Book - Kisses from Katie - updated

From the introduction: 

"I have absolutely no desire to write a book about myself. This is a book about a Christ who is alive today and not only knows but cares about every hair on my head. Yours too. I'm writing this book on the chance that a glimpse into the life of my family and me, full of my stupidity and God's grace, will remind you of this living, loving Christ and what it means to serve Him. I'm writing with the hope that as you cry and laugh with my family you will be encouraged that God still uses flawed human beings to change the world. And if He can use me, He can use you."

Katie Davis

I have just finished reading this book. It was amazing. If you are wanting to be inspired... Here is your book. She also has a blog, posted below, but you need to read the book to get the story. Then follow the blog.

www.amazima.org
www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com

Amazima Founder, Katie Davis 

In December of 2006, 18-year-old Katie Davis from Brentwood, Tennessee, traveled to Uganda for the first time. She was immediately captivated with the people and the culture.

In the summer of 2007, Katie returned to Uganda to teach Kindergarten at an orphanage. As she walked the children home, she was shocked to see the sheer number of school-aged children sitting idly on the side of the road or working in the fields. She learned there were very few government-run public schools in Uganda, and none in the area where she was working. Most schools in Uganda are privately operated and therefore require school fees for attendance, making impoverished families unable to afford an education for their children. God laid it on Katie's heart to start a child sponsorship program, matching orphaned and vulnerable children who are unable to afford schooling with sponsors anywhere in the world. A annual gift of $300 enables one child to go to school and provides the necessary school supplies, 3 hot meals each day, spiritual discipleship, and medical care. Originally intending to have only 40 children in the sponsorship program, Katie had 150 signed up by January 2008. Today the program sponsors over 600 children.

Later that year, in 2008, Katie established a 5019(c)3 non-profit organization called Amazima Ministries International. The word “Amazima” means “truth” in the native Luganda language. The organization seeks to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the people of Uganda who need it most.

Katie also became a mother of three orphaned girls in January of 2008. She would adopt ten (10) more daughters in the coming few years.

Shortly thereafter, Katie was introduced to the Karamojong people of Masese. The poorest of the poor, and losing their children to malnutrition and starvation at an astounding rate, she noticed their desperate need for nutritious food. She started a feeding program to the community, providing meals to over 1,200 children Monday through Friday. This program allows the children to attend school and therefore not go to the street to beg. Amazima also provides medical care, Bible study, and general health training to the Masese community.

As her friendships developed in Masese, Katie wanted to help the women in the village provide for their families. She initiated aself-sustaining vocational program to empower these women to generate needed income by making unique Ugandan magazine bead necklaces. The necklaces made by the women are purchased weekly by Amazima and then sold in the United States. The money the women receive for their beads allows them to support their family and offset the cost of sending their children to school.

Now the mother of 13 daughters, Katie offers, “People tell me I am brave. People tell me I am strong. People tell me good job. Well here is the truth of it. I am really not that brave, I am not really that strong, and I am not doing anything spectacular. I am just doing what God called me to do as a follower of Him. Feed His sheep, do unto the least of His people.”

 

I kept thinking through the entire book, "she is so young. God is using her and she is so willing to give everything and she is so young". But then I think of my own girls and how willing they are to love and listen to god. To love Jesus and thank him for the blessings we have. So young. He uses the little ones to teach us, doesn't he?

I picked up this book on my way to the airport. I was making an emergency trip to Atl for the funeral of a dear dear friend who had passed away a few days earlier (there will soon be a post about that... I just have to write it still). But there was a delay in the flight, so I stopped by a Barnes and Noble to see what might find. I ended up with three books. This was the third book I saw and it just stood out to me. On my way to the airport I asked god which I should take with me, and again this one stood out. So, I took it with me. Only a few short days later and I have finished the book. It was really difficult to put it down. I constantly wanted to know how god was going to use her next and how her family would grow. God knows what we need, doesn't he? I needed to read this book. To trust. To embrace the journey. To let go sometimes and know that he has a plan. To trust. To ask. To trust.

He has a plan.

I am thankful for that.

If you are looking for an inspirational book, if you are a parent, if you think there may be a god, if you know there is a god and want to be amazed ever more by him... Read this book. Kisses from Katie, by Katie Davis with Beth Clark.