Ohio... here I come!

I will be heading back to the states to do some fundraising for my move to Uganda... tickets are booked!!! I will arrive in Ohio on Monday, July 14 and will be there until October 28th.

For a quick (re)summery...
My plan is to move to Uganda early 2015. I will be starting up a home for special needs girls once I get there. Since August I have been serving as as the co-director of Hogar de la Esperanza, here in Guatemala (so I somewhat know what I am getting into). This has been an amazing experience, learning what to do (and some of what not to do). I am taking a leap of faith in moving to Uganda, but it is a leap of faith that I know God wants me to take. So, as I am preparing for my trip to the state, I could really use your help with a few things.

1. A car. If anyone happens to have a functioning vehicle that I could borrow for my time (or for part of my time) I would greatly appreciate it. (If you are hesitant because of not knowing how I drive I will let you know that I have never been in an accident, I have never had a ticket, I have never even been pulled over for any reason at all.)
2. I am going back to fund raise, but while I am there I would also really like to do some work to earn some money throughout the week. If anyone has odd jobs that they would like me to help out with, just let me know. Also, I am more than happy to babysit. I have had plenty of experience with special needs kids (I am fairly comfortable with any needs). I know that parents of special needs kids often have a harder time finding babysitters so they do not as often get out of the house even thought it is so very important. I would really appreciate it if you guys could help me out by spreading the word... I am willing to work as little or as much as possible.
3. If your church, Sunday school or small group would be willing to have me, I would love to find a time to come and speak. I will be living in Troy, Ohio, but if you have dates available for me to speak further away, just let me know.
4. Pray. I need a lot of stuff, a lot of help but most of all I need wisdom and guidance. None of this is the slightest bit possible without God, please help me by standing by me and praying with and for me.

If you would like to contact me about any of these things you can e-mail me at carissa@hopeforhome.org or you can message me on Facebook. Also, if you have any questions or need clarification on any of these things, just let me know.

God bless!

Introducing....

I am pleased to announce that the Fulp family has a new member. I am very happy to introduce Olimpia Sarai. Olimpia is 5 1/2 months old and weighs just under 6 lbs (clearly she is malnourished). She was in a malnutrition ward but since she has Down Syndrome she was not able to stay there. She is so sweet and very curious. She is very weak and can not hold up her head, but she tries very hard. So, here is the beautiful Olimpia...

Her in newborn clothes... just a little big ;) 

Giving her some love :)

Nap time

Olimpia next to Shauna's childhood babydoll

Please pray for Olimpia as she adjusts and  for quick weight gain.

For anyone who dosn't know, we now have a Hogar de la Esperanza facebook page. I try to get on every few days and post a new picture or two. It is just a fun way to see little things that go on in our home. So, feel free to check it out... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hogar-de-la-Esperanza/392833970857019

Thanks for all your prayers and support, God bless :)

Glorify your name!

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds... Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say?" 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for THIS VERY REASON I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" John 12:24, 27, 28a

As I was doing my devotions the other night I came across this passage and it triggered a prayer. I began to pray with complete abandonment. "Lord, let me die. Let me die to myself that I may bring glory to your name." Let me step away from anything that is me so that I can become what is only you. Let me be so into you that I forget who I have been and who I am. "Let me die." Truly, let me leave this world if that is your will. Let me join you at this very moment if you see fit. To look at your face would be the greatest joy. "Father, glorify your name!" Do whatever is necessary for your name to be lifted up; in my life, in the lives of those around me and in the lives of people all over the world. "I am yours." 
Now, I keep a prayer journal, and every night I end with this. It is a constant reminder to myself that I am here for his work... but, to be completely honest, some nights it is just something I say out of habit and but some nights it is something that I mean with all my heart.  That night, I meant it with everything in me. "I am yours, heart and soul. Do with me and in me what you want so that your name will be glorified." 

