So… yeah, today (Thursday) has been a little bit less than awesome around here. Our fam has kind of been through the wringer lately. So no big Read-Along Introduction post with snazzy graphics and brilliant reading schedules. But that’s okay. That will give me more time to nag you to join us. And for you to get the book. (I’m thrilled that so many of you are in already!!)

And in the meantime, I want to get started on a little series of posts that I think are important. About orphanages. And whether they’re really helping kiddos or actually doing more harm than good.

A week or so ago, I got a facebook message from my friend Heather. She and her family have recently returned to Texas after spending time in Haiti. She was getting ready to post a link to an article about orphan care in Cambodia and wanted to make sure she didn’t hurt me by it.

She said she thought the article raised some valid questions, but that she didn’t want me to think that she and Aaron thought that our work in Cambodia was wrong, or “anything less than beautiful.” Then she said a bunch more nice stuff that made me go “awwww…”

I messaged her back and thanked her for being so sweet to think of my feelings. I read the article, and it made me sad. Because there was so much truth in it. So much. But it also gave me hope, because I knew that “our” orphanage in Cambodia was exempt from all of the red flags the article raised. Not exempt because they’ve been granted some special status, but because they truly want what’s best for these kids, and they’re doing this orphan care thing right.

And they’re not the only ones doing it right.

And there are lots of good, right ways to help orphans. And there are lots of good, right ways to keep kiddos from becoming orphans. Because that would be the best-case scenario, no?

There are also some very sad and dangerous things going on around the world in the name of “orphan care.” Exploitation of children for financial gain. The tearing apart of families. Emotional abandonment stemming from a revolving door of volunteers. Exposure to child predators. Awful stuff like that.

And I think it’s so easy to get overwhelmed by all of this and think, “So are orphanages good or are they bad?” And the answer is so much more complex than that.

I talked to John McCollum, Executive Director of Asia’s Hope, and asked him if he’d be willing to answer some questions and address some concerns about orphanages and if they’re really in the best interest of kiddos in Cambodia. He said absolutely. He also pointed me to another site that warns people of the dangers of Orphanage Tourism.

One thing is for sure. Caring for orphans is a biblical mandate. We just want to make sure we’re really, truly caring for them like Jesus wants us to.

So, here’s what I’m hoping we can do here on the blog next week:

1. If orphan care is something that matters to you, I’d love for you to read the article and browse the site.

2. If you have personal experiences to share or know of some organizations that are doing this thing right, tell us about them.

3. Have questions or concerns? Share them in the comments.

John will be on hand to answer your questions and address your concerns as we go. (And tomorrow he’ll be sharing his personal story on the blog–good stuff.)

All photos taken by: Gabe Taviano

Home late tonight after an incredible Missions Team (which is actually considering renaming themselves the Compassion and Justice Team–holla!) meeting with some of my church homies. And let me tell ya, I am not a Meeting Girl. Hate them actually. But these monthly meetings energize me like nobody’s business, because there’s nothing like getting together with a bunch of regular ol’ people who share your heart for those who are hurting in your community and around the world.

Which is why the response to yesterday’s post was so encouraging to me. HOLLA! I don’t take for granted the awesome privilege of having compassion-&-justice-minded folks all around me both physically and internet-edly. Thank you, Jesus.

What you’re about to read is going to serve two purposes: 1) It’s going to give you a heads-up (and hopefully get you a little fired up) about some stuff we’re going to be chatting about in the weeks/months to come. And 2.) It’s going to serve to hold me accountable (me, the girl who has big talks and big dreams and doesn’t always follow through).

So, in no particular order, and right off the top of my noggin, here are some things you can EXPECT to see in the next 3 months here on the blog:

CHECK–A FREE copy of The Husband’s Guide to Getting Lucky for ANYONE who wants one on February 14. I am not a fan of Hallmark holidays AT ALL, so this is my anti-sappy, anti-materialistic contribution to the day that I recognize for one reason only: it’s my darling grandma’s birthday.

CHECK–Some exciting news about Traffick Jam 2012 and how YOU and your friends and family can get involved in fighting human trafficking in a super-fun, super-tangible way.

–At least one honest post about our homeschooling experience this year. And by honest, I mean HONEST.

CHECK–A week-long quite-possibly-uncomfortable discussion about orphanages and whether or not they’re the best option for kiddos in Cambodia (and other places), including (but not limited to) a  no-holds-barred Q & A with John McCollum, Executive Director of Asia’s Hope.

CHECK–A possible Read-Along (our 4th). Praying about this one, so it’s not a definite.

–Getting up close and personal with Steph and Yvonne, two beautiful friends who are serving Jesus and the poor in Cambodia (I haven’t exactly asked them for permission yet, but now that I made it public, they can’t turn me down, right? Right, girls?)

–Speaking of beautiful friends in Cambodia, I’m also going to (re)-introduce you to Jen who is currently serving as director of a new school that just opened this year in Svay Pak, a village that is notorious for child sex trafficking in Cambodia. You will be so encouraged by what God is doing to bring restoration and hope to this place that has been (and still is) such a stronghold of evil.

