Bread For Life ~ 10 Months In Review

This blog post is dedicated to everyone who has purchased a loaf of bread, prayed for this ministry or simply offered precious words of encouragement along the way. Without YOU none of this could have happened. 

‘Bread For Life’ is the Lord’s ministry. I offered Him the one talent that I was confident I had (baking pumpkin bread) and, because of His unfathomable love for the orphan, He has done the rest. In short, ‘Bread For Life’ has raised over $10,000 is less than 10 months! Unbelievable. Or is it? 

BFL was conceived in December of 2011 when I learned that most orphans do not have daily meals,  have no safe place to lay their head., and have nobody to hold them and tell them they are loved. They are abused, abandoned and often left to die. My heart bleeds for these children daily. There is a never-ending cry in my heart to love these children, whatever that may look like. 

After much prayer and seeking the Lord, I kept asking, “What can I do?” Then the idea came to mind, “Well, everyone tells me I bake good Pumpkin Bread” (all credit goes to my mother! It’s her recipe) “I could bake bread and sell it.”

From that moment on, that is what I set out to do and sure enough, people loved the bread. Most of all, however, they loved the cause! Once made aware of the urgent needs of children worldwide, they were eager to help in anyway possible. This is why my heart becomes overwhelmed with hope, gratitude and thanksgiving. Because WE have made a difference for so many lives, already. It hasn't even been 1 year and lives have been radically changed forever!!

Why? Because this is God’s ministry! This is His heart. We get the privilege to be His hands and His feet and through that He blesses us with unspeakable joy. Isn't that the coolest thing ever? I think so!

I also remember the day the Lord spoke to my heart and gave me the name “Bread For Life”. I was walking from my kitchen to my living room and it was as if the Lord said, “Your bread will help bring life to my children. I am the true 'Bread of Life' and you will be used to show them that truth.” Amazing!

I have baked and you have bought.

So without any further a-due, please allow me to share with you all that WE have done together as a team:

** Sanyu Babies Home in Uganda. Over $6,000 donated to this orphanage that takes in babies who have been abandoned anywhere from hours old to 3 years old.  When we visited this past June, my favorite little guy was Philip. He was 3 months old at that time and oh-so-little. Upon my return home, I learned that Philip was abandoned when he was 1 day old on the steps of Sanyu in the middle of the night. The Mamma’s found him wrapped in blankets when they arrived to work that morning. My heart bleeds with sorrow for these little precious bundles of joy. 

** “A Perfect Injustice.” API is a home for young boys who have been rescued from the slum of Kampala and given a chance at life - ‘Bread For Life’ was able to purchase yard equipment (lawn mower and weed eater) for this property so that the high grasses could be cut away. It was able to provide a clear, safe path for the boys and village families to walk to the well to get water and not have to worry about snakes and other creepy African style creatures biting them or hurting them. It also allowed grass to be cut around the home allowing these boys to have a safe field to play sports on. Just what every boy deserves right? I think so. 

** “Redeemer House” Orphanage in Uganda- We blessed the directer of the orphanage Kathy Vaughan with a cash donation for what she needed to better her home. I believe she said she needed to fix (or buy) a dinner table so all the children could eat meals together as a family every night. She also said she had village children she would like to provide for. You can read about Kathy and her story here (click on "About Us"). She is a remarkable and amazing woman that I am honored and humbled to have been able to spend time with. You talk about a woman of faith: this is her. 

** “A House of Praise” (This is my favorite!)- BFL was able to partner with a couple from our trip (Craig and Sherry French) and purchase a PREGNANT cow for 24 orphans who only ate one small meal a day and drank from a muddy creak. Praise is a 24 year old woman who took it upon herself to care for these 24 orphaned, hungry, lost and vulnerable children. She receives little to no help in what she does and therefore SHE NEEDS US! It was the greatest and most heartwarming feeling ever when they delivered this cow to her. The look on her face tells you everything. These precious children now have raw milk to drink on a daily basis to help their weak bodies get strong. Since our return home, we learned that the cow gave birth and the children named the calf “Miracle”. Doesn't that just warm your heart? It does mine. (All of this is a Miracle in my book!)

