Home

I’m still on full recovery from the time difference and a killer 16 hour non-stop flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta.  It was brutal on the way home.  By the time I landed in Nashville I did some math and I had been awake for 36 hours with about 2 hours sleep.  Crazy town people, crazy town.  Plus on the airplane I was in an intense arm rest battle with the old South African lady who sat next to me.  She did not want to share.  I was cracking up on more than one occasion during the long flight at her dedication and pushing abilities, plus her ability to ignore me.  It was intense.

The last few nights I’ve been asleep by 8pm.  That’s a freakin’ record right there.  I’ve been cashing in 9+ hour sleep nights…and yet I’m still exhausted.  How can this be.  It’s nice to be home though and of course I was over the moon to see Josh and the kids.  They’re my jam.

I’m happy to report that Josh did not cut Amon’s hair, but he did make him grow up some which I am completely unenthused about.  Amon now sits at the table like a big kid with his plate and large fork.  It’s redonkulous.  Amon’s redonkulous.  It’s just all redonkulous.

And he took the front part of Amon’s crib off too.  Geeze.  Right before I left Amon had gotten out of his crib and he continued in his escape route while I was away.  He’s so big…I mean, he’s sleeping on a real legit pillow.  I’m slightly mortified, but then over come by the cuteness of it all.

Josh also takes it upon himself to change all the things he really hates that I do to the house whenever I go on a trip.  This time he hid several of my favorite couch pillows and one of the old quilts I love in the top of our closet.  He also hid our owl cookie jar.  Did you gasp too?  What’s not to love about an owl cookie jar…especially when it’s holding cookies.  When confronted about the changes he made, he responded with, “I was just trying to make things easier on myself while you were away.”  In which I responded with, “Yeah because an owl cookie jar causes you all kinds of problems.”  Whatevs.  Can’t wait for him to get home from work today.  Pillows…check.  Quilt…check.  Owl cookie jar…check.  #thebattlecontinues

And now I’m getting down to business again.  Making changes and decisions and getting all for realz up in the Kelley house.  Setting back into our daily routine, but yet, thinking things won’t exactly remain the same for much longer.  It’s all complicated in our hearts and heads…we’re having lots of debriefings…lots.  And I’m going to get back down to the business of Saturday Sales as well…especially with Christmas around the corner.  I have lots of new ideas swirling around in my head…any canvases you’d guys be interested purchasing?  I’m all ears.

So here’s to a new week…here’s to a new day.  I think it’s going to be good.

Happy Monday.

Swazi From My Phone

A South African sunset for my birthday.  Kind of the perfect gift.

Rhinos and Cape Buffalo at our lunch stop…this is Africa.

They said it’s the world’s best ice cream bar and now that I have partaken, I most definitely concur.

Handmade candles.  Absolutely gorgeous and vibrant with color.  I wanted to take up residence.

Ginormous cabbages and the sweetest little carriers.

Joy.  It’s pure and beautiful.

Thankful for technology that has come to Swaziland in the form of solar powered water pumps.  Crazy amazing.

Lunch time cuties.

Handmade soap which is completely rad.  I bought several and I’m going to share a bar with you guys.  #swazigiveaway  Love the hands by the way…I want these in my house.

Silliness and laughter and smiles are most definitely cross cultural.

These kids are infectious…take up residence in your heart…completely invade…and it’s wondrous.

And the world’s most perfect placemats exist in Swaziland.  Who knew.  Handmade and outrageously gorgeous.  One of these may be in the Swazi giveaway too.  #rainbowloveforever  #gottashare

It’s been real.  I’m thankful and blessed.  Tonight I head back to Tennessee and the 5 people I adore most.  Swaziland, I’ll be back soon.

Happy Thursday!

Empowering & Self-Sustaining

Each day just gets better and better.  I take that back…they have all been equally amazing and incredible and humbling and it’s just a pure privilege to be here.  I wish I could stay much longer, but I’m also ready to see Josh and the kiddos.  It’s been a whirl wind of a trip and just as the other days, today floored me as well.

Today we visited other more developed care points.  And really it’s kind of crazy how God can use His people and their resources and move them in a certain direction, formulate a plan and then execute that plan.  These care points were all different and awesome in their own way.  There sat giant play grounds in the middle of Swaziland and schools and strawberry plants in a green house and solar powered water pumps and a church building and gardens because people cared and wanted to come along side their sisters and brothers in Christ…because they want to spread God’s love and build relationships.  It was incredible to see how God has plans and He’s going to fulfill those plans using His children to support one another.