–Why I’m glad my first book is out of print (and plans for a revised e-book version).

–An update on my latest e-book that is technically “finished” but NEEDS A TITLE.

–A little peek inside our home, per Jess‘s request. I really should’ve taken some before/after (cluttered/de-cluttered) shots, but oh well.

–One last Bloggy Bazaar with the rest of my goodies from Cambodia & Thailand. Y’all nearly bought me dry last week!

And that’s all I’m willing to commit to at the moment. That’s actually more than I’m willing to commit to, but I done just committed anyway. You have my reluctant permission to give me gentle nudges if you notice that I’m not regularly checking these puppies off my list.

Would love to know what YOU are blogging about these days.

Wowza! That was some awesome buying and selling this morning (and all the way into the afternoon). Thanks to everyone who bought stuff to bless Cambodia and Thailand! As promised, I have a second round of goods for my friends who can’t get to the computer during the work day (you don’t have to have a 9 to 5 job to participate though).

Here’s a quick repeat of the scoop:

Super-excited today to share some goodies from Cambodia and Thailand with you (at a deliciously reasonable cost). If you’ve bought stuff from me before, you know how it goes. Leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail telling me what you want, and the first offer gets the worm (or the scarf, as it were). Make sure you keep refreshing the blog, because I’ll update what’s sold.

Some of the items are from two amazing organization called Daughters of Cambodia and Kingdom Kreations. They help women leave the sex trade and find honorable work making bags/jewelry, giving manicures, running a cafe/coffee shop. The Daughters/KK (fair trade) merchandise is priced according to how much I bought it for, and I’ll just pay myself back when you buy it from me.

The rest of the items are from various markets in Phnom Penh and Chiang Mai (Thailand). These items are not necessarily fair trade, but hopefully they helped the merchants I bought them from in at least a small way. For these items, I’m marking up the price a bit and giving the proceeds to some of my favorite ministries in Cambodia and Thailand (I’ll be sharing more about those in the weeks to come).

After seeing firsthand what God is doing in SE Asia, it’s such a privilege to be able to give to those who are sharing the gospel and loving the poor.

I’ll figure out shipping based on what you order. FREE shipping on orders over $30.

SOLD OUT. Set #1: Fabulous printed scarves from Chiang Mai Night Market. $10 each. Super-soft scarves (also from Chiang Mai) $12 each.

I posted a few of these this morning, and they sold out in about a minute.

SOLD OUT. Set #2: 100% Cotton Hand-Woven Scarves from Chiang Mai Night Market. $6 each.

These aren’t as soft as the super-soft ones in the first set, but they’re not scratchy, and they are soooo pretty. The colors are amazing (and thanks to Gabe’s awesome photography, they look just like they do in the picture) and vibrant. You should probably get 2 or 3.

SOLD OUT. Set #3: Elephant Zippy Pouches from Russian Market, Phnom Penh. $4 each.

These little cuties are about 3 x 4 inches big and bright, colorful, and whimsical. (The two in the middle are more 3D.) LOVE.

Set #4: Burlap Flower Pouches and Fish Purses. $6 each. Fish purses SOLD OUT. Red/pink pouch SOLD.

The flower ones are about 4×8 inches, and the stinkin’ cute fish are a little smaller.

SOLD OUT. Set #5: Wooden beaded bracelets from Russian Market in Phnom Penh. $4 each. EDIT: 5 bracelets left.

Love these. So pretty. Each one is different.

SOLD OUT. Set #6: More! 100% Cotton Hand-Woven Scarves from Chiang Mai Night Market. $6 each. EDIT: Only one left. Top row, 2nd from right.

SOLD OUT. Set #7: Patterned ID Wallets from Kingdom Creations, Phnom Penh. $5 each.

I really, really, really like these. Made of very durable material and so bright and colorful. There’s a separate pouch with a clear window for your ID to show through, and then you can keep cash/coins in the back pocket. (They’re about 3×4 inches big.) 

Set #8: Washer earrings from Daughters. $5. SOLD. Washer bracelets from Daughters. $6. Love the World bracelet. $5. SOLD.

These are sooo cool, and we got to watch the girls making them. Talk about talent!

SOLD OUT. Set #9: Traditional Cambodian Scarves from Rajana Crafts (another fair trade shop). $5 each. EDIT: first 4 SOLD.

You’ll see this kind of scarf everywhere in Cambodia. And people wear them in all sorts of ways–for decoration, for practical purposes, even as curtains and bed decor. Versatile.

Set #10: Wallets from Kingdom Creations (on left). $6 each. Wallets SOLD OUT. Cell phone cases. $4 each. Gecko pouch from Rajana. $6.

Set #11: Sweet banners from Daughters. Red/white banner. $10 each. One red/white banner left. Yellow/white banner. $7.

The red/white banner is about 10 feet long, and the triangles are about 6 inches tall. The yellow/white one is about 7 feet long and 2 inches tall.

There you go! Let the fun begin!

