July-August Update

Orphan Justice Fellowship

“Adoption is greater than the universe. It was there before the universe, it is above the universe and it is the purpose of the universe.” John Piper

September 5th, I will begin the OJC Fellowship! I am honored that the leadership asked me to do this intensive training. Just ten of us will be doing this first-ever Justice Fellowship, which is designed to equip leaders to go out and change the plight of the orphan. So for three months we’ll research the crisis of 163 million displaced children neglected, abused, and trafficked worldwide and in America. Then we’ll study and practice restoring them- how the House of Prayer is important for this, recognizing abuse, take foster care training classes, working in foster care shelters, working with adopted children, ones with special needs, etc. It will be very intense, but I am excited! www.orphanjusticecenter.com

OJC Families

“My friends, adoption is redemption. It’s costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him.” Derek Loux

Two days last week, I took care of the youngest four Loux boys. They are so precious! Sasha is 7, adopted from the Ukraine and has spina bifida. He loves to dance, tipping onto the top of his head and shaking his shoulders. Ethan, 6, and Silas, 3, have down syndrome and laugh and smile at the simplest things. Judah, 1, has just arrived from the Marshall Islands. He loves to be held and tears would fall from his big brown eyes whenever I put him down. The older girls are so sweet and shower affection on the little ones. The home is full of love and joy...I am amazed at how quickly they opened up to me and shared their lives with me. Renee, a single parent now, her two biological daughters, and eight adopted children all amaze me. This is the Father’s heart. Renee said a blind and deaf girl will join the family from the Marshall Islands this Saturday. She said she and Derek promised that family they would take care of this girl. She will continue to carry out the vision she shared with her husband was still alive. God’s love is deep. www.louxfamilyblog.com

I’ve continued to hang out a bit with Kayla and her younger sister, Brittney. They are also in a family with ten children, nine adopted in the U.S. Each child has an amazing rescue story! The youngest is six months old and had meth in his system when the VanLues took him home from the hospital. The VanLues run a restaurant, and spend long hours making ends meet.

Inner City Healing, Restoration & Salvation!

“Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his [Jesus’] feet....“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Luke 8:47,48

A week after my last update, Tonya relapsed. I walked her through the first one, but she relapsed two more times, up to two weeks on the streets again. It was so hard to see her high on crack and walk away from safety and the people who love her, from the Lord. It was hard to not to rescue her when she called me when she was high, to hear the things she did out of desperation because of her addiction. I know the Lord can set her free! I don’t know why He does it in an instant for some, but for others it’s a daily battle. It’s hard to see the toll the addiction took on her family, her health and her heart. She’s so broken and full of shame. But God met her! She had been hospitalized for hemorrhaging, and after she was released, she said she was reading in her Bible the story of the woman who had bleeding for twelve years, and as she read, she was healed! The bleeding in her body instantly stopped:)

I gave Tonya a drawing, a portrait of herself in a black frame. I had promised her I would do it for her for her 40th birthday. She opened the gift and she just couldn’t believe what she saw....She kept saying “That IS me! That IS me! Girl, you got everything! You even got the scar on my nose!” And she showed every woman in the house.“Look...this is how I look when I’m not out running on the streets. Look!!!” Later My friend Kimberly said to me afterward with tears in her eyes “Do you have any idea how healing that was for Tonya? You drew her as Jesus sees her. She can see herself through His eyes. How healing, how beautiful.” Thank you Lord! Thank you that this simple artistic gift you’ve given me has restored hope and life to a broken heart.

I have been going to a recovery house for women called Second Chance for a few weeks to mentor two women, Pam and Susan (also where Tonya is now!). They are in recovery and have a hunger for the Lord. They both got baptized at IHOP-KC services. As Pam was preparing to be immersed, she admitted that she’s not really saved! She had never prayed to ask Christ to be Lord of her life. So Kimberly led her to the Lord in the bathroom. Thank you God!!


New House

I've moved a few blocks to a new house. Instead of 6 housemates, I now have just 2. And my rent is $50 cheaper - the lowest around by far! It is a gift from God. My housemates are amazing!! Donna was in YWAM with me in ‘02 (Korean American) and Enid is a good friend (Puerto Rican) so I will still have lots of Ethnic food in my house:) Our landlords live in an addition they built off the garage. They are IHOP staff and have been like parents to us. Every day we find new things in the house they got for us - furniture, vaccuum, dishes, tomatoes from the garden, etc.

Often I lay on my futon bed at night, in my air conditioned room, and I thank God for every little thing. I thank him that I don't go to bed in fear. That I'm comfortable. That He has provided my every need...above and beyond anything I could have imagined. I even have a garage for my car for the first time ever in my life! I was willing to suffer and live in poverty, but that's not what He did. He is a good Dad:)

More Updates

- I’m co-leading six new girls in Pure Heart. I’ll only be with them five weeks, until the Fellowship starts. I love to hear what God has done in each of their lives and can’t wait to see what He will do through this course.

- Burget family renunion (Mom's side) in Iowa was July 25-28th. It was so fun to see my little nieces and nephews, brothers and sister, parents, etc. and also extended family from various parts of the U.S. Also had lots of fun with friends and church family. I am so blessed:)

- Evangelism training continues. I am going to be assisting with a Kids club the end of Aug and through September to reach our neighborhood for Christ.

- My sister Robyn and her husband Chris came to Kansas City! I joined them for lunch with their son Mike, who lives and teaches here. Robyn visited the Prayer Room and took me to get my car looked at.

- I had strep throat for 2 weeks...finally feeling better. I will make sure to go to the healing rooms right away next time I start to feel sick!! The doctor and meds were $120. The healing rooms are free:)