Wow! Ok! I didn't think this would work here, but I'm going to try it! I have arrived in Ethiopia! I know I have not updated the blog in a while! Life got really crazy! And then I found out about a week and a half before I was originally supposed to leave I did not have a flight. I did some scrambling and weeded through some ridiculously priced flights and found one. I left this past Monday night and arrived in Addis Ababa very early this morning local time! It's been a little crazy and stressful, but I am so glad I am here now!
Internet comes and goes as it pleases so my blog updates will probably be short. I have one HUGE request for you all. PLEASE buy my remaining Ugandan necklaces!! Spread the word!! I had so many donations to take with me I had to pay ridiculously high baggage fees!! Fees that were not the same as to those listed on the airline's website. I cannot even mention the number because I think I might be sick!! Honestly I figured it out based on what the website said and when I got there I was told a completely different price. Thankfully I had the money to put out, but I would so appreciate some help on this. So, please buy a necklace! Tell everyone you know about the necklaces! I think I have about 14 left! It won't cover the baggage fees, but it would make me feel a little better! :) They are $25 a piece and can be purchased on the right side of my blog. Just look for the Ugandan necklace tab and there will be a buy button. Thank you so much!
Please don't get me wrong in this. I am not complaining about bringing all these donations. The price is so worth being able to bring these donations for the children. I just feel very mislead by what the airline's website said as to what the actual baggage fee is. I would pay anything so these children could have these items, but I would just like to be properly informed so I could be prepared. And I was not prepared for this....I was about half prepared for this!
And because it is definitely a miracle!!! ALL 7 of my bags arrived in Addis!!! This is HUGE!!!!! Last time I was here all of my bags did not make it and it took a few days to get them all. So this is definitely an answer to prayer! Thank you all who were praying for my bags! It may seem so trivial to pray for bags, but it was so important for me to have all my bags arrive!
I will update as often as I can depending upon the internet. And hopefully I will be able to post a few pictures here and there. The internet just is so unpredictable you never know what you are going to get day to day...sometimes minute to minute! lol Please keep praying for my trip! I need all the prayers you all can give! Thank you all so much for everything. I appreciate it all so much!! All the prayers, all the donations, and all the financial support!! I would definitely not be sitting in this amazingly beautiful country right now if it was not for all of you! Thank you!! :)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Soccer Balls for Necklaces!!
Don't forget the campaign I'm working on right now!! I will be arriving in Ethiopia 2 weeks from today! Crazy I know!!!! So these next two weeks will be filled with collecting donations. I still have about 15 Ugandan magazine paper necklaces left. For every necklace I sell, I will be purchasing 2 soccer balls to bring to Ethiopia with me. The children in Ethiopia love to play soccer...erm...I mean football! They will use anything they can find to make a football. They will even tie up some trash just to have something to play football with! Lets see how many footballs we can bring them. If I sell all 15 necklaces I have left that will be at least 30 footballs!!! I think we can do it in 2 weeks. Spread the word. The necklaces cost $25 a pieces and that includes the shipping.
Also, I am collecting toothpaste. I have 288 toothbrushes that I will be taking over with me, but not nearly enough toothpaste to go with them!! I will take any size you are willing to donate. I will even take the travel size! I don't know if there is any on sale right now or any coupons out there, but I know AIM is always less than a dollar a tube. And I'm not sure what the rate is on children's toothpaste...that is not one I frequently purchase. ;)
I am also looking for donations of more children's clothing. Sizes from newborn through teenager. I usually seems to get a lot of the middle group (usually toddler-6ish), but the teenagers usually get forgotten. So if you have any of those I would love to take some with me! Or if you see a great sale and would love to contribute that way that would be awesome!!! But I will also take whatever you are willing to give even if they are the sizes I usually get. They still need those sizes as well!
I will also take any medical supplies you might have. Band-Aids, gauze, alcohol pads, ointments, medicines, anything you can think of. It's harder to get certain medical supplies over there and they can use it just as much as we can use it here, but they just don't have as easy access to it over there. They get cuts and scrapes like we do, but they can't run to Target to get Band-Aids and Neosporin to deal with it.
