To me, it is doing what must be done, even when you're scared, and in spite of the consequences.
Then he asked "Who is the bravest person you know?"
My Dad is a WWII Marine veteran. He is brave.
My son is an Army WO and has served in Iraq. He is brave.
I know lots of law enforcement officers and fire fighters. They are brave.
I said that the bravest people I can think of changes.
But, I want to tell you about two of the bravest women I know are.
Lisa Hauger is a good friend and a brave woman.
She and her husband, Mark, live in Kenya.
They help widowed mamas gain the money and skills needed to support their children.
They teach Bible classes.
They care for orphaned children, many with special needs.
They live in a compound with high walls for safety.
They help provide water filter systems.
They adopted their first child about 16 years ago. Their second about 14 years ago.
This year, they adopted their third, who has special needs.
One of my favorite families!
Sounds like a lot of "missionary" stories.
With a twist.
Lisa has Multiple Sclerosis.
MS does not define her. Or her family. Or her work.
In fact, I hardly ever think about it, because MS is not her.
They started years ago with a plan to start a cottage type indusrty with donated sewing machines and materials. They were gone a few weeks a year.
It wasn't sufficient.
They started other ideas. They stayed longer.
It wasn't enough. They moved to Kenya.
As that MS keeps creeping along, Lisa and Mark make leaps and bounds.
Women, widowed by that scourge AIDS, are becoming business owners and at last feeding, clothing, and educating their children.
Local communities are installing sand puifiers and have clean water for their people.
Children, orphaned by AIDS and poverty, have a home, with many loving Mamas, otherwise they would be begging and stealing, and dying, in the streets.
There are many things about Lisa that make me say she is brave. I don't know how to list them.
I guess...well...bravery is doing what God called you to do.
You might look at this post and say "Oh now I feel guilty! If she can do this, I should be able to do it!"
That's not the point!
Being BRAVE is not overcoming challenges to what you think you should do.
It's just being who you are.
And that is why, when I think of Lisa, this is how I see her.
BRAVE
To follow Lisa and Mark, and what they do, check out her blog.
tiltingbalance.blogspot.com
The second of the bravest women I know is next.
Shalom!
