Tommy's Birthday Continues...

Tommy and I spent the morning at my Church before heading to the beach for the afternoon. He has been reading and we've been discussing the book, Why Men Hate Going To Church by David Murrow. It discusses and reveals why men are the largest unreached people group. Murrow, who lives in Alaska, references Saddleback Church and commends the motto of, "Give men high standards: ask something of them." I enjoyed taking Tommy to hear Pastor Warren speak on Radical Hope and showing him around the campus.

Next stop? In-N-Out Burger. That's what a hamburger's all about. Not a bad birthday lunch. (Today is his actual birthday.)

We drove to Huntington Beach to walk on the sand, watch the sunset and check out one of Tommy's favorite of all favorite restaurants, Duke's. We also got to stop and visit with my friends, Rachel and Mickey, who live a few blocks from the sand.

A view of the Huntington Beach Pier from inside Duke's.

Our last stop was dinner at Javier's in Crystal Cove. It's one of my favorite restaurants and their spinach enchiladas are incredible. We also tried their version of queso. Tommy's version es el mejor!

And ending the night with some birthday flan.

Tomorrow, we head up Pacific Coast Highway to enjoy the scenic route and get our ocean beauty fix. This weekend has been good stuff!

Christmas Party with Saddleback Peeps

Last month I joined 13 others to become certified as an HIV rapid tester and counselor. We all serve on Saddleback Church HIV / AIDS initiative ministry and are becoming a tight knit group. Tonight we gathered for a small party and enjoyed desserts, conversation and a bit of caroling too.

Carol (who also lives up the street from me... shweet!), Danny and I. Danny is the HIV /AIDS Initiative Pastor and is the ring leader of us. Pray for him! :o)

With Valerie, Lisa and Laura. I am joining Laura's small group and am looking forward to getting together weekly to grow together.

Lani, Jan and I

With Laura

Little did Danny know...

With Kay (Warren)

Elizabeth played the harp. She is very talented and when she plays it seriously sounds angelic!

Kay and Elizabeth shared a few words. We talked, as a group, about what we have accomplished this year (training and our first HIV testing day!, care teams, etc...) and our dreams for the future. We all pray that, one day, there will be know more HIV / AIDS and future generations will read about this devastating news in history books!

A special blessing

I had the privelege of spending a few hours with Cynthia and Erica. They are beautiful girls who were born in Rwanda and were adopted in 2008 by The Styfffes, a family at my Church. They were living in an orphanage where they were orphaned due to HIV / AIDS.

Their parents explained, "Surely God isn't asking us to adopt and take children out of the only environment they have ever known... But our hearts began to change as orphans became personal...(In 2007) while visiting an orphanage, one of our (four) children asked, "Do you think culture is more important than family?" We had to answer,"No. Children need a family."

On March 28, 2008 the Styffes stepped off the plane in Rwanda, ready to take their three (Erica, Cynthia and their brother, Noah) children home to Orange County, California. The Styffe family is now complete with seven children. "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orpans and widows in their distress." ~James 1:27

Erica and I

On Erica's first Christmas last year, she prayed, "Thank you for Jesus' birhtday. Thank you for Christmas and presents and my family. And God, thank you that I'm not in an orphanage anymore."

Cynthia and I

You can read more about Cynthia and Erica's story HERE

A night with Sir Excellency, President Kagame of Rwanda

I had the amazing opportunity to attend a civil forum at my Church tonight. The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, spoke on the transformational power of reconciliation and how it reunified the Rwandan people after the genocide (where 1 million people were murdered in 100 days) of 1994.

Dr. Miroslav Volf, a Yale professor and Croatia born was also a featured guest. Both President Kagame and Dr. Volf share the common belief that forgiveness is essential in the face of injustice and mandatory in order to rebuild a nation.

International students (many from Rwanda) began the program by singing and dancing.

President Kagame, Pastor Rick Warren and Professor Volf

President Kagame was awarded The International Medal of Peace by Pastor Rick. He was commended for his dedication sacrifices, leadership and fight to end poverty and disease and for efforts for economic development.

It was an educational and inspiring night!

My cousin Megan and sister, Janice attended as well. We ended the night with an impromtu Oktoberfest celebration at Beachfire in Ladera Ranch. What fun! A great way to kick off my birthday weekend... I'll soon be in the, "Over 30 club." :O(

My RWANDA Montage

FINALLY!

Here is my Rwanda montage. The photos are set to songs sung my Rwandan kids! ENJOY!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Renewed...

What a wonderful weekend! I've been in a bit of a funk over the past few weeks... feeling like I was a hamster on a wheel... going through the motions. This weekend was just what I needed to spring me forward to return to me!

