I'm back!

Hello all!!

I am back!! I know I haven't blogged in around two years, but after much contemplation I decided I needed to start this thing back up again!

A LOT of stuff has happened in the past two years, I've had two birthdays, I've started collage, but

most exciting of all, I'm going to Africa again!!! (One of the main reasons I needed to come back to

blogging.) I leave for Kisii Kenya, May 4th and return home May 18th. I'm so excited to return to

Africa and see what amazing things God has planned for me and my team.

This time is going to be quite different than the last. This year I am going to be working with the

children sponsorship! I will be spending most of time with the kids in the orphanage. Interviewing,

helping them write letters to their sponsors, and just showing them lots of love. I will also be

working with the street kids trying to find sponsors for them. I am completely excited to be doing

something like this and anticipating my departure.

While I am in Africa, I will be blogging! Of course, I won't have internet everyday, so therefore I

won't blog everyday. But I will as much as possible! I'm so happy to start this blog up again. :)

All for Christ

-Coral

Looking!

Crazy things happen right?? We never know what to expect, and can never guess what lies on the road ahead. Well, September 12. My sisters birthday, she turned 15. For a surprise we took her to eat at an Ethiopian restaurant. It was great to see her enjoying her culture and eating her home food. While we were there we made friends with several of the people who worked and owned the restaurant.

As we were getting ready to leave my dad had to change out the old tire of our van with the new one and plenty of the people joined us outside as we fixed to leave. While we were loading the van. A pizza truck was driving out of the strip mall, and before he could stop a 3 year old boy ran out in front of the car. I wish I could easily say that the pizza truck dodged the young boy and we all went on with our day. But it didn't. Before I could even think of what to do next, I could hear the whaling of the African people. And the screaming from the kids in the back seat. It was happening again.. I couldn't understand why, and I couldn't think of what to do or how to handle the situation all over again.

I never thought I would hear young children cry out to Jesus like that.. My mind raced and all I could do was scream out to God. The same sounds as before filled my ears. The sounds that even now I can hear echoing in my mind. My head was filled with confusion as I sat in the car with all the other children screaming and sobbing. Finally I pulled myself together and went to the kids to help them understand that God was in control and at the same time clammed myself down to understand it as well.

It's hard to understand why God does what does...
As I sat there all I could think was “why?” It’s kind of funny when we question God. We think it’s “okay” to do it. But it’s so hard not to. When a love one dies, or your parent’s divorce, we often look to other things. We don’t look straight to God, and if we do we question him.

Here we go on a rabbit trail, my little brother Christopher, he is quite a fearsome thing to behold, he strange, sometimes gross. But a small trait no one really sees is his faith. About two years ago we had my papa over and the kids where running all over the place. My papa handed my 3 year old sister a mint candy. She was playing tag at the same time a chocked on it. My mom started performing the Heimlich lick maneuver, at the same time I was dialing 911. In all panic and each kid crying, Chris got down and prayed. He didn’t focus on the things of the world around him, he looked to God. Not many people know this about my brother, but it seems almost every time our family gets into a situation like this, (which it happens a lot HAH) he gets down and prays. He doesn’t look to the medics or to my mom doing the Heimlich. He looks to God. Why is it that a child that is 11 can look straight to God, but adults, teens, we just can’t seem to do that?

I am trying to share Christ with one of my friends lets pretend his name is Tim (due to privacy issues) For a long time I have been praying and working with Tim, he even came to a rice night, but at the end of a debate he stated “I’m not ready to believe anything.. Maybe in the future” As teens, and adults we can’t seem to believe what we used to. We obviously know Santa doesn’t come down our chimney. But why can’t we put faith in something that is real?? I think my whole point to these stories is the confusion of why we all look to something else. When we need money, we look to the bank. When a child is sick we look to the doctors. I don’t know how many lessons, or how many people really need to say this until it fully clicks. God is God, why do we sleep in fear?? Why do we look to drugs, alcohol and not God?? These things have bothered me for awhile. A child CAN do it. So can us.

So let me challenge you to something, find several verses on looking to God, Genesis 18:14, Jer 32:27, Luke 1:37 ext. And post them all around, your work place, bathroom, even the banner on your cell phone. And when the tough times come, look to God and know he is in control, as Matthew 10:29 states “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” God is in control, let’s really look to him.

Long time no see!

Sorry for not blogging lately, I've been keeping up with school, and a family of 11. Life has been kinda crazy. "The mission" is just starting, our family is settling in, so on and so forth.



