Meeting the Orphans: Jenneylyn

For quite some time now, many people have been asking for the stories of each of the children at Rosemary's Home of Hope. I've been telling myself I am going to break it down, and introduce one child at a time on this blog, but I just haven't gotten around to it. In December of last year, I wrote down each of their stories for twenty of the now twenty-three children.
Without further adieu... let's meet..

     Jennelyn!

  Of course I don't have favorites, because each child is precious, one of a kind, & truly a blessing; but, with that being said, Jennelyn is kinda my favorite (shhh!).

I met Jennelyn on my very first trip to visit Rosemary's Home of Hope, and fell. in. love. immediately.
                      Seriously, can I not bring her home yet?
Jenneylyn is also known as "Tornado," and it doesn't take long after meeting her to figure out the reasons why. She is one of the most bubbly, full of life, and energetic five years old I have ever met! I met her when she was just three years old in March of 2012. She had only been at the orphanage since the fall of 2011, but already you could see the Lord working remarkably in her life. Each time I visit Rosemary's, one of my biggest prayers is that God would continue to break my heart for them. Jennelyn's story, as well as the other children's stories, always break my heart. When I see their sweet smiles and embrace their loving, never ending hugs, I cannot help but think, how in the world could someone not love them.

Jennelyn's mother was a prostitute in the city. She was left homeless on the beach, and often given alcohol as a small toddler. Her mother made it habit of putting out cigarettes on Jennelyn's body, as well as biting her, both leaving scaring on her small body. At age two, in 2011, her mother gave her to a pastor, who brought her to the orphanage, and told him "This is my daughter. Do with her whatever you want."

As I write this, tears still spill out of my eyes as I think of where she came from, and where she is today. She has the most adorable, contagious giggle that will melt your heart. Ever heard of people who smile even with her eyes? She's got that down pat. I have to believe her love of life comes from her love for Jesus, and her understanding of a true Father's love. 

For more pictures of Jenneyln, and more information on Roseymary's Home of Hope, as well as updates on how the Lord is using me in the Philippines, please visit Hope for the Hopeless Ministry.

Latest Newsletter: July 2014

It has been eight months since my feet were on Philippine soil, and boy am I missing it terribly. This past year has been a huge adventure for me.  My obligations at school seem to be increasing daily; however, I remain very thankful for each of them. This past spring, I had the opportunity to teach in the Special Ed. classroom three days a week. Wow, was that ever a blessing. It was definitely not easy learning the ends and outs of the profession; however, it was tremendously awarding. It reminded me of being present in the here and now and recognizing the importance of our every day mission field in whatever position God places us.

In May, I was a part of a trip to England with the Baptist Student Union at Mississippi State. We held a Vacation Bible School in a community in the city of Grantham, England. Despite the constant dreary, rainy weather, we had around fifty children present for all five days. The children and adults alike were mostly cold to the Gospel. They were not familiar with God’s love for us, and cared not to know much. However, unlike the Philippines, they were aware of the “myth” of Jesus, but chose not to believe in it. It was heartbreaking. The ministry which works in this community has been working with the people for over ten years. According to them, the people have begun to show interest in the past three years. While we were there, we spoke with around seven people who were beginning to show some interests in the Gospel. Sadly, no one came to know Christ while we were there, but we trust in God’s timing. I ask that you continue to pray for this ministry, that they would persevere despite the frustrations of people being reluctant to the Gospel. Also, pray for those children. Join us in praying that they would break the cycle of drugs and crime that their parents are in. Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the mission to show from this trip. We were asked not to photograph any of the children, or their parents, due to the harm that could come to them due to that. Many are involved in heavy drugs, serious crimes, and alcoholism.

I will begin my last semester of classes in August, before I begin my student teaching in January. I am so excited for the next chapter in my life, and I’m trying to soak up every opportunity I have to serve Him before my “real world” obligations kick in. Ha. Beginning in August, I will resume my responsibility as the prayer leader at the Baptist Student Union, as well as the small group Bible study leader for students transferring from community colleges. It has been such a blessing serving the Lord on campus, and getting to know students from all walks of life.