This is baby "Miracle"

** ‘Bread For Life’ helps adoptive families raise money. We have helped a family in their adoption process by donating over $1,900 in order to save a life of a child. I mean, really, who has $35,000 to adopt a child. Nobody does. That is why God brings people like you and I along to help in that process. *If you know of a family in our community in the middle of an adoptive process, please contact me. We would love to help support and fundraise!

** BFL has donated a small portion of money to help a family lay concrete in their home in the Dominican Republic. Because of ‘just enough funds’ a group of woman from Calvary Chapel Petaluma were able to donate the money for this to happen. This is huge. Image living in a home where the floor was dirt. Rain makes mud. Mud creates filth and disease sets in. What a huge blessing for this woman to now have a concrete floor for her and her family. 

(Not actual photo)

** BFL now sponsors a 12 year old boy who lives at “A Perfect Injustice”. A local Petaluma family and BFL has come together in partnership to save this child’s life. This boy, Bob, was on the streets in the slums of Kampala for 9 months after his family abandoned him. We decided to commit to his sponsorship and his future. On a Wednesday, that Saturday morning he was brought into the home. Look at his face before and look at it now! Praise God! I pray Bob is the first of many children ‘Bread For Life’ can sponsor!

Before API

After

(Sorry about the quality of the photos but I think you can see how happy he is how that he is safe!)

I have listed many things here. As I write these all out I am AMAZED at all that WE have done as a team. Do you realize, my friends, that none of this could have happened without your love and support. Do you see how huge this is. A few dollars here and there adds up! It makes a difference! It changes lives! This is proof!

Jesus made it all very clear in His words when he spoke to his disciples. He said, (I’m paraphrasing) “When you do these things, you are really doing them to me. These little ones are so precious to Me that you can just substitute Me in their place - so closely do I identify with them. In other words: It is ME that you are serving. Deny yourself. Sacrifice what is important to you for my names sake and I will make you fishers of men. I will fill you with a love for me that produces faith that will move mountains. Step outside yourself, trust me and watch what I can do.”

My heart is that everyone reading this will grasp and understand what is being shown here. These are not ‘miracles’ that I created or that you created, but really, it’s simply God’s heart at work, stopping at nothing to seek and to save. He just needs willing hearts. He needs people to say, “Yes Lord, I will!”

Throughout these months of sharing with people the heart behind “Bread For Life”, I have seen young children tithe all their money to this ministry. I have seen young girls empty their purses for the needs of the children. I have seen young adult men come to me in tears handing me all the money in their wallets. I have seen older woman write me checks that I could have never dreamed of. I have seen older men come to me, hug me and start weeping because they “get it”. After ‘so many years,‘ they get it now. Only the Spirit of the Lord could produce results like these. I will say this till the day I die, this is the Heart of Christ. This is what it’s all about. ‘Bread For Life’ is the Lord’s ministry and PRAISE GOD He has chosen us to do His work.

Thank you my friends. Thank you for all the support and all the love. And thank you to the mysterious person who pinned a $100 bill on my front porch and said, “Bread For Life.” Thank you! May God bless your heart, fill you with peace and give you a desire and love to serve Him all the days of your life!

Now, let’s see what we can do in the next ten months!

Blessings  

"And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful."

Titus 3:14

Our New Addition

It is with exciting and overjoyed hearts

that we announce...

Baby #4

coming March 14th!

To say that we were surprised is a bit of an understatement.

Truly, this sweet gift was not on our radar and that is why we are overjoyed 

knowing God has plans for this ever-growing Maiocca family.

I am officially 12 weeks this past Friday and 

YES

we will be finding out what we are having! :-))

I have to know. I've already had enough surprises.

I have to say, the last 8 weeks has been utter torment.