Don’t forget. Leave a comment or e-mail me if you’re interested in something, and I’ll update frequently as things are sold. Free shipping on orders over $30.

Thanks for blessing some awesome folks serving Jesus (and the poor) in Cambodia and Thailand!

Super-excited today to share some goodies from Cambodia and Thailand with you (at a deliciously reasonable cost). If you’ve bought stuff from me before, you know how it goes. Leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail telling me what you want, and the first offer gets the worm (or the scarf, as it were).

Here’s today’s scoop: some of the items are from an amazing organization called Daughters of Cambodia. Daughters helps women leave the sex trade and find honorable work making bags/jewelry, giving manicures, running a cafe/coffee shop. The Daughters (fair trade) merchandise is priced according to how much I bought it for, and I’ll just pay myself back when you buy it from me.

The rest of the items are from various markets in Phnom Penh and Chiang Mai (Thailand). These items are not necessarily fair trade, but hopefully they helped the merchants I bought them from in at least a small way. For these items, I’m marking up the price a bit and giving the proceeds to some of my favorite ministries in Cambodia and Thailand (I’ll be sharing more about those in the weeks to come).

After seeing firsthand what God is doing in SE Asia, it’s such a privilege to be able to give to those who are sharing the gospel and loving the poor.

I’ll figure out shipping based on what you order. FREE shipping on orders over $30.

Got it? Here we go! (in order from most expensive to least expensive)

SOLD OUT. Set #1: Super-Duper Soft (and Gorgeous) Scarves from the Chiang Mai Night Market. $12 each.

Each scarf is taller (longer) than me and about 12 in. wide. They’re warm enough to be a “coat” scarf and light enough to be a “shirt” scarf. And I, who rarely (okay never) wear a decorative scarf have worn mine (I have a gray one but with the little thingies hanging off like the blue one in the middle) at least six times since we’ve been back from Cambodia. 

SOLD OUT. Set #2: Fabulous printed scarves from Chiang Mai Night Market. $10 each.

These are also as tall as me, but considerably wider than the ones above. I’m not a good eye-measurer, but maybe 18 in. wide? Very, very pretty. And in case you can’t tell, the one on the left is dark brown/cream, the middle one is black/cream, and the last one is cream with black/gray accents.

SOLD OUT. Set #3: Shoulder bags from the Russian Market in Phnom Penh. $7 each.

These two-sided bags are super-versatile with 5 separate pockets. The shoulder straps are adjustable, and the bags are approximately 8 in. wide and 10 in. tall. The one on the bottom right is a little bit smaller than the rest. EDIT: Elephant bag (top left) & polka-dot bag & flowered bag SOLD.

SOLD OUT. Set #4: 100% Cotton Hand-Woven Scarves from Chiang Mai Night Market. $6 each.

These aren’t as soft as the super-soft ones in the first set, but they’re not scratchy, and they are soooo pretty. The colors are amazing (and thanks to Gabe’s awesome photography, they look just like they do in the picture) and vibrant. You should probably get 2 or 3.

Set #5: Pretty pencil pouches from Daughters. $6.50 each. EDIT: Gray pencil pouch SOLD. Top 2 left. COIN PURSES SOLD OUT. Cute coin purse keychains from Daughters. $3 each.

I got the girls each a pencil pouch on our last trip to Cambodia, and they use them anytime we go anywhere to keep all their pens, pencils, and markers in. They’re also great for carrying “feminine products” (you know, like gum and money). And the coin purses are just plain fun. Perfect to keep a quarter in for a cart at ALDI.

SOLD OUT. Set #6: Super-Trendy Recycled Rice Bag Zipper Pouches from Russian Market, Phnom Penh. $6 each.

These might be my favorite souvenir from our trip. I love that they’re made from recycled rice bags, and I love the 2 pockets, and I love the colors, and I love the size (a teensy bit smaller than 4x6in). 

SOLD OUT. Set #7: “Love the World” bracelets from Daughters. $5 each.

These are not really called “Love the World” bracelets, but I like to pretend that those beautiful turquoise beads are actually globes. The round buttons are made of coconut shells–cool, no? And I think they’d make a beautiful, practical reminder to pray for people around the world. Oh, and I have FIVE of them. Woot!

Set #8: Panda over-the-shoulder pouches from Chiang Mai. $4 each. Panda Bags SOLD OUT. Little Zippies from Chiang Mai Night Market. $3 each.

The panda bags are a little touristy-looking for me, but I think they’d be fun for kids. They’re about 4×6 inches. And I love the little zippies with all their different colors and patterns. They’re probably 3×4 inches. Some are a little smaller, some a little bigger.

There you go! Let the fun begin! (And to be fair to my work-during-the-day friends, I’ll be posting a similar sale next week sometime in the evening.)

Don’t forget. Leave a comment or e-mail me if you’re interested in something, and I’ll update frequently as things are sold. Free shipping on orders over $30.

Thanks for blessing some awesome folks serving Jesus (and the poor) in Cambodia and Thailand!