Fighting injustice with fashion

 Saturday night we got invited to go to watch a fashion show.  It was a fashion show raising awareness about sex trafficking, slave labor and soldier trafficking.  I've heard a little about this before but never to this extreme. The fashion show part was amazing.  There was a girl from Hawaii and Brazil showing the clothes they made (along with others).  I ended up crying my eye's out in the in-between parts.  One of the ladies that spoke is over Hope Ranch Ministries. Her name is Diana. You can read her story HERE.  Holleigh has recently got to meet up with her about helping in this ministry.  Hope Ranch Ministry is opening a house in the area for those women coming out of sex trafficking that have no place to go.  We got to meet Diana after.  I would love to be able to help out in some way.  This whole thing becomes even more scarier having 2 girls.  The statistics are heartbreaking.

"In today's world, there are 1.2 million children being sex-trafficked every year and 27 million in slavery."

"Portland, Oregon is the 3rd largest sex trafficking area in the United States."

"There are more than 30 million slaves in the world today,
more than at any other point in human history."

"Each year fans from around the country converge for the biggest sporting event in the United States, the Super Bowl. While the Super bowl is an exciting time for football fans across America, there is a dark side to the major sporting event as well. It is a time of increased exploitation for trafficked women and children. A staggering 100,000 – 300,000 people are trafficked each year in the US, and major sporting events like the Super bowl increase the demand for sexual trafficking up to 80%."

This happens to CHILDREN! I can not even think about it without being disgusted with these people that put children in these situations.  I also can not just sit aside and do nothing about this.  So, my first steps are educating YOU. It's not just over seas. It's here in the United States.  Lets all educate ourselves and find out what we can do in our own town/state to help. Please Join me in praying for these women and children.

Slavery- Not for Sale: End Human Trafficking

Children of the Night/Rescuing Americas Children from Prostitution 

24 hour Hot line: 1-800-551-1300

Pray

I'm sure most of you that read my blog know April and Neal McKinney. If you don't I'll give you a little back story. We met them years ago but didn't really get to know them until about 6ish years ago when we started praying about starting a church in Alabama. We did indeed start a church called LifePoint and Neal was one of the pastors along side Q, Nick and Matt. When April got pregnant with her first child, our due dates were only a week apart.  I ended up having a miscarriage and I remember April being so thoughtful during that time and sending me flowers.  April and Neal had a baby girl named Raegan and I ended up getting pregnant shortly after.  Before Raegan turned 1 the Mckinney's moved to Oregon to help with another church plant.  We kept in touch with them through the years and eventually God called us out to Oregon also.  We always thought that since we were called to the same state that God had a plan in mind for us to work together in ministry again eventually.  Over the years of them being in Oregon and us in Alabama, we of course have 2 girls and they have added 2 boys to the family.  Now getting you caught up to date. 3 months ago they had the 2nd boy, 3rd child, Knox. Knox was born with Hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He has already had one surgery and is getting ready for surgery number 2. Here is April and Neal's latest FaceBook update:

We found out from Knox's cardiologist that after viewing the MRI of his chest that on a scale of 1-10...10 being high risk...he is a 10 and at high risk for the next surgery. His anatomy has compensated for some clotting in his arms we didn't know about by reversing circulation to a point that they don't think he can recover from the Glenn procedure unless they change the procedure which has never been done...so, we will hear more on Wednesday about a new strategy for him...right now he is a likely candidate for heart transplant...all of his blood transfusions put him at some risk for rejection of a heart because of the antibodies his body has produced. Today, he is stable and doing better with his Norwood recovery than most babies like him, they say. So, we are headed home. The one factor concerning his collateral veins and where they are returning blood is the obstacle. He is outgrowing his shunt and needs help within the next few months. We are backing out of the house we bought and may have to relocate temporarily for a transplant. Docs are consulting with other institutions for advice. We are tired.

I've got on here to blog several times in the past few days and have had a really hard time posting anything. We are an hour away from them and I feel so helpless. How can I blog about the good things going on in my life when my friends are hurting and going through such a hard time. I don't know what's next for baby Knox but please pray for him and his family. My heart just hurts for them now and if I can't do anything else I can ask for prayers for them.

 

One Year Ago

Where do I start... I've been excited about writing this post for some time now...we've made it a year away from Alabama.  I don't guess I ever doubted that we wouldn't but all the same it feels like a huge accomplishment just to survive here so far away from our friends and family. January 9, 2011 my husband drove me, the girls and my mom to a hotel close to the Birmingham airport to spend the night.  The next morning we got on a plane and flew to California to stay with my cousin for a few nights. Q and the rest of the crew didn't leave for a few more days but they eventually met up with us in California.  On January 15th, we made it to Oregon. 