The big question….when will I go back to the Philippines? First of all, I’m so thankful for my trip to England and how God used it to show me how to evangelize to those who have a colder heart to the Gospel. That trip truly showed me the importance of perseverance, and continual prayer. However, with that being said…I am SO ready to get back to the Philippines!!!! Prayerfully, I will be boarding a plane and heading to my home across the seas in December. As Bro. Jerry Dickens once told me, if God wants you there, He will make a way. Every trip I hold tight to that truth!  As of right now the plane tickets are the cheapest we have ever found them…$1,400! I ask that you would pray for that price to remain until we get enough funds to go! The prices for those tickets fluctuate tremendously from day to day. Last December we paid $2,700! Was it worth every penny? Absolutely yes! We will be leaving the first of December, and spending a little over a week there delivering Christmas. If you guys would like to help out with the gifts, it isn’t too early to start! We will be collecting gallon zip lock bags stuffed full of travel hygiene items, baby dolls, matchbox cars, fingernail polish, hair bows, school supplies, etc. The options for what you can put in these bags are pretty open. All we ask is no liquids over 4 oz (due to the price of shipping), and no toys that provoke fighting, such as play guns, military, etc. As soon as you begin collecting, let me know and we will begin packing them! Also, if possible, we ask for $7 for the shipping of each bag. Let’s see how many we can get this year! Keep in mind…the typhoon caused great destruction to many people in the area last year. Any and every gift you give will be greatly appreciated.

For the upcoming year. It is with great prayer that I beginning planning a trip to Rosemary’s July 2015. I will be leading a group of approximately eight Mississippi State students to do work at the home for around 15 days. We will be working with the children, youth, college students, as well as the older adults in the area. Planning for that is beginning, and I ask that you join me in praying that I proceed with his discernment, and only plan that which is in His will.

I thank you guys so much for all of your love and support over the years. If the Lord provides for me to go in December, it will be my twelfth international mission trip. I stand amazed daily that he chose this little Ryan’s Well girl to carry His gospel across the world. You have been such a part of every trip, and with your support and prayers, they never would have been possible. I thank God for you guys every day!!!

I hope to see you guys soon, and tell you more about what the Lord is doing in my life! Also, I have updates from Rosemary’s! We now are blessed with 23 kids!  I will be returning to school mid August, so if it works out for a Sunday visit between now and then, please let me know J

I love you all,

Emily

(662) 397-0115

550 Grovner Springs Road

Fulton, MS 38843

my time away.

Maybe you noticed, or maybe you didn't, but I have been away from this little space for quite a while now. Life has been busy, and I've loved every second of being caught up in all the little sweet moments. 

Whenever I don't have assignments due, it has been nice to step away from the laptop, and enjoy the fullness of life. 

Now, I admit, I have missed reading all of your stories & adventures,as my reading time has also been very limited.

 I'm not sure how frequently I will  be posting, as I'm in summer classes right now,and that is taking up most of my time; however, I do wanna leave you with a few snapshots of the past couple of months.

all my love.

i went with the baptist student union england, & we made a quick stop by Paris on the way:)

Nottingham, England

Grantham, England. With our friend, Andrew, from Northern Ireland.

Wham! Pretty much the best candy. ever.

my handsome fella.

Thanksgiving.

1. Jesus

2. Family

3. Friends

4. Two Church Families

5. New Friends in Starkville

6. My Best Friend Accepting Jesus As Savior

7. Heartbreak. it taught me a lot.

8. Safety Over My Filipino Family

9. Freedom

10. Love

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!!

I didn't want to write a super lengthy post because truthfully, I'm spending every second possible with my family & friends this week. I'm loving every bit of it. I did however want to stop by and note ten things I'm thankful for this past year. They are in no particular order, and I could've added tons & tons & tons more, but that generalized the majority of it. Let's just say....God is so good. SO good.

We spent last night making a small huge mess in the kitchen! Let's just say...there was flour everywhere. EVERYWHERE.
good times were had.
Always a joy spending time with Gracie & these two Hall kids! Love 'em!
ps...totally stole this picture from instagram. sorry, not sorry.

Hope you all have a blessed day. Make sure you laugh with your family until your face hurts & eat until your tummy aches! Gobble up!

