My orange boy

Greetings ~
Last week I introduced you to Yuri if you didn't read that post here it is for your (Yuri) and I also told you I had so many stories and feelings but I promised I was gonna get them up here to share.  So today I want to share with you about the boy I lovingly refer to as my sweet orange boy.

On our 1st full day in Rwanda we headed outside of Kigali to a city called Bugasera.  We were going to love on a group of school children and also do some home visits with the pastor from the local church.  As the bus pulled up the kids and their parents awaited our descent off the stairs.  Little brown hands grabbed for big white hands all the while saying mazunga mazunga mazunga (white person) as we scattered across the grass with coloring sheets, crayons, stickers and sharpies for nail polish I saw a sweet little boy in orange.  Now you may know that for the past 4 months my left foot has been in a boot from a car accident.  That boot was going to make it a wee bit tricky to sit on the grass and color so I did the next best thing - I took Emily's camera and started shooting.

Mama of the sweet boy in orange made sure at least a dozen times that her son got in front of my lens.  And while I knew he was not a school age child I obliged and shot photo after photo after photo.  When I put the camera down all the sweet orange boy wanted was for me to hold him and again I obliged.  He loves to laugh and to kiss and he sure LOVES to be snuggled.

As our time was coming to a close and as we gathered with all the children and parents to sing and rejoice in all HIS glory - that is when a much bigger than me part of the story came to life.
 
You see my sweet orange boy is Deaf - yes the boy I had snuggled on and kissed, and giggled with - who also loved to lick the inside of your nose if you were not quick enough was in so many ways just like Teddy.  Now when his mama brought him to me and placed him before the camera she had no way of knowing I understood her journey.  You see I had no idea why God had called me to Rwanda this summer and yet within 24hrs on the ground I sat with and laughed with talked with a mama who in some ways shared a common story.  This mama and my sweet orange boy with stay in my heart for the rest of my life.  

May you take a moment today and pray for this warrior mama as she continues to advocate and give her son the best possible life.  May you also pray for my sweet orange boy that he continues to know he is loved and cherished.

Yes my sweet sweet boy you are LOVED

My sweet orange boy - may you always know you are HIS chosen son

Even Brooklyn got in on the love and nose licking

Precious precious mama you are a warrior

Don't Forget Me ~

Greetings ~
Yes yes yes I know I have a TON to catch you up on and I promise I really am gonna get you all caught up on life here at the Hammons House BUT not today!!  Sorry!!  Today is the 20th day I have been home from Ethiopia and Rwanda almost and entire 3 weeks back in the good ole USA and there are so many stories to tell and so many emotions I still cannot wrap my head around (but I am working on it!!) But today my heart is heavy for a boy I only met but for a brief time in Kigali and his last words to me are what woke me up at 3:30am this morning.  "Please don't forget to pray for me"
I want you to meet Yuri

Yuri is a street boy|child in Kigali, Rwanda and I wanted to give you the best possible definition of what a street kid is in a 3rd world country so I reached out to my dear friend Tiffany Darling with Mercy Branch and here is here explaination "A child who, because of various circumstances, has been forced to make the street his or her home and/or source of survival. Many times, but not always, these children also suffer from being abandoned or orphaned and are therefore living independently of any adult protection or provision." - I only spent a morning with these boys - boys with no parents | no family - boys who are left to tend to themselves - boys with no direction as to their purpose - in other words the often forgotten about group.  And yet these boys will grow to be the next generation and they need our love, our guidance, our patience, they need to know the love of the Father and they are precious in his eyes.  So today 21 days after I have landed back in my sweet little town I want Yuri to know I have NOT forgotten him. I have NOT stopped praying for him.  I have NOT stopped praying for the wonderful mama Daphne who works with these boys on a daily basis showing them love and another way of life.  And while I do not know if I will ever see Yuri face to face again I do know that I will NOT forget him.
My question to you is will you NOT forget him either?  Will you pray for him and the hundreds of thousands of street kids around the world?

“Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act.” Proverbs 24:12

What is Courtney up to this summer?

Greetings Family and Friends,
 I am overjoyed to let you know that The Lord has called me to return to Africa this summer to learn from whom I consider a dear dear friend the job that is short term mission work.  You see I am in the process of moving forward on some dreams that are so close to my heart and so personal to my family (I promise more information on that soon) that I need to understand 1st hand the work that is short term missions and I truly thought there was no one better to guide me on this course than my dear friend Gina.
To that end, my trip in July of this year will be to serve alongside the pastors of a local church in Kigali Rwanda. During our visit we will be delivering care packages to families who need to know The Lord, visiting and praying over the sick in the community the church serves, and assisting with worship, children's programs, and whatever else the church members can find use for us to do! It is my hearts desire to serve The Lord and I believe the best way to do that for the hurting people of Rwanda is to connect them to the local body of Christ that can minister to them long after I've returned to my home.

 Additionally, I am over the moon excited to be visiting a local school for the deaf. Several of our team members are fluent in American Sign Language, and the nation of Rwanda is in the early stages of creating a unified Rwandan Sign language which is very similar in dialect to ASL. You have no idea how much this means to me and our dear Marilyn who will be traveling with me!! I am excited that The Lord has called me to partner with him in reaching people in the communities around Kigali. If you feel led to serve The Lord by contributing financially to my mission trip I would be thrilled. I will be collecting help for my expenses as well as for donations to purchase goods while in country.

I'll be leaving American soil on July 13th and will return to the states Aug 1st.  It is truly a blessing and an honor to take this trip this summer alongside our sweet Marilyn!  Donations can be made to me via paypal - courtney@amagicalaffair.com or via check to Courtney Hammons

As always prayers appreciated as I prepare my heart and mind for this journey.