I NEED AFRICA MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS ME

WHY I HAVE FOUND THAT I NEED AFRICA FAR FAR MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS ME........

This really pulled at my heart...

"When I think of Africa, the following images immediately come to mind: Starvation. AIDS. Child soldiers. Genocide. Sex slaves. Orphans. From there, my thoughts naturally turn to how I can help, how I can make a difference. "I am needed here," I think. "They have so little, and I have so much.

" It's true, there are great tragedies playing out in Africa everyday. There is often a level of suffering here that is unimaginable until you have seen it, and even then it is difficult to believe.

But what is even harder is reconciling the challenges that many Africans face with the joy I see in those same people. It's a joy that comes from somewhere I cannot fathom, not within the framework that has been my life to this day.The images spilling out of my television showed circumstances that could seemingly only equal misery, and I was fooled. I bought into the lie that circumstance defines happiness.

The truth is, in Africa I find hearts full of victory, indomitable spirits. In places where despair should thrive, instead I find adults dancing and singing, and children playing soccer with a ball crafted of tied up trash. Instead of payback, I find grace. Here, weekend getaways are not options to provide relief from the pains of daily life.

Relationships and faith provide joy. Love is sovereign.My new reality… I know now that my joy should have no regard for my circumstances. I'm ashamed of the little faith that I have, but at the very same moment I am excited by my new pursuit. I'm forced to redefine the meaning of having much or having little.

I'm uneasy with the prospect of change and of letting go, but just the thought of freedom is liberating. I want what I have learned to trickle down from my head into my heart - I no longer want to need the "next thing" to have joy.I'm not saying that Africa does not need our efforts. It absolutely does need our partnership.

But for me, I've come to understand that I NEED AFRICA MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS ME.
Why? Because it is Africa that has taught me that possessions in my hands will never be as valuable as peace in my heart.

I've learned that I don't need what I have and that I have what I need.

This continent has many lessons for us to learn, and Africa, with all its need, has much to teach me."

Those wishing to help raise awareness of the joy and hope that exists among the African people can visit the Mocha Club’s website http://www.mochaclub.org/ to purchase T-shirts with the phrase “I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me.” Shirts are also available to those who join Mocha Club by pledging $7 each month, or the cost of two mochas, according to campaign organizers.

Proceeds will go to the Mocha Club project of the donor’s choice, including orphan care, job creation, HIV/AIDS relief, education improvement, aid to child mothers, and Sudan regrowth.

According to the international outreach organization, $7 in Africa will feed one person for a month, educate two children for one school term, save one person’s life from malaria, or provide clean water to seven Africans for one year.

Formed in 2005, Mocha Club is a division of African Leadership, a pastor-training organization based in Nashville that is accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability

New Place In Town!!!

I am so thankful that I am married to my husband. He is a Godly man, following after God's heart. He is a wonderful provider, a great daddy to the kids, and a wonderful husband.

January is a busy month for us. My birthday and our Wedding Anniversary! Maybe I should have made this special dates in different months???

To celebrate these dates, my hubby and I had a date! We checked out the newest Place in town!-- "Blue Moon Beach Grill" It is located at MP 13 - both off the beach road and the big road!

This restaurant is small, seats about 40- well decorated, quiet, with a great staff.

The food that we had, was to die for.....
I started with a cup of soup- Black bean with chicken. It was so good. Scott said that soup was one of his specialties. Not at all surprising given the taste--

I had one of the night's specials - steak salad, with a home made honey mustard (warm) dressing. All every good.

Juan had " Drunken Chicken Breast. It was presented great, and tasted even better. Jamaican rum marinated chicken, served over pineapple coconut rice topped with a zesty cilantro pi co DE Gallo. It was wonderful.

Our server was great- and Scott and Melissa stopped by the table to say "Hi"-- We will go back often. It was a delight.

Oh and for us-- they have a great children's menu!!! It is nice to get out without them, a rare treat!!
Stop by and see them- (tell them the Johnson's sent you!!)

Blessings, Pam

GREAT NEWS!!! PRAISE THE LORD

GREAT GREAT GREAT NEWS!!

We are praising the Lord. We got our COURT DATE - April 8!

And if all goes well, we should be able to travel to bring our three kids home the first part of May!

Please continue to pray. It appears that about half of the court dates do not make it on the first try. We know that God is taking care of this- and that He wants the children to come home. We are leaving it in God's hands for the best and right timing.

We are thanking God.

Gifts!

My beautiful husband remembered my birthday this year with the most precious gift for me. I had been looking all over on line for a different necklace that would mean something just to me- for our next adoption. WE found one- but it was in England and way out of our means! As I was looking about, I can across a new friend's site and she has the most wonderful hand made and designed jewelry. I loved almost every piece.

