facebook post, reposted

Recently you all have seen lots of posts from me about needing prayers. We still do. Prayers are an important part of our ministry here. Prayers of protection from the firey darts of the devil. Protection for our team as we get emotionally exhuasted and bring it home to our family. Many times our families deal with moms who cannot just focus on things at home.




God has been moving. We have been doing as it says in Jeremiah "call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things thou knowest not." As we have done this, fellow Christians have complained, misunderstood and caused heartache. But we know that God is pruning our team for the ministry ahead. The ministry that God is showing us is one that will be difficult, not for the faint of heart. As is says in Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." It is the strength of the Almighty King of Kings that has been holding us through.



Our team at Morning Light has had a burden for quite sometime. One of our earlier moms, I helped her escape to the train station. I stood behind the alley of her house as she dropped down bags from the second floor of her boyfriend's house. As she got in the van, I knew quite clearly what happened. "He hit you didn't he?" she wanted to cry, but she had 3 kids with her, she just looked at me with teary eyes and said "I never thought he would do that." She made it to the train station and went back for a time with her parents. I hope to hear from her again, that she is safe and thriving.



This momma made us think and research. In our county, there is no home for single moms. Sure, there are shelters for women leaving domestic violence, places for unwed mothers who want to give their baby up for adoption, but there are only 3 places in all of Taiwan that house single moms and their children. We have felt more and more that God is calling us on this path. This is a scary path because we know no one close by who has done this, and we know that our moms can be emotionally draining, yet we know that God has brought moms to us for the sole purpose of drawing them closer to Him.



In the past few weeks, we have received phone calls on our hotline from moms in their 30's. They are pregnant, escaping an abusive boyfriend who doesn't want her to have the baby, "just have ANOTHER abortion" is the answer. There are women in crisis who have great jobs, those who don't, those who are married but poor, those who are disabled and afraid their child will be too. Crisis, comes in many shapes and sizes, and comes to those in all walks of life. Our recent moms have said they want to raise their baby on their own. YES!!! that is awesome. Most think that Morning Light is soley for adoption, but that is not the case. We are an alternative to abortion. That is raising the child on your own or adoption, but an alternative.



We are in the process of looking for two houses to rent. This in itself is stepping out in faith as we don't have the money and don't have the resources lined up, but we have moms who would move in in a minute! One house would be our home for moms with children. We have plans and will have requirements and classes. The other home would be a licensed 24hour daycare for needy families. How can moms or very needy families raise their children if they can't work? how can they feed their babies if they can't work because they need to watch their baby? many of our moms have been "orphaned" you can say by their families. Single moms still have this stigma in Taiwan, though ones who are single because of divorce, they don't have the "look" as bad as one who was not married.



We still do help with adoptions by referring them through a great Christian organization. But the moms who don't want to adopt, there has been no help for them at all to get on their feet. This is what we plan to do. Of course we know that Satan has not been happy with this plan as he wants nothing less than these moms to either abort their baby or find ways to get them down and discouraged.



So, this is what is happening on the ministry side for us. Tiring? yes! Scary? yes! needed? YES! God knows and is preparing. Please pray for us as we work on this. We hope to have a blog set up so you can see what is going on, ways to help. We are going to start teaching moms some crafts and having an online store to sell them so people all over can support the moms. They will be learning a skill.



We will need financial help. I hate to say that, but we all know it is true. We will need ways to help these moms. Please keep us and this ministry in your prayers. Look for other notes on how you can help!



Thanks!



Deana and the MLH team



.

God is moving!!!

Momma J called today, "I can't stand this anymore, can I come and move in today?" as we talked with her, we looked up the train schedule. She arrives at 1pm. She is roughly 4-5months pregnant. Her boyfriend, now EX boyfriend, has really been causing issues and problems for her and her family. Momma J has had one abortion already for this man, and she says she will not do that again!! my heart breaks for her, yet jumps with joy as we have this opportunity to minister. Please pray that we can support her all along the way and pray that most of all she will see Jesus!

