Crazy Love & Get Disturbed

Okay, so I am reading this AWESOME book (Thanks Cheri) called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It is a rockin' my world....I actually might complete this one! For those of you who know me well, you are very familiar with all of my "projects" I start and never complete...even worse with books!
I have to share this part of the book, as I am shocked out of my good old comfort zone...It is nice in the comfort zone. No major worries except about wanting "stuff". The comfort zone, for me, while pathetic, protects me at times from the REAL WORLD...And while I have seen a good amount of the real world in my travels I too easily forget when I get back home to all of my dearly beloved "stuff".

Here is a bit of what he writes:

If one hundred people represented the world's population, fifty-three of those would live on less than $2 a day. Do you realize that if you make $4000 a month, you automatically make ONE HUNDRED TIMES MORE than the average person on this planet? Simply by purchasing this book you spent more than what a majority of people in the world will make in a week's time.
Which is more messed up-that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don't think we are rich? That on any given day we might flippantly call ourselves "broke" or "poor"? We are neither of these things. We are rich. Filthy rich.

Does it make sense? Can you even wrap your head around living on $2 a day? I know I have blogged about this before, but I will be honest...I have NO concept of this...NONE...And unless you have lived in a 3rd world country you likely cannot grasp it either.

So, this is just the tip of the iceberg in my thoughts these days.
Last night Eric and I were asked to speak to a group of people about adoption, (Which you know I LOVE!!!) And again another statistic that I talked about came up that I think about daily...and I MEAN DAILY.

This has been misquoted many many times, so let me make sure I get it right.
To preface, let me just post that there are around 145 million orphans in the world today...All with wonderful faces and hopefully most with names. Kids who have a heart, need to be loved, protected, and cared for.

IF ONLY 7% OF THE 2 BILLION CHRISTIANS IN THE WOURLD WOULD CARE FOR A SINGLE ORPHAN IN DISTRESS THERE WOULD EFFECTIVE BE NO MORE ORPHANS.

There has been controversy over this piece of info, and while many of these 145 million children cannot for various reasons be adopted, they STILL need to be cared for. Adoption is not the heal all, fix all...The key words in this statistic for me at least are, "care for"....And that can mean a thousand things. Bottom line, as humans who have so much, we have no excuse not to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves. I do not budge on this issue. What can we do? How can we do more to be more effective to make change?
These kids are counting on us....and the statistic of 7% of Christians....How crazy is that?
Every child out there is someone's son or daughter...What if it was your son or daughter? That would never happen in the US! No one would stand for it...
And still these are lives being lost every day because they have no voice to speak for them.
Get disturbed. If you don't like what I have written, likely a good thing. We all need to be messed up a bit.
This is what we are about, it is what Room for One More is about and it is what every child deserves. Please join us and get involved, somewhere...anywhere that is making a difference. We don't have all of the answers, but we are moving in a good direction.
Much Love
Chantelle

Our Beautiful Guatemalan Girls!!!!!

Is this the sweetest thing or what???? Another awesome image by my awesome friend Cheri of her daughter and mine just lovin' life and each other....Alot like their mommas. Check out Cheri's new blog for more of her awesome work.
As always lovin' life over here and these little ladies. I am not sure they could be more fab-u-lous!
Chantelle

More kiddo bliss!

Our best bud "Aunt" Cheri took some awesome images of the little Becking ladies. The new main photo is courtesy of her. She has blessed us in such a huge way by capturing some pics of the Becking girls in a way only a good close friend could. We love her and thank her for this! Check her and Sheri out if you are a local, at www.bellabamninophotography.com
They do awesome stuff and we love it!

On a life note: I know I have still not told our story, or at least the true account of Ethiopia. I am still processing it all. So so many emotions from the trip and as I get to know our Solie Koket more each day, I am blown away by the love this child puts out!
I have not had a lot of time to slow down and write an account of our trip...and maybe I have been avoiding it if I am totally honest. It was a place where we experienced one of the best days of our lives, and at the same time, it was a new crazy realization of what life could be like for me, had I been born in another place....and WHAT LIFE IS LIKE for millions of people who live without clean drinking water, where women struggle to be seen as equals, and the needs are difficult for us as Americans to begin to wrap our minds around.
In the same breath, it is a glorious place, where life is simple, people are beyond kind, and life is not taken for granted.
I am kind of just stuck right now, wondering how in the world I could ever give enough of my life back to make a real difference in the world...Specifically Africa.
Guessing this makes no sense, but it is where I am right now...
More to come another time!
Thanks for keeping up with us!
Chantelle

SWEET THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Could she have more perfect lips? Who does not want to smooch them all day long? Yes, I am a freak...deal with it! ha ha
Thanks Aunt Cheri for the awesome Solie pic at the pool! This baby girl has made leaps and bounds in growth and spunk since she got home! I know I say it ALL THE TIME--This kid is such a miracle in our lives!

TIME TO CELEBRATE LIFE!!!!!

Whoop Whoop!!! The Outman family are back from Ethiopia with the twins! Solie's crib mates and future buds!!!! What a celebration
So thankful that God would bring these boys to the Outman family. We all liv eint he same town and have become good friends through church and our adoption journeys. Solie was in the same orphanage as the Outman twins and theie cribs were right across the room from each other...just a few steps. We praise God for this awesome blessing for the Outman family!
God is so good...In the big and little things. The details of life God works out in such unique ways!!
We also want to congratulate our friends Carrie and Clint on the arrival of little Teddy! Another God sized gift.
To looking at every detail of our lives as a major gift from such a huge and loving God!-

The welcoming crew at the STL airport! What a day to party!!!!

Michelle & Jaime and the fellas, Phisher & Phelix~ LOVE THESE BOYS!

The whole Outman family!!! Fresh off a MAJOR travel experience and up 2 boys added to the great Outman crew! Stop by their blog and congratulate them!

Just chillin'! We walk Bianca to school every day and this is what it typically looks like when I get back home with the Sol-meister! Racked out!

The two little Stinkers!

I am just wishing they would try and relax...They are so stressed here. hee hee

Solie is quickly learning how to make herself known....By good old fashion HAIR PULLIN'!

Bianca strikes again!

Check out the sweetness!!! This child has grown LIKE CRAZY!!!!!!