I am heading into a very difficult place in my life. In July I will be heading back to the states to fund raise. This is hard for me for a few reasons. One is, I simply hate being in front of people. I am not well spoken when talking to friends, let alone crowds. I get shyer and more uncomfortable than normal when people are looking at me. I don't like public attention, its as simple as that.  Well, I am beginning to sound like Moses.... so I shall stop there, but you get the idea. "Father, be glorified." Heading back to the states is also hard because it is one step closer to me actually going to Uganda. Don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic to go, but I know it will be an incredibly difficult task once I get there... dealing with everything; work visa, finding a house, employees, paper work, the list goes on. My life is going to change drastically in this coming year and that is hard to think about. Next year I will be stepping into the unknown. "Father, glorify your name!" I will pick up all I own, fly half way around the world and start new. I know some of what God wants me to do, but this is a huge leap of faith. I don't have money or resources, but he will provide in his own timing. I am dying to myself... and man does death hurt. "Father, I am yours. Glorify your name!" My job right now it let God change me. Let him knit pick my life. Step back and surrender and he has me die. Now, I should have been letting him to this since the beginning.... but that is a hard step to take. Sometimes it takes a while for full surrender.

"I wanna be lost in you, like a ship in the night... I wanna be so far gone in you, so far nothing else will ever do. I wanna be so far gone in you, in you." So Far Gone, Thousand Foot Kruch

To Christian Guys...

Everyone these days focus on addressing girls, reminding them that they are beautiful. Over the past 6 months I have watched so many videos, advertisements, read blogs and articles addressed to this. Yes, they are needed (for me and for many others), it is very important to remind girls of this... but what about addressing guys? There are a few, very important things guys these days need to hear but are almost never said... so I have taken the liberty of written a few of them out. This is specifically for a few close friends of mine out there, but I hope that others will read this and be encouraged by it also.


For any of you Christian guys out there who feel like you are going unnoticed... For any of you nice guys out there who feel like you are "finishing last"... For any of you guys who have been "friend zoned"... I want you to know a few things...

I know that this world is hard on you, but you are staying strong. Thank you. This would is hard on everyone but your ability to stand is very admirable.

In our society these days modesty is "unnecessary". Girls can walk around in just about anything they want as long as it just barely covers what is necessary. On behalf of all females, I am sorry. I know its hard for you. I see the look on your face when you see a girl dressed inappropriately and your mind immediately takes you somewhere you don't want to be... but more importantly I see your look of disappointment. I see the work it takes for you to refocus your mind. I see the struggles and I see the triumph. I respect that. I know that sometimes you will fail, but your desire to refocus your mind, your perseverance is also very respectable.

I see that you are one of the few guys left out there who has respect for yourself, for your elders and for the girls and woman around you. I see that you are waiting for a great, God seeking woman to marry and I see that you are keeping yourself pure for your her. I see the way you hug your female friends, the same way you would want your future wife to hug her male friends, with respect and honor.

I see your desire to follow God with all your heart. I see you sacrificing yourself for his calling. I see your constant struggle to know His will for your life. I see just how hard, but important is is for you to put this worlds view aside. I see your willingness to give up anything and everything for him.

I see you.
I notice you.

I appreciate you. 

I respect you.

...For every single reason  I listed above, and for many, many more

And please don't give up your morals, your passions or your desire to follow Him. Don't change for a girl or because of your "friends"... be strong and remain who you are because that person is one of the coolest people I know. 

Surrendering to the Insane

Is picking up a family of 11 and moving to Guatemala crazy? Yes

Is heading to Uganda as a single girl nuts? Of course.
Is starting up a home for special needs girls on the other side of the world insane? Absolutely.
Is it all worth it?

No doubt about it.

People seem to think that the moment you leave behind the securities of a job, or insurance, or a home, etc. that you have lost your mind or are simply being reckless... (Lost your mind, maybe ;) )  Being reckless? No. There is a big difference between being reckless and trusting God.

When I was in Uganda last year, I constantly  had people asking me if I was being careful and safe.... but in reality, those are two different things. You can be careful but not necessarily safe. That is (in some ways) what it is to live life. You take precautions... but if you avoid anything that could turn into a dangerous situation, well that's not living (you would simply become the boy in the plastic bubble, and that's not living that's just not dying) . You take a step of faith and pray that Gods will be done. You should not necessarily pray for safety... Gods will and safety do not always line up.

