Friday, May 8, 2015

Chapter 19 - Update #11 - May 7, 2015


So the last day that I had to update you on my journey was Monday, April 20th just before I flew home.  

Monday morning began with leading the devotions during the hotel staff/felllowship time.   
I encouraged the staff by reading from “A Cup of Joy” devotional that ended up having a lot of wisdom in it for this trip!   I focused on one called “Friends for All Seasons.”  I also shared this devotional with the children at RH later that night.  Here are some of the main thoughts...
“If family is the way we establish our roots on earth’s soul, then friends are the fertilizer.  Friends are the sunshine and the rain, the ones who help us grow to be better and stronger than we’d be on our own.  In that regard we cultivate a variety of types of friends...they encourage our growth along the path of our career choices.   If we are truly blessed, there’s a friend or two who creates a space for us like no one else can do.  They help us to dig deeper into who we are and what we want out of life....They are the gifts that truly strengthen our growth and help us become beautiful....These friends are with you when hope is thin, the ones who remind you brighter days are just ahead and that God is with you.  This kind of friendship is rooted in love.”  

This is a testimony to my family at Paradise Hotel and the family at Raining Hope.  It is also a testimony to all of you...our extended family who love and support our kids!  Raining Hope truly is rooted in LOVE!  

I also signed the song, “Dear John.”  I have looked up the reason why Mandisa wrote the song.  She wrote it for her brother, John as a plea for him to give his life to Jesus.  She said she was praying God would use it to save John, and every unbeliever that hears it.  She also asked God to use it to stir boldness and love in the Body of Christ to witness to our non-Christian loved ones.  

I used the song in a way to challenge everyone to replace the name, “John” with their own name.  I talked about the ups and downs over the past eight years for Raining Hope.  I shared our testimony about not giving up.  These verses were key...

“Dear John, people hurt you, and you know I've been hurt too
There's no way to escape it,  Don't let your pain be wasted
No, don't let it get the best of you,  'Cause God took my broken parts
And gave me a brand new start, Now I am walking, breathing, living proof
And, dear John, He can do this for you.” 

Raining Hope has become walking, breathing, living proof of taking broken parts and giving us a brand new start.  We are the living proof of His hope.  Freedom is on the other side.  We all get to choose.  

This was a powerful time for all of us.  I saw spirits lifted when they realized that they have the power to make the choice to not be tied up and afraid any more.  

After the fellowship time I had one of the new head chefs at the hotel, Emma, stay behind to talk with me.  He was overcome with emotion and joy.  He began to tell me his journey.  I was amazed to see the journey that he has walked with God.  He wanted to share his testimony with me because he heard the stories I was sharing about where most of our children came from.  Our children came from a life of being told they were not good enough.  They have been told they would never amount to anything.  Our children grew up in families that have told them to give up because they will never become the doctors, lawyers, teachers etc. because no one cares enough to send them to school.  This is the life that God rescued our children from.  This chef has an amazing story to tell that is so similar to our story.  He just felt compelled to share with me because he wants to encourage our children to never give up on their dreams.  I have already introduced him to Godfrey and he will come and share his testimony sometime to our children.  God is amazing!  

Another God moment was a lunch meeting at the hotel.  One of our older children, recently was under discipline by Godfrey because of his breaking rules.  I was aware of this before I came.  Godfrey had wanted me to talk to him when I arrived to determine if we were going to continue to keep him at the house.  What I didn’t know is that before I even arrived, he messed up again.  Godfrey had already sent him out of the house, trying to set him up to live on his own.  So you don’t wonder, this person is already 21 years old.  He is our student that we are paying for art school to further his education and skills.  