We’ve been supporters of CHC and AIM, but honestly, the stakes have been raised with this trip.  I have seen these people…these families in action and I’m in awe.  All of the staff work their butts off to empower and love fearlessly the people and children of Swaziland.  I seriously cannot put into words how amazing it was to watch them in action…the care point coordinators, the drivers, the go-gos, the discipleship leaders & teachers and the ground staff coordinators.  It takes a lot of people, but they are certainly doing God’s work…and doing it well.

We were able to visit their farm today and I was totally impressed.  I had read quite a bit about it before the trip, but was personally very excited to see it in person.  Jumbo, AIM’s ground coordinator here in Swaziland, seriously blew my mind.  It was so much, much more than I ever imagined.  The farm is huge and awesome and everything Jumbo told us further reminded me what this whole thing is about.  Empowering and self-sustaining.  300,000 cabbages…now that’s a crap load of cabbages.  There is also maize and beans and rose geraniums.  This farm isn’t even three years old yet and it’s already self sustaining and providing 21 jobs to Swazis.  They feed the kids at the care point and families in the communities, they sell food and the oil from the rose geraniums plants.  I had never even heard of rose geraniums, but serious research and thought has gone into this.  So big, so awesome, so well thought out and planned…It was incredible.

Last night we got to hear from Julie who heads up Timbali Crafts.  She works with around 100 women who are go-gos or cooks from the care points.  They sew all sorts of beautiful bags and head bands and Christmas ornaments and kindle cases and zipper pouches and aprons and pillow covers and placemats and seriously, I bought a ton of gorgeous items.  And extra to share with you guys in a giveaway when I get back.

I loved hearing her talk and hearing her passion for these woman.  I love that she is working and be led by God to help give these woman opportunities to have a job…to be apart of a business and earn money and feel as if they have even more of a purpose.  She is helping empower these woman and it’s crazy beautiful.  Please check out their site and purchase…Christmas is coming…For realz.  And head over and like Timbali Crafts on Facebook and then tell your friends.  Gorgeous stuff made my gorgeous woman.

This is one of the things I love about this group…they’re trying to work themselves out of a job and spreading God’s love and His name while they’re at it.  They’re pouring into this nation of children and people.  They’re helping to provide jobs and modeling what a family should look like.  They’re helping meet needs and teaching skills and discipling and literally linking up arm and arm with the Swazi people.  I feel like I’m not even doing it justice…I feel like I’m falling so short in explaining the depth and magnitude and the beauty of it all.

I want to stay just a bit longer, but I’m also anxious to get home and unload the week…my thoughts and ideas and where God has my heart and all the what ifs and what nows.  What do I do now?  I don’t want this time to have been for nothing…I don’t want my heart to have gone unchanged or unscathed…I don’t want to not act.  I already text Josh and told him I’m ready to de-brief.  I hope he’s ready.

Happy Wednesday!

The Sweetest Feet

Today will be one for my life book.  One of those moments where Jesus came right down and sat beside me and said, “Listen up Laura.  Soak up every moment because this day is for your heart.  These moments are to remind you of me…me and the deep love I have for you and all My children.”

The kids here amaze me.  Just absolutely floor me.  They are gorgeous, smart children with infectious loud laughs and eyes that are ocean deep.

We spent the first part of the day just hanging with the kids…just playing and sitting and smiling and laughing. Then we filled bags with things like peanut butter and crackers, beef jerky, trail mix, Skittles, dum dum suckers, matchbox cars, bubbles wands, pencils and plastic gold medal necklaces.  I felt giddy and wild with excitement as I sat on the concrete floor apart of this assembly line of people who were filling these bags.  I was in charge of the gold medals and the matchbox cars.  I so wanted pictures, but there I sat filling bag after bag after bag.

We also colored wooden Christmas ornaments.  When planning for a trip like this you think you have all these “good” ideas, but then when you’re here…you’re actually with the kids…you realize your good ideas weren’t that grand after all.  The plan was for the kids to color these wooden Christmas ornaments and then return them to their sponsor church back in Tennessee, well that just wasn’t happening after we watched them pour into these ornaments.  Most of them were extremely precise with their coloring and after watching them, well, we just couldn’t take them away.  They were theirs.

We were able to do another home visit with one of the grandmothers, or go-gos, who cooks at the care point each day for the kids.  Her homestead was beautiful.  It was meticulous and she took great pride in it…as she absolutely should.  Gathered around her were all her grandchildren.  All I could think as I watched her engage with them and listened to part of her story was, “Her children arise and call her blessed.”  It was an honor to be able to visit with her at her home.  An honor.

