Archive for November, 2007

Merry Christmas 2007

30 Nov, 2007 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas?  What do those words really mean and why do we say them? Well, we all know the true meaning of Christmas, right? We celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of a baby named Jesus. The Angels in the book of Luke declared to the shepherds that a Savior was born and their sign would be a baby wrapped up and lying in a manger.  They were declaring GOOD NEWS to these people, because something was about to change.

The people during that time that knew the purpose of that new baby (Jesus) had so much joy and hopeful expectation.  As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this year, we also are reminded that we too can have a hopeful expectation in our lives as well as the lives of others, because He is alive!

We are so thankful for you, our friends and family.  We want to express our appreciation for your continued support during these last years. Together, we have been able to help many abandoned and orphaned children. Isn’t it interesting that the entire earth is given the opportunity of life through the birth of a life, Jesus? God chose to use the birth of a child to bring about change. God is still using children and all of our lives to help bring about change! By helping the children in Uganda, we are doing our part to help bring the potential for change in an entire village, region and nation.  We have already seen many lives changed just by giving them security and love!  We have also seen the adults in the village touched as we have consistently shown them that someone really does care. We also know that change has happened inside all of us that have been laboring to reach out in Love in Uganda as well as in our own cities.  Our hearts have been moved with more love and compassion than ever before.  Serving others also has helped us all to realize what the important things in life really are! Thanks for being loving hands, willing feet, a voice and a beating heart with us!  Together, we have made a huge difference in the lives of many people.


We pray that you have a wonderful and blessed Christmas this year! We look forward to 2008 as we continue to Reach Out in Love….One Child at a Time.

Mike and Lori Salley
Founders
Show Mercy International 

 Here are just a few FACES of those that you have RESCUED and LOVED!

        


Tell a Friend

Your Past Doesn’t Have to Dictate Your Future

7 Nov, 2007 

 Reaching Out in Love….Truly, One Child at a Time

Christmas Box openingBelow is a testimony of what David Abrams experienced and saw first hand on our trip to Uganda back in September 2007.  I personally saw a transformation in the young boy he talks about - Amza.  Amza came into Hope Children’s Home back in July.  When I first met him, which was September, he was still very sad and shy, but by the time our team left, you could see in his eyes a desire to want to just be held and was so ready to receive LOVE!  The Operation Christmas Child that David refers to in his story was such a blessing to our kids.  A missionary in Uganda is a recipient of the Samaritan Purse Ministries’ Christmas Box program.  She had some boxes left over, so she donated over 100 to our ministry.  If you ever get an opportunity to participate in this program, please do.  Each shoe box was packed full of candy, socks, soap, tooth brushes, toys, etc.  Our children were on cloud nine as they opened their own personal box. One of our boys said he had been praying for a flashlight and guess what….his box had a flashlight in it!  I could tell that each box was packed with love, kindness and generosity! ~ Lori Salley

Your Past Doesn’t Have to DictateYour Future

The day we arrived to hand out the Operation Christmas Child boxes was one of my favorite, for two reasons. The first being that I have always thought that being able to hand out the boxes would be one of the best jobs in the world. The second reason is because I was introduced to Amza. This little boy who I would guess to be 4 or 5 years old was handed to me midway through the day and he immediately fell asleep. Without waking him, I was able to find his Christmas Child box and carry him and the box down to the church where all the children were waiting patiently to open their gifts. I had the privilege of waking up Amza to give him his box. He slowly woke and stirred to look at the box. I made certain through an interpreter that he knew all the gifts inside were for him.

He grew curious and very careDavid with Amzafully sifted through the box finding a truck and candy sucker that seemed to capture his interest the most.
As the trip continued it was great to see how Amza transitioned into his new life at the home. He made friends with some of David with Amzathe other little boys his age and I got to see him grow comfortable with his new surroundings. 
Throughout our trip, we were able to see various children come into Hope Children’s Home, and it struck me that this home was a place of safety and acceptance for these children. Almost immediately, children brought to Hope were joyful and comfortable with their new surroundings. The orphanage truly was a home for these children.

I felt that God’s protection was on these children at Hope and that the cares and hurts of the past didn’t have to dictate these children’s future. Meeting Amza and seeing how God has and will continue to change and grow him was a testimony to me of God’s love.    

