It was early morning when I last flew into Vitoria, Brazil. Making my way immediately to Hope Mountain, the northern campus of Hope Unlimited for Children, I was met by lots of activity, learning, beauty . . . . . . and lots of color. There's no way I'd go there today. Five days ago—last Saturday—police in Vitoria went on strike. Anarchy erupted. You may have read about it in the newspaper. I knew nothing about the situation until late Monday night when Hope's CEO-founder/missionary-on-the-ground, Philip Smith, called to ask for prayers. There was gunfire on our 100-acre campus. By morning I learned more: Bandits are taking control ... Keep Reading...
By
SALVAGED TREASURES: New old finds for our Finally Farmhouse
Happy new week to all! Before catching you up on the Finally Farmhouse, I must say THANK YOU to everyone who's shown such wonderful support for the Valentine Project I posted about last week. You simply have no idea how the little gift of a Valentine can make such a difference in a young girl's future! If you missed it, click the link and check it out. Go ahead. I'll wait. Transformation. Restoration. Second chances. I'm a big fan. Since my last post focused on the life transformation of precious young girls, today's focus isn't even in the same league—but it's a whole lot of fun! Renaissance Man and I have been salvaging treasures for our in-the-works farmhouse. This ... Keep Reading...
By
The Valentine Project: YOU can transform a life in 5 minutes
TRANSFORM a life? In 5 minutes? Highly unlikely under normal circumstances — but there's nothing "normal" about these circumstances. Let me tell you a story . . . They began life as little girls living in poverty; a reality which, by itself, does not equate with a bad home life. But these little girls weren't just poor. They were abused, exploited, abandoned. They were children for only a very short time before their innocence was lost. By their 12th birthdays, many of them were prostituted—often by their own parents. Drugs, alcohol, and theft were their norm. Exposure to murder wasn't unheard of. Today ... Keep Reading...