101 in 1001

Thanks to the fabulous ladies over at Bloom & Southern Simplicity, I become super inspired to come up with my very first 101 Things in 1001 Days. I'm crazy excited, and have sky high hopes of finally marking some things off the list. 

Have a look & let me know what you gals think!

{Friend}

1. Take a mission trip to a country not in Asia.

2. Take a meal to a family that just had a baby. 

3. Randomly pay for someone's groceries.

4. Lead a college girl's Bible study.

5. Babysit a friend’s baby for free so they can have a date night.

6. Take a girl's only weekend trip with my best friend.

7. Help someone pull off a surprise.

8. Send a Christmas card to a random military hero.

9.  Host a yard sale to benefit a cause.

10. Be someone’s maid of honor.

11.Host a Bachelor Viewing Party . 

12. Provide Christmas for a family in need.

13. Host a wedding shower.

14. Visit Meghan again in Tampa.

15. Buy the person behind me a coffee. 

16. Send flowers to a friend.

17. Send out 101 letters snail mail style. (0/101)

18. Send a random care package to a friend.

19. Buy goods from at least 5 organizations/small businesses I believe in. (0/5)

20.Go to a Drive-In movie .

21. Invest in a friend's dream.

22. Serve the homeless on a holiday.

23. Sponsor a child.

{Family}

24. Cook dinner for the family every night for a week. 

25. Initiate a Bible Study.

26. Take my sister on an overnight "Sister Date".

27. Host an outdoor movie night.

28. Take my Papaw on a date.

29. Paint a canvas with Gracie.  

30. Plant a successful garden with Dad. 

31. Mother-Daughter day with Mom.

32. Take pictures of all of the grand kids for Mopsey & Popsey.

33. Go to an Atlanta Braves game. 

34. Take family photos.

35. Successfully hike a longer* trail in the Smokies.

36. Take our pups swimming in the waterway. 

{Personal}

37. Go one week without coffee.

38. Go one month without buying a new article of clothing.

39. DIY project from materials bought solely at a thrift store.

40. Workout everyday for one month.

41. Run a 6:30 mile again. 

42. Take pictures in a thrift store outfit. 

43. Treat myself to mani/ped.

44. Spend at least one month at Rosemary's Home of Hope 

45. Host a Girl's Retreat at Rosemary's Home of Hope. 

46. Make a box of postcards from trips.

{*Future*}

47. Write a journal to my future husband. 

48. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years.

{blog}

49.  Go to my first blog conference.

50.  Gain 100 new followers.

51.  Surprise a blog friend for a visit.

52. Make blog business cards. 

53. Record a vlog.

54. Work with a blog friend on a project I believe in.

55. Do an update once a month on all my completed tasks.

56. Blog everyday for a month about something I'm passionate about.

57. Write a blog post that goes viral.

58. Raise money on my blog for a cause.

59. Guest post for a blogger.

{Personal II}

60. Get back at my goal weight.  

61. Go ballroom dancing

62. Go out west.

63. Go to George Strait's Roping Classic. 

64. Graduate with my Bachelor's degree

65. Graduate with my Master's degree

66. Learn how to sew headbands.

67. Put together a book of 100 verses/quotes. (0/100)

68. *Attempt* to look like an extreme couponer on just one shopping trip.

69. Go through Rosetta Stone Tagalog. 

70. Run the St. Jude's Half Marathon

71.Run a Color Run. 

72. Spend an entire weekend solely praying for God's plan for my life.
73. Be social media free for an entire day.
74.Be social media free for an entire weekend.
75. Be social media free for an entire week.

76. Do 30 Pinterest projects & blog about them.

{Adventures}

77. Go to a live taping of The Voice or American Idol

78. Visit 5 new cities. (0/5)

79. Get a tattoo.

80. See NYC at Christmas.

81. Be in NYC on New Year's.

82. Spend a night outside in an ENO.

83. Spend a week at a beach I've never been to.

84. Go to another country. 

85. Get a full body massage.

86. Go to Mardi Gras.

87. Take a cake decorating class.

88. Go to the mountains and stay in a cabin.

89. Take the dogs to a dog park. 

90. Ride on a train.

91. Go on a vacation with my whole family. 

92. Go to a NFL game.

93. Visit every SEC football stadium (0/12)

94. Go to Disney World.

95. Go on a trip with friends.

96. Take horse lessons.

97. Take a random road trip. 

98. Have dessert before dinner at a restaurant. 

99. Make a day in the life video. 

100. Kill a deer 

101. Speak in front of a crowd of 100+ people.

I will be updating my list as I accomplish things, so stay tuned!