And for the majority of the day we fitted and sized and gave away around 150 pairs of new shoes.  I wanted to cry and sob.  I wanted to wash every foot I held in my hands today.  I found myself thinking so hard about where all these feet had been…the miles they had traveled…the wear they had endured…the lives they’ve lived thus far.  How far beyond their years they should really be.  God sat there reminding me of how precious and amazing and special and uniquely designed and created each one of these children are.  How blessed and honored I was to be holding their feet in my hands.  How humbled I should be to even remotely be apart of giving them a new pair of shoes.  It was a moment I will never forget.  Engraved deep in my heart are these children’s feet.

An overwhelming day and my heart my explode.  Feeling just so crazy blessed to be here…to meet these children and people…the spend time with them…and begin the anticipation for what all God has in store.  It’s sure to be grand and I cannot wait…absolutely cannot wait to see what He’s going to do.

Happy Tuesday!

Ngungwane {Swaziland, Africa}

I’m laying in bed in Swaziland, Africa.  It was a wonderfully long day and it’s pitch black outside now…closing in on midnight.  The sun rises at like 4:30am here…It wakes me up, I take a look, sit in wonder of Jesus and then go back to sleep for a few more hours.  To say that South Africa and Swaziland are beautiful would be a complete understatement.  Maybe the most beautiful place I’ve been and the people are crazy amazing.

I lost two bags.  I kind of thought I would because when I arrived at the Nashville airport on Friday they rerouted me, so I kind of expected some lost baggage.  Two bags full to the brim of supplies, but today they showed up.  Just in time for tomorrow.

People have asked me about this trip…what’s it for?  Who are you with?  What are you doing?  So here’s the quick down low.  Jesus put a passion for Swaziland in Josh Kelley’s heart in 2009.  It was quite wonderous to see because I had never even heard of Swaziland at that point.  Josh headed off to Swaziland with Children’s HopeChest and AIM in 2009 not knowing a soul, but he knew God wanted him on that trip.  A bit of time passed and we introduced our then church we were attending to Children’s HopeChest and the “community to community” partnership they help facilitate.  A care point is essentially a plot of land where local kids meet everyday to receive food, discipleship, love, and medical care.  You can read all about the details HERE.

We launched the carepoint Ngungwane in 2011 and began trying to get sponsorship for each of the profiled kiddos at the carepoint. Since then we’ve funded the fencing of the carepoint’s land, a bathroom, provided school shoes and built a solar powered well.  The one thing we could never get off the ground was a trip.  I’ve been trying to make my way to Swaziland to visit all the kids and the care point for over two years and every time I thought it might happen God shut a door, but not this year.  And I’m so very thankful.

So what am I doing?  It’s kind of crazy in the most best way ever.  I’m hanging out with kids all day.  I’m meeting families and the ladies in their community.  I’m getting to know them and I have the honor and sheer pleasure to love on them and let them love on me back.  I’m learning ways I can help come along side them.

Today I met a sweet go-go who is making her own necklaces to sell.  They are gorgeous.  I bought a ton and all my lady friends will be receiving one.  I might even be mailing one on over to Jessica, Noonday‘s founder, as well.  (insert a wink and a nod)

Today we did a cabbage distribution.  They have gardens they work and maintain and these gardens produce some serious crops…like the biggest cabbages I’ve ever seen.  Today each of the kids at Ngungwane received two cabbages to take home. It was incredible.

We blew lots of bubbles and painted fingernails…boys too if they wanted 🙂  I got my serious fingernail painting skillz on.

We took polaroid pictures of every child at the carepoint for them to keep…plus all the go-go’s pictures too.  Everyone loved them.  It was hilarious to look around and see a 100+ Swazis…men, woman and children…shaking their polaroid pictures while they developed.  It was definitely a highlight from the day.

We got to see first hand how the care point runs.  It was nice to finally be here…to see in person all the hard work which goes into this “community to community” partnership.  And to meet all the people who work so hard to make sure all these incredible kids have some of their needs met daily.

And we also did a home visit today.  AIM & CHC let their swazi staff decide whose homes we will be visiting based on need.  With each home visit we take a gift to thank the family for allowing us to come to their home…a huge bag of beans, a huge bag of corn and several other food and necessity items.  Today as we visited with the family I thought the oldest granddaughter looked a tad familiar, but thought there was no way out of all the kids that we would be visiting our 3 sponsor kids who are siblings and our pictures of them at home are almost 3 years old so I couldn’t be sure.  We met with the kids and their grandmother and prayed over them.  As we loaded into the van, I asked one of the Swazi staff about the children’s names and sure enough, it was indeed our sibling set of 3.  We were able to meet one of their cousins as well.  I felt like it was one of those moments ordained by God.

