Ever since returning from Africa this summer, I’ve had a lot on my mind and a lot on my heart. I have all of these thoughts and ideas of how I can help these children…how I want to do more…How I long to do more. For now, I would like to open up my heart to you and share one of my journal entries for you to understand where my heart has been lately…
Dear God, I am just in awe of Your ways…Your presence…Your promise of grace…Your promise of great plans…Your promise of perfect timing—All of it Lord, it’s true. Your word is TRUE. You are Holy...Faithful…Sovereign…True…Loving and Perfect. Oh how I just want to share this with the WHOLE WORLD so that others can turn to you and put their trust in You…so that others can be adopted by You and have You as their Heavenly Father. Wow God…my heart is overflowing with gratitude and thanks for all that you have done for me and continue to do.
Lord, for so long—so many years, I have cried out to You in frustration, saying “Here I am Lord, send me!” …Saying, “God you know my passion for the orphans in Africa—why won’t you just send me? Why are you taking so long?” I would sing out the lyrics to “Set the World on Fire” by Britt Nicole so many times…wondering…hoping…praying that you would send me to feed the hungry children…that you would send me to tell the broken that there is healing in my Father’s hands…So many long nights wondering this…longing for this…praying for this…praying that You would send me…And now God, I still long for this. About a year ago at this time I had just been to Britt Nicole’s concert where I read the message “What are you waiting for? Visit Orphans today!” And God, you were faithful—You ARE faithful. I took that as a sign…as an answered prayer…and I put my heart in You to guide me to those children…to take me to those children…to those children longing for love…waiting for me to visit them. My two weeks experience in Africa was absolutely AMAZING…My eyes and heart were opened up to so many precious children…to so many people in need…and they saw just so much. I had a prayer before I went to Africa. My prayer was simple but yet strong—Lord BREAK my heart for what breaks YOURS…And let me you, my heart was completely destroyed…completely torn…completely BROKEN but what I had all seen and experienced. I came back from Africa feeling absolutely blessed and grateful to have had that experience. But I came back feeling something else as well…
…A deeper passion and an even bigger desire in my heart to “Set the World on Fire.”
It’s been about 4 ½ months since I’ve returned home…home to America…Home to my nice big comfortable house…home to all of the food, clean water and warm showers that I could want. And still, I long to go back…I long to hear their precious songs of praise, where they worship like no other…I long for their rough and dry hands…and their dirty feet…I long for their smiles and the joy that’s deep down in their hearts…And I long to help them in any way that I can…by loving them…playing games with them…laughing…smiling…holding…crying…serving…water it may be, I long to do more and I long to help them. And with this, I also long to learn from them…To learn how they care and look after one another…the way they appreciate the little that they do have…the way they serve, live and praise God. I have never seen such a pure religion Lord, the way they whole-heartedly seek and serve You each and every day….And maybe that is why You call James 1:27 Pure Religion….Because You call us to go visit and serve and love Your precious children in this world…And when we do this, we are also being blessed by seeing their pure and genuine religion that they have for You, God. All of your plans…all of Your ways…they are perfect and true…Just as You are.
Ever since returning from Africa I’ve longed to go back. I knew before going there the first time that those 2 weeks wouldn’t be long enough…and I was right. For several weeks now I’ve had the idea of going back to Africa again this upcoming summer… I’m not quite sure how long I’ll go or where in Africa I will go or what I will exactly do…But I just know and feel in my hear that I need to go BACK…I need to go back to the children that are in need of love and care and affection. I need to go back so I can live, learn and love as much as I can….I NEED to do more…these precious…helpless children NEED me…and until I know the exact details I’m keeping my trust in You, God. I’ve decided to be at peace about it and I am confident that You will show me the way…You will show me WHERE to go…WHEN to go…and WHAT to do….I know there are still so many details that needed to be worked out…But I know one thing for certain. You have called me to go…and so I am listening….and I am going.
As you can see, I have this HUGE desire in my heart to go back to Africa. I don’t have all of the details but I know that God will provide these when His timing is right. So, until then, I am going to be praying and fundraising for my trip. I would also like to encourage you to send some prayers my way as well. I really have no idea what God is going to call me to do—I just know I NEED to listen and that I NEED to go. If you could pray for the plans He has for me and the children, I would appreciate it!
….Also, if anyone is interesting in helping me fundraise, I started fundraising today. I’m partnering with a program called Ordinary Hero. They are a non-profit organization based out of Tennessee. Their organization is GREAT—All about encouraging people to be a HERO to ONE. Starting TODAY December 1st until SUNDAY December 11th I am working at becoming a TOP SELLER from the items purchased in their store. For each item that is purchased I will receive 40% of that item…PLUS—If I’m one of the TOP 3 SELLERS by Sunday, December 11th I will receive an ADDITIONAL $500 to go towards my trip!!!! I can use every penny—SO I am really PRAYING…HOPING to be in the TOP 3!!! ….If you would please consider purchasing something from their store I would GREATLY appreciate it!!! And think of it this way…If you buy a t-shirt—You are not only helping me receive 40% of that t-shirt…You are helping me WIN $500!!!! Every single dollar counts and I would truly appreciate it!!!:)
Here is their website: www.ordinaryhero.org and here are some of the items…
Here are step by step directions to order:
Once you get to this website, you will see at the top--middle of the page the word "Store"
You can click on store and it will bring you to a new page.
Once you are at the new page, you just need to scroll down and click on "Enter Store Here"
Once you click on that they will be in the Ordinary Hero Store where you can have the option to purchase one of their O.H. items.
On the left side of the page, there is a section that is called "Categories" and below it lists the different shopping options, such as Women's Apparel, Men’s/Women's Unisex Apparel, Kids/Youth, Infant/Toddler, On The GO, Accessories, and Product Donations for Children in Africa.
If you find something you’d like to purchase, just add it to your “cart” and then can proceed to the check-out. Here you will fill out your payment information and will need to click my name (SHANNA BAHN) from the drop-down affiliate box.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ORDER!!!! You are CHANING THE WOLRD with EACH ITEM that you purchase!!!
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