Mama Said There Would Be Days Like These...

This past week was not the most fun of our lives. Many frustrations seemed to pile up all at once this week. I have rested in a verse found in Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Without going into the nitty gritty of our week, I want to share a few of my own “Proverbs”, if you will, that came as a result:

1. Good leadership is crucial to all organizations. Good leaders need to support their followers, be willing to get their hands dirty, have and share their vision, communicate and, finally, care for and encourage their followers.
2. My husband is an AMAZING man!
3. People will not listen to your criticism unless you have first spent time loving them and encouraging them.
4. Culture is a tricky thing! There is immense beauty in cultural differences, as well as immense frustrations.
5. I LOVE and am passionate about premature babies!
6. I believe in doing things to the best of my ability.
7. Learning people’s names makes such a HUGE difference when relating to and leading them.
8. Love people well!
9. Beware of a bitter heart – it will poison your entire being.
10. Lean on Jesus – “He is my strength when I am weak.”
11. My husband is such a blessing to me – I am so thankful for him!
12. Walking home in the dark through rural Africa is so SCARY!
13. I love Canada.
14. Not having water for 15 days over the last month makes the days that you can have a shower seem EPIC!
15. I believe in being a good steward of the things you are blessed with.
16. Doing something right the first time will ensure that you don’t have to repeat the task over and over and over…. this is a foreign concept to some.
17. Being given much without having to earn it or take responsibility for it makes for a bad combo…parents please keep your children accountable, don’t just hand them things on silver platters. They will be better children because of it.
18. Being consistent and following through on your word is so important.
19. Never, ever yell at people.
20. Treat others with respect and dignity.
21. 1 pair of thinning flip flops + 12 hours on a concrete floor x 5 days = 1 VERY sore body.
22. African babies have an innate ability to dance.
23. We need to love our neighbors as ourselves. Take care of people.
24. Good parenting is going to make or break the next generation.
25. Use peoples gifts. Don’t extinguish them.
26. Before expanding/growing one must look at what they have and improve that before they are entrusted with more. Be a good steward of what you have been given.
27. Respect. Encourage. Love.
28. Admit when you are wrong.
29. Read your bible – you will be amazed at how is change your life. Take time to “be still and know.”
30. Choose wisely who you are going to spend the rest of your life with! I am so so happy with my choice!


The babies home is doing well. We are making changes that are EPIC. The nannies are working so hard! I realize that change is a very hard thing and we are very short staffed at the moment. I have been trying to encourage my staff and help out as much as I ca. Yesterday we had a “Hoosiers” moment (only some of you will understand what that means…a Hoosiers moment in the Morgan household means like – the climax of the movie…the point where you want to cry cause it’s so beautiful!). On Friday afternoon, my very tiered nannies and volunteers and I had a spontaneous and random African dance/singing time with the babies. It was beautiful – we bonded, we loved, we were African, and I think it was a good way to end our week.

Matt has been busy this week. He has been doing more drawings and planning than actual hands on building. He is very helpful to his boss. He has been given a long to do list. This past week Matt also had a chance to sit down and very clearly share the gospel with Rashid (the man he has been working closely with for the past 6 months, who is Muslim). While Rashid did not accept Jesus, their conversation was extremely respectful and honest. Matt said that that conversation made the entire trip worthwhile. Matt is currently out playing volleyball with his “team”, In the hot hot African sun.

Tomorrow we are off to town to visit the prems and take Meg out for a little Valentines date, just the three of us. I can’t wait! This will be her first “outing” from the home!

Missing home a little with all things Olympic happening – GO CANADA GO!!!