(This article was written by Alicia Yost from The Middletown Patch. The full article can be found here -- )
The Zipf family is no stranger to world travel. After all, they’ve criss-crossed the globe from Hong Kong to Ethiopia, in most cases working tirelessly to help the poor and orphaned.
And they don’t just do a country lip service, they make lasting investments. They’ve adopted two wonderful boys from Ethiopia and often talk of plans to move there in the hopes of furthering their efforts in being the voices and agents of change.
Back in January, Amy, the matriarch of the family, traveled along with their 7-year-old daughter Sasha to Haiti. They spent their time working in a medical tent and trying to make a water filtration system out of five-gallon Lowe’s buckets fashioned into water filters.
The trip was gripping for Amy who says people are still in desperate need of medical care that is not readily available. So much of Haiti is still in shambles after a catastrophic earthquake that rocked the country on Jan. 12, 2010.
That was 18 months ago and yet people are still living in tents and children are still living in overcrowded orphanages and eating porridge for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“These people are practically in our backyard," says Zipf. “It’s less than a four-hour flight from New York.” Upon return, Amy immediately started making plans to go back to Haiti, this time with her husband and four children, ages 10, 7, 5 and 4.
On Aug. 8, they are partnering with an organization called Go Haiti and heading back to Haiti, where they will work for three weeks. They will be supporting orphan care, helping to build and service a medical clinic, supporting a new agricultural project, helping to access clean water and helping to build a sustainable organization in hopes of making an eternal impact.
They hope that this trip will “help their children understand the global nature of our world and encourage them to advocate for people and change. Also, to experience life in a way that is beyond ordinary.”
They family hopes that their trip will be a great success and is looking forward to making a long-term commitment by both continuing to work and encouraging their family, friends and community to not forget the beautiful people of Haiti.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Unexpected worship experiences today... at home with my sons.
I had one of the greatest worship services today at home with my sons.
It was due some to an unexpected breakdown of our car this morning. Amy left at 5:30 this morning to head to her clinical at Yale and came back promptly 10mins later. Our car broke down so she had to take the van. I was able to get the girls a ride to church this morning with a dear friend, but there was not enough room for all of us. So I stayed home and did some reading and praying while the boys played. But, as I've been here this morning I've felt a bit discouraged. I still haven't gone out to assess exactly what's caused the power steering failure - or what caused some unknown part to fall off from underneath the car. I've felt like there's been one obstacle after another in trying to get all of our family to Haiti this summer. We had a plan a few months ago... it should have been seamless... but so far there have been several cracks in the plan.
I am confident God is in control and I am confident in His leadership and guidance for me and for my family... but these last few weeks have been difficult.
However, today - a bit half-heartedly viewed a short film called The Butterfly Circus. Truthfully, I wanted to stall a little more from assessing the car because I'm fearful of what kind of problem I'll find and - more specifically - how that repair cost will affect our family. So, while sitting here at the kitchen table with my boys on my lap I watched the film with them.
I'm now headed out to check on my car - with a renewed perspective.
Bless you today
Unexpected worship experiences today... at home with my sons.
I had one of the greatest worship services today at home with my sons.
It was due some to an unexpected breakdown of our car this morning. Amy left at 5:30 this morning to head to her clinical at Yale and came back promptly 10mins later. Our car broke down so she had to take the van. I was able to get the girls a ride to church this morning with a dear friend, but there was not enough room for all of us. So I stayed home and did some reading and praying while the boys played. As I've been here this morning I've felt discouraged. I still haven't gone out to assess exactly what's caused the power steering failure - or what caused some unknown part to fall off from underneath the car. I've felt like there's been one obstacle after another in trying to get all of our family to Haiti this summer. We had a plan a few months ago... it should have been seamless... but so far there have been several cracks in the plan.
I am confident God is in control and I am confident in His leadership and guidance for me and for my family... but these last few weeks have been difficult.
However, today - a bit half-heartedly viewed a short film called The Butterfly Circus. Truthfully, I was stalling a little because I'm fearful of what kind of problem (and further financial burden) the car repair will have on our family. So, while sitting here with my boys on my lap I watched the film with them.
You need to watch it too...
I'm now headed out to check on my car - with a renewed perspective.
Bless you today
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Fat Lip
I was scolding Ashebir for something he did... and he required a bath. I was trying hard to be patient and was exhibiting it on the outside for Ash's sake but internally I was mad. Then, when I was drying off Ashebir he said, "Daddy wassat?"... as he pointed in my mouth... I was really puzzled and thought it was a subconcious means of diverting my frustration with him... I was short with him and said, "I don't have anything in my mouth." "He said, no...wassat?"
----
When I was in second grade, I was ice skating on a basketball court turned outdoor neighborhood ice rink. They were a brand new pair of skates and I got a little too sure of my self - as I sometimes still do today - and as a result of showing off, I slipped and fell. I fell hard. In the fall, I smacked my chin on the ice, resulting in my two front teeth biting through my lower lip. With blood dripping down my face and coat, I walked to a nearby friends house who called my parents, who then took me for an ER visit. I left with four or five stiches in my mouth above and below my lower lip.
----
Ashebir wasn't asking about anything inside my mouth. He was pointing to the scars that he saw.
Wounds create scars. Some you see, others you don't.
I needed his reminder today.
----
When I was in second grade, I was ice skating on a basketball court turned outdoor neighborhood ice rink. They were a brand new pair of skates and I got a little too sure of my self - as I sometimes still do today - and as a result of showing off, I slipped and fell. I fell hard. In the fall, I smacked my chin on the ice, resulting in my two front teeth biting through my lower lip. With blood dripping down my face and coat, I walked to a nearby friends house who called my parents, who then took me for an ER visit. I left with four or five stiches in my mouth above and below my lower lip.
----
Ashebir wasn't asking about anything inside my mouth. He was pointing to the scars that he saw.
Wounds create scars. Some you see, others you don't.
I needed his reminder today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)