David Abrams

Sponsor One of These Kids TODAY!

GO and SEE Uganda and Meet the Kids in June 2008

 We are organizing a short term trip for June 2008.  If you are interested in going, click here to find out more.   

Show Mercy International
P. O. Box 607
Albany, Oregon 97321
541-905-0791
www.showmercy.org

 

                                                                                                                                       

Tell a Friend

Is There Anyone With a Lap Big Enough for Over 100 Kids?

7 Nov, 2007 

It is hard to imagine that a house of over 100 kids could seem “empty”, but it has felt that way since Show Mercy’s short term team left a few Susan and Hope Childrenweeks back. It took a bit of effort to stir up the smiles among the kids after all of the “free hugs and football throwing arms” left the home. Is there anyone with a lap big enough for over 100 kids?? 

If you are an “organizer” or a “get something done”, you better get to Hope children’s home early in the day, and sneak in while the kids are in school, because once the “preschool” class gets out, your lap is no longer your own, and your full time job, should you choose it, is to sit and listen to funny songs, or play thumb wars, or just to stroke a little head until it bobs off to sleep.
 
It would be possible (and probably the most effective job around) for a person to sit in Hope 24/7 and hold children non-stop. When the healthy ones finally go off to play, do chores or go to class, the sick ones could be brought to your lap, and you could hold their heads to help them wait as their fevers go down, or pray in their ears as they rest against you.
 
Then there are the older ones, who are too big to sit in your lap, but when they come crashing in after their days in the “upper classes” off of the grounds of the Home, they are full of stories. Some of them just want to talk about what they just learned, or tell you about something they saw.
 
Brian w/ kidsIt’s the shy ones that get me. There will always be the bold outgoing children around us, but the perimeter holds the hearts that seem to be done “asking” for anybodies attention. It takes some effort to pull these ones in, and they are easily scared away, but when you get a smile and a word and a personal feeling or opinion out of these ones, you know you have a treasure.
 
We are setting up some couches at Hope this week, some big comfy chairs for you to come and sit in…….. if you want to. (There is a trip planned for June 2008 - click here to read more)
 
We will NEVER be the same after having lived here and held these little people.
Pray for more laps to hold these kids and to pour the love of Jesus over them. Pray for those who are here, for our family and for the wonderful Ugandan staff at Hope who pour UNBELIEVABLE amounts of time and love into these children. 

There are still more children that are in need of sponsorship.  Click here to see how you can help!

Brian and Susan Stubs
Ben, Luke, Bryce and Adam 

www.showmercy.org
P. O. Box 607
Albany, Oregon 97321
541-905-0791

 

Tell a Friend

Can You Really Change the World?

4 Nov, 2007 

Can You Change the World?  

What a HUGE question!  What is your initial response?  How would we change it anyway?  My response to that question about 4 years ago would have been NO WAY….I know me and I know that I can not change the world.  But after stepping out of my comfort zone, laying down everything, moving to a new part of the USA, traveling to Africa, taking many mission teams to Africa, rescuing hundreds of children, feeding hundreds of people and so on, I am beginning to see what that question "Can we change the world?" really means.  To me, changing the world is about changing the world for ONE PERSON AT A TIME. Together, we have done that.  So again, I ask you the question, Can YOU change the world? (Pictured to the right are two of our newest young ladies!  They were rescued in September and are now living at Hope Children’s Home.)

What is in Your Hand?

While I was in Uganda back in September, I was sharing with a church one Sunday.  I was encouraging the local Ugandans to use what they have in their "hands".  For me, the expression, "use what you have in your hands" speaks of the talents, gifts and resources we have all been given.  I think most of us can get so used to who we are that we forget that we all have something very special to add to this world.  I shared some examples from the Bible of people who used what they had and how this was how they were used to change the world.  

One example is King David.  When he was a boy, he was in charge of shepherding sheep.  He was also very talented at writing songs and playing an instrument.  Now most of us would think that shepherding sheep and playing an instrument would be very simple and unhelpful at helping us to obtain a well paying career.  For instance, if you were going to go to college to be a teacher, but as you were pursuing your degree you had to work as a janitor.  How would being a janitor help you in your career? I am not exactly sure, but to me this is how David must have felt while working with sheep, stepping in poop, daydreaming and writing songs.  David was called to be a King not a wool manufacturer.  God used David’s abilities and opened up an opportunity to get hands on training in government.  Because of this talent, the current King of Israel, King Saul, requested that David be brought into his service to play his instrument.  David used what was in his hands.

