July 16th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

It is so amazing when God chooses to use us.

Last year I was stunned when my readers joined together to raise over $500 to drill wells for vulnerable widows in Bangladesh along with Women at Risk, International. This year, we’re purchasing infant formula with WorldHelp’s “got milk?” project. My goal had been to raise $300 as part of WorldHelp’s effort to purchase cans of infant formula for Danita’s Children, a children’s home in Haiti.

As of last night, we are officially at $320!! Deep and sincere thank you to those of you who have contributed through prayer or financial gifts.

There is still a month remaining in the WorldHelp “got milk?” challenge… if we can reach $600, the readers of KristiStephens.com will provide an entire month’s worth of formula for Danita’s Children!!

Would you be willing to help?

Knowing God is able to do immeasurably, abundantly more than all I ask or imagine,

Kristi

July 13th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

YOU can help give hope to hungry children in Haiti!

Pictures from Kristi’s personal trips to Haiti, 1996

I was privileged to be part of two different short-term missions trips to Haiti when I was 15 and 16 years old. Those trips literally changed my life as I faced poverty I never imagined could exist, held starving babies in my arms and saw first hand how faith in Jesus Christ sets people gloriously free. You can read more about my trips and see some pictures here.

Recently WorldHelp, the organization through which we sponsor a child in Guatemala, sent out a plea for help to raise $7200 in funds specifically earmarked to purchase cans of baby formula for Danita’s Children, a children’s home in Haiti. You can read more about Danita Estrella’s ministry here.

Why Baby Formula? The babies that reside in the children’s home are often rescued and usually arrive extremely malnourished. According to UNICEF, as many as 300,000 Haitian children suffer from chronic malnutrition, and up to half of child death’s in the country are caused by malnutrition. We can help change this!

$7200 would provide funding to feed the babies at Danita’s Children for a full year. WorldHelp has asked for volunteers to raise $120 – 60 volunteers raising $120 each will completely fill this need! Knowing the generosity of my readers in the past, I decided to prayerfully aim for $300 – although I would absolutely love to raise far more than that!

When I hear of these needs, I think of the dying children I wept over years ago. Every day I shake up bottles for my sweet chubby baby BW… what if I couldn’t afford to feed him? The needs seem overwhelming and far removed from our daily lives – but one act of compassion CAN make a difference!

A $20 donation purchases a can of formula to feed a hungry baby – will you help? Can’t give $20? Give whatever you can – every $5 gets us closer to feeding these little ones! Thank you for your compassionate care in His name!

CLICK HERE to donate through my personal fundraising page at tour of hope!

July 1st, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

Image from visualBiblealive.com

Do you want to do big things for God? Have you ever prayed, “Lord use me?” Ever asked Him to grow your influence and show Himself big in your life?

That’s what I want. I think that’s what many of us want. But the road to greatness in the Kingdom is never an easy path.

The book of Genesis closes out with the story of a boy named Joseph. A boy destined for greatness since He was young, handpicked for a purpose, even shown glimpses of his future. But in order to end up where God wanted him, Joseph’s path was far from easy.

• He knew God had called him to do something great – and his brothers hated him for it. (Genesis 37:3-10)
• They hated him to the point of wanting him to die, of plotting ways to kill him. Eventually they decided to sell him into slavery in order to make a profit off of getting rid of him. (Genesis 37:19-27)
• Joseph was taken off to Egypt as a slave, while his brothers covered the tracks of their sin and left their father thinking he was dead. But the Lord was with him. (Genesis 39:2)
• He was a faithful and trusted servant in the household of Potiphar, Pharoah’s captain of the guard. Joseph was blameless and trustworthy – and then he caught the eye of Potiphar’s wife. She attempted to seduce him, and when he maintained his integrity, she accused him of attacking her. (Genesis 39:4-7)
• Joseph was thrown into prison. But the Lord was with him. (Genesis 39:28-32)
• He interpreted dreams, gave glory to God, and was forgotten for years. But the Lord was with him. (Genesis 40:8, 40:23-41:1)

And then eventually… Joseph was called from the dungeon, cleaned up, dressed, and brought to Pharaoh. And just like that – he was second in command under Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:14, 41:39-40) The Lord was with him.

