Haiti, Children, Orphans, and Transportation, Distribution, & Logistics

I am tired after a long yet productive day of ensuring my team of drivers, equipment, and freight depart on time. I am ready for some chicken enchiladas with my family! I had an opportunity to sit down in with my wife for 15 glorious minutes of "alone time" watching the heartbreaking scenes of human suffering in Haiti especially that of children who have lost parents before and recently through the earthquake. Yet, I am hopeful!!!

I am thinking about how to leverage my knowledge, opportunity, skills, experience, connections, and potential partners with needs to be a blessing to children and orphans both short and long term. How can an initiative in this and peripheral industries: transportation/distribution/logistics weave into helping children and orphans, in the U.S. and worldwide? I have some germinating ideas, but no new revelations… Yet!

The "basics" are the same, get material, food, medicine, whatever is needed for the benefit of children and orphans to the locations needed at the lowest possible cost with the greatest possible impact to the children, donors, and partners.
I remain hopeful, open, looking for ideas, and available! Are you?

Humbly Serving Children and Orphans;
Paul
paulwilliams@isaiahscry.org
http://paulewilliams.blogspot.com/

"IF" is a little word with BIG Consequences!

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

Hebrews 4:1-13 (NRSV)

Will we hear God's voice today?
If we hear God's voice, how will we hear God's voice?
If we hear God's voice, we will we recognize it?
If we recognize God's voice, will we harden our hearts?
….or soften our hearts?
If we soften our hearts to God's words, will we obey?
If we obey God, will we act?
If we act, who will be blessed by our obedience?
All these "if's" are a string of decisions we have to make every day. Our ability to hear, recognize, soften or harden, obey, and bless is dependent upon our ability to be able to listen! If our lives are so busy, even with seemingly good things, that we are not able to hear and recognize God's voice, we will miss the blessings God has for us and God has for others through us.

If you hear God's voice, what does he say to you today?
How are you going to act on it?
SHARE... with whomever you should share, I would love to hear.

Humbly Serving Children and Orphans;
Paul
paulwilliams@isaiahscry.org
http://paulewilliams.blogspot.com

NOT TOO MANY GIRLS ALREADY...Another step into a life of caring for children and orphans!

This morning we received a call from our agency. They have two girls, aged three & five who need to be placed into alternate care by 2/3/10. While this was out of the guidelines we told them we wanted to work within, we are willing to forge ahead into unknown territory for the sake of keeping two birth siblings together in one family.


Our faith in the Triune God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and His plan remains steadfast. It makes us willing to step into into unfamiliar territory and circumstances. There are definitely obstacles to overcome. There is lack of information, uncertainty; one more child potentially in the home than anticipated and all the associated space issues like tight living quarters, tight automobile space, etc… We remain, committed to doing God's will, and with the support of our friends and family, pressing into the situation in faith.

Please pray for discernment, that the 4 current children in our family will all be receptive and flexible and that Jody and I will stay the correct course. Early next week, we will speak with our agency and the county human services agency on behalf of these dear ones. I will provide further details as they become available. Thanks for your partnership in our ongoing endeavor to love children that need special love.

Sunday-Sabbath-Worship, & Rest?

Sunday is typically the Sabbath. I had to work today. Yesterday was my Sabbath. What does a day of rest and worship look like for a contemporary Christian? How do I/we rest AND worship? Does it mean we refrain from all activity? Alternatively, does it mean that we do activities that are worshipful and life giving to others and ourselves in service to God? Regardless of the day you call the Sabbath and not referencing biblical evidence, I think it is both. What do you think?