God calls us to role up our sleeves and get our hands dirty. God calls us to step out of our comfort zone. God calls us to live dangerously. God calls us to do crazy things.

I cant help but think of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Frodo (a seemingly common and useless hobbit) was called to take a journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring. So, he went. He didn't know how he was going to get there. He didn't know the dangers that he was going to face. He didn't know how long it was going to take. He didn't know if he would ever make it back home. But he went. 

Then you can take it even a step further with Samwise. Sam didn't really seem to have a big part in it all (at first glance). Frodo was asked to carry the ring, Sam kinda just tagged along for the fun of it. He didn't have to go, he wasn't asked to go.... he chose to go (and he stuck with it to the end even thought he could have turned around at any moment and headed home). He went to support his friend. And when the going got tough and Frodo couldn't continue, Sam was there to press on. He was there to carry Frodo.

So, the question is....

Am I Frodo? - Am I heading on this journey simply because I am called to?

Am I Sam? - Am I going on this journey because I want to? Because I want to be there for those who need me?

Or am I all the hobbits living in the Shire missing out on the most amazing and difficult journey anyone could ever imagine?

In the beginning of working towards Uganda... I was simply doing this because I knew its what God wanted.... but that very quickly changed after visiting. I am now going because I know (without a doubt) that is where God wants me to be... but not only that, because more than anything else, I want to be there. I left a part of my heart there in Uganda. I want to live in a country where kids run up to me yelling "Mazungu" (what they call white people). I want to be stained with the red dirt of Ugandan earth. I want to be the American that can speak Luganda (no matter how long it takes me) and can hold up a conversations with families in the villages. I want to be the light of God to people who are told there is no hope for them or for their child. I want to be a mom to as many special needs kids that He brings to me. I want to be the hands and feet of God there in Uganda... It dose not matter how hard it is. It does not matter how much studying it takes. It dose not matter how many people advise me not to (which is growing continually). It doesn't matter how messy and terrifying the job becomes. 

It doesn't matter how crazy it sound. 

I am surrendering to the insane. 

Once of my favorite songs (and the "inspiration" for this blog post) Something Crazy, by Steven Curtis Chapman 

I would also like to take a minute to do a quick update on my journey to Uganda. I am planning on moving to Uganda in the first half of 2015. Before I go, I have to head back to the United States for fundraising. I am in the process of figuring out some stuff, followed by booking flights. I am looking at being in the Ohio area for 2 or 3 months (starting probably mid July). More details on this within a week or two, but please keep me in your thought and prayers. Thank you all.

Raquel and Esther

 This afternoon we received 2 new Fulp members. Raquel (in pink) and Esther (in purple) are 2 years old (obviously twins) and quite the spirited little girls. They are very happy at one moment and screaming their little hearts out the next, but with some time they will adjust (they are slowly getting their).

Here are a 2 short videos to see and hear the girls :)

Esperanza

Sorry this is so overdue, a LOT has been going on. We had a fantastic Christmas (I will get some pictures up hopefully sometime in the next week). But, as most of you already know, we lost our little Esperanza. At around 1 PM on Monday, January 6th our worlds were turned upside down. But, I believe without a doubt that this is Gods will. Esperanza can now see, she can run and laugh, she can dance and sing. She is in the arms of her loving maker. Shes is by far happier now than she ever was with us. This is very hard for her, but to honor her joy, I want to show you just a few of the happy moments with her. This is in honor of the time we DID get to spent with her.

We did every thing with little Esperanza...

We read....

We played...

We celebrated her 6 month birthday....

We watched the world Series...

Even though our Cubs didn't make it...

We went to the zoo...

We introduced her to our friends...

We celebrated Christmas...

We opened presents....

We decorated cupcakes....

We ate pizza...

We took naps....

We watched TV...

The other kids loved her too...

She was our beautiful little girl...

You are greatly missed, Esperanza.