I'm not even sure how to recap a year of living here.  It's not always easy but it's not always been hard either.  We've each had our own struggles to overcome but in the process we are learning to seek God's guidance.  It's been really neat watching God place everyone in Jobs and in communities where they can minister to people.  My husband got a job in June working with the homeless.  We are also getting involved in different churches in the community.  We aren't a part of starting a church plant yet but I feel (pray, hope, believe) that it's going to be soon.  That process has been slow here and sometimes it can make us feel like failures. I have not once doubted whether we are suppose to be here.  I honestly have a peace about it and with that peace I know that God has a plan.  Our friends told us that it would take us a year just to get to know the culture here. So we now have a years worth of knowledge about this culture.  We have lived this year just loving on people...loving on our neighbors. 

Below is a picture of our Crash Team from Alabama.

 

from left to right: Luis, Q, Journey, Me, Deci, Derrick, Breanna, Holleigh, and Alec. Photo by: Alec Woodward 

Not in the picture: Jeff, Richie, Sharee, and Zach.

These guys really are like family now.  Most...well all of them but Richie and Sharee, have lived with us at one point. We are so blessed to have a team here.  It would have been so much harder to live here without them.  We meet every Monday night at our house for Bible Study. It's so encouraging to hear their stories each week of what God is doing in their lives.

Last night we had the team over to celebrate Breanna coming back!

I want to thank all of you back in Alabama. Our friends and family. People who support us financially and by praying. We are so Thankful for you!! Living here would be so much harder if we had family that didn't support us. It would be so much harder if we didn't have the extra financial support because I wouldn't get to stay at home with my girls or Q would be spending less time with us and have to work a second job. It would be hard if we didn't have people praying and sending us encouraging text, emails and phone calls just to say they are thinking of us. I can't say it enough but THANK YOU!! We miss all of you in Alabama! That is the biggest sacrifice for me...to be away from you all.  But I know it is worth it. I'm living in the most un-churched area in the united states. I know God has called us here to love on people and show them His love. 

Catching up...

It's almost Fall and I can feel it in the air. I love this time of year, especially now that we celebrate Deci's birthday in the Fall! I'm finally finished with my Summer Vacations. I am slowing down now, relaxing, reading, enjoying life, spending time with my family, thinking about cleaning the house... I am really, really enjoying Deci. She is so funny. Every night we say our prayers before bed and ask her who she wants to pray for. She always says Mommy, Daddy, and Kyle.... every now and then she will throw in another family member but mostly just us and Kyle. (oh and she likes to pray for Matt. Which is so funny to me!) She once asked me to pray for her stuffed animal Dog and then I forgot. After I said "amen" she reminded me that I forgot to pray for her Dog so we had to pray again!

I went to visit the soccer field that I mentioned before in the backyard of my grandads house. We are having a sermon series at church called City on a Hill. We are going to try to reach out to the community and show them that we care. So, Saturday me, Kerrie, Q and Deci went to the soccer field and passed out water to the guys playing. They didn't take a long break so we really didn't get to talk much but we are planning to go back soon.

Also, I went on a girls trip to Destin. These are some of the girls that have known me longer than my Husband, and that's a long time. I met Rachel and Sarah the Summer before Third grade on the Swim team. The rest of the girls follow after...

It's usually months in between times we see each other but every time we get together it's like we have never been apart. I love these girls and enjoyed getting to hang out with them on the beach!!

After I left these girls on Sunday I washed clothes and packed again on Monday and left Tuesday again for the Beach. Panama City Beach to be exact for Quinton's Dad's wedding. I'll be posting pictures from that soon.

80 years and counting!

This is My Grandad. The older grandchildren call him Gamdad but the younger ones call him Daddy Jack. Daddy Jack turned 80 today. I believe he will live to see 100.

Every time I visit Daddy Jack he always has a story to tell. Usually I have already heard the story but today was a new story and It was a special one.

We were talking about how smart kids are. He said that he remembered when he was 5 years old and his grandfather was dieing of pneumonia. Back then there were no antibiotics to cure pneumonia and most people died if they got it. He said that His mom told him to take a bath and get ready to go see his grandad. His grandad lived in Gadsden. He told his mom that they needed to pray for his grandad (her dad). She hesitated but then decided to pray. Daddy Jack started tearing up at this part of the story. When they got to Gadsden the family game running out telling them that he was doing better and about a hour before he made a turn for the better. Daddy Jack said that he lived 4 or 5 years longer. Daddy Jack said that not then, but later he realized how important that was and how prayer really works. You have to pray believing. I am a huge fan of prayer. I have seen God answer so many things I have prayed for. This is now one of my favorite story from Daddy Jack.

Oh, and another thing, when I was leaving he asked me if I noticed his soccer field in his back yard. My first thought was that he sold the land. He said that the neighbors asked if they could play soccer there and he didn't mind. They have chalked off a huge rectangle and put up goal post. A lot of his neighbors are Hispanic. There are not many people his age that are not raciest. He's doing ministry right in his back yard! I love it! He says some days there are 15 cars parked and tons of people out playing soccer in his backyard.