In Amsterdam

I had to wait until I had adequate bandwidth in order to post the pictures in the previous post. We are in fact sitting in the airport in Amsterdam now waiting to board the plane to Memphis.

At about 5:00 p.m., we should be on the ground in Memphis.
Thanks for your prayers during the past week.

Faiza Update.

Many of you do not know Faiza, and yet others will remember her from just over a year ago.

I went to visit her this week. It was the first time I had seen her since the accident. I cannot express how good it was for me to see her. She is a beautiful little girl. I had tea with she and her dad in a small cafe in her village one afternoon.

Here are some pictures for you to witness the answered prayers of the Lord for yourself.

Tuesday Morning.

It is bright and early this morning, with the birds fighting for time and space to get their voice in edge wise. We have watched them picking apart the pomegranate on the tree just outside the front door.  God is truly amazing in all His creation. Not only that, but He is wonderfully merciful in all His ways as well. It is mercy for Him to give us breath, and it is all the more merciful of Him to blow upon our dark, cold hearts and grant regeneration to our souls. Shockingly, He does not stop there either, but continues to work in us, ministering to us, based on Jesus' continued work for us and through the Spirit's work in us. He has been this for me this week, no doubt. I have really enjoyed my time here the past 4 days. I have been able to see so many people and take care of several issues that needed to be taken care of. I appreciate you praying for me thus far. We only have 3 days left here and will only spend two more nights here. The time has flown, as it always does. The guys with me are doing great. From what I can tell, they are enjoying everything about this place. Kurt has been so gracious to take care of the teaching, while at the same time doing a remarkable job with it. He has posted daily a bit about the sessions. 

Again, thank you for your continued prayers on our behalf.

-Anthony

Thoughts from Jamie Crampton

 I asked Jamie to jot down some thoughts from the past couple of days. Jamie is a sixteen-year old that I attend church with in New Albany. He and his brother Joseph are two of the four guys that accompanied me on this trip. Please forgive the format...we are dealing with 3rd world technology.

Unsearchable Riches

There is more poverty in this land than I could have imagined. There have been

many times that I have wanted to sit down and weep. But the riches of Christ

shine brightly in the face of poverty. The poor and beggarly souls are invited

to stretch out their poor and withered hands to the Savior.

The bitter cup of poverty is a small taste of the emptiness of the soul, and

the hopelessness of the poor is nothing compared to the hopelessness of the

enemy of Christ. To be without God is to be without hope. But God, who is rich

in mercy, is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.

We have been given so much; we have been given all things in Christ. Why are

we so slow to take up our crosses and follow Him? When He commands us to leave

all and follow Him, it is like telling a prisoner to leave His chains, the

debtor to leave His debt, and the beggar to leave His scraps so that He might

come to the feast. Oh, that we might live as beggars and pilgrims in this life

that we might be kings in the next. We might beg ourselves rich by the grace

that is in Christ.

Ultimately, the rich have nothing more than the poor. Either we have Christ,

or we have nothing. What are all the treasures of this life when we die?

Christ is all in all. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where

moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for

yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where

thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20) We who have nothing are

freely offered to buy the pearl of greatest price.

Look to the face of Christ, not the hand of providence. The LORD is all love

to His people. There have been moments were I questioned the sovereign love of

God to the Christians in Ethiopia. But it is high treason against the King to

lodge bitter thoughts about Christ. Circumstances may be dark to our eyes, but

the Sun of righteousness is all light. "Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is

good!"

Arrived.

We are here and at the house. 

We are getting settled in and hoping to get some sleep soon.

Thanks for praying.

Updates

Well, Isaac is now really Isaac and really mine. The proceedings yesterday were nothing really, just me answering yes to about a dozen questions and the judge rather uninterestingly mumbling "yea, we'll grant it". So the petition to make Isaac my son was granted, and now we wait for the birth certificate and social security card. Thanks for praying, and for your constant concern.

Today I am packing for the children and I for the next 10 days. They will be off in about 4 hours to stay with friends and grandparents, while I will depart in the morning for Ethiopia. I do appreciate your prayers. I will make some attempt to update the work in Ethiopia while away, but the word I have on the situation there is very little electricity, water, and phone it the past month. Which also translates to internet issues. You may try Kurt's blog if I have not posted.

Again, thanks for praying for us.

Isaac's Adoption

Many of you may not know that Isaac's adoption is not yet finalized. In actuality, he is not Isaac Anthony yet. But, I am hopeful that the finalization date is near, May 19, to be exact. Please do pray that I am able to get my petition for adopting him heard that day before I depart for Ethiopia just two days later.
There does not appear to be any hiccups in the process and for the most part all that is required is jumping through these last few hoops. Everything required to satisfy the state and the agency has been met, and a court date is all that remains.
I do appreciate your continued prayers in this regard.