Thursday, August 19, 2010

for the love of all that's GOOD in this world.

i complain....
a lot....
i complain about how annoying my children are....
how Taylor doesn't like to take baths....
or how Lewie goes through diapers like a mad man....
i complain that it's sooooo hot outside and that it took over an hour to drop 5 degrees in the house running the A/C with everything closed up and dark....
i complain because even i get caught up in the midst of taking everything i have for granted....
i'll tell you, that a few years ago (well probably about 4 now), i began looking into going to Uganda.
I really REALLLLLLY wanted to go here....
with our church.
i wanted to find sponsors so that I could fly to Africa and help the people there....
now, i didn't know WHAT exactly I'd do there,
or what they would have me do.
i didn't know what i'd see,
what i'd be subject to....
i didn't care....
i wanted to go....
however, i was a mother now.... a single mother at the time....
and how could i just up and go for 11 days?
it didn't happen....
years later, i am still a mother....
of 2 now.
with a husband that i have never stayed a night apart from....
how difficult that would be for me....

but you know what is even more difficult??

THIS (<-- go ahead and click that link) is even more difficult than me being away from my family for 11 days....
please go check out that album.
one of my beautiful friends, Joy, journeyed to Africa....
she is a mother,
yet she made her way all the way to Africa to do whatever she could do in her time there....
i cried going through that entire photo album....

we think OUR life is hard here?
we think OUR jobs "suck?"
we complain about our water not being hot enough....
or not getting nice enough clothing....
what if you had NONE?!
what if you walked around with a bare bum, and bathed in a dirty lake??
what if you didn't have a job?
or money?
or running water?
or food?
or a mom or dad to raise you?
what if you were raised by your 10 year old brother because both of your parents died of AIDS? That's extremely common there, you know....
i would do ANYTHING to give them a better life....
i don't feel like I can make a big enough difference, but how wonderful it would be if I could just hold those little babies and rock them for a while....

The world needs more people like Joy (and Jill)....
sneak a peek at those pictures.... i don't think you'll be, at all, disappointed....

8 comments:

Pat Tillett said...

you are so right, it's easy to take what he have for granted.
I know you. I know you are the kind of person who would do these things for others. Not for yourself, or for how it would make you look. you'd do it because it needed to be done...

Marlene said...

We take so many things for granted.

Andrea said...

Ashley, you have such a big heart! Our lives are so spoiled - most all of us! My kids and I were fortunate enough to meet a group of children who sing and dance and share from Uganda. Their name is "Ugandan Thunder" - strange name - but great group of kids! They were all so sweet and you couldn't help but love them. Some of the people here hosted the children in their homes and got to know them a little better. They shared about how special it was to be one of the FORTUNATE ones who stayed at an orphanage. Their treat for Christmas dinner every year? IF there's enough money - they all get A PIECE of chicken. A PIECE. There is a group from the church at which I work going in September. I hope that if you still want to, that you will be able to go one day. If not - there's always prayer and support other ways! What a heart you have!

Ally said...

Yikes you really put things in perspective. Man, I think I'm mad at you. I like complaining and now I feel like I have to stop.

Well done, girl.

Bossy Betty said...

Thanks, Ashley for helping put things into perspective. We really are so lucky....

Love the pictures too! Some of them gave me chills.

Ashley King said...

@ Pat, (poppa).... awwwww.... that is so very sweet of you to say!!! (shhh, i'll pay you tomorrow.)

@Marlene, we DEFINITELY do!

@Andrea, people complain about here, but never experience a third world country, me included! i KNOW that it would change my life entirely!!! (heck, working in Oncology did!!) imagine a PIECE of chicken.... IF you're lucky.... and how much we waste here!!!! ugh!! thank you for all your kind words.

@ Ally, you can still complain, at least remember these babies when you're done so you'll get over your complaining real quick. ;)

@ BB, some of them gave me chills too!!!! aren't they incredible? it's just a whole different world!!!! I can't even imagine!!!!

Thank you all for stopping by!!!! =)

littlemisspammy said...

Beautiful post and the pictures are amazing!

Ashley King said...

awww thanks Pam!!! =)