Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
...their devotion to the Lord...
In April of 2011, Covenant Bible Church had the honor and privilege of hosting the His Little Feet Children’s Choir. As it turns out, this was the blessing of a lifetime and one of the highlights of our church calendar for this past year.
His Little Feet is a ministry organization that brings orphaned and vulnerable children on tour in the United States to raise awareness of the plight of children in poverty-stricken countries.
The group that we were blessed to have minister at our church was a group of children from an orphanage in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. The orphanage they are a part of is called Danita’s Children. This particular group was a group that was near and dear to our heart, since our church has been sponsoring kids from that orphanage for the past seven years.
I was personally very excited about these particular children since I had been to visit them on a few occasions in Haiti. I was excited for them and for our church for a number of reasons.
For one, I was excited to see the kids that I have built relationships with over the past few years and for them to get to meet the people of our church who had loved them from a distance for some time.
Beyond that, I was excited to see them get to come and visit our wonderful country. Most of these orphans have lived in absolute poverty all their lives. I thought it would be such a blessing for them to get to visit here and see all that we have to be grateful for.
While these things were great reasons for them to get to come here, it was not at all what I remember most about those few days that they were here. The thing that moved me the most about the children was their devotion to the Lord as they ministered to our church and community.
I have never met children of their age with the kind of focus they had. We had 15 kids ranging from about 7 to 18. As it turns out, the thing that mattered most to them was not to see all the “stuff” that we had to offer. What excited them the most was to share with us the great thing that they had in them.
This great thing that I speak of is their personal and very real relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Those kids worshipped with a passion that I rarely see in young or old in this country. They moved us and inspired us beyond belief. They challenged something deep within us all to care for others, each other, and our lost and dying world.
Even as I write this down some five months after the fact, I am moved to tears. I am very grateful for the ministry of the kids from Haiti and to His Little Feet for the sacrifice they all made to make this ministry possible. My life was changed that Sunday morning, and I will be forever thankful for the gift God gave us through their ministry.
Pastor Mike Devine
Covenant Bible Church
Lincolnton, NC
His Little Feet is so grateful to have wonderful partners like Pastor Mike who join with us in helping, loving, and training orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide!
His Little Feet is a ministry organization that brings orphaned and vulnerable children on tour in the United States to raise awareness of the plight of children in poverty-stricken countries.
The group that we were blessed to have minister at our church was a group of children from an orphanage in Ouanaminthe, Haiti. The orphanage they are a part of is called Danita’s Children. This particular group was a group that was near and dear to our heart, since our church has been sponsoring kids from that orphanage for the past seven years.
I was personally very excited about these particular children since I had been to visit them on a few occasions in Haiti. I was excited for them and for our church for a number of reasons.
For one, I was excited to see the kids that I have built relationships with over the past few years and for them to get to meet the people of our church who had loved them from a distance for some time.
Beyond that, I was excited to see them get to come and visit our wonderful country. Most of these orphans have lived in absolute poverty all their lives. I thought it would be such a blessing for them to get to visit here and see all that we have to be grateful for.
While these things were great reasons for them to get to come here, it was not at all what I remember most about those few days that they were here. The thing that moved me the most about the children was their devotion to the Lord as they ministered to our church and community.
I have never met children of their age with the kind of focus they had. We had 15 kids ranging from about 7 to 18. As it turns out, the thing that mattered most to them was not to see all the “stuff” that we had to offer. What excited them the most was to share with us the great thing that they had in them.
This great thing that I speak of is their personal and very real relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Those kids worshipped with a passion that I rarely see in young or old in this country. They moved us and inspired us beyond belief. They challenged something deep within us all to care for others, each other, and our lost and dying world.
Even as I write this down some five months after the fact, I am moved to tears. I am very grateful for the ministry of the kids from Haiti and to His Little Feet for the sacrifice they all made to make this ministry possible. My life was changed that Sunday morning, and I will be forever thankful for the gift God gave us through their ministry.
Pastor Mike Devine
Covenant Bible Church
Lincolnton, NC
His Little Feet is so grateful to have wonderful partners like Pastor Mike who join with us in helping, loving, and training orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Best Sticker Prize Ever
His Little Feet has a tradition that stems back to the beginning days of the ministry. All of the Uncles and Aunties are always looking for positive behavior in the children. When noticed, the adult brings great attention to the child’s good choice and a sticker is given on the “You’re a Ten” sticker chart in the bus.
At the end of each week, any children that have received 10 stickers then get to reach into the prize bag and pull out a prize. Prizes for “You’re a Ten” range from getting to choose which seat on the bus one would like to sit in for a day, all the way to getting to stay with Uncle Mikey and Auntie Christa in the hotel for one night.