We had a sit down meeting in order for me to hear his side of the story.  As he sat with Godfrey and I, I heard parts of his story that Godfrey had not explained.  But I think that Godfrey also had not heard some of these things either!  When you sit in the chair of the reconciler, you can discern and hear things that maybe both parties are closed off to.  In the midst of all of this, there was clarification, humbleness, brokenness, forgiveness and redemption.  Godfrey and I agreed together on next steps.  He asked for forgiveness and we willingly granted it with lots of love!   The next step was bringing him back to the house because he affected the rest of the children with his disobedience.  Godfrey asked him to come back to the house tonight to talk with them.   To fast forward...he did come back to the house early evening.  Before we had him talk to the children as a group, the three of us plus Hillary (who was the witness to the meeting when Godfrey asked him to leave) all met together.  Amazingly enough, during this 10-15 minute meeting, it began to rain!  It actually poured for the whole time that we met.  As soon as we prayed and finished the meeting, we walked outside and the rain had stopped!  All of you who know our story of the significance of rain...God’s presence is always made so real in significant moments by pouring out His blessings with the symbol of rain!  

What I witnessed after this was the way that I believe God intends for reconciliation to play out.  In our devotion time, Godfrey had Fred stand and talk to the kids.  He was honest with them about what things he had done wrong and how he had hurt them.  He explained his weaknesses and his faults.  He told them how he knows it affected the family and he asked for their forgiveness.  He also said that the way that I came alongside him as a mother was something that he has never experienced before.  He explained that all of the authority figures in his life in the past all treat him with accusations, anger and disrespect.  He was not used to an authority figure who loved him like a mom or Uncle Godfrey as a man treat him like a son.  With this love, Fred experienced the love of God.  I can tell you who this is because of the way that God restored Fred back into the loving hands of a family who loves him.  I witnessed the kids ALL rush up to him and throw their arms around Fred, hugging him telling him, “We forgive you.  We love you, Fred.”  I was blown away by this gesture of love and forgiveness.  I then witnessed them move forward as if nothing had happened just loving each other more and more.  Fred asked forgiveness and the children gave it.  We now move forward together, stronger than ever holding nothing against him.   The enemy has been defeated!  Praise the Lord!  

Sitting down and talking through tough issues is hard.  But what is waiting on the other side is what the song, Dear John so clearly displays....
“There's freedom on the other side of things that keep us tied up and afraid
There's hope in every situation, no matter what you're facing everyday
But it's up to you, You get to choose.  Your Father is waiting there with open arms”

We had open arms for Fred.  He is now stronger and has grown in a way that will deeply affect his character.  This is what Raining Hope is all about.   The children made me proud as a mom on this night.  

I introduced the new song, “Dear John” to the children that night as well.  They became energized by the words knowing that this is their story.   The journey has been long and hard.  But we are in the midst of a breakthrough!  He loves us.  Period!  Our children are choosing life and love.  We are walking, breathing, living proof of God’s love!   

I will finish this last day in another update.  So much to absorb here that I will break this up into still yet another update!  

Standing amazed by God, 
mama eydie kisakye 

Dear John - MANDISA 

Dear John, How you doin'?  I've been thinking about you
I'm not sure how to say it,  But I've been praying daily for some kind of a breakthrough
I've said this a thousand times, And I know you don't see my side
But I do it 'cause I love you,  So, dear John,  Here's the truth

There's freedom on the other side of things that keep us tied up and afraid
There's hope in every situation, no matter what you're facing everyday
But it's up to you, You get to choose.  Your Father is waiting there with open arms

Dear John, people hurt you, and you know I've been hurt too
There's no way to escape it,  Don't let your pain be wasted
No, don't let it get the best of you,  'Cause God took my broken parts
And gave me a brand new start, Now I am walking, breathing, living proof
And, dear John, He can do this for you

There's freedom on the other side of things that keep us tied up and afraid
There's hope in every situation, no matter what you're facing everyday
But it's up to you, you get to choose, Your Father is waiting there with open arms

(Dear John)
It's a not a list of do's and don'ts, Not a record of your faults.  He gave his life pay it all
(Dear John) He loves you just the way you are, You are forgiven by His scars
Just open up your heart, (your heart)

There's freedom on the other side of things that keep us tied up and afraid
There's hope in every situation, no matter what you're facing everyday
But it's up to you, you get to choose, Your Father is waiting there with open arms


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