Funke

Funke is one of the most beautiful people I know, but I'm afraid that the pictures may not do justice to the beauty that she exudes. She will never win a beauty contest. By the world's standards, she could just be at the bottom of the totem pole, but she's at the top of mine.

Not much is known about Funke, she had no home, no known family. No one knows her age or the day she was born. Funke can't speak, so even if she did know about her background, she couldn't tell us. She was found on the side of the street, and since that day as been part of the Jesus Kids family.

Several weeks ago, we had a birthday party for one of the girls, and we could see that Funke was quite jealous, but also upset that she didn't even know when her birthday was.

So we decided to have a surprise birthday party for her today. We started out, just like any normal Sunday morning, with singing and then a Bible lesson. We read to them from the Jesus Storybook Bible, which has such a great way of putting the Bible stories.

I love the way they write the story of the woman who anointed Jesus feet with oil from the alabaster jar. The book makes the parallel to Samuel the prophet in the Old Testament anointing David as King. But there was no prophet to anoint Jesus as king. Instead, God chose a woman and a renown sinner to be the one who would declare that he was the Lord. She understood her sin and came to the Lord for forgiveness, whereas the men that Jesus was seated with considered themselves to be pretty good people.

I had just finished reading to them and said, I want to also recognize another very special woman, and we are going to look at a book about her. I pulled out a photo album I had made, full of pictures of Funke with the rest of us. When she realized what was happening, she just started squealing with delight.

She couldn't stop squealing with happiness for the longest time, as she asked to take pictures with all of us.

 Funke, showing off the new jewelry she got for her birthday.

She was so excited with all of her gifts!

Happy 2 Years!

I thought this went out yesterday, but I think the internet must have cut off while it was loading, so here it is...

Today is a celebration for me. It marks 2 years since I had foot surgery and got new feet! After having bunions for most of my life, I got them removed.

What are bunions? Don't old ladies get those? These large bone protrusions at the base of the big toe, typically are on older women, unless you have the misfortune of inheriting them genetically.

Not only did they look bad, and make it hard to buy shoes, but they were also extremely painful.

Surgery day!

I wish I had gotten a picture of my feet, but you can see how  they looked with the socks.

For several weeks after surgery, this was the only sight of my feet that I saw...these mutton chops!

After several days of crawling on my hand and knees to use the restroom, my parents gave me the gift of industrial knee pads!

My best friend, Liz, had knee surgery around the same time, so the two of got to be cripples together.

I was so thankful for a friend to share in the misery and monotony of life as a bedridden cripple.

On day, when Liz and I were just getting back on our feet, we went shopping together. I noticed a couple of stares when we pulled into the handicapped parking at the grocery store. I'm sure they were thinking, "What were two, young, perfectly healthy looking girls doing parking in this spot!? " That was, until we opened the doors and both hobbled out to the closest 

eventually, I didn't have to wear the gauze wraps around my feet, and were able to use these.

For two months I was bedridden and completely at the mercy of  gracious friends who would come and take me places, just so that I could get out of the house. My surgery changed me in more ways than one. Yes,  I have beautiful strait feet now. For the first time in my life that I can remember, I am able to find shoes that can fit. But even more than that, I've learned some things along the way. I've never been so completely helpless and reliant on others. It's not fun being helpless! When you have to get down on your hands and knees to do the simplest thing, such as using the restroom, it's humbling. 

It's hard to have to watch people have fun, play sports, or dance, when you love to be active and want to join in. It's frustrating to be bound to a wheelchair, that can only be pushed around by other people. It's hard to know I was running 6 miles at a time, only to stumble with pain at 6 steps.

Through this time, I have learned to be empathetic to those who can't get around as easily as I can. I see the people here in Nigeria, on the sides of the street whose bodies have been twisted by polio, and I know their pain. Because of this experience, I have learned empathy and I hope it's something I won't soon forget. The scars down the side of my feet remind me of what was and what I went through, and I give God thanks for it all!

When I say... I'm a Christian

“When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."

I'm whispering "I was lost,

Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed

And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible

But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches

So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

Who received God's good grace, somehow.”

― Maya Angelou

(in loving memory April 4, 1928 - May 28, 2014)