But the piece that came alive for me is the hands all over Africa. I love this- My guy had a special note engraved on the back too! As you can see, this is just a wonderful piece.


My children go me this beautiful piece for Christmas- I do have hope for Africa and for the rest of the world and the crisis that the world is in.

I just wanted to share this beautiful work that Tracy does. And to mention that her heart is so in adoptions. She is a new grandma to an adopted child from Ethiopia. If you are interested in seeing more of Tracy's work- her site is www.junkposse.etsy.com

Just hop over and visit her shop, tell her I sent you!!!

I am very thankful for everyone that is helping in this world crisis of orphans. I wish that I knew what more that I can do- As Mother Teresa wrote- a person can not change the whole world, but you can change the world one diaper at a time.

I am changing my world one child at a time.

Blessings, P

A Child Waits

Throughout our process of this adoption, we've applied to an armload of foundations that offer grants and loans to families who are in the adoption process. The beautiful people at these foundations know the financial hardships involved in adoptions, especially international adoptions. I don't know first hand, but I'm sure they each receive hundreds if not thousands of applications from adopting parents. They have to sift through them to find families that are in the most desperate situations financially and that reflect a common moral and/or religious background.

As the economy drags and lags along, these foundations are finding themselves in dire straits, just like the rest of the world community. Several of the foundations that we applied to responded that they would love to help us, but because of lack of funding, they were unable to. Several have either closed their doors or suspended operations until a time when they receive more funding.

Pam and I ARE VERY THANKFUL that we received a grant from "A Child Waits", http://www.achildwaits.org/. Some foundations gear toward certain parent types, and some gear toward certain orphan types. This loving group of people help with adoptions of any type. That is special in and of itself.

For those of our readers who are looking for ways of helping in this orphan crisis around the world, but don't feel lead to adopt...GIVE. Give your money (that's the easiest thing), give of yourself to organizations like A Child Waits, help raise awareness in your community. There are many, many foundations out there that could use your help.

Thank you for your help in this world crisis.

Family, Friends, all who know us well!!

We have turned off the home phone and have gone completely to cell phones- If you need our cell numbers, email us.

Love
the Johnson's

Pictures!

I love the way L put the pages together!!

Daughtors and granddaughtor!

The cutest of all! My love R

The daughtors...

All of us together- ;)

Here are some more pictures of my Christmas gift!!

Priceless..................... Thank you again Honey

Thank you L!

pieces of my Heart........




My beautiful daughter made me the MOST precious Christmas gift. She scrap-booked some of our family memories together..... I LOVE IT!!!




This is one of my favorites- My little grandson, R- is so trusting of his grandma and he just loves the ocean, and grandma loves having him visit us here.

This is a great photo of my 3 grand babies- As my grandchildren are on different coasts- pictures together are hard to come by! I really love this one.

This is some of the clan walking on ahead of L and me. They were intent on finding shells and starfish. L and I were intent on talking and watching as memories were being made.....

My book has a page with grandpa and R- R loves the ocean! I love my scrap-book, and it almost makes me want to scrap-book!! Someday, I will put together pages like this- Someday!! but until I do, I am so lucky to be blessed with a daughter that makes wonderful memories for me. Thank you -L !!! I love you...

Mom

The Kid's 1st Snowman

Monday night we knew there was going to be snow. You would have thought we were going to have a second Christmas or planning a trip to Disney World! The kids were all so excited. When I left for work Tuesday, it at just begun, but by noon it was coming down in earnest. We got about 2 inches worth; most all of it accumulated on the grass and not the pavement. When I got home I was greeted by this 3 1/2 ft tall snowman in the drive way. They were so proud of their very first snowman. It is so cute, too bad it will probably be gone by the time we get home tonight.

Walking On Water

Saturday we woke up to 20 degree temps outside and to find ice on the sound behind our house. Obviously we don't get a lot of snow here, but ever so often it gets cold enough to freeze over the water. Of course, what do I hear first thing in the morning? "Dad, can we go walk on the ice?!?" Now, I pride myself in being a thoughtful dad. So I think to myself..."If one of these kids falls through the ice and gets pneumonia or worse, Pam is going to KILL me." Pam was at a friends house. In a matter of a couple of seconds, I pictured a few worse case scenarios. So I say what any loving and cautious dad should say in the face of these kinds of circumstances..."Yeah sure. Go ahead, just be careful." And I go get the camera. Who am I to put a wet blanket on kids just being kids.

And what do I see when I first step outside? Three kids standing tightly together on thin ice looking down into the water. OK, I never said that they were all members of Mensa. "Hey, you guys might want to spread out and not put all your weight into one spot." The edge of the ice is about 30 feet away and there are soft areas where the water is coming through each time one of them presses their feet down. So, I took a few memorable shots. It only took about 15 minutes before their shoes starting getting wet and they came inside.

It's memories like these that make being a kid just down right fun.