Have you made a list of 101 things in 1001 days? Or maybe a Bucket List? 

If you haven't, you totally should ;)

one of my all time favorite quotes
that Jim Elliot sure did have some wisdom.

He heard my cry.

Hey y'all! 

I pretty much feel like my Philippines updates have been a little all over the place lately, and you know what? 

They pretty much have.

One minute we are planning to still go in December.

The next we're not.

A couple of days after the storm devastated the island of Leyte, I was informed that we would not be able to travel to our orphanage in December like we had planned. I briefly mentioned it over here, but y'all, if I'm being honest, I was just really, really upset. In my mind the things I was being told made sense. 

It's too dangerous.

The roads are impassable.

There is no food or water.

Electricity may not be restored for over a year.

There's still bodies everywhere.

But in my heart.....

my heart just wasn't having it. 

I had peace in knowing that if it was truly meant for me to go see my sweet babies at Rosemary's Home of Hope in December, God would make a way.

All I could do was pray.

And pray.

And pray some more.

I would be lying if I told you that these past couple of weeks haven't been a wild, emotional ride for me.

I'm not sure what it is yet, but I'm still convinced God is doing something bigger than I've even dreamed up in this heart of mine.

I've felt restless.

Helpless.

Full of energy to do something about the destruction that struck the people I love so much.

They are family.

And with everything inside of me, I want to be there.

I want to hug them, and tell them it's all okay.

I want to lift a hand where I can.

Carry food and water to the famished.

God, use me. Wherever and with whatever, just use me.

That has been my prayer.

As of now, myself, a friend of mine, and hopefully a gentleman who knows a little something about building, will be leaving around December 11.

It will be a super short trip, but I know it will be worth it.

I have a feeling God has something huge in store. 

The rebuilding will probably not begin until after the first of the year.

It is our job to go in December, assess the situation, and analyze what materials we will need to begin the process.

I'm so excited for this opportunity, and unbelievably grateful that God saw my heart, and answered my prayers. 

To help out with funds needed for travel expenses & rebuilding, please see the following:

• Visit the official page of Rosemary's Home of Hope at www.rosemaryshomeofhope.com and select
• Visit the Support link listed above. All donations given on this site will be used to directly assist relief efforts and rebuilding, as well as travel costs for my December trip.
• Purchase a Rosemary's Home of Hope T-Shirt @ the Store. Not only will all proceeds be given to Rosemary's Home of Hope, but it's also a super great way of raising more awareness for our home in the Philippines.
• **For more information, please visit http://www.hopeforthehopelessministry.com/blog.html

Saturdays in the South

Well, hey y'all! 

Looks like we all survived Monday, and now heading right on into Tuesday.
 I can't believe how quickly time is passing, and how near in my future a break is.
A BREAK....it almost brings tears to my eyes thinking about just sitting and doing nothing.
but really...I'm super pumped to spend sweet time with my family & friends.

This past weekend was a big, BIG weekend here in Starkville. The tide rolled in and competed against our Bulldawgs. Y'all, we played Alabama  a good game. I think we were all a little in shock by this, as honestly, we all expected quite the slaughtering. Ha. 

I would say we held them pretty good. And unlike ahem...the school up north....we actually scored. 

and doing something they didn't..well, that's all that truly matters :)

my roommate and i are horrible about taking pictures
the lighting here is horrible, and why the heck is my face so shiny?!

military recognition weekend
by far the best halftime show by our Famous Maroon Band

BSU stadium cleanup crew
each week we clean the stadium (yuck!)
the money the school gives us for doing it all goes to missions (major plus!)

I wanted to leave you guys with this. You all know my heart is super burdened for what's going on in the Philippines right now. So touched by this girls bravery, humbleness, and genuine love for the Filipino people! 