I’m learning more and more everyday I’m here.  What He has planned I do not know, but I know He’s moving.  Jesus is teaching me new things.  These children and people are to be revered.  They are absolutely fierce and beautiful and hard working and joyful and yet, I have so many questions for Jesus.  So many.

I will never understand child headed households and children with no parents and diseases, but what I do understand is one day heaven will be on Earth and God will make all things new and He will set things right.  Until then, He has commanded us to love.  He has commanded us to love Him and to love others.  So I’m going to do my best and let God guide my heart in the direction He’s leading.

Happy Monday from Swaziland.

November 1

November is here and so begins our Thankful Leaves leading us up to Thanksgiving.  You can read about our past years HERE and HERE.

This morning before we all went our separate ways and while Josh loaded my luggage, we all talked about things we were thankful for today.  It’s kind of the best hearing gratitude from our kids.  I love getting a glimpse into their hearts this way.  Each day of November we discuss what we are grateful for and then one person picks something to put on a leaf and hang up.  This morning was Africa…and rightly so.

Here I sit in the Atlanta airport all by my lonesome awaiting my long flight to Johannesburg.  Josh Kelley and I got to the Nashville airport at 8am and began the process of checking in my crazy amount of luggage.  We strategically packed our little hearts out and we got a really nice Delta guy, but he didn’t even have to show us grace because all the luggage came in just under weight.  Hallelujah.  Now I’m praying all the bags make it and everything is in excellent condition.  I’ve met the nicest Delta people today…I kind of think it’s Jesus.

Thank you to to everyone who said they’d be praying for me.  I really and truly appreciate it.  God has already showed up this morning on several occasions.  My day should have been quite crappy by now, but God had other plans.  Makes me a tad weepy…the good kind of thankful weepy.  My nerves have chilled and I’m already sitting at my gate even though my flight doesn’t leave for another 3 hours.  This will be my first time to South Africa and Swaziland and the excitement of it all has finally kicked in.  I think I shall get a coke and some good food soon to celebrate.  I have my go-to Noonday Weekender bag packed along with a ginormous backpacking backpack that weighs about as much as I do.  Everything packed out and ready for the long flight.

I sat the other night, when my nerves were crazy and my anxiety high.  I was stressing over supplies and how everything was going to make it and how I was going to pack all 5 bags and keep them under the weight maximum.  A bag weighing over 70lbs isn’t even allowed on the airplane, so I had to pack very strategically.  I got really pissed off when things just weren’t going to plan and I thought to myself…why even go?  Why am I going on this trip?  Why am I stressing myself out?  This isn’t the ideal time and Josh is having to take days off work he doesn’t really have and the kids are going to miss me and I have so much to do here at home…and…and…and.  The list went on and on.  Satan was getting in my head.  God reminded me quickly that there is never an ideal time.  Nothing is ever going to be in just the right place.  He reminded me that He said go and I had agreed to do just that.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”  And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”  Isaiah 6:8

He reminded me I’m going so I can love and see with my eyes.  I’m going to love…that is why I am going.  This isn’t a mission trip…I’m just not sure I believe in those…this isn’t a charity…this isn’t a good cause.  I am going to spend time and love on my brothers and sisters in Christ.  To see their faces and hear their stories and learn how to be better equipped to come along side them.  And that is why I am going.

And I thought about what Harper, Hudson, Solomon and Amon see in Josh and me.  I want them to see us go and love because we want them to go and love…no matter where God takes them.  It may not be Swaziland…it may not be across the ocean…it may be just down the street, but wherever it may be I want them to say yes to God…to His calling in their lives…for them to say yes to love.

I’ll be setting off soon and I’m kind of totally over the moon now.  I’m ready and I cannot wait to see what God has in store.  Josh sent me a text earlier saying my birthday would start in the airplane over the Atlantic and end in South Africa…half my birthday in between counties and the other half in Africa.  I think 31 is going to start off pretty grand.

Oh and before I forget, I had comments & email questions about the solar powered lanterns I’m taking with me for the sweet ladies who care for all the kiddos at the carepoint each day.  I did some research and read great things about the Athena Brands Soladyne Mini Solar Lantern.  I bought them on Amazon and we are super impressed with them so far.  No batteries required…solar powered…and has a hand crank which Josh Kelley put to work and was impressed with as well.  Hope this answers questions.

Happy Friday!