And CLOTH DIAPERS!!!! I know I am friends with a lot of cloth diaper mamas and if you are will to donate any cloth diapers I will be so grateful!!! I don't want to take any of your stash if you are still planning on using it for future kiddos (I know how expensive CDing is!), but if you are done and wouldn't mind parting with your CD I would love to take them to Ethiopia with me. Imagine them on some cute bums in Ethiopia! :) I have seen the cuteness of the pictures you all post of your adorable kiddos in their CD, now imagine that cuteness on an adorable Ethiopia baby! AHH! That is too much cuteness for me to take!! lol I will be sure to take some pictures (if I can) of them in action so you can see!
If you are not local, you can ship any and all donations to me! You will see my address on the right side of my blog. Just make sure there is enough time for the package to arrive before I leave. Thank you all for supporting my trip and for all of your donations! I appreciate them all!! And as always keep the prayers coming! :)
Also, I am collecting toothpaste. I have 288 toothbrushes that I will be taking over with me, but not nearly enough toothpaste to go with them!! I will take any size you are willing to donate. I will even take the travel size! I don't know if there is any on sale right now or any coupons out there, but I know AIM is always less than a dollar a tube. And I'm not sure what the rate is on children's toothpaste...that is not one I frequently purchase. ;)
I am also looking for donations of more children's clothing. Sizes from newborn through teenager. I usually seems to get a lot of the middle group (usually toddler-6ish), but the teenagers usually get forgotten. So if you have any of those I would love to take some with me! Or if you see a great sale and would love to contribute that way that would be awesome!!! But I will also take whatever you are willing to give even if they are the sizes I usually get. They still need those sizes as well!
I will also take any medical supplies you might have. Band-Aids, gauze, alcohol pads, ointments, medicines, anything you can think of. It's harder to get certain medical supplies over there and they can use it just as much as we can use it here, but they just don't have as easy access to it over there. They get cuts and scrapes like we do, but they can't run to Target to get Band-Aids and Neosporin to deal with it.
And CLOTH DIAPERS!!!! I know I am friends with a lot of cloth diaper mamas and if you are will to donate any cloth diapers I will be so grateful!!! I don't want to take any of your stash if you are still planning on using it for future kiddos (I know how expensive CDing is!), but if you are done and wouldn't mind parting with your CD I would love to take them to Ethiopia with me. Imagine them on some cute bums in Ethiopia! :) I have seen the cuteness of the pictures you all post of your adorable kiddos in their CD, now imagine that cuteness on an adorable Ethiopia baby! AHH! That is too much cuteness for me to take!! lol I will be sure to take some pictures (if I can) of them in action so you can see!
If you are not local, you can ship any and all donations to me! You will see my address on the right side of my blog. Just make sure there is enough time for the package to arrive before I leave. Thank you all for supporting my trip and for all of your donations! I appreciate them all!! And as always keep the prayers coming! :)
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Buy a Necklace Send 2 Soccer Balls to Children in Ethiopia
First off I just want to say, I am on my way to Nashville and they have wifi on the plane. Who would have thought?? Okay, maybe I'm the only one facinated by this! haha :)
Anyway, buy one the beautiful Ugandan necklaces I have for sale and you can send 2 soccer balls to children in Ethiopia who would be beyond thrilled to have them. The children in Ethiopia love to play soccer (or football as they call it) and they will use anything as a ball. They will even tie up trash in the shape of a ball just to be able to place. Lets get them some real soccer balls so they can play. Each one of the beautiful Ugandan magazine paper bead necklaces I am selling are $25 each. That coms out to roughly 2 soccer balls each depending on how well priced I can get them for. Imagine the smile on a child's face when they see a brand new soccer ball they can play with! It would be such a great moment for them. A moment where they can forget about everything going on around them and be a kid.