We Can Pull More by Working TOGETHER!

I recently heard a speaker share the following story: 

At a Midwestern fair many spectators gathered for an old-fashioned horse-pull (An event where various weights are put on a sled hitched to a horse and pulled along the ground). The grand-champion horse pulled a sled with 4,500 pounds on it. The runner up was close - with a 4,400 pound pull. Some of the men wondered what they could pull if hitched together. Separately, they had totaled nearly 9,000 pounds, but when hitched together, they pulled over 12,000 pounds!  The horses were able to pull more working together than by themselves, and in life, we’re stronger when we tackle it together. We’re stronger when we build relationships with each other.

Meet Some People Using What They Have in Their HANDS

I want you to meet just a few people that are using what they have in their hands. There are so many of you out there that have helped in creative ways and those that have been so faithful!  We thank you all! By working together, we are making a difference!  We are changing the world…ONE CHILD AT A TIME!

Robin Stover and Martha Mendez - They are currently on the board for Show Mercy International.  They own a salsa and sauce business called Heaven’s Garden of Oregon and they donate a large portion of their proceeds to SMI as well as other organizations.  They just opened a house for abandoned newborns in Sierra Leone Africa and are currently raising money for a children’s cottage on our newest property, The Field of Dreams.  Click here to read more of their story.  Please consider purchasing their products for holiday gifts as well as for your holiday parties.  You will be saving lives while enjoying a quality salsa. 

 

Scott and Angie Schuler - Radio Personalities, KRKT 99.9 Cricket Country.  They have donated much of their personal time to help spread the word about our efforts of rescuing children in Uganda.  They have used their talents, resources and influence to raise thousands of dollars and awareness for Show Mercy International!  Read their story here.

 

 

Lowry Garage Sale

Mike, Gail, Megan, Joshua and Joel Lowry have really touched our hearts with their enthusiasm and heart for the people they have never met… our children in Uganda!  Mike Lowry is a realtor with ReMax in Lake Oswego, Oregon.  They have raised funds and awareness for the children in Uganda.  The Lowry kids put their heads together and came up with their own fundraiser…a neighborhood garage sale.  Read Megan’s story of how they organized and raised money to help us continue with our mission, Reaching Out in Love…One Child at a Time.

 

 

Five Fish Press

Jeff Koerner (one of our greatest friends) owns Five Fish Press and has given his time and talents to Show Mercy by donating SO MUCH in graphic and web design.  He has created from scratch all that you see on our website.  So many people have commented on how much they have been touched by his gifts and talents of communication through graphics.  Through his gifting, we have been able to communicate LOVE through pictures and words.  If you need the most talented and dedicated design and print specialist out there, please contact Jeff.  

We want to thank everyone of you who has been a part of Show Mercy.  WE are so excited of what is ahead of us.  We will be sharing some really exciting news with you very soon…so stay tuned!

So let me ask you….what is in your hand?  Together we can change the world.  Click here to see how you can get involved!

Lori Salley
Show Mercy International
P. O. Box 607
Albany, Oregon 97321
541-905-0791
www.showmercy.org


Tell a Friend

KRKT Radio Personalities Raise Awareness and Funds for Show Mercy!

4 Nov, 2007 

Scott and Angie Schuler are the morning radio DJ’s at 99.9 KRKT Cricket Country Radio station in Albany, Oregon.  We first met them back in 2005 when we were organizing our first Great Northwest Challenge Fundraiser. From that time on, they have donated their personal time as well as given us radio air time to help raise both awareness and funds for Show Mercy International’s mission to the orphaned and abandoned children. Scott and Angie have a passion for what Show Mercy is doing and have partnered with us in assisting the poor in Uganda. They have helped us to raise thousands of dollars!  We are so appreciative to this couple for their heart to help the kids in Uganda.  They have used what God has given them, their talent, time and influence to make a huge difference in the lives of many children in Uganda.

You can read more about Scott and Angie by clicking here.

 
Pictured above: Scott, Country Music Stars Faith Hill & Tim McGraw, Angie and Lincoln


Tell a Friend
« Older Entries