Peterson Band

The boys! Having fun at the park.

Naven and Eden, playing in the water.

They started out dry and ended up soaked!

Super-models?

Thumbs up! We are having fun.

Who loves momma?

My babies!

The Peterson Band!

If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it

Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing”
Aristotle

From my last post:
Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.

A comment on post:
I have been visiting often now, and I must say - that quotation got to me. We are readying ourselves to take this journey God has put before us and the thoughts of how to deal with those who tell us that we are wrong... that bothers me the most right now. Thanks for the thoughts!

More thoughts:
I have heard this kind of story more than once lately. The story of a person or a family, trying to do the right thing, feeling lead by God, but the critics decide to voice their opinion. I do think that people are doing this "voicing" because they want to help, but clearly they don't understand the impact of their words. They want to protect me, protect the do-er. But in the process they are losing sight of the needs of those I am trying to help. There are many of you who want to help, who feel lead to help... indeed there is always a critic. Give the critic respect, but you don't have to take their advice. If you are directed by a higher power, by The Higher Power, then a critic is only a critic. It's not their mission, it's not their calling. When the critic comes, you can ask them to pray. Ask them what God would tell them about the situation.


I wanted to throw a couple of verses out. They are random and out of context... I am open to hearing why these verses don't mean what I think. But here are some words I felt lead to :

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
So, help me understand. Is it even possible to be out of God's will in wanting to care for an orphan, a fatherless child? "Pure and faultless," is looking after orphans and widows... I think that means that caring for orphans is not only good, but required... but that's just me. You decide for yourself.

Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.' Zechariah 7:10
Is the critic oppressing the fatherless when the critic points you away from caring for an orphan. Is the critic going against this verse? It says we should NOT oppress the fatherless or the widow, should I hinder the work of someone who would care for these?


And say before the Lord your God, I have taken all the holy things out of my house and have given them to the Levite, and the man from a strange land, and him who has no father, and the widow, as you have given me orders: I have kept in mind all your orders, in nothing have I gone against them: Deuteronomy 26:13
Interesting, it appears to me God says even what is set aside for Him should be give to the orphan. - see the next verse.

When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. Deuteronomy 26:12

"When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. Deuteronomy 24:21
Should the first of what is set aside for God and the last what we have belong to the orphan? I think these verses tell me, some of the first fruits and some of my last fruits do belong to the orphan.


I would ask you to challenge yourself to ask, is caring for this orphan what I want to do for me, and will God bless that (I think he will), or am I carrying out God's command and honoring what has been asked of me. Then you will be able to respond to your critic.


“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
Theodore Roosevelt

It stuck with me

I often come across quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson that make me think,or that I somehow find myself relating to. The other day I posted a couple of his quotes on facebook. I've gone back to this quote a couple times. I posted the quote and then my own comment below:

Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I wonder if Mr. Emerson walked the talk. I don't know much about him. But I often see a lot inside of his quotes.

Courage. An interesting word. dictionary.com says : the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. Courage is to do it without fear? I guess if I don't have fear then it doesn't seem very courageous... so to me it is to do it in SPITE of fear or doubt.

Sometimes other people doubt me, sometimes I doubt myself. But I know all things are possible...all things.

Citizen

Here is a quote... in my mind, it really doesn't have anything to do with adoption, or our girls. Though to an outsider it might appear that way. Rather to me it is about being a good citizen:

“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - that is to have succeeded.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ghana Orphanage

Thanks to all those who have been praying for or have donated money to the orphanage in Ghana.

The money was sent today. I will keep you posted.

Edit:
To clarify: A small amount of money was sent immediately at the time the need was identified. Once I received the donations from those of you who were willing, I sent a lump sum to avoid additional transfer/wire fees.

Check out this blog

http://marlakarla.blogspot.com/

5 loaves

So I think it would be accurate to say that I am the kind of person who likes to keep busy, have lots of activities going on, and I like to help and solve problems. The problem can be trivia, trivial, or more serious. I don't usually see barriers or obstacles... if there is a problem, then there is a solution and I will find it. That's just my personality.

When we were leaving for Ghana on our second trip, I was made aware of a man running an orphanage who was in need. So I decided to contact him and find out more. The problem with some problems, is that they are not so easy to solve, and it's more than just the challenge of problem solving, but actual lives are involved. I met a man I call Brother John. Brother John has an orphanage with 26 children. When I met him, they had been kicked out of their current living quarters and were sleeping in a hallway. First, let me explain that "kicked out" was due to an inability to pay one-two years ADVANCED lease for the place. I don't know many Americans who could pull that off in our economy, the likelihood of a young man caring for orphans is less likely to manage this kind of requirement in Ghana. And this is how it is in Ghana, you have to pay advanced rent... not just one or two months, but one or two years.

So, Brother John has no source of regular support. He lives with the children day by day hoping to bring in just enough to meet the needs of the children for living, education and food. So far it is litterally day by day.

Wednesday last week I received an email from Brother John indicating that the last of their money had been used to move into a place that would take them for the little money they had. On this day they were out of money, out of food, and out of clean water. And apparently I was the only person he was able to reach out to for help. The email was this:


Thank you very much and may the Lord bless you very well as only as He can.

Thank you very much for helping us in Christ's love.

I hope anything little even about 10$ could be a help for now because we ate only once today and the water we bought linked and finished as we realized it this morning but don't have peny on me to buy some.

We are praying as we have not started church services in this house where we may could generate some ongoing funds from.

Thank you very much and keep us in your prayers as well. And untill we talk again, have a blessed day.

Yours Servant,

John

I met Brother John, I have seen the children he is caring for. I know the place he is staying. I have all the documents that prove he is a legitimate organization. He keeps records of their finances and has shared this with me. I know it is hard for Americans to understand how someone could be in charge of so many children with no actual source of support or income. But because Brother John speaks in churches to earn a very small amount and has been able to meet the daily needs of the children, there are families who cannot meet the daily needs and will make arrangements for John to care for their children. In some cases the children are completely orphaned with no one to take care of them, or with one parent who is unable to care for them due to illness or circumstances out of their control. So in America we cannot imagine a situation like this, but in Ghana it can happen, it does happen.

During a trip to a village in Ghana I watched a mother try to give her child to someone who she believed could provide food and medical care. The person to whom the mother was trying to give the child, also had very, very little and could barely care for her own family. "Poor" is a very relative term.

So Brother John, is a God-fearing man who has provided for these children and met basic needs and is managing to provide an education. Of course people trust him with their children, what else can you do? And now as I am going about my very American daily life, there is pause. Pause: there are hungry children gonig to bed at night, children that are asking for help from ME... not an advertisement on TV, not a magazine ad. No, real kids, in a real situation, and in at least one case I was the only one who could provide help. It makes life just a little more complex than I would have ever expected.

Thanks to the support of a few friends with a few dollars we were able to get Brother John some money. Three of us gathered $75 to send to Brother John. $25 each... that's all. $25. Sometimes I feel like I am not helping if I can't offer more. I wonder what will $25 dollars do? How can $25 help? But for the last 3 days these children have eaten enough to be satisfied at each meal. I don't know how long $75 will last for 26 children in Ghana (not to mention the adults who sacrifice with them), but I know a story about 5 loaves and 5 fishes, and I pray the money will find a way to meet their needs until another way comes.