Mountains...

Last weekend I went to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge for about 18 hours. Because of People to People interviews, and because of being tired from Lighthouse, Mandy and I headed up Saturday afternoon to meet Gina and Susan. It was beautiful. How about the name of Gina's parents' cabin? "Autumn Bearadise!" Love it!

The Lighthouse

Come on over, come on down

Come on in to the Lighthouse...

My time this last week at the Lighthouse Family Retreat in Watercolor, FL was just beyond words. It was such an amazing time to serve these 9, wonderful families who had a child who has cancer. One of the families even had a dad who had a brain tumor, and just as they were getting through that treatment, they found out that their 4-year-old daughter had Wilm's Tumor, a cancer in the kidneys. How do families manage such a traumatic, life-changing event?
The Lighthouse Family Retreat provides a place of refuge for families who have become disconnected and overwhelmed by the way cancer has affected them. I learned this week that cancer doesn't just affect the person with the diagnosis; it affects every member of the family...from the relationship between Mom and Dad, to the teenage siblings of the sick child.

Kids react to cancer differently than adults. Grown-ups tend to automatically view this disease as a life sentence. But kids are resilient. One of our moms told me that when her 10-year-old daughter found out she had osteosarcoma (bone cancer), she just looked at her mom and said, "Okay, what do we do next?" Some of the kids are back in treatment for a second round because they have relapsed. The kids' attitudes towards life really left me in awe and in silent recognition that every day counts and I really don't have a lot to complain about!
For many of our families this week, it was the first time Mom and Dad had been on a date or done anything without their children. And kids got to be kids...playing in the pool, at the beach, making Haunted Houses, and watching movies. We had a great time connecting with the kids while Eleanor and Buck Barber facilitated the group for parents each morning during a time called Flip Flop. It was here that parents were able to share their family's story with each other and encourage and support one another. Though our families were from all over the US...Texas, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Indiana, Florida and Georgia...connections of the heart were made forever.

Thank you for all of you who supported me in this endeavor, and the families would tell you the same thing. One mom has already blogged on her son's site that this was the first time in a long while that she's been able to really relax...her housework/laundry and cooking was done for her and she was really able to let go and enjoy her husband and children. I think that is just SO awesome. Jesus is in the business of connecting people and caring for them, and the families were really able to see that this week.

I hope you enjoy some of the pictures!

Kids Say the Darndest Things...

I cannot take credit for this stroke of brilliance. My coworker, D, did this a couple of years ago and I just found it on my computer. She went around asking kids at my school to finish the popular "addage" with their own words. The results crack me up! The addage is in black, and the children's responses follow in red. Enjoy!

1. Don't change horses there are shiny things on their paws.
2. Strike while the ball is moving.
3. It's always darkest before lightest.
4. Better late than early!
5. You can lead a horse to water but you can go in the forest by yourself.
6. Don't bite the hand that hurts!
7. No news is no fun.
8. A miss is as good as a Mrs.
9. You can't teach an old dog to swim.
10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll be sleepy.
11. Love all, trust all.
12. The pen is mightier than the pencil.
13. An idle mind is a statue.
14. Where there's smoke there's . . . Smoke!
15. Happy the bride who dances.
16. A penny saved is money
17. Two's company, three's a party!!!
18. Don't put off till tomorrow what is done already.
19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and whine.
20. There are none so blind as mice.
21. Children should be seen and not loud. (AMEN!)
22. If at first you don't succeed you seek.
23. You get out of something only what you get in.
24. When the blind lead the blind they get lost.


Out of the mouth of babes. . .

25. Never underestimate the power of God.

Lighthouse Family Retreat

Hello Friends and Family!

Can you imagine hearing the doctor say, "I'm sorry, your child has cancer." Can you imagine watching your child go bald, getting stared at, or being treated unkindly? Can you imagine the weariness of sleepless nights, hospital smells, losing control of your world?

Can you imagine living in unspeakable anger or just wondering, "Why?" Can you imagine your family growing apart?

Now just imagine a place of retreat.