Our hotline received ANOTHER call last night, from a 37 yr old!! (weird when someone calls is the same age as me!!). The story is the same, she already had one abortion because the boyfriend "doesn't want it", so FOR him, she aborted. But this time, she hasn't told anyone she is pregnant. She asks about coming to live at MLH. She wants to raise her baby on her own. We told her just come and we'll work it out. Momma Li needs a sponsor.

We are so thankful for these opportunities to serve HIM. More and more the need for a "graduate" home is looking like a need. More and more, work opportunities for these moms are needed. We have plans, but hadn't jumped on them, but God's timing is more perfect.

So much has been going on besides these moms coming. At times I wish that we didn't have to minister, not that I don't love being with the moms and helping, but that means there are hurting moms, hurting women, women with broken hearts and lives. Each story is different, but each heart is the same. Broken and bleeding and needing God's loving arms to help them. Some people say we are crazy, but God says "Don't be afraid, only believe." That is what we are doing, though it is hard!! I need to go back to writing my thoughts (my therapy!LOL!), but at times just so emotionally exhausted. As I lay in bed at night, my thoughts go to moms we hear about. We would LOVE to just make all their choices for them, but we can't. It hurts when you hear of mom's with a 2week old baby, being punched and abused over formula money! Just makes you want to run out and hug them and bring them back home (though I have 5 babies at my house right now, so that won't work!!LOL!) Moms who have been through abortions, know what it is physically and emotionally, yet place themselves in this position for love. They think that the man will love them.

I could go on, I need to gather my thoughts though before writing. But need some help.....what should be a name for a "graduate" home. A shelter for moms who want to raise their own children. Suggestions?

off to look at some places.

Monday was a busy day......

(this was written Monday, but not sent til now!!LOL!)

I really don't know if that is good or bad.....Monday's that are busy, tend to mean the ENTIRE week is going to be crazy! With Luke leaving the 17th (til the 26th) for China ministry, I am thinking that it will be crazy!

Our 15yr old gave birth yesterday (3.14)!! yup! you read that correctly! totally unexpected as she had been given three different due dates by three different doctors!! but when baby is ready, nature will take it's course! The baby boy is healthy and quite a handsome little fellow.....she asked us to name him.....so thinking of a name now.

A previous mom, who we had talked to via phone, but when she was to come to visit us, her boyfriend found her first and beat her up (don't get me started on that!!). Well she called the hotline Sunday night LATE to say she had her baby and can we talk with her. She has left the hospital, but is at a friends house. She can't go home with a baby, though she wants to keep it. *sigh* we have no single mom home for her to stay, she can't get much gov't support, she has NO family/friend support for the baby....her and boyfriend split up......her choice seems to be leading towards adoption. But really, these types of things, it is hard!! We meet with her today.

While I was at the hospital with 15yr old, Wuli met with a student....yup a 12th grader, who is 5 months pregnant. Wuli was pretty upset when talking about it. This young girl comes from a single parent family, rarely lives at home, well hasn't most of her highschool life. She weighs roughly 90lbs AT 5months pregnant. She doesn't get 3 meals a day. She asked if we would let her work....when asked why she felt she needed to work she said "how am I supposed to eat then?". She was concerned about working so she could feed herself!!! Wuli assured her SHE WOULD HAVE 3 MEALS and SNACKS while at our place. Oh, somethings just makes you sad. She still feels that the boyfriend will marry her. So, this is so important!! work!!

Our little premie is at 2.8lbs!!!YEAH!! looking good!! so so so happy! God is blessing.

I do have a request, there is a VERY special needs 3yr old boy that is laying in a nursing home. There is no home in our county for special needs children. This boy needs a home. He does not speak, we are getting him a walker so he can get out of bed, but he is normally in a stroller or bed (I visited twice, but it was just too hard!). He is not on oxygen, but on a feeding tube. I can find out any information necessary. But please, if you know of a family who is willing to adopt an EXTREMELY special needs boy, please let me know and we will see what we can do.

Ok, this post was done at two different times. It has been busy today!! please keep us in your prayers.

Deana

Some pictures!!!