Recently at one of our bible studies, we watched a video. It was something like "The 10 fears for sharing Christ" this video walked you step by step to over coming the fear of sharing our saviors name. On this video they told a story that really hit me, the story (true by the way) went something like this...

"My family all got together for the holidays. It was such a big get together that the kids would sleep in the garage. That night a fire started, and as a father I ran to get the kids. The door way was block to the garage and I couldn't get in. But these kids where everything to me. So I ran through the fire getting 3rd degree burns all over my arms and legs. Still, these children lost their life's."

If you knew that your house was going to catch on fire, would you save you save the kids? I am assuming you'd all say yes. You would clear everyone out of the house. Think of it this way though, the whole world, could end any second.. Don't we want to save them all?? Are we selfish enough to sit here and say nothing?? We know the truth, we know the only way to heaven. Why don't we share it with the world?? Why don't we act as if the world was ending tomorrow? We don't have all the time we need. God knows when the world ends, and we need to act upon it.

I don't know if all of you feel the same as I. It just something that has hit my heart, and something I feel needs to change my life.

Stress and all

Sorry for not blogging lately, as most of you know, it's kinda crazy around. As for our house, it is running pretty well, I can say. More or less. I can say, my out look on life has changed a bit, I now know life is not at all easy. Epically for my mom of 9. Another thing I learned is: 2 hour nap time is the best part of the day. At last but not least, I can't take a shower without a knock on the door with a child asking "You wash?" I also can say, life has got me stressed out. I try not to be too stressed, (It's hard). But I seem to make it through. ;) Something my mom told me, when I was completely stressed, "Stress is a sin" when I heard her say this I thought she was insane, and my answer was "Really??" And almost gave the stare down kind of thing. And she explained to me that when we stress we are obviously not trusting the Lord. We are taking matters into our own hands, and that's not right. As hard as this is for me, I try to not stress as much as I do. I mean, everyone LOVES quiet, right?? But doesn't mean we have to freak out until then. I'm speaking mostly to myself, and my mom knowing she reads this.

Well, I must go, I have kids to feed. ;)

All 4 Christ,
Coral

Being confused..

You know when you are SO confused with God, you have no clue what so ever what he is doing. And in this complete chaos you can still find peace in him.

As of now, I have no idea what God is doing with my life.. And at first I had no faith in Him. Took the matters into my own hands. Didn't give God anything at all. Yes I prayed about it, yes I would say 'Oh yes God's got this' but not always did I believe it till now.

God has plans for each and everyone of us. No we may not see it. I know I don't. But he does. He may take your friends, he may take your church, he can take so many things. But God has something stored for all of us. God is a God that gives and takes away. I often take the blessing and forget about the responsibilities.

God's plans are bigger than mine, he knows ALL. How amazing is that? All we need to do is hold on to him.

Okay, so I saw the new 'Alice in Wonderland' yesterday. Amazing movie!
I don't know if this spoils the movie or not.. But I am going to say a line. That one Caterpillar thing tells Alice, when she is crying and all that jazz. 'The sword knows what it wants. All you have to do is hold on to it.' Funny thing, I use this movie to try and describe what I am saying.
But, God knows what he wants.. He doesn't need help! All we have to do is hold on to him. Trust in him, know He is our God. Who is fully capable of taking matters into his own hands.

All4Christ,
Coral Christine

My new best friend

Okay, I have a new best friend. Even though she doesn't really know we are best friends, its like my mom and Beth More. ;) But I love this chick, her name is Lexi. Her family is JUST like ours. They just adopted from Ethiopia, go figure! She wants to change the world, and she is already starting! Check it out: jumps4joy.blogspot.com
She is like my new role model!! I just love her hha. She's only 15. She is truely amazing!

Well sorry Lexi for no before notice of our friendship. ;)

All4Christ,
Coral

So awesome!!

I love my new sister!! Just having her here is soooo awesome!! Lastnight, I went to my Pathways class like I do every Monday, It was all about linguistics. Truely amazing! Afterwards I had my best friend LIBBY, come over. We had a random thought that we would try it out. We ended up staying up till 2:30 and learning over 200 words and phrases from Meski, mind you she doesn't really speak english and we know no Amharic. It was soooo much fun to see my sister excited about us learning her launguage! It was too cool! After our 3 hours of Amharic we decided to pray, this was a non-stop prayer. It lasted till 3:00 no its not those prayers that last 5 days, but it was cool to see a group of teens so in love with the Lord.

Well, I must go for we are re-writing all our Amharic.

Ciao-Bye