Imagine a place where the warm sun, rolling waves and ocean breezes rejuvenate you, where the sunset brings peace to your soul. Imagine a place where you and your children can laugh and play together, where family relationships are restored, where caring friends walk beside you. Imagine a place where volunteers serve you willingly and joyfully, a place where the staff understands your child's needs. Imagine a place where the spirit of God resides to heal and restore, a place of comfort and encouragement.

Just imagine...

I wanted to share with all of you an exciting service opportunity that I have decided to be a part of called the Lighthouse Family Retreat. From October 14-19 I will be heading to Watercolor, FL to take part in the Lighthouse Family Retreat as a volunteer. Some of you may have heard of the Lighthouse before, but for those who have not, let me tell you a little bit about it.

Lighthouse was founded by Melinda Mayton, a pediatric oncology nurse. Melinda felt there should be a place of retreat for families who have a child going through treatments for cancer. Every year, Melinda and her team host a series of 10 family retreats at donated beach houses and condos at various beaches on the gulf. The idea is to give families a break from the disease...the h ospital visits, the chemo treatments, and the feeling of being "different..." and a time of reconnecting with one another free of cost. Volunteers serve families during the week and help facilitate activites such as a spa day for the moms, parents' date night out, a talent show, beach olympics, a movie night, and family style meals every day. We also do all the laundry for families and help them with whatever they could possibly need or want during the time they spend at Lighthouse. There are also times of counseling with the parents sharing their stories, and kids and siblings connecting during a time of play and crafts in the mornings. Each Lighthouse family brings their entire immediate family...Mom, Dad and siblings.

The week is sure to be an amazing experience and one that I will not soon forget. In order to make this cost-free f or families, every volunteer is asked to raise $750 to cover the cost of food and other materials. If you would like to partner with me as I go and serve at the Lighthouse, you can make checks out to the Lighthouse Family Retreat and send them to me here at home (Autumn Ginn, 6520 Roswell Road #94, Atlanta, GA 30328). I'd love for you to learn more by visiting the Lighthouse website here:

http://www.lighthousefamilyretreat.org

I hope you are having a blessed fall and that I can see you all very soon!!!

Love,
Autumn ><>

Let's Sing!

Kids at the Pre-School in Ngaamba singing the Family Members song sung to the tune of "Freres Jaques." The little girl up front in the pink sweater is Sophie, and she was just my absolute favorite!!! The lyrics are:

Family members, family members
In our home, in our home
Father, mother, brother, father, mother, brother
Sister and baby, sister and baby.



This is our same little Pre-School class learning the words and actions to "How Great is Our God." It's my voice and Robyn singing, and Robyn leading actions.



These are students at Itumbule Primary School led by Phoebe. The little soloist is a girl on the lefthand side kind of in the middle-ish row called Cynthia. She has a great voice. The song lyrics mean:

Some people say that Jesus is dead
But I say He is alive because I can feel him
In my head, my chest, my back,
My heart, my legs, ears, feet, etc.

Kind of looks like "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" doesn't it? I think every school child in Kenya must know this song! Yay!

Memories of Kenya

Gosh I miss this place!!! Hope you can enjoy some of these pics until I can get a better gallery going!!! Thanks for checking them out!

The team on the way to the airport!

Isn't she beautiful?

Teaching at the Pre-School...45 students, 3 teachers, 1 room. Wow!

School room at Itumbule Primary. These guys hadn't finished their work so they couldn't go out to play yet. They were cute and funny, but I told them to hurry up and finish!

Busy workers at the Pre-School where I had the chance to teach

Me with Sophie and Mary, a teacher at the Pre-School

Sunset at Amboseli National Park

Highlights from School

So as many of you know, this is the first week "back to school" for my county. I thought I'd share a few humorous moments thus far...

A Kindergartner on their first day at music: "Bye Miss Grin!"

A 5th Grader to his teacher while seeing the ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) schedule posted on the board: "Ms. McGowan, what's an SOL teacher?"

Sigh. Never a dull moment!