Friday night I attended a seminar for people interested in learning more about the foster care system in Orange County. In the words of Kay Warren, I was, "seriously disturbed and gloriously ruined." I heard some pretty unbelievable things and left the meeting feeling for all of the children in, "the system." I feel led to be involved, I just don't know in what capacity yet. I'm prayerfully considering being a mentor and eventually a foster parent and perhaps an adoptive mom as well.

Saturday morning I woke up at the crack of dawn to help at the OC AIDS Walk. I was part of the volunteer ministry team for the Saddleback Church HIV/AIDS initiative. For me to get out of bed while it is still dark outside, I have to be pretty passionate about the cause! There were over 16,00o registered walker participants and many came to our booth to hear what Saddleback is doing to fight the HIV/ AIDS epidemic locally and globally. I shared our heart for helping those infected and affected with HIV /AIDS as well as an interest in helping with HIV education and testing.

Pastor Danny, our fearless leader

These are the shirts that we wore. I love them! It is only when we are disturbed by something that we start to act to do something about it. The HIV/AIDS initiative is working hard to champion with others to stop the spread of HIV / AIDS and support those living with the disease.

Kay Warren and I. Her vision is for churches everywhere to: Care for and comfort the sick, Handle testing and counseling, Unleash a task force of volunteers, Remove the stigma, Champion healthy behavior and Help with nutrition and Medication.

GO ANGELS!

Our resource table

The walking group! Well, okay, I didn't walk... but held down the fort while the others did!

Danny, the chosen spokesperson for the media.

After the walk I went on a thrift store shopping frenzy. I hit 6 on the way to my friend Carolyn's house!!!! I took a big fat nap on Carolyn's church before she woke me up to eat Mexican food at a local hole-in-the-wall joint. YUMMY! We spent the night catching up with each other and chuckled that we were in our jammies and ready for bed by 10! We laughed about being in agreement that it was just too much work to get dolled up for a night on the town!

Sunday morning Carolyn's cutenesses appeared and we had a bargain Farmer Boys breakfast and hit garage sales and more thrift stores! We were on a mission to find a few specific things and found them!

Sunday afternoon and evening I took a class on spiritual growth which I have been wanting and needing to take. I enjoyed reconnecting with some friends at FUEL service and headed home. During my relaxing long shower I slipped, fell and hit my head HARD during a 5.0 EARTHQUAKE! I was trying to leap out of the shower to run for the doorway when the shaking started. I now have a substantial knot on my noggin' and an indentation from where my head met the faucet. Just call me Grace!

I'm grateful for my attitude readjustment and for the excitement of knowing that there are many meaningful ways for me to serve... and looking forward to just getting out there. Welcome back, me!

Easter with family and a portrait

He Is Risen!

"And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them ..."

Mark 16

My sister Janice, Brother-in-law Mark, nephew Andrew and my parents joined me for Easter Service with Saddleback Church's FUEL (formerly FUSE!) Service.

I suckered them into a, "family portrait." It's the Southern California "Hughie" (and Graffius) folk.

We had a low key enjoyable Easter day. Church followed by a little Masters watching, card playing, fillet mignon and salmon eating. I did miss the Easter baskets, the obligatory egg hunt and the chocolate bunnies... sigh... I'll just have to wait until I have my own little ones. Someday...

Baptized!

"Baptism: In Christianity, baptism, (from Greek baptizo: "immersing",) is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which one is admitted as a full member of the Christian Church, and, in the same view of some, as a member of the particular Church in which the baptism is administered." ~Wikipedia

Today I was baptized. I was baptized when I was a small child and made the decision to be baptized as an adult. It was a beautiful day! My Pastor, Rick Warren, was the one to do, "the dunking."

There she goes! "I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Justin and Chris, special friends who served on my Rwanda mission with me, were my cheering section!

Justin was kind enough to snap some photos so that I can remember this day. Thank you, Justin!

Day #14 Rwanda~ Homeward Bound with a parasite

Well, there you go. I've blogged about the highlights of my trip of a lifetime: My Mission trip to Rwanda.

I ended up VERY sick with major GI symptoms (I'll spare you the details) and was hospitalized both in Kigali and then again when I got back home. I somehow contracted a parasite (and I thought I was so careful) that wrecked havoc on my insides.

Thankfully the team thought to bring clean blood kits. The medical team was able to use the supplies to start my IV (after many attempts) to give my body some much needed fluids intravenously.

I spiked a very high fever and was very weak. I wasn't sure if I would be able to fly home with my team. But, thank you GOD, I was wheeled on the plane and met my parents at the airport who took me to the Emergency Room.

This photo was taken the morning of the start of it all....

And this is me before boarding the plane in Brussels, Belgium. (Nice forced smile, eh?) I knew if I could just get on the plane I'd be in the clear!

Getting a parasite was not fun, but made my experience in Africa all the more well rounded! And now, 3 months later, I'm almost better!