God did have big plans for little Joe – but the journey from teenager tending sheep to a thirty year old ruler in Egypt who would save God’s people from starvation was not an easy one. It was an excruciating, humbling, heart-breaking journey of betrayal, slavery, false accusations, anonymity, and isolation. But through it all, the Lord was with him. The text seems to reverberate with the phrase: the Lord was with Joseph.

Do you want God to use you greatly? You may be wounded deeply along the way. In order to be great, we must become least. In order to serve the Almighty with humility and reverence, our pride must be vanquished or we will try to keep His glory as our own. You may be hated, betrayed, belittled, falsely accused, forgotten.

But through it all… the Lord will be with you.

Feel like you’re stuck in the dungeon of waiting, waiting for God’s greater plan to unfold, waiting for His timing? He has never forgotten you. He is molding you, shaping you, humbling you, teaching you. It’s not easy, but it’s a journey worth taking. It’s a legacy worth having. He is a God worth serving.

The Lord is with you.

April 12th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

For the next two weeks, I will be reposting our Redeemed series focusing on the serious issue of human trafficking and the ministry of Women at Risk, International. Gillian Ferwerda of Women at Risk (WAR) wrote these posts for us to open our eyes to the rampant problem of trafficking around the world, and also give us specific ways that we can make a difference! I pray you will join us and be changed through it!

They know who to prey on—traffickers target the weak, the vulnerable, the unprotected, and the alone.  Impoverished women and children, widows, orphans, or street children are easy prey.

Traffickers are known to wait outside of orphanage doors as the girls who graduate from the orphanages may have no family support, no governmental protection, no familiarity with the world outside of the orphanage, and no education or job training. They are eager to live, eager to begin life, and eager for any job. Traffickers are ready with smooth promises of good jobs, modeling tours, an exciting life, etc.

Each hour, 115 more children are forced into prostitution. [1]

Chirawan’s Story
Thailand

Future—it is a word that Chirawan does not take for granted. She won’t dwell on what could have been—she was brought to the orphanage by a kind relative and rescued from all kinds of potential horror stories.

She knows that many girls from Thailand’s northern hills, where she grew up, are sold into sexual slavery. Now, instead of being brought to the city as a slave, she is going with a promising future. A recent graduate from high school, she is excited to be a full time student at the University!

A safe home

In mountainous northern Thailand, 110 girls, ages 4-23, find a home, a shelter from potential exploitation and trafficking.

Something in these girls’ story indicated that they were at risk. In small villages, the news that a father or stepfather is going to sell his daughter travels quickly, and a kind relative or neighbor may bring the girl to the orphanage.

Here, the girls find protection, safety, and knowledge of their loving heavenly Father. This orphanage provides them with education and skills so that they can make a safe living for themselves once they graduate.

Women At Risk, International (WAR, Int’l) partners with this orphanage, helping them to expand their buildings and program. In addition, we sell embroidery made by the children’s families, getting to the root causes of these children’s risks, poverty and devaluing of women, by providing income to the family through women and in conjunction with these girls.

What you can do!

Prayer truly should be our first response—we cannot see, rescue, or protect every child, but our God is omnipotent and omniscient. He sees each tear. He has allowed us the privilege of being his co-workers through prayer.

WAR, Int’l knows the importance of prayer, and asks women to uphold our programs in prayer. We cannot do it without it. For information about our Prayer Circles (read about them here) and on how to pray for WAR, Int’l, please email Gillian at gf (at) warinternational.org or call 616-855-0796.

For you

For those who have entered into a relationship with God through belief in Jesus, we can rest in the fact that Christ has rescued us! His blood is absolutely sufficient to cover all our sins. We are brought to a safe home in his fold. We are secure because of him, and no one can snatch us out of his hands.

We are his, forever (John 10:28-29). We are safe, protected. We are no longer condemned and our hearts can rest at peace (Romans 8:1; 1 John 3:21), because we can do absolutely nothing to add to that. It has all been paid. We are reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). No longer are we afraid and assailed by doubts, but He who calms the seas can calm our hearts and minds.

From Kristi: Want to know more about how to find freedom through Jesus Christ? Please email me – I would love to talk with you.