Let The Week Begin

I’m in full on “How in the heck do I get all this stuff to Africa” mode.  Yes, yes I am.  My nerves have kicked it up a notch too.  I’m nervous about traveling alone and I’m nervous about strategically packing everything and it arriving.  I feel like once I land and all my bags are in hand, I will be able to breath easier.  My personal stuff isn’t the issue…it’s the paint and paint brushes and bubble wands and pencils and frisbees and beads and craft kits and markers and PB crackers and raisins and matchbox cars and solar lanterns and the list goes on and on.  I just so badly want all of it to make it…and in excellent condition.  So so badly.  Can God himself just load my bags?  Is that too much to ask?

One of my SIL’s pointed out she likes the box labeled “heavy”.  Me too.  Bring on the overage charges.  I ain’t scared.  I just want it all to arrive.  I personally love the giant fake spider I didn’t notice until after taking the picture.  Which now the kids hide around the house and it continues to scare the bejesus out of me.  For reals.  Not kidding.

I’m anxious to see how the week is going to play out.  Anyone else have a nerve wracking/really hopeful week their dreading/anticipating?  Could a week be more emotionally conflicting?  Ha.  It seems to be just how life rolls on out.

I had fully amped up the weekend in my mind and then our plans went to crap.  Anyone else?  Amon got sick and Josh and I both realized this was the first time he’d been sick since his surgery.  He rocked a high fever and lots of crying and sleeping.  It was pitiful.  We had to miss out on some fun plans because we didn’t want to expose all our peeps to whatever he had.  I don’t like making responsible adult decisions.  Can’t we all just share the germs and have fun?!?!  Although I did take him on a “necessities only” Target and Joanns run while Josh and the big kids were at church Sunday.  I publicly apologize to all of you who were doing your shopping that day.  We may have exposed you to some sort of germ and your ears may have bled from Amon’s shrill, ear piercing screaming down the aisles.  He was ticked and unhappy and not feeling his best.

We did get to celebrate my birthday a smidge on Saturday…an entire week early.  Donuts and bacon?  Yes.  Absolutely yes.  Josh Kelley you have my heart forever.

Other than the tish of fun we had randomly here and there, we stayed home.  We split up some and took turns hanging with Amon.  And I continued to stress and pack and make lists and cross things off and remake those lists again.  #ocd #don’twanttoforgetanything

And that really wrapped our weekend up.  Crossing my fingers Amon is top notch today.  This momma has major stuff to accomplish this week.  No where on any of my lists does it say “sick kid”…didn’t he get the memo.  We’ve gotta kick this sickness in the teeth.  Come on Ace, let’s do this.  Monday is here and Friday is one day closer.

Drowning In Yard Sale Junk

Well it’s yard sale time.  That’s where I was all yesterday and today.  There’s just something about taking people’s junk and God turning it into great things.  It’s amazing and definitely one of my most favorite things.  If it wasn’t so much work, I’d probably have a yard sale every weekend.  I’m telling you guys, there is money to be made with yard sales.  I actually wrote a post back in 2011 about my top 10 yard sale tips.  You can check it out HERE and read the craziness which legit yard sales will ensue.  The post was spurred on after we made $22K at our yard sale for Amon…POST HERE…I kid you not.  So as you can understand, I dig a good, organized yard sale.

We did great today, but I would love to really move some stuff out tomorrow.  It needs to go and we so desire to add to our growing moola for the 88 kids who come to the Ngungwane carepoint everyday in Swaziland Africa.  I get to go and meet these kiddos soon…our specific sponsor kids also.  I can’t tell you how excited I am.  This will be my first time to Swaziland, but I have a deep feeling it won’t be my last.  I’ve asked God for a few years now for this to be the year and each year He’s said ‘wait’…trips fell through, Mom died, Amon came home…God had different plans.  I’m so anxious because turns out this year is the year.  God is finally saying ‘go’ and I’m going.  Eeeeek.  I’m just over the moon.

So come see us tomorrow.  We’ll be at 216 Neptune in Hendersonville.  There is tons of stuff left and we want you to take it home …after you pay of course…and maybe throw in a little extra just for donation…see what I did there 🙂

Come see us and chat and hang out…or whatever…but also buy some junk.  I think you should probably most definitely be the person who buys these tenderly hugging bears.  What a gem of a treasure…I’ll throw confetti on you if you do.

And thank you to everyone who donated.  Oh my goodness…we could not even have come close to rocking out this yard sale without you cleaning out your houses and saying, “Hey there Kelleys…you guys can totally have our junk.”  Thank you, thank you and thank you!

So let’s recap…Tomorrow…Saturday…7-4pm…216 Neptune…Hendersonville…yard sale with a purpose…and gorgeous decorative porcelain hugging bears.  I think we covered it all.  See you tomorrow.

Happy Friday!