Emily Wierenga
About the Author

Emily T. Wierenga is an award-winning journalist, blogger, commissioned artist and columnist, and the author of six books including the new memoir "Making It Home: Finding My Way to Peace, Identity and Purpose" (Baker Books, 2015). Proceeds from Emily’s books benefit her non-profit, The Lulu Tree. She lives in Alberta,...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. All of this puts so much of life in perspective. I love your heart and how it comes through your writing. I love how you couldn’t hold Africa tight enough. And I love these beautiful children. May we all answer God’s call to do our part.

    • I love your heart too dear Michele-Lyn. It was such an honor to travel to Africa with you friend. I hope we have more trips in the future together. Love, e.

    • oh Lori that means so much to me… I’ve been worried that my passion is scaring everyone away 🙂 I just can’t help myself… life has tilted on its axis for me, and I’ll never be the same, because of Africa. Love to you friend. e.

  2. I’ve been to India three times and to South America and the Philippines and it was heart breaking. We left in total silence. We cried really. It just eats into the hearts of those who know just what it means. Silence. We are always silent when we see this. Totally and utterly silent. O those poor poor lovely children …. the LORD created.
    I’m a children person. I’ve always been. We cannot fix it. Only God can. But with our hearts, we can feel JESUS’ LOVE for those who suffer all around us in this very heartless world.
    Blessing you to change the world and stop the little babies from suffering.
    You’ve made me cry.
    🙁

    • oh Karyn, thank you–for resonating with me here, for understanding my heart’s cry. I believe our tears are the Spirit’s prayers–his groans, for pain that words cannot express. God collects every single one of those tear-prayers, the Bible says. He sees, he cares, and he will bring healing and hope. Bless you. e.

  3. U.G.A.N.D.A. The Lord keeps bringing this mission in front of me. Katie Davis, Sole Hope, so many serving the people of Uganda. I told someone the other day that I can see myself picking jigger parasites out of children’s feet and placing shoes on those precious, beautiful feet. God Bless you.

    • Yes, I know… I visited both Rwanda and Uganda but Uganda stole my heart in a way that I’ve never had any country do. It’s called the Pearl of Africa because it’s just that–its people shine with beauty. I miss them so much. I hope you get to go there someday Susan 🙂

  4. You inspire me, since I was young I remember thinking and saying I wanted to reach out to children in another country when I grew up. My life has been very blessed with my family although I still think about it and mention it when conversations are just right.

    God has blessed me in many ways throughout thee course of my life. My heart aches for the underprivileged, they know what they know and yet they are blessed by our God to have people care about them. I pray everyday for everyone less fortunate and for the caregivers, may you always be blessed.

    • oh Doris, your prayers are doing SO much… i love your heart. one of the most effective and powerful things we can do each day is to fall on the floor and pray, pray, pray. through our prayers, God moves mountains. keep kneeling, friend. these are the things that matter. e.

  5. There you go making me cry again…..

    thank you, Emily for sharing your heart, sharing His love and motivating this girl to follow His call to love well.

    • My dear Holley–so grateful (in)courage would share this space so we can raise awareness and hope for these precious babies. Love you friend, to the moon. e.

  6. Oh my, this has wrecked me all over again for Uganda. One of our sponsor kids lives in Uganda. He wrote to tell me his grandmother loves me. I had to read this to really understand why. God bless you, Emily, and thank you for allowing God to pour His love through you.

    • I love that your sponsor kid’s grandmother loves you 🙂 Yes, the people there are SO incredibly warm and loving. I tear up thinking about the way they ran up and put their arms around me. There was no hostility or anger or fear… just, love. It was so humbling. Bless you friend. e.

  7. What a wonderful way to help these children and their family’s. It breaks my heart to see all of those faces. Like, why is the adoption process so darned hard, why can’t loving people just go and scoop up every child that has no one and take them home? If they can’t claim refuge status then who can? My heart breaks, I look around and see the jewelry I have that was made by women in Africa who are mothers and entrepreneurs, using what they have, and I feel proud that it is on my walls and not locked away in a box somewhere. Just when you think you need more you realize you really do need so much less.

  8. Beautiful kids. Beautiful art. Beautiful you. Wonderful work. As a Nigerian missionary’s kid, I can testify that it’s such joy to sacrifice and see the smiles on those young faces.

    Though I don’t think it’s fair to refer to three African countries as Africa. Like seriously? There are over 50 countries in Africa and these are as diverse as they sound. I do believe It’s more respectful to be specific about the country in question than just using a general term Africa – it refers to no country in particular.

  9. I live in Northern Alberta as well! I understand your heart for Africa… It is amazing how many people God calls to these children as the hands and heart of God. May God Bless you. My grade one students are raising funds for an orphanage in Kenya right now. We each can make a difference to one… For One.