How it all Started--Take Three

This has been a pretty amazing journey--even though it's just getting started.

I grew up at Mwami Adventist Hospital in Chipata, Zambia where my parents served as doctors from 1982-1989. I've always wanted to go back--but how? And what do I have to offer?


Take One: Fulbright Scholarship to collect folktales and integrate them into lesson plans. In retrospect, it was ill-thought and not feasible so the denial wasn't too shocking. 

Take Two: Fulbright Scholarship to collect qualitative data in the stories of former street children who successfully transitioned off the streets and add that to quantitative data documenting causes and possible solutions to an increasing number of street children. Everything looked good: Great project, excellent support, well prepared, but it fell through. It didn't look like it was going to happen.

For the Street Children's Stories project, I had coordinated the donation of numerous non-fiction books at all reading levels. I was bummed: No scholarship, no trip, no book delivery. I could mail them, but it just wasn't the same. Early March, 2012, as I was sitting on the floor in the Children's Literature Center at San Diego State University (Web Site, Children's Literature Blog at SDSU, Book Reviews), and glumly studying all the beautiful books that I wouldn't be able to take, Psalms 37:4 '...I will give you the desires of your heart...' came to mind. I prayed a pretty big prayer for me: "Okay, God, this isn't a need, but it is a desire."

I'm not someone who says: "Have your way God." In fact, the words, "This is what I'm doing, so You better make it work out, even if it's not the best!" have crossed my lips more than once. (Not a good approach to life, by the way!) There have also been times I haven't even asked God because I was afraid the answer would be a resounding, "No". So, this was scary. 

"Alright, God, if you have placed this desire in my heart, and it is your will that I go, please make that abundantly clear. And, if not, help me to let it go." I also let God know that He was going to have to provide a way. 

It's incredible! No, I don't have all the money I need yet, but what's most amazing to me is the way that God's been providing and helping me find discounts from the get go.

So, here we go...

Take Three: Giving God the desire of my heart and seeing where He leads.

Here is the organization I will be working with: Friends of the Street Children in Kitwe, Zambia. You can also follow Friends of the Street Children on Facebook.