Becoming the Person God Created You to be...

..... in the Midst of Great Odds.

One of my true friends is an orphan. She raised herself. Daily she had to make a plan for getting food, going to school and finding a way to get appropraite clothing. Living in a metal house, she had to make sure the roof was mended if holes appeared as they frequently did. She had to keep herself safe. Living in a world of abusive and dangerous males was terribly frightening. My friends name is Judith. Judith had to make sure she got to school on time without an alarm clock or electricity. She has to fetch water in a bucket from a pump many kilometres away. This young girl had everything stacked against her. Life had not been kind to her. But in Judith's heart, she knew that she had a very special friend in Christ Jesus. She knew He walked besides her through all the uncertainties of being an orphan totally alone in this world.

Judith also had a belief in education. She would tell me,when times became almost impossible to live through, that come hell or high water she was going to finish school. This was difficult as she attended a school with 100 children in a classroom,it had irregular teachers,Judith often did not have money for candles, so could not study at night. In spite of this, Judith finished her schooling with a college pass. She then walked for and wide in search for a job. She impressed a company so much,that they offered her training and a job as a chef. A church group then gave her living accomodations. Judith was on her way to success in a world that ran on the survival of the fittest. Judith had proved herself to be one of the fittest. Now that Judith has come across the other side and found success, she wants to serve at the Mustard Seed. She says she wants to give back to Christ and society. I have often wondered what allowed this orphan to beet all the odds and become a surviver that is now giving to a world that was very harsh. I have come to beleive that it was not genetics, nor nurturing. It can only be because of her strong relationship with Christ Jesus and His guiding hand in helping her to make right choices. There is a sure knowledge that if one child can make it, so can these angels. With Christ all things are possible.

**Words from Julia

Christmas in Qwa Qwa South Africa

In the month of December, as we celebrate the birth of our Precious Lord Jesus,as most of us are entangled with tinsel and decorating for the uncoming holiday festivites: baking cookies and candies, preparing the best Christmas dinners, buying and wrapping presents, and watching the children's excitement grow as each days passes until Christmas. This is but a dream for children here in Qwa Qwa South Africa. I wish we could bring you a warm and fuzzy story of the Christmas season for the Mustard Seed angels, but I can't. Life is beyond hard for these children. Yes, there are moments and days when the the troubles our Angels face are buried and forgotten, but during this time of the year, all they get to see and expereience is drunken fights, bleeding relatives, abusive voices, and the sound of gunshots from the local tavern. It is a time when little children are forgotten and thrown away. Where food is scarce and fear is alive, the Mustard Seed is a safe haven where children can be clothed, feed and have a place to rest their heads at a moments notice. We have watched many tears flow from the eyes of little children because their lives have been forgotten and their innocenes lost. We have seen a girl will clutch a packet of biscuits as an older man walks away very satisfied with the barter. In this season of Rudolph, presents and giving, here on this side of the world, there is nothing but the abandonment and rape of Africas who are most vulnerable. While you sit in mass or church services on Christmas, do we know that somewhere in the world a drunken man just mortally wounded his wife while their two little children watched in shock and horror. When you work amongst the very poor, you start losing your ability to be frivolous and carefree. Just like the haunted little face that I look into every day of a rape survivor of only 14 year years of age. I am haunted by what Christ Jesus thinks and sees when He looks down on His children. Maybe on His birthday He cries the most. What do you think? If you think the answer is "yes" what can we do to Comfort His Heart and the Hearts of his Orphans.

Answer: Be Mericful as our Lord is merciful. But how do we really do this??

Three things:

1. Deed: feed the hungry, visited the sick and lonely, gave clothes to the poor
2. Word: share the Good News in the Bible with a neighbor, give words of hope and love to a sad, scared friend
3. Prayer: Never stop

During this time as you prepare for the Coming of Jesus this Christmas, please take the time to bring Jesus to a hurting child, friend or family member. Without YOU, Jesus cannot comfort His most vulnerable and this is why He cries. Jesus needs your help! In accepting the mercy of Christ, we are asked to take His mercy and share it with others by our deeds, words and prayers. This is how Jesus Brings His HOPE, LOVE, PEACE and HEALING to a hurting world, child or friend.

Thank you for supporting the Mustard Seed Orphan Care Ministry!