace of many people, the team that he has set me in at the English Center. The passage that came to mind is this: “HE sets the lonely in families.” from Psalm 68.

What a beautiful message just for me. What a beautiful picture of his love for me and how well he knows me. He knew that I needed that sense of belonging, of FAMILY. The photo above was taken just a couple days after I arrived back. These beautiful people welcomed me home with open arms of love. I am so grateful that this place that felt foreign three short years ago, feels like home today.

This side of the Pacific

The summer is almost over and I am finally sitting down to write about it. I wish I would have had time to write more about it and given updates every couple of weeks, but that is not the reality of our time in the states. The reality is that it is always a whirlwind. This year has been especially busy because of my parent’s move. Since being in Camarillo for a week and a half at the beginning of our stay, we have not been in one place longer than a week. We have slept in 9 different beds, driven about 2,000 miles and changed living spaces 12 times so far.

I am used to doing a lot of communicating through photos and since“a picture is worth a thousand words,” once again I will be doing most of my communicating through photos. I plan to do more storytelling when we return to our home. But for now, I hope that you enjoy this little tour of our summer through photos.

My first day back with my brother's beautiful daughters

Her smile is contagious

One of the few things I miss when we are away, Rice Crispy Treats. Tried out these Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats for a gathering with friends.

Gathering with good friends while in Ventura County

First of our few trips to the ocean.

Hiking with my friend Laura

Lovin' on my friend and her precious son!

Saying goodbye to the house I grew up in

At a benefit for Teen Challenge with Curtis' family

Enjoying dinner with more of Curtis' family

Visiting Ricky up North.

Watching my brother snuggle with his baby girl

Teaching my nieces how to make Apple Pie from scratch

Catching special moments between my niece and sister in law

So blessed to have family in Mammoth!

Baking with Lucy and Angela

Thanks to my sister Tara and her husband we got to stay three nights in this beautiful hotel in Mammoth!

Took advantage of access to the beautiful pool at the Westin with Angela and Lucy

Breakfast at the Stove

Beaching it with the girlies!

Celebrating Grandma's Birthday

Thank you all for your support and love! We have enjoyed spending time with you this summer and look forward to the rest of our time here. Please continue to chat with Papa about our upcoming travels and the common stresses of readjustment.

Hong Kong

Our time in Hong Kong has been amazing! But not for the expected reasons. Not because of high rises, harbors or historical landmarks. On the contrary actually. You see those things are quite material, but our joy lies in the unseen.

Most of what is done by the organization that we work with is unseen by many, including ourselves. We see such a miniscule portion of what Dad is doing on this earth through the goods that are given to people in countries all over the world by this amazing organization that we have been placed with.

I chose that word carefully, “placed.” We very much chose to join this work. But yet, when we came overseas, we had no idea that this great work was happening here and that we were actually being set up to join it shortly. I am being reminded of that so much now as people here ask us how we came to be a part of this movement.

It is exciting to think that our ‘Managing Director’ knew long before we did exactly where He wanted to place us. He prepared work for us. Work that suits us both well. Work that we love and are passionate about. A purpose to serve the poor, the orphaned, the widow, the abandoned, the forgotten of this world while doing EXACTLY what we LOVE!

It is beautiful really. We are being reminded that we are right in the middle of His plan for our lives and that is precisely where we want to be. We can’t wait to get back and share more about this work with you all!

Here are some photos of our time in the city, which was just an extra bonus to our time here.

Coming into the city

Fair Trade Cafe run by our Organization

The other side of the Pacific

Big Buddah

Beautiful Cable cars overlooking the city

The fishing Village of Lan Tau

Harbor Light Show

Stories

Stories make us who we are. They impact us in a way that we can’t avoid. They reveal something about us, the writer, the people in them. Stories are the framework of our lives. But yet I don’t feel as though I share enough of them. It is not that they are lacking. Living in a foreign country leaves you with stories to tell everyday.

I think sometimes it is a little overwhelming thinking about which stories to tell and then I just end up not telling any stories and just writing big long updates of some of the events that have happened in our lives over the past couple of weeks or months. There is a place for that, I know…

but stories… There is just something about them that impacts people. That is why I am passionate about sharing my stories with you now. I am committing to share more stories than information in this blog in the next year. To convey information through stories, rather than just leaving the stories out completely.

So many times  I am touched and inspired, moved to action through stories about people. PEOPLE! PEOPLE ARE AMAZING and terrible and messy and unfortunate and victorious and HIS wonderful creation!

Information will come, but the stories, that is what brings life to people, hope, excitement, joy, partnership. I hope that you will partner with us as we share our life with you, our stories.