Hope and Family

Yesterday, my friend Deanna suggested taking my pregnant belly picture on the front porch of Masana under the cool arch-way entrance.  As I looked at the pictures on her computer, I was drawn to this one as my favorite:

In spite of the ugly power cord that the electric company rigged up after our house lost power for a few days back in 2011, the "hope" and "family" decorations speak volumes about my personal life and ministry.  How fitting that it would be the setting for announcing the soon-to-be-birth of our daughter.  Back in 2011 when we had that power problem, it was the very same week I found out I had breast cancer.  I was 31 years old and single.  My natural family was thousands of miles away from my home in Mozambique.  My closest friends know the struggles I went through during my 7 months of cancer treatments. . . the decision to leave my home in Mozambique to receive treatment in the States, the heartache I experienced over having to make treatment decisions without the input of a husband, the fear of chemo treatments and what it could do to my ability to have children in the future.  

April 6, 2011 I woke up early and went to Emory Hospital in Atlanta, GA to have the tumor removed from my breast.  

April 6, 2013 I woke up in Mozambique with my husband by my side and this beautiful photo taken yesterday to announce that baby Mondlane is a girl.  

We see over and over in our ministry among street kids that God restores hope in hopeless situations and rebuilds families when all seems lost.  That's why I bought those decorations for the Masana house proclaiming "hope" and "family" to every child that enters our gates.  But now, the God of Hope has made those words even more personal and given me the family I've always hoped for.

But I will hope continually, and I will praise You yet more and more.  Psalm 71:14