This has raised quite a bit of excitement in the overall group, as the children are striving to be more like Jesus and have come up with actions, words, and deeds that are bringing great results on the “You’re a Ten” chart. The children have learned how to say “please” and “thank you.” They have learned how to share with one another, how to allow others to go first and how to encourage their friends.
One night as Auntie Kourtney was “tucking” Eyob and Yohannes into bed, Yohannes brought up “You’re A Ten.” Rather than telling Auntie why he should get a sticker, he proceeded to give reasons why his big brother should be rewarded in this way.
After Yohannes had listed off some of Eyob’s outstanding good deeds, Auntie Kourtney decided to turn the tables a bit and asked Eyob why Yohannes should get stickers. Eyob listed off some reasons for Yohannes to be rewarded.
After they finished, they laughed and said, “Auntie Kourtney, you should get TEN stickers!”
Auntie Kourtney asked, “For what?”
The boys started listing off reasons for Auntie Kourtney to receive stickers: “Because you always help us get ready in the morning…because you say yes to us when we need help…because you always are so kind to everyone around you…because you show Jesus to others by the way you love them.”
After the boys told Auntie Kourtney why she should get stickers, they went on to tell her what her gifts should be.
Yohannes first said, “A bicycle.”
Eyob decided that he would come up with a better gift: “A Spiderman costume.”
Auntie Kourtney, highly amused, looked at Eyob and said “What would I do with a Spiderman costume?”
In a rather matter-of-fact way, Eyob said, “You should just wear the Spiderman costume for fun.”
In a rather matter-of-fact way, Eyob said, “You should just wear the Spiderman costume for fun.”
Yohannes then tried to think of a better gift than Eyob: “How about a Four Wheeler?”
Then before Eyob could “one-up” his brother, Yohannes came up with the best gift he could think of. He put his sweet little hands to his chest and extended his palms up as if offering a gift from his heart to Auntie Kourtney. He simply said “I would give you God's Spirit!”
Eyob decided that he had no better gift to give. With Yohannes’ deep chuckle and Eyob’s bright smile, the conversation ended.
WHAT A GIFT! May we all remember that the best prize of all is to receive Jesus! This Christmas may we all remember that the best gift to give others is JESUS!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Hearts for the Lord - Host Home Reflections from Uncle Ed
"I had never heard of His Little Feet until a week before we had a couple of His Little Feet kids stay with us. A friend of mine who had just adopted a little boy from Rwanda let me know that some kids from a kids' choir made up of primarily orphans needed a place to stay while in Nashville recording and preparing for a tour.
I was completely humbled to have Amelework from Ethiopia, and Gracia from Honduras stay with us along with their staff member, Brooke. These two little girls were just precious and clearly had hearts for the Lord. These girls had only been in America a couple of weeks and literally knew very little English, but they were so vibrant and it was a joy to communicate through signs and most of all to sing together at night as music just has the ability to transcend the language barrier.
It was amazing to me that these little girls were working hard all day in the studio then had the stamina to interact with us at night.
We were blessed to spend an evening with Mike and Christa (Hahn) and it became so clear why God has His hands on His Little Feet - this couple is all about serving Him and taking the Word seriously by putting into action the call to care for orphans on a deep level. I praise God for their commitment to excellent music, but most of all for their clear love for Jesus and these amazing children."
Uncle Ed
Host Home (TN)
Note from His Little Feet: Thank you Uncle Ed, Auntie Carrie and family for blessing our team! We look forward to seeing you next time we are in town! Amelework, Gracia and Auntie Brooke send their love and greetings. Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Smiles from God
Auntie Carrie is one of the wonderful His Little Feet Road Staff on tour with the choir, working all hours of the day and night to serve the Lord and care for these precious children. She shares below about two of the girls and what it means to her to be involved in the mission of His Little Feet.
I have the privilege of being Auntie to very precious Ethiopian girls, Tsion (11), and Mahder (10), during this leg of our tour. Very similar to being a parent, there have been challenges and hard days as well as victories and the sweetest moments. We have made some precious memories together, and they always keep me laughing. I want to share some fun and touching stories about these endearing little girls and our experiences in our host homes...things that make me feel the warm smile of God upon us.
In Ethiopia, most dogs are wild, mean, and something to be avoided, and so the girls are naturally very scared of them. Here, it is impossible to avoid dogs altogether, as most homes in America have pets. We are working on overcoming that fear, and I think it is going to take awhile. At one host home the girls came down for breakfast after the dogs had gone to the basement. But the Great Dane somehow got out and started barking. I have never seen the girls move that fast! Screaming at the top of their lungs, Tsion climbed on top of the dining room table, spilling her orange juice all over, and Mahder ran and jumped on a chair before climbing me like a monkey! Though their fear is quite real and not something to be taken lightly, I couldn’t help but laugh!