Whoever created the tern "morning sickness" apparently was a man.

I have been struck down with "morning sickness' 24/7 for the past 8 weeks.

Sleeping on the bathroom floor became my new bed. Ugh!

Someone said that the "morning sickness' gets worst with every pregnancy.

I am here today to say,

Yep, I agree.

With all that being said, I am excited that I believe I am finally moving out of this sick-stage of pregnancy.

(I never thought I would see the day.)

I have had several good days scattered around and I am hopeful I will be normal SOON!

Whatever "normal" is: I want it!

I'm excited again to start writing about my Uganda trip as my heart LONGS daily

to be in that country with those beautiful people.

Something happened to me while I was there and I truly will never be the same.

Sometimes I just sit and look at all my pictures and I can still smell the smells, hear the sounds,

see the big brown eyes filled with tears, feel their hands holding mine.

I left my heart in Uganda and I pray for the day we return.

But until then, I will continue to unfold the memories from my heart onto paper.

I will continue to relive those precious moments and treasure all the memories

and share them with you the best I could.

They are simply priceless.

But first things first... 

Entering second trimester strong and well. 

I'm praying everyday, this will be the day.

Stay tuned...

"For you created my inmost being;

    you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made"

Psalm 139:13-14

Thank you Jesus! ♥ 

Does She Know?

One of my most favorite pictures of the whole trip:

She was walking down this dirt road, 

alone

barefoot,

pregnant.

Where is she going?
What is her name?

Does she have other children?

What has her life been like?

Is she hurting?

Does she have a home?

Does she have enough food and water?

I wonder all these things as I look intently at her face.

Her eyes tell a story.

Do you see it?

I would do anything to sit and listen to her share her life.

My heart breaks for this woman. 

I don't know why.

I believe she is hurting.

Does she know Jesus?

Has anyone ever told her of His unfailing love?

That He sent His Son to

DIE FOR HER?

Does she know this?

Does she know she can live forever in eternity with Him

if she would just believe?

"For God so loved the world

that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16 

Has anyone ever told her about Jesus?

I feel it is my job.

I need to go back.

I need to tell her about my Jesus.

If I don't, who will?

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest

to send out laborers into his harvest."

Luke 10:2

Miles Upon Miles - Uganda

After we landed at Entebee International Airport we quickly loaded up into 3 different taxi's and begun the trip to our 'African hotel' where we would be staying for the next 2 weeks.

Like I mentioned before, I thought I knew what it would be like.

What it would look like. What it would NOT smell like.

I clearly had no idea.

For the next hour we drove through town-after-town, passing

village-after-village straight into the capital city of Kampala.

My mind could not accept all that I was seeing.

For miles upon miles, as far as the eye could see:

Poverty.

100% poverty!

Aside every dirt road

Behind every "house"

 Up every hill

Around every corner…

POVERTY.

Miles Upon Miles … 

complete POVERTY all around.

Little toddler children alone next to extremely busy roads.

Dogs wondering the street. Sleeping anywhere they could.
(Some piled 3 high, dead on the roadside,

waiting to be burned.)

Goats roaming the streets looking for anything to eat.

Mopeds called "bota-bota's" (taxi's) coming within HAIRS of slamming head-on into your vehicle.

People everywhere.

Dirt everywhere.

No running water.

No trash system.

No plumbing.
No sanitation. 

The ‘homes’ are mounded together by cardboard boxes, brick and mud.

Children everywhere.

Babies with no diapers.

Toddlers with no clothes.

Shoes? You tell me. 

My mind was spinning.

Miles upon miles.

Endless poverty.

I believe it was at this point that my spirit
and my heart went into a bit of a shock.

I truly had no clue how to process or make sense
of much of what I was seeing.

Maybe it was just me. Perhaps everyone expected it to be like this…
I sure didn’t

My spirit was paralyzed.

As bad as it may sound (and at times I admit it sounds negative)

it is truly not the case...

I fell in love with Uganda.