Woohoo!!! I finally have a few minutes to download some pictures from last week and the painting.

As you can see, we mainly need some decorations!! The burgunday couches were bought

in the beginning by AGCI, but the rest of the furniture in the living room was bought with recent donations

and the items in the yellow room (dining room, reading area) were all donations.

We still have curtains to get and pillows, but also need to start doing the upstairs now.

So what do you think?

Keep praying!!

a coworker, Lily, rearranging.....we were about done....that TV was given to us
and is really about to go....we are looking for another second hand one (or cheap new one!LOL!)



we are getting a table cloth, and a lamp, but this area
is yellow and will be decorated in sunflowers!
only one window, so needed a bright color



the final product...I LOVE the black rocking chair!!we will be getting a small table to put
in that corner with the two couches, then a table lamp...but need pillow!!



during the painting.....Denice, we all love our bags!!



the walls are two different colors, I was being bold!!LOL! curatins
we need curtains....what colors do you think?

Gods' proimses!

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Psalms 37:23,24

 

Actually, Psalms 37, the whole Psalms is just a splendid Psalms. Says so much. But while in college, there was a Ron Hamilton song based on Psalms 37:23,24 and to this day, when things start going awful and seems like we are down, God brings this song and verse to mind.

 

We know that our work is one that God has put us in, HE put us on this path. I am so thankful that there are so many verses in the Bible that we can claim that  God is with us. But I love the picture that is drawn in verse 24 here, "though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast dow; for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand." I don't know about you (I am visual learner!) but this just brings pictures of a child who is learning to walk, or even a parent and a child walking along their way, having a great time. Sometimes the little one runs ahead skipping and laughing, all is carefree, he is going about his way. Then something happens and he stumbles and falls. He sits their crying maybe, whimpering, looking at his wounds. Then the parent comes and gets down, helps brush him off and holds out his hand saying, "it's ok tough guy, come one, get up and lets keep going." I can see in many times of this ministry, God has done that for our center, for each of our staff. That feeling is just a WOW feeling. Do you know what I mean?

 

The mom I had alot praying for last week, the one who was 20 weeks along and considering an abortion, we met with her on 228, a holiday here in Taiwan actually for remembering what happened on 228 in Taiwan. I can't explain it, so you can look it up:).  Anyway, she looked sooooooooo relieved to see us. She looks alot older than 36yr old, but her background and living it rough to survive is the cause.  Wuli talked with her while I talked with our doctor. He was happy she came to us. I sat there in the office next to her while he told her "don't worry a bit! I know and trust Deana, she will take great care of you." AWWWW!!!! I love that man.

 

We met with her again on Friday for her sign a few things and let her know we will find a way to take care of the cost of her amniocentisis, not to worry a bit about anything. Her husband was there. It seems he has been in an accident and has injured his hip. He walked around sorta limping like and you could tell he was in pain. They both felt relieved to have someone help them. Thank the Lord, when they left, we were able to give them a few bags of rice that were 2 kilos each as well as some oil and soy sauce. All were donated items from around the island.

 

Thursday we traveled 2hrs one way to pick up our 15yr old momma. It was hard. Her mom was really nice and the house was nice. She looked like a good young girl (not saying she isn't!). Her mom in the middle of signing paperwork stopped and looked at us with tears in her eyes. You could tell she was hurting for her daughter. It was not so much shame, but knowing from experience of being a mom, she wanted to protect her daughter from that. The mom said "my daughter had the best, she used to be in competitions for piano, and win,she is a wonderful artist, she excels in school, but why did she end up like this? what have I done?" Wuli and I spent time just holding her hand or hand on her shoulder comforting her that it was not her fault. We also comfortated the young momma who was almost shocked and in tears that her mom would say that.

 

It was an exhausting day that day. Pray for momma Yu as she has one more month before baby is born. She is in our house and pray she does well. She was studying cosmetology in school, so she brought her "head" with her!!LOL!!

 

God brought these women to  us for a reason. Pray that we can be bold and speak as we ought to speak and that we can show them and their family the love of God. Keep our ministry in your  prayers. God is doing things!