Tsion is a very energetic, honest, outspoken young lady who knows how to express herself. She also has a big heart, and is very empathetic to those who are sad or hurting. She will notice when I am in more of a sober mood, tired, or not feeling well. One time she told me frankly that I looked very tired and that I should go to bed. She assured me that she and Mahder would be fine without me, that they would finish getting ready for bed by themselves and I could go to bed before they did. Also, when someone is not feeling well, she will pray for them. One time I had a headache and she put her hand on my head and prayed, and another time she did the same when I had a stomachache. She loves people deeply, and has a very sensitive spirit.
Mahder loves order and routine, and will do things the right way even if it means disregarding time restraints! Her suitcase is always perfectly neat and organized, and if it is becoming messy she will take everything out and meticulously fold each piece of clothing and put it in its proper place. It is so fun to watch her do this. Also, she will not eat until we pray for our meal. If I forget to pray at breakfast, she will say “Auntie Carrie, pray?” Often she and I will come down first to eat because Tsion has beautiful, thick hair that takes more time to fix. But even if Mahder has her food ready, she will wait for Tsion so we can all pray and eat together.
The children did not understand what Thanksgiving was, and it took quite a bit of explaining, word pictures, and examples to get the point across. After some confused looks, finally Tsion said, “It’s ‘Thank You God’ Day!” She expressed it so simply, but that’s exactly what it is. Lord, give me the simplicity and faith of a child!
These two girls are special, but so is every child. The children of His Little Feet represent the millions of children all over the world just like them, with unique personalities, thoughts, emotions, and dreams. Many of these children do not have someone to love them, hug and comfort them, or someone with whom they can share their thoughts or tell their dreams, not to mention someone to provide for their basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter. Each one of these children is precious in the sight of God. Look at these children with God’s eyes, and respond how He would. They are His children. We are His hands and feet.
I have the privilege of being Auntie to very precious Ethiopian girls, Tsion (11), and Mahder (10), during this leg of our tour. Very similar to being a parent, there have been challenges and hard days as well as victories and the sweetest moments. We have made some precious memories together, and they always keep me laughing. I want to share some fun and touching stories about these endearing little girls and our experiences in our host homes...things that make me feel the warm smile of God upon us.
In Ethiopia, most dogs are wild, mean, and something to be avoided, and so the girls are naturally very scared of them. Here, it is impossible to avoid dogs altogether, as most homes in America have pets. We are working on overcoming that fear, and I think it is going to take awhile. At one host home the girls came down for breakfast after the dogs had gone to the basement. But the Great Dane somehow got out and started barking. I have never seen the girls move that fast! Screaming at the top of their lungs, Tsion climbed on top of the dining room table, spilling her orange juice all over, and Mahder ran and jumped on a chair before climbing me like a monkey! Though their fear is quite real and not something to be taken lightly, I couldn’t help but laugh!
Tsion is a very energetic, honest, outspoken young lady who knows how to express herself. She also has a big heart, and is very empathetic to those who are sad or hurting. She will notice when I am in more of a sober mood, tired, or not feeling well. One time she told me frankly that I looked very tired and that I should go to bed. She assured me that she and Mahder would be fine without me, that they would finish getting ready for bed by themselves and I could go to bed before they did. Also, when someone is not feeling well, she will pray for them. One time I had a headache and she put her hand on my head and prayed, and another time she did the same when I had a stomachache. She loves people deeply, and has a very sensitive spirit.
Mahder loves order and routine, and will do things the right way even if it means disregarding time restraints! Her suitcase is always perfectly neat and organized, and if it is becoming messy she will take everything out and meticulously fold each piece of clothing and put it in its proper place. It is so fun to watch her do this. Also, she will not eat until we pray for our meal. If I forget to pray at breakfast, she will say “Auntie Carrie, pray?” Often she and I will come down first to eat because Tsion has beautiful, thick hair that takes more time to fix. But even if Mahder has her food ready, she will wait for Tsion so we can all pray and eat together.
The children did not understand what Thanksgiving was, and it took quite a bit of explaining, word pictures, and examples to get the point across. After some confused looks, finally Tsion said, “It’s ‘Thank You God’ Day!” She expressed it so simply, but that’s exactly what it is. Lord, give me the simplicity and faith of a child!
These two girls are special, but so is every child. The children of His Little Feet represent the millions of children all over the world just like them, with unique personalities, thoughts, emotions, and dreams. Many of these children do not have someone to love them, hug and comfort them, or someone with whom they can share their thoughts or tell their dreams, not to mention someone to provide for their basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter. Each one of these children is precious in the sight of God. Look at these children with God’s eyes, and respond how He would. They are His children. We are His hands and feet.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
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