In all the chaos, in all the filth,
in all the pollution, in all the need,
the Lord was revealing Himself to me
in ways that only He can
in a situation like this.

To the average Joe, it looked horrible.
It smelled horrible.
No one in their right mind would bring their family
here for a vacation. 
This would be absurd.

However, as my spirit went into shock,
my God was there ministering to me.
It was as if He was sitting right next to me
in the taxi whispering in my ear.

It was as if I could hear Him say,

“These are my people.
The children represent me.
What will you do? 
Will you humble yourself and love my people
or will you turn your heart against them?
I did not call you for your own selfish gain.
I called you to deny yourself,
pick up your cross and follow Me,
no matter what it looks like.
I am calling you.

What will it be?”

The taxi ride to our hotel was a great trial for me.
Every ounce of my spirit was tested
in ways I could not explain.

However, I can tell you this,
I weep now at the thought of going back.
I would leave tomorrow if I could.

The smells, the filth, the poverty,
the hunger, the needs… the children… the people…
they have stolen my heart.

I asked the Lord months ago
to break my heart for what breaks His…

I believe He has started His work.

"He defended the cause of the poor and needy,
    and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know me?'
    declares the Lord."

Jeremiah 22:16 

The Unfolding of Memories - Uganda

Here I am finally sitting down to write about my

experience in Uganda. Its about time, right?

I know.

To say it's been hard to download all that I witnessed and had the privilege to be part of is an understatement. Little did I know that the days following my return would be some of the hardest of my life. I'm an emotional mess person anyways and thus

"coming down the mountain," coupled with severe jet lag,

nearly put me over the edge.

I found it difficult even to verbalized to my husband many of the experiences. The suffering I witnessed has left a scar that will forever hurt to touch.

Much of the sorrow I internalized and shoved down into my heart. I realized later this was not good. For several days I found it hard to leave my house. I dreaded seeing anyone I knew for fear I would just collapse in tears when they asked, "So how was your trip?" I had no way of answering that without crying. So I basically went into hiding. (note to self: don't do that again.)

It's been a little over a month since I have returned and I feel that I am ready to start writing. Many times I sat down to write and had no idea where to start. A part of me still feels that way but I realize I must start somewhere, right?  "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." This is what I am telling myself anyway.

I have 900 stories I want to share with you but I need to do it one at a time. Please join with me on this journey as I re-live much of my trip and journal it; not only for my friends, but also for myself, my husband, and my children. This trip was beyond precious to me, life changing and faith building so I need to do 'this' right.

While we were in Africa, my friend Jessica said:

"God knew what He was doing when He created Africa.

And God knew what He was doing when He created America." 

WOW! It's so so true!

My friends, Africa has become the center of my heart.

I have fallen in love with a nation, a people and a culture that is simply breathtaking. I am exciting to walk through this journal of memories with you as they unfold in my mind.

Many people have asked, "Was it just what you imagined?

Was it everything you had thought it would be?"

The best way I can answer this question is like this:

It's like that person on the phone who you have never seen in person but you have talked to several times. You have created a picture in your mind of what you think they look like but you really have no idea. Then the day comes when you get to meet face to face. When you see them, you are taken back because they look totally different than you had imagined. There is nothing wrong with how they look, it's just different than what you had in mind.

That is how Africa was for me.

I pictured it a certain way. I looked at many pictures and surrounded myself with different stories and faces. I thought I knew what it was going to be like....but I had no idea.

I had no idea that the poverty would be so appalling.

I had no idea that the smells would actually be a stench.

I had no idea how many people I would see in dire need,

everywhere!

 

I simply had no idea!

I walked into the unknown of Africa as a girl who had no clue of anything outside of the comforts of my American lifestyle.

(I quickly came to realize,

I've never been in need of anything a day in my life.)

Today, I walk as a woman who knows.

I have seen. I have touched. I have smelled. I have loved.

Stay tuned...

"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

will himself call out and not be answered."

Proverbs 21:13