Philippine Typhoon Relief: We need your help!

the main building of our home soon after the typhoon hit

It's been just over a week since the typhoon hit the island of Leyte. As the days pass since the storm, the death toll continues to rise, and devastation continues to reveal itself. Our orphanage, Rosemary's Home of Hope, is located on the island of Leyte, in the remote village of Kananga. Although we did not receive a great deal of flooding, we took a heavy hit with wind damage. With winds reaching 230 miles an hour or more, it is a miracle in itself that our orphanage is even still standing. Taking shelter in our home that day was 21 children, our orphanage staff, and over 30 families from the village. 

Three days after the storm passed, we finally received word from Steve, one of our caregivers at the home, that they were all safe, and only received damage to our roofs and church. As you will see in the pictures below, the damage done to our buildings was not all minor, and is in need of repair as soon as possible. Our church is completely gone, and out of our four buildings (main building, dining hall, boys dorm, girls dorm), only the girls dorm still has a roof. Right now, we are trying to fund makeshift roofs, simply to get something over their head. It is raining on the island again, and we hope to prevent our children getting sick.

The most pressing issue right now however, is the lack of food. The island basically only has rice since the storm passed, and it's not enough for all of the people. Yesterday, Steve went to the island of Cebu to try and find a better supply so that he can go back home, feed our orphanage, and begin helping the village. They are hoping to soon set up somewhat of a relief center at the orphanage so that those who have had no food can be fed, before they all become extremely famished. 

our church. Steve, our caregiver & Filipino pastor stated "at 7:10 the church flew away!"

dining hall. .this is the building where everyone was staying during the storm

I'm asking you to please consider giving financially to help us provide for our orphans and our village. Any donations you make will be tax deductible, and will be greatly appreciated by us all.

Your donation will go to:

• provide food for the orphans & staff
• help to feed the people of the village
• provide a makeshift roof
• begin making repairs
• any unforeseen emergency needs

For all donations, please click here.

Our hearts and prayers continually go out to the Filipino people. Please continue to pray for their guidance, and God's sovereign plan through it all.

**For continual updates please visit here.

Update.

This post was copied from my ministry website, http://www.hopeforthehopelessministry.com/blog.html

Update. 11/12/2013 0 Comments with Steve last December giving out Christmas shoeboxes Last night we finally received communication directly from Steve, and I can't even begin to tell you just how overjoyed my heart felt seeing his name pop up on my phone. The good news still remains...all of our children, staff, and village families that stayed at our home are safe and doing well. We did however learn that there was more damage done to the home than we initially thought. The roof was blown off of the boys dorm, our main building, and our dining hall. The only roof to survive was the girls dorm. Also, we were informed that our church was completely destroyed, and will need to be built back from the ground up...nothing remains. We are now beginning to collect the information and devise a plan to most effectively help out our orphanage, as well as our village. Right now, our biggest concern is food for everyone, as the supply and funds are scarce, and also tarps until our roof can be replaced. The estimation for food, roofs, and our church rebuild is $10,000. I would like to point out that any amount given will be a huge blessing, and will help tremendously in taking the first step in getting them the immediate needs they are needing. There will not be a rebuild team going until spring, but we hope to supply the Filipinos with the funds to help do some of the work as soon as possible.  To make a donation please click the support link. Once again, I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers! our church: East Marietta Baptist Church of the Philippines taken December 2012 with my Filipino Lolo (grandpa) taken December 2012 with Jenny Lynn, one of our younger orphans taken December 2012 with Unice, one of our orphans taken December 2012

God is bigger than the storm. Haiyan.

Hey guys! As you all probably know, tragedy struck the Philippines this past Thursday night when typhoon Haiyan hit the islands. 

Compared to most, the typhoon hit closer to home for me. As I watched the news, it was familiar faces that I was looking for. 

Please read here to find out more!

the airport in Tacloban city

I know most of you are having to pick yourself up off the floor from the disbelief that I’m posting twice in one week. Twice! Craziness I tell ya. I didn't feel right about jumping right into this somewhat of a true update post without first sharing with y’all the raw emotions of my heart, and what’s been going on over the past few months that caused my absence on this blog. 