You can purchase a necklace by clicking on the paypal button to the right (the one for the Ugandan necklaces). I think I have 15 left (it might be 14) so that is about 30 soccer balls! How awesome is that??? If you order a necklace between now and July 6th, I will mail it out once I return from Nashville. Thank you all so much! And just as a reminder some other donations still needed are cloth diapers, toothpaste, clothing, and medical supplies. Thanks! :)
Anyway, buy one the beautiful Ugandan necklaces I have for sale and you can send 2 soccer balls to children in Ethiopia who would be beyond thrilled to have them. The children in Ethiopia love to play soccer (or football as they call it) and they will use anything as a ball. They will even tie up trash in the shape of a ball just to be able to place. Lets get them some real soccer balls so they can play. Each one of the beautiful Ugandan magazine paper bead necklaces I am selling are $25 each. That coms out to roughly 2 soccer balls each depending on how well priced I can get them for. Imagine the smile on a child's face when they see a brand new soccer ball they can play with! It would be such a great moment for them. A moment where they can forget about everything going on around them and be a kid.
You can purchase a necklace by clicking on the paypal button to the right (the one for the Ugandan necklaces). I think I have 15 left (it might be 14) so that is about 30 soccer balls! How awesome is that??? If you order a necklace between now and July 6th, I will mail it out once I return from Nashville. Thank you all so much! And just as a reminder some other donations still needed are cloth diapers, toothpaste, clothing, and medical supplies. Thanks! :)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
100.
That is my new favorite number. As in 100%!! 100% funded!! Praise God!!! I am 100% funded!!! Both my trip and my flight are paid for!! :) Every time I go to Ethiopia, it always seems to come down to the wire with the funding. I just love how God works that way. I think He is trying to teach me patience. I so need to learn more patience. I knew all along He would provide every penny and just 18 days before I leave!
You can still help me, though! I am currently collecting donations to take with me to Ethiopia. I am still selling the Ugandan magazine paper necklaces. They are $25 a piece and for each necklace you buy you will send 2 soccer balls to children in Ethiopia! How awesome is that?!?! You get a beautiful piece of jewelry and children in Ethiopia will have a great toy to play with. Soccer is a huge sport in Ethiopia and children will use whatever they can find to make a ball just so they can play. They sometimes will tie trash into a ball and play with that.
I am also collecting toothpaste. I have about 300 toothbrushes I am bringing with me and I need some toothpaste to take along. I am also in need of some more clothes. I have some, but need some more. They can be new or gently used. All children's sizes including baby through teenager will be great. I am also looking for some cloth diapers. This will be something wonderful that I could bring to an orphanage that will really bless them. I will also take any other medical supplies and anything else you can think of. There really isn't that much that I will turn away. :)
If you are local, just contact me and I will come pick anything up. If you are not local, you can ship anything to me at the address at right. You can also donate financially by clicking on the donate button on right. I will be going shopping for some donations so you can contribute that way if you would like. Thank you all so much! Thank you for your financial donations so I could be 100% funded. Thank you for your donations so I can take items over to those in need. I especially thank you for all your prayers thus far! Please keep them coming as the trip is almost here. This is the crucial time when the enemy is really going to be rearing his ugly head! Especially now that I am fully funded!!! Thank you all for all your support! I love you all. :) I will keep you updated on the donations and what is needed.
You can still help me, though! I am currently collecting donations to take with me to Ethiopia. I am still selling the Ugandan magazine paper necklaces. They are $25 a piece and for each necklace you buy you will send 2 soccer balls to children in Ethiopia! How awesome is that?!?! You get a beautiful piece of jewelry and children in Ethiopia will have a great toy to play with. Soccer is a huge sport in Ethiopia and children will use whatever they can find to make a ball just so they can play. They sometimes will tie trash into a ball and play with that.
I am also collecting toothpaste. I have about 300 toothbrushes I am bringing with me and I need some toothpaste to take along. I am also in need of some more clothes. I have some, but need some more. They can be new or gently used. All children's sizes including baby through teenager will be great. I am also looking for some cloth diapers. This will be something wonderful that I could bring to an orphanage that will really bless them. I will also take any other medical supplies and anything else you can think of. There really isn't that much that I will turn away. :)
If you are local, just contact me and I will come pick anything up. If you are not local, you can ship anything to me at the address at right. You can also donate financially by clicking on the donate button on right. I will be going shopping for some donations so you can contribute that way if you would like. Thank you all so much! Thank you for your financial donations so I could be 100% funded. Thank you for your donations so I can take items over to those in need. I especially thank you for all your prayers thus far! Please keep them coming as the trip is almost here. This is the crucial time when the enemy is really going to be rearing his ugly head! Especially now that I am fully funded!!! Thank you all for all your support! I love you all. :) I will keep you updated on the donations and what is needed.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Ethiopia is fast approching and I'm not fully funded!
