The Movement

I've only been home for a little under two weeks.

But yet I've hardly been home since I've been "home".

At least not for a full week.

Too much traveling for me. But I think after this week, I'm done for awhile.

I'm sick of traveling.

And I think the only thing that would make me super excited about hopping in a car/bus/airplane right now, would be if I was on my way to China. No Joke.

Friends we traveled with when we adopted Miyah are in China right now on a mission trip with VO. I find myself really jealous of them. They left only a few days after I returned home. It looks like their trip has been amazing so far. Check out their blog! And please keep them in your prayers, as I know from being there, tey need protection physically and emotionally, while they are there and after they have come home.

I posted earlier this week about being ruined. Our group leader, Shannon, had a great post about how she is ruined, and feels impossible to live with.

I know what she means.

I am ruined.

It may sound cliche after she's written this long post about it... but it's true.

I don't feel the same. I don't say the same things. I don't think the same.

I'm just not... the same.

I've found myself thinking so many times through everyday situations about the orphanage and the trip. Somehow, I can relate everything back or to how the kids live.

Suddenly after being there, life doesn't seem so bad.

And I don't know what it is about this year, but it really set in. I don't know why it hit me harder this year than it did last. Maybe because I'm older? I don't know.

I don't dread making my bed everyday. When my sisters complain about picking up their room, I think of the kids who don't have a room to share with their siblings.

Those who don't even have siblings.

I don't roll my eyes EVERY time my momma asks me to unload the dishwasher (I said not EVERY time, mom), because I actually have dishes to eat from.

I don't mind doing laundry, because I'm blessed to have more than two pairs of cloths to wear.

As my sisters complain about seeing Mr. Popper's Penguins when she wants to see Cars 2 instead, I think of how the kids see very few movies, let alone are fortunate enough to go to the theater and eat popcorn with their friends.

OR at dinner when she complains about not being able to eat raw carrots without Ranch dressing. And many of those kids (if any!) probably don't even know what carrots taste like, besides them being mixed in to their mush.

Yesterday my family and I drove to Wisconson. Along the way we encountered some strange architecture on the side of the road. And I think, "Why do people waste money on that? It's not beautiful. It has no purpose--specially in the middle of nowhere. They could've used that money to send someone on a mission trip, bring a child home, or pay for a surgery."

Yeh, that's just how my brain works now.

It's not that I'm thinking bad of my sisters or those people. I do it too. I forget and have my selfish days, too. It just sickens me that we're so spoiled. We have it way better than we could imagine. We don't appreciate the little things in life. And people have so much money, that they don't know what to do with it. Why not put that money to better use, and change one person's life?

RUINED.

But I can't complain. I feel like I have something to live for now. I KNOW there are orphans out there that need help. And I was put on this earth to help them.

I think they're up to 150 million orphans in the world now. Who's going to help them?

Me.

I am. I will help them.

Since I've been home I've had this stirring in my heart that I need to do MORE. There had to be something I can do here to help. My summer mission didn't have to stop in the Chenzhou orphanage. I can still help.

I was getting so restless doing nothing. Just sitting around.

There HAD to be SOMETHING out there I could help with.

And I found it.

I found a great organization called The Movement. Many of you have probably heard of Show Hope, an organization that gives away grants to adoptive families. Show Hope was started by Steven Curtis Chapman, the main reason we started thinking about adopting (after hearing their story at a concert). The Movement is for teens, and simply put: it's teens caring for orphans.

Right up my alley.

I contacted them, and I'll be volunteering with them over the summer. Right now they're working with a Child Departement of Services near us. I've only been able to be once since I've been home... but it was so much fun. I plan to be back every week. You have NO idea how excited I am.

I hope to get my school started with what they call a club. How great would that be?

That's actually the reason why I found this. I wanted to get my school started in service projects, and my mom suggested them. And I'm so glad she did.

There were other places I looked into. Like helping stop child trafficking, or ending hunger. And those organizations are GREAT, and much needed, and I'm open for my school to be involved in them. But for some reason, they just didn't grab me.

But this did.

Orphans.

I don't know what it is about that ONE word, but it grabs me and pulls me in. It gets me everytime. Breaks my heart, and I can't help but care.

I'm glad the Lord has made this so apparent to me, and I thank Him for that on a regular basis. I finally found what I care about, and it's clear to me.

I'm so excited.

If you live in the TN area and you want to get in involved in The Movement and help out, check out the link. I reccomend it. They're fairly new, and still trying to figure everything out, but I think they're doing great. Check it out, and see how you can help!