So, that being said, let’s get to the fun stuff!

So many cool people have come into my life, and wow, I am ever so grateful. I've really involved myself with the Baptist Student Union, as well as FBC of Starkville. I don’t want to overload you, but want to share with you a few pictures from some football games (hail state!), introduce you to some new friends, and other fun events that have been going on.

Y’all have a great weekend! 

my grandparents stopped by starkville, kidnapped me, and took me to philadelphis, ms
it was a blast!
if you're ever in that area, it's an absolute that you visit Williams Brothers.
seriously, it's adorable

anna-one of my dearest friends in starkville
we froze through this game, but hey! we beat kentucky!

love these sweet girls!

was beyond thrilled to spend time with these two beauties at the fall festival

my best friend.
gosh how i miss her!

candace & i dressed as our friend, nathan, for the costume party.
i promise my jeans aren't usually flooding.
in the middle is my good friend, martin!

this is an aerial view of the corn maze we went to in eupora,
if you're in the area....go!
it's 10 acres!!!!!

brittany & i at the corn maze.
favorite part: the cotton wagon.

ashley & nathan.
so, so thankful for them.
never a dull moment.

the white family carved pumpkins.
bet you can't guess which one my dad did ;)

my sweet sister & i last weekend.
i cannot believe she is almost 15.
tear. tear. 

choose joy.

Holy cow! It’s been so long since I have written on this space, that I almost forgot my login information. kid. you. not. Honestly, I've been so busy trying to figure out this crazy, beautiful, messy thing called life that I haven’t had the time or the energy to write. Instead, I've just been reading what all as been going on in all of your lives and keeping it real with Jesus in my personal journal. It’s been messy, y’all. Life is kind of crazy right now, and honestly it’s taken me a while to figure out how to maneuver and survive this new season that I’m in.  I always heard people say that they felt like they had lost their joy, and I always thought that would never be me. I love Jesus too much to lose my joy, I thought. But y’all, I did. And it was ugly. I’m so not proud of the joylessness that’s resided deep down in me, but I've come to find that it’s okay. I survived it, and came out better for it. I can only pray that my sharing this will help someone else.

. In August, I moved two hours south to finish up my degree at Mississippi State University. Moving here has always been something that I had in my plan. I just don’t think I realized all the “inconveniences” I might face in a heavier load of classes, new roommates, and no job. I’m just going to keep it real…there have been days that I haven’t been sure that I have made the right decision in being here. It’s in those days that God has reminded me that sometimes it takes loneliness and confusion to be remember that I need a Savior. Every day I need a Savior.  Don’t get me wrong, awesome things have happened since moving here, and I've met beautiful people that I thank God every day for. Overall though, I would say it has been a good experience, but mostly just because it’s been a growing experience. I have learned so much about myself. God is revealing to me more and more each day my struggles and my weaknesses. I’m learning to deal with things that I don’t love dealing with…but that’s life. Last week I finally realized that I have to find some sort of balance before I drive myself crazy trying to be superwoman and conquer all. So this week I've taken more time to just be with myself and spend time in the Word. It’s incredible how much better one will feel after some time with Father.

After this past weekend, I was feeling super refreshed, and ready to take on the world. Typically I have my quiet time sometime around mid-morning, but Monday morning, I woke up with the attitude of kicking some Monday booty. I woke up around 5:30, did my morning devotion, and spent some time in prayer. I enjoyed a nice breakfast and a warm cup of coffee, and headed out the door. Y’all, I even dressed cute for class. That almost never happens. I walked in the classroom and found my seat feeling like I was ten feet tall and bullet proof. It was then that the girl next to me whispered, “um..did you mean to wear your shirt wrong side out?” FAIL. Haha…at least I could laugh it off?

Honestly though, this week has been the week I've been hoping for since August 15. Full of friendships, worship, Bible studies, and coffee. I feel like I've fallen in love with Jesus all over again. I say all of this to say this….if it took a season of joylessness for me to fall in love with my Savior all over again, it was all worth it.    My prayer from this day forward is that I’ll wake up every day and fall more and more in love with Him, the lover of my soul. 

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