Hey everyone! When I started out on this adventure of a third trip to Ethiopia, I told you all I was going to be as transparent as I could be on this blog. You all are helping me get to Ethiopia, so I want you to know what is going on. Well I feel the need to be open and transparent with you right now.
I leave for Ethiopia in 33 days! 33!! That is going to be here before we know it! However, I am not fully funded! As of today, I have $780 left to pay toward my trip. I need people to step out in faith and help fund my trip to Ethiopia. I know God has called me to go and He will have all the funds provided for me, but where He gets those funds from is up to Him. He may be calling you to give to my trip. Is He tugging at your heart? Is He telling you to help send me to do His work in Ethiopia? This is as little as 10 people donating $78. Or 15 people donating $52. Or 20 people donating $39. Or even 30 donating $26. Or maybe God has blessed you in a huge way and He is tugging at you to make me fully funded.
I need to be fully funded to be able to get to Ethiopia. God is going to provide and make a way, but His body needs to move and act when He is telling them to. I am paying out of pocket for my flight so I need donations to be able to pay for the cost of the trip itself. Please consider donating to my trip. Pray and think about it. If you would like to donate to my trip, you can do so by clicking on the donate button on the right side of my blog. You can also mail me a check (you can find that information on the right side as well).
Please continue to pray for my trip. Pray as I continue to fund raise, prepare to leave, and while I am in Ethiopia. I appreciate all of your prayers. I appreciate your financial support more than you will ever know. You are helping me do what God is calling me to do and that is an incredibly precious gift to me. Thank you.
I leave for Ethiopia in 33 days! 33!! That is going to be here before we know it! However, I am not fully funded! As of today, I have $780 left to pay toward my trip. I need people to step out in faith and help fund my trip to Ethiopia. I know God has called me to go and He will have all the funds provided for me, but where He gets those funds from is up to Him. He may be calling you to give to my trip. Is He tugging at your heart? Is He telling you to help send me to do His work in Ethiopia? This is as little as 10 people donating $78. Or 15 people donating $52. Or 20 people donating $39. Or even 30 donating $26. Or maybe God has blessed you in a huge way and He is tugging at you to make me fully funded.
I need to be fully funded to be able to get to Ethiopia. God is going to provide and make a way, but His body needs to move and act when He is telling them to. I am paying out of pocket for my flight so I need donations to be able to pay for the cost of the trip itself. Please consider donating to my trip. Pray and think about it. If you would like to donate to my trip, you can do so by clicking on the donate button on the right side of my blog. You can also mail me a check (you can find that information on the right side as well).
Please continue to pray for my trip. Pray as I continue to fund raise, prepare to leave, and while I am in Ethiopia. I appreciate all of your prayers. I appreciate your financial support more than you will ever know. You are helping me do what God is calling me to do and that is an incredibly precious gift to me. Thank you.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
38 Days!!
That is how many days I have left until I leave for Ethiopia!! 38!! It is coming up so quickly!! I cannot wait to be back there, but I feel like I have so much to do before I leave. This includes a lot of fundraising!! I am still selling the Ugandan magazine necklaces. You can purchase these necklaces by clicking on the button on the right side of my blog. I am still selling the Love Ethiopia bracelets and I have a few Love Africa magnets left.
I have about $700 left to raise. If you feel led to give to my trip, you can click on the donate button on the right side of my blog. The necklaces will cover about half of what I have left to raise. Please pray about how God wants you involved in my trip. I thank you all for your support: financially and most importantly your prayer support. Your prayers are so important to me! Please keep them coming.
38 days!! I cannot believe it! It will be here before I know it!! I cannot wait to be back in the place I feel most at home in this world.
I have about $700 left to raise. If you feel led to give to my trip, you can click on the donate button on the right side of my blog. The necklaces will cover about half of what I have left to raise. Please pray about how God wants you involved in my trip. I thank you all for your support: financially and most importantly your prayer support. Your prayers are so important to me! Please keep them coming.
38 days!! I cannot believe it! It will be here before I know it!! I cannot wait to be back in the place I feel most at home in this world.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
It's been a while! I think it's time for an update!
I stepped away from the blogging for a couple of weeks, so I think it's time for an update! So as of this moment I leave in 61 days for Ethiopia!!! I cannot believe that! 61 days!! It's coming up quick! And there is still so much to do! I'm collecting donations to take with me. I have toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, balls, pencils, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and some clothes. I'm preparing myself for the trip. I think no matter how many times you have been to a country like Ethiopia, you still have to do some preparing within yourself. I absolutely love Ethiopia and feel very much at home there, but there is a level of poverty and hunger that is unlike anything in America. It really does change the way you see the world and experience life. It changes your life forever. And you are changed in a way every time you go.
Mostly there is a lot of prayer that goes into my preparation for going back to Ethiopia. I get very close to God in the days and weeks leading up to the trip. After all, He is the reason why I go and keep going back. This is the work He wants me to do. This is His work and He has chosen me to do it. But I am not alone. God doesn't chose individuals to do His work because then the focus would be on that individual and not on Him. I believe He calls many people to the same task so He gets all the glory for the work. It's not about me! It's all about Him! Everything I do is about Jesus.
I am still fundraising! I still have a ways to go, but I know God will provide every penny I need. You can definitely help me reach my goal! I am selling beautiful Ugandan necklaces! These necklaces are made out of magazine paper!! They are gorgeous and unique! No two the same!!
You can purchase a necklace or 2 or 3 ;) by click on the necklace purchase button on the right side of my blog. Order as many as you like! I have 16 remaining!! They are $25 each.
You can also purchase Love Ethiopia bracelets for $5 each. You can find a button for that also located on the right side of my blog.
I also have some Love Africa magnets for $6 each. I think I have 5 of these left.
And....since no one gave for the coffee giveaway (!!!) I am extending it with a little twist. For each donation of $10 you will get ONE entry into the coffee giveaway. This donation is in addition to any purchases made. This giveaway is for 2 bags of Three Avocados coffee and a mug! Awesome deal!! To donate for this giveaway click on the donate button on the right side of my blog.
For any of these items or giveaways, you can also give by check if you do not want to give by Paypal. You can find information on how to give by check on the right side of my blog. As always, I ask for your prayers for my trip. Thank you all for your support of me and my trip. I appreciate more than you know! :)
Mostly there is a lot of prayer that goes into my preparation for going back to Ethiopia. I get very close to God in the days and weeks leading up to the trip. After all, He is the reason why I go and keep going back. This is the work He wants me to do. This is His work and He has chosen me to do it. But I am not alone. God doesn't chose individuals to do His work because then the focus would be on that individual and not on Him. I believe He calls many people to the same task so He gets all the glory for the work. It's not about me! It's all about Him! Everything I do is about Jesus.
I am still fundraising! I still have a ways to go, but I know God will provide every penny I need. You can definitely help me reach my goal! I am selling beautiful Ugandan necklaces! These necklaces are made out of magazine paper!! They are gorgeous and unique! No two the same!!
You can purchase a necklace or 2 or 3 ;) by click on the necklace purchase button on the right side of my blog. Order as many as you like! I have 16 remaining!! They are $25 each.
You can also purchase Love Ethiopia bracelets for $5 each. You can find a button for that also located on the right side of my blog.
I also have some Love Africa magnets for $6 each. I think I have 5 of these left.
And....since no one gave for the coffee giveaway (!!!) I am extending it with a little twist. For each donation of $10 you will get ONE entry into the coffee giveaway. This donation is in addition to any purchases made. This giveaway is for 2 bags of Three Avocados coffee and a mug! Awesome deal!! To donate for this giveaway click on the donate button on the right side of my blog.
For any of these items or giveaways, you can also give by check if you do not want to give by Paypal. You can find information on how to give by check on the right side of my blog. As always, I ask for your prayers for my trip. Thank you all for your support of me and my trip. I appreciate more than you know! :)
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