It's been awhile, eh?

Yeah, like I said, it's been awhile. I have been doing school like a madman and stuff like that. But it's all good. :)  Although, a lot of the time it's hard to focus on that stuff when I just want to sit and think on all that happened on the Ethiopia trip. All the people I met. All the kids that I played with. All the needs. How on earth do you go back to America and resume your daily life? As if nothing's happened? Those people are still there. They are still real. Those kids are not statistics. They're real kids with real laughter, real tears, real smiles. They're just like my little siblings. They're also kids with real needs. Don't get me wrong. The orphanage they are in is the best place that they can be right now. But they need a mommy. They need a daddy. One of the little guys that I really bonded with constantly wanted me to hold him. He would let me know by raising his arms and saying, "Uppa! Uppa! Uppa!" And he was so content to simply sit in my arms. He and all of those other kids are still there. Still without a family. Their faces constantly come to my mind. But above their need for a family, they, like everyone else in the world, need the gospel.

We all inside of us have a need, a hole, a desire for something to satisfy.

Nothing but grace.

Nothing but mercy.

Nothing but Jesus' blood.

Nothing but the gospel can fill us.

And oh does it fill us! Daily, faithfully our Father reminds us of this hope. There is always hope while you draw breath. That includes these kids. It includes every person on this planet.

There is hope for the lost

Hope without cost

Hope for the orphan

Hope for the forgotten

The sound of His Name turns the night to day

Father show Your face

Show Your face

Lift your eyes, lift your eyes

For hope and joy are on the rise

No matter what you've seen, child

No matter where